Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Book Review: Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

 
 
Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman

I started off really annoyed by Piper Kerman. I mean, how stupid can a person be? She's a graduate of a prestigious college, rich, with a loving family and decides to cast her lot with international drug dealers. Does she really think this is just a harmless lark to be moving drugs and drug money in and out of the country?  Does she truly think this is some kind of schoolgirl prank that will have no consequences?? Again, how stupid can a person be?

Anyway, once I got past the crime and into the punishment phase of the book, I became much more engaged with the narrative of her year in the minimum security Federal prison at Danbury.  As annoyed as I was with her choices, I must admit she can write about people and bring them to life.  The women with whom she is incarcerated became real with their own idiosyncrasies, flaws, and virtues. The conditions, the food, the corrections officers and staff are described and discussed. Very informative about prison conditions and recidivism. 

I couldn't put it down. 

(I have not seen the television series nor do I plan to.)

1 comment:

Rambling Woods said...

Maybe I will get this book. My daughter is a psychologist in Federal Corrections