Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman

I thought it would be good to take a break from all of the death related books I've recently read and to read something not about death. So this one is about prison.

Piper was sentenced to a 15-month stay at a women's federal prison on a drug-related crime from ten years ago when she was fresh out of college. She writes about her time spent in prison, her fellow inmates, the endless number of rules, and the humiliations. She stands out from her inmates as she's white and educated.

I loved this book! It's insightful, thoughtful, and full of humanity. Piper is funny and sensitive, and her inmate friends really come alive. This book also made me pause and think about the correctional system and how it really works and if it's effective or not.