From Buford Terrell: I just finished reading *Orange is the New Black* by Piper Kerman. It is a five-star Must Read: informative and gripping, detailed and evocative; it grabs your mind, your heart, and your gut.
This book is a memoir of Piper’s 13-month term in a federal prison following a (guilty plea) conviction for conspiracy to smuggle drugs. Along the way she has a lot to say about the War on Drugs, warehousing low-level, non-violent offenders, effects of prison on families (the narrative of her grandmother’s death is especially touching), especially children.
The eBook, at least, has not-to-overlook back-of-the-book material as well: an interview with the author and an eclectic selection of organizations doing volunteer work on some of the problems she discusses.
This is a first book. I hope she follows it up with more.
Start reading it tonight.
Ed note: The book has been made into a Netflix TV show. Readers can order it here.
