orange is the new black

by piper kerman

i picked up this gem on a lazy sunday morning
starbucks in one hand
a stack of memoirs in the other
and it was read
cover to cover
in the mountains.

even surrounded by all that glorious scenery
i couldn't put it down.
when i finally had to call it quits
i had 10 pages left
and i was damned if i was going to leave it at that

at approximately 11 pm, i had my flashlight
and i finished that baby in the tent.

i wondered
once i finished reading
if it was odd that i was jealous.

kerman was gifted - in a weird kind of way.
through her actions and the repercussions 11 years later (13 mos in jail)
she was able to connect with so many women
and hear so many diverse stories.

i couldn't help but become captivated with all of her prison mates.
they each had such wonderful - sometimes painfully sad -
stories that brought them together.

i also couldn't help but applaud kerman's brutal honesty.
she knew she had white privilege.
she knew guards were more likely to listen to her due to her skin colour.
she was aware.
and she was not afraid to mention it.
bravo.

she was also not afraid to critique
programs created for female inmates.
these programs are meant to help women
find housing, employment and reconnect with the outside world.

sadly, some of these inmates leave
and have nowhere to go.
and they depend wholeheartedly on these programs and seminars
that, in kerman's (and my) opinion, fall short.

it is irrelevant to discuss the general economy
if you do not know where to find these jobs in the first place.

another subtle critique was the care and consideration for pregnant inmates.
i found it really touching that several inmates
joined forces to help along an inmate in labour.

kerman was also willing to critique herself
and admit that her offense
(drug smuggling)
was the reason so many of her prison mates
suffered.
she realized that she was an enabler
through her actions that, 11 years earlier, seemed so minuscule.

little actions, big reactions.

in a world where we are constantly separating each other
by race, class, gender, etc etc.
this seems like the one institution where none of that really mattered.
crimes are committed by all sorts of people
and during this time of seclusion from friends and family,
kerman made bonds with women from all over social map.


so
curl up with a cup of tea
and a cozy blanket as fall rolls in
and read this book.

you will not be disappointed.