ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
My Year in a Women's Prison
With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely
resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug
money ten years ago. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and
sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional
facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna
is now inmate #11187-424—one of the millions of women who disappear
“down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. From her first
strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this
strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary
rules,
With a career, a boyfriend, and a loving family, Piper Kerman barely
resembles the reckless young woman who delivered a suitcase of drug
money ten years ago. But that past has caught up with her. Convicted and
sentenced to fifteen months at the infamous federal correctional
facility in Danbury, Connecticut, the well-heeled Smith College alumna
is now inmate #11187-424—one of the millions of women who disappear
“down the rabbit hole” of the American penal system. From her first
strip search to her final release, Kerman learns to navigate this
strange world with its strictly enforced codes of behavior and arbitrary
rules, where the uneasy relationship between prisoner and jailer is
constantly and unpredictably recalibrated. She meets women from all
walks of life, who surprise her with small tokens of generosity, hard
words of wisdom, and simple acts of acceptance. Heartbreaking,
hilarious, and at times enraging, Kerman’s story offers a rare look into
the lives of women in prison—why it is we lock so many away and what
happens to them when they’re there.
- Spiegel & Grau
- Paperback
- March 2011
- 352 Pages
- 9780385523394
Buy the Book
$15.00
About Piper Kerman
Piper Kerman is vice president of a Washington, D.C.—based
communications firm that works with foundations and nonprofits. A
graduate of Smith College, she lives in Brooklyn.
Praise
“Fascinating . . . The true subject of this unforgettable book is female bonding and the ties that even bars can’t unbind.”—People (four stars)
“I LOVED THIS BOOK. . . . It’s a story rich with humor, pathos, and
redemption. What I did not expect from this memoir was the affection,
compassion, and even reverence that Piper Kerman demonstrates for all
the women she encountered while she was locked away in jail. This book
is not just a tale of prisons, drugs, crime, or justice; it is, simply
put, a beautifully told story about how incredible women can be, and I
will never forget it.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love
“This book is impossible to put down because [Kerman] could be you. Or your best friend. Or your daughter.”—Los Angeles Times
“Moving . . . transcends the memoir genre’s usual self-centeredness to explore how human beings can always surprise you.”—USA Today