Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

July 28, 2015

Piper Kerman (Piper Chapman on the show) is a middle aged, middle to upper class white woman who is being sent to prison for a 10 year old offense.  As an adult in her early 20s, Piper desired to see more of the world.  Tagging along with her girlfriend Nora, Piper becomes entangled in the world of drug trafficking. She quickly realizes that a life of crime isn’t for her and disentangles herself from Nora.  Piper returns home to get her life back on track.  She finds a career she loves and meets her boyfriend, Larry.  Just as their relationship is progressing, Piper is informed that Nora’s drug ring is being indicted and she will face criminal charges.  Years pass and Piper is stuck in a holding pattern as she waits to be charged and sentenced.  Once she is finally officially charged, Piper enters a plea bargain and is able to have her time reduced to 15 months.  In the remainder of the memoir, Piper shares her experiences in prison.  

My Thoughts: 
The Netflix original series, Orange is the New Black, has become rather popular.  My husband and I started watching it when the first season came out and it has now become one of our favorite shows. While I love the show, I have to say that I am very glad I went back and read the book.  In the memoir, Piper describes the relationships between the women in prison a little differently. There was much less bickering between the women and much more support compared to what is portrayed on the show.  I liked that these women looked after one another and despite their many differences, they truly cared for one another.  Kerman’s unique look at the prison system is intriguing and thought provoking.  I highly recommend this one. 

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