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bethsandford's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book because it was so different from what I noramally read. I found it well put together and fascinating to read about the different woman and their struggles or the choices they made that ended them in the correctional facility.
curiousintrovert's review against another edition
3.0
I read this with a supervisee and had discussions every couple of weeks in order to inform work with forensic populations. It was a useful way to explore a lot of the issues they confront.
ultimatekate's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Wally Lamb's "The Hour I First Believed," I decided to tackle this book, which is a collection of essays written by women in York Correctional Facility. (If you read "The Hour I First Believed", I'm sure you'll see the connection.) For me, this book really opened my eyes to the kinds of women who typically commit crimes--nearly all of these women were physically, emotionally, and/or sexually abused. Granted the perpetrators were different (fathers, boyfriends, husbands, uncles, etc.), but the effects were the same.
Most of these stories were pretty sad, and thus, I couldn't read the book at one time. Since each story was written by a different author, each stands on its own, which means you can put the book down and pick up something else. The last story was written by a teacher, and, as a teacher, had a profound effect on me.
Most of these stories were pretty sad, and thus, I couldn't read the book at one time. Since each story was written by a different author, each stands on its own, which means you can put the book down and pick up something else. The last story was written by a teacher, and, as a teacher, had a profound effect on me.
ktswings's review against another edition
5.0
Kudos for Lamb for "walking the walk", or to say, assisting to "writing the write(right)". This book was powerful and eloquent, and I am touched by Lamb's willingness to work with these amazing women in a CT women's prison. These stories are heart-breaking, but that we are able to read and have shared in them, is incredible.
bbrad86's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
anasof's review against another edition
5.0
Gives a voice to criminals who experienced the terrible things written about in books like “The Bluest Eye,” but did not have the power nor resources to write about it. Almost every woman who wrote a memoir in this book had been raped in her childhood years. Had grown up in an inconsistent, unbalanced family setting. As the writing teacher, Dale Griffith wrote, “to look beneath the surface of her conviction, to the complexities that shaped her for prison,” was, to me at least, to understand their predisposition for crime. Makes you think. Makes you angry!
vninny's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
lil_owl_reads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Read for a criminology class. Immediately a new favorite. I didn't rate it higher only because it's a short-form essay style, which is just generally not my most liked style, but this excelled in that genre. I strongly encourage anyone who has ANY interest in the criminal justice system, in rehabilitation, in sociology/criminology, or even in the lives of others. I was brought to tears by so many of these essays. I think this book will affect me for a long time after this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
arosales1483's review against another edition
5.0
Such an amazing book. Even after being in corrections for over a decade, I learned from this book. I laughed, cried and was provoked into thinking about my approach to incarceration throughout the entire book. Everyone should read it to embrace and understand the most important way to view those who are incarcerated...human first, incarcerated man/woman second.