Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner by Chris Atkins

10 reviews

pasupapare's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

thequeenofsheba3's review against another edition

dark informative fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault and Xenophobia

clotalksbooks's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Eye opening. It's weird to describe this as enjoyable considering the subject matter, but I did look forward to listening each day and finding out a bit more about the state of our prison systems. 

Atkins really adds the human nature to each story, and doesn't shy away from revealing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Nor does he pretend to be a saint surrounded by sinners. The acknowledgement of what being in prison does to those waiting outside was also recognised. 

A very interesting, but also entertaining book - didn't make the subject dry and boring, but personal and revealing. Well narrated on the whole, though I did find some of the voices wince-inducing. Overall a worthwhile listen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt

kfquarium's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

citrusboombox's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

bridget_t's review against another edition

dark funny informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jayevans's review against another edition

funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

An easy read, well-written narrative about a middle-class man’s time inside. Though Atkins isn’t as reflective about the crime he committed, his descriptions of his experience and the characters he meets were rich, and his evidence about the failures of the prison  system is very thought-provoking. Really enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Child abuse

raachelnorth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

A very insightful, brutally honest account of the UK prison system and the following living environment. Raw, personal and valuable account of the effects of continued isolation and lack of access to both rehabilitation and education. Showing how the disadvantaged are fail once again when incarcerated.

I am glad the author references and is aware of his own comparable priveledge and  experience due to race and class. 
He can come across as a bit unlikable at the start, but given context and self awareness shown through out you grow to really invest in him, his friends and family. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicide

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

digitalnomadgirl's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative medium-paced

5.0

An absolute must read. First hand account of a documentary film maker who goes to prison for tax fraud and records his experiences. An amazing honest insight which would never be shown to journalists or politicians. A funny and light hearted read but also dark and moving. Also has a lot of practical and realistic suggestions for reform. Highly recommended!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Murder

susannaobrien's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad fast-paced

3.5

Through his frank writing style, Atkins gives an eye-opening account of the horrific state of UK prisons, and the lack of empathy and efficiency with which they're run. 

I appreciated his focus on mental health and the links he made between antiquated admin systems, career politicians serving their own interest, and societal views which culminate in worse circumstances for both prisoners and the wider world. At multiple moments I had to pause out of feelings of sadness and frustration at these broken institutions.

I think it's clear from the book that his experience is still hugely privileged by him being an educated white man, and he does acknowledge this at various points, however I'd have liked him to explore this further and make stronger recommendations on how prisons can avoid perpetuating the racial and economic inequities of the outside society. In an attempt to be funny, he also uses some pretty problematic language throughout (in his own voice, not just quoting others), and although he gives a relatively weak justification at quite a late stage of the book as to why (the effects of prison culture on him), it was still hard to read and might alienate readers. 

Overall a decent read and has sparked some interesting conversations since.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Vomit