When you see court cases on the news, the story usually ends when the criminal goes to jail. But in Piper Kerman’s Orange is the New Black, you read the story that seldom gets told. Kerman writes about her 15 months in a federal penitentiary and describes her experience with how the prison system works, the treatment of prisoners, and the interactions between prisoners themselves. Her experience tells an entertaining story, but does not truly reflect the struggle of the average inmate. While the book is well written, and the author is well-informed, she lacks the experience of true incarceration because of her privilege and network of friends and family. Piper Kerman was given special treatment in prison, thanks to her looks. “But my blonde
