[Audiobook Review] Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Orange is The New Black
Piper Kerman

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 before. 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 people 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.

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.

Audiobook Review

Listening Length: 11 hours and 14 minutes
Version: Unabridged Audiobook
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

This was a great example of why we should never judge the book by its TV Show. After watching Orange is The New Black on Netflix, I thought that it was pretty good with good story line and entertaining subject. However, the book was entirely different from the set up, the story line, and side characters. 

“If you are a relatively small woman, and a man at least twice your size is bellowing at you in anger, and you’re wearing a prisoner’s uniform, and he has a pair of handcuffs on his belt, I don’t care how much of a badass you think you are, you’ll be fucking scared”

After 10 years of carrying a case full of drug money, Piper has to do 15 months in prison. From trying to learn how to adjust to prison rules to finding people that she grows very affectionate for – this memoir is definitely worth reading. For those who already watched the series before they read a book – it’s not rated R as they show in the book and unfortunately, we do not get to hear the story from the other prisoners’ POV. 

So if you’re interesting in a story about minimum security, I would suggest checking it out. I have never been a big “biography” fan but this book made me re-think that.