Orange Is the New Black

I received an advance copy of Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman through a goodreads.com contest.

Unfortunately for Ms. Kerman, the James Frey debacle led me to approach this book more skeptically than I might have otherwise. I found the circumstances of her crime rather hard to believe, especially when she recounts a meeting with the woman who caused her downfall. During this meeting, she quotes the woman as saying, "Sort of chilly for a marg?" Who has ever shortened the word margarita as anything other than 'rita???

That aside, I was compelled by the description of her conviction and time in prison. Despite the fact that she did commit a crime, I found the fact that the criminal justice system forced her to wait six years for sentencing to fall under the category of "cruel and unusual." By the time she was sentenced and self-surrendered to prison, the mistakes of her youth were long behind her. What sense did it make to punish her then?

Even more heart-breaking was reading about the deplorable lack of services available to help the women she served time with to return to the outside world with any chance of success. It's no wonder recidivism rates are so high.

Ms. Kerman's book brings to light the lack of "corrections" in our correctional system. I would much rather see my tax dollars being used to provide training and instruction that could lead prisoners that can be rehabilitated to productive, healthy lives after their incarcerations.

Good Times

There is nothing like curling up with a good book, a warm blanket, a cup of tea and maybe a kitty or two. That's what I did yesterday while I was home nursing a nasty sinus headache.

Over the past year or so, I've discovered some authors whose work I'm really enjoying. Thought I'd share in case you are looking for a good read. If you've read any of the following, I'd love to hear your thoughts - or offer up your own suggestions!

A. Lee Martinez - I'm currently reading A Nameless Witch and loving it. What's not to love about a book with talking demonic duck? His other books look intriguing as well.

Ted Dekker - I'm currently listening to Kiss in the car and loving that too. I've read a number of his books lately (including Black, Red, White and Green) and have enjoyed them all. He has a unique imagination, that's for sure.

Shanna Swendson - The Enchanted Inc. series is nothing short of delightful. Quick, fun reads.

Carrie Bebris - So far, I've only read her series of mysteries that take place where Pride and Prejudice leave off, but I am eager to read other books she's written.

Karen Miller/K.E. Mills - I've been devouring her books. She's a great fantasy writer. One series is blood-soaked and full of violence, another has a dash of humor. Something for everyone.

Lisa Shearin - She created one of the most kick-ass female characters in Raine Benares. I've read the whole series and am looking forward to the new one coming soon.

Tanya Egan Gibson - I found How to Buy a Love of Reading in the bargain bin. Powerful and touching. Could not put it down.

Cinda Williams Chima - I recommend her for Harry Potter fans that are looking for something similar.

That's all for now. Lost is about to start! Peace out.

What I Love About Reading

This is a hard post for me to start because I love so many things about reading. It makes me sad when someone says they hate reading; books can offer so much.

I love that reading is an escape from my technology saturated days - computer, cell phone, digital camera, video camera, and television are all off when I read. It feels like a return to a simpler time and I cherish the silence.

I love that I can go anywhere I wish without leaving the comfort of my couch. I can go to New York, Middle Earth, the Dominican Republic, Hogwarts, medieval Europe, Japan...anywhere.

I love that I can meet so many different people, some that I would want to meet in real life and some that I would not.

I love how different authors play with language, and I love to explore the different worlds and characters they create.

I love how reading can lift my spirits if I'm stressed, angry, sad or lonely, and I love how reading inspires my own creativity.

I love how reading is a one-to-one connection between the author and the reader. Unlike most other forms of entertainment, when you hold a book in your hands, you are holding the creation of one mind. That is amazing to me. I like to imagine where different authors might have written their works.

I love that reading connects me with my parents. When I was growing up, my parents always read to me, told me stories, bought me books and took me to the library. It wasn't uncommon for the three of us to be in our living room, one of us watching a TV show and the other two reading...but all together in the same room. These days we pass books back and forth and talk about them over weekly dinners.

Do you love reading? What do you love about it?