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Orange Is the New BlackNewjack: Guarding Sing SingTed ConoverHere is a wonderful talk I had in 2010 with Ted Conover, the revered immersive journalist who wrote Newjack: Guarding Sing-Sing about working as a correctional officer for a year in a maximum-security prison. It's a fantastic book.



I adore Ted and his writing; he was kind enough to come to Ohio to visit with my class of incarcerated writers. Hope you enjoy this old clip, it does offer a deep dive and a snapshot of my perspective when Orange Is the New Black was first released.

- Piper

Fresh Air is one of those "pinch me I'm dreaming" experiences...



And here's the companion interview with Jenji Kohan, the showrunner of the Netflix adaptation: Orange Is the New Black

The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell: Confessions of a Bank RobberJoe LoyaOrange Is the New BlackIn 2004, during my year in prison, a total stranger named Joe Loya began writing me letters. Joe served seven years in prison for 22 bank robberies, & survived two years in solitary confinement through reading & writing.

Joe's memoir, The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell, was published in 2004 to critical acclaim, & he was featured in the 2007 documentary Protagonist, by Oscar-winner Jessica Yu.

During & after my sentence Joe pushed me to write with honesty and humor & without regard for established ways of thinking about crime, punishment & prison.



Here we talk about memoir, prison narratives, & the life-saving and life-changing power of telling your truths.

This week The Week asked for six books I recommend people read. Here are some new & old favorites:



I have taught all of the memoirs in my writing classes for incarcerated people.