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Sweet Hell On Fire: A Memoir Of The Prison I Worked In And The Prison I Lived In (2012)

by Sara Lunsford(Favorite Author)

3.61 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1402270763 (ISBN13: 9781402270765)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Sourcebooks

review 1: Wow. I’m not usually much of a memoir reader — a market that’s been done to death — but I fully recommend this one if you want to know just how much horror a person can go through and still emerge whole, better and truly triumph. This isn’t some suburban tale of boohoo cruel words. Lunsford’s account of being a prison guard while her life fell apart is harrowing from beginning to end, delivering an extra sucker punch just before redemption. From the first indelible image of trying to clean brains out of her uniform to the ultimate betrayal by a friend, you will be riveted. I’m sure the people on the train wondered what I was reading on my shiny tablet with my mouth open in astonishment.As for-profit prisons give the US the world’s highest rate of incarcera... moretion, it’s worth knowing the effects on the people inside, on both sides of the bars. Lunsford repeats the old guards’ wisdom: for the first year you’re not suited to the work — and after the first year, you’re not suited for anything else. She identifies with the men like her father and husband, who take no guff from anyone and achieves the coveted designation of “hard ass” — the prisoners call her “Sarge” with respect. But she also sees the cost of the rigid system. It’s all about choices, like everything. Lunsford had some hard choices to make.
review 2: Books about prison fascinate me. It's a whole culture and lifestyle that I cannot wrap my mind around, and honestly that's probably not a bad thing. I like books about prisons and prisoners...written by CO's, inmates or former inmates, I'm not fussy, I just like the insight.This book appeased my guilty pleasure in that it definitely offered up some insight as to what life is like inside those walls. The problem I had with this book is that I struggled to like the author. I understand that you need to be tough and thick skinned to work in a prison. I understand sizing up everyone you meet inside and outside of those gates. I understand the detachment, the jumpiness and the need to control your environment at all times...I am married to a former CO...I get it. However, it's hard to like a woman who chooses to drink her sorrows away and not take care of her children. A woman who admits that even as she made those choices (choosing alcoholism over her family)she was AWARE that she was making them. The book is well written, and overall I enjoyed it. I just don't have any respect for the author...and throughout the whole book she claims she makes the choices she makes so that people will respect her. I guess it just didn't work with me... less

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