Another Prison Survivor

Reading Getting By in Prison With Nothing But Books, LitHub's excerpt from Daniel Genis' Sentence, brought back memories and a recognition I was lucky to have been in federal prison. Fort Dix FCI was dull to the point of being a narcotic, for although there was extortion and violence and easy to drugs and alcohol (if one had money), nothing existed for anyone wanting to change their lives except for what they did on their own. That included reading. Mr. Genis's state prison experience shares that similarity.

We also share in what we gleaned from reading other prison writers: all prisons share cause certain behavorial characteristics. Whether it is the county jail or an American prison or Dauchau or a Soviet  gulag - closely packing people into places of restricted movement creates ugliness. That is your tax dollars at work.

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2/23/22