Omg as a bona fide book addict (I have 2500 plus) I am enraged. I’m grateful a daughter requested my book collection bequeathed to her upon my death. And for some reason it came to me to recommend Ishmael by Daniel Quinn to your son. I love everything about you, Bridget. Thank you for sharing your quest with the world. It makes us all a little bit better.
And omg again - this just reminded me of an essay I must write about being arrested, placed in jail, and a book.
You know, some people just feel like friends from far away and you're one already. I am honored to have you here and passing all of my angsty truths along. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this blog, written months ago but i just read it! ❤️. I attempted to send my son a few years ago a book on plumbing as he's interested in possibly pursuing that route after released, but rejected due to "security threat". Another book rejected (years ago) was learning to speak Spanish. Of course I never checked to see if it was on the banned book list. I just assumed any book to help educate them would go thru. Apparently Not! Ridiculous!
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer is one of my favorite books. Surrender Experiment and Living Untethered by the same author are also great.
I’ll say again just how important your perspective is, as it’s worth thinking about what this system does to the souls of all those involved in it. The abandonment of nuance (by a machine that is incapable of comprehending it) rarely leads to a positive outcome.
I appreciate how you retain the humanity to treat your antagonists with the eye for nuance that is not reciprocated by the system you’re forced to participate in. You praise where it is deserved, and criticize where it is fair to do so. To me, THAT explains the power of these pieces.
Michael Singer is essential! And I don't think I've sent him one of those!! Thank you.
The collateral damage of the prison system is so astounding, and the reason I an willing to keep writing about it. We are only one family and the domino effect has been immeasurable. Just the book issue and costs alone have taken up massive amounts of resources. Thank you for always reading and giving your thoughts.
Sadly relatable once again. My sister is still in the county jail--in Texas--where they have changed the book sending requirements twice in the past few months. We are not allowed to send from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or any retailer now. Only directly from publishers who do not use third party delivery services. Which is no one. Haven't been able to get a book to her in months. It is insane.
INFURIATING. 1. I can’t believe she is STILL there. Seems like it has been forever since your first note about this. 2. How can we say— with a straight face— that our system wants rehabilitation? Books are the most basic articles of human learning we can provide. Take those and you’ve taken a whole category of hope and change and evolution. Just ugh.
Shouldn't there be a DOC PRISONER BILL OF RIGHTS? After all it's called the Department of Corrections. Shouldn't the Department be obligated to the core elements of rehabilitation that enable an inmate to correct their mistakes? Shouldn't the Department be required to cultivate good citizenship to ensure inmates are fit for society on release? It seems the DOC is more interested in breaking people than enabling them to recover their better judgement.
This. 100x this. Unfortunately, too many people (not just in Corrections) view 'prisoners' as non-people who gave up their rights when they broke the law. I could not agree with you more but it will take shifts in society's hard line beliefs in punishment over restitution and human growth.
Oof. My jaw dropped multiple times reading this. Your posts are an education in so many senses - what a world we live in. I love the note of hope at the end too. I’ll have a think on books but off the top of my head, if he hasn’t read it already Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett it’s a great one. Brilliant story, full spectrum of human experience/connection, and a history lesson to boot. ❤️
Omg as a bona fide book addict (I have 2500 plus) I am enraged. I’m grateful a daughter requested my book collection bequeathed to her upon my death. And for some reason it came to me to recommend Ishmael by Daniel Quinn to your son. I love everything about you, Bridget. Thank you for sharing your quest with the world. It makes us all a little bit better.
And omg again - this just reminded me of an essay I must write about being arrested, placed in jail, and a book.
Ooh, Ishmael! I haven't sent that one yet but it's going in the next order!!
Please, please write that essay. I'll be the first to read it. Love you back.
Bridget, I am so happy to be following you. I learn so much from you and pass it along and pay it forward to people in my every day life.
Thank you for opening yourself up like this. It matters.
You know, some people just feel like friends from far away and you're one already. I am honored to have you here and passing all of my angsty truths along. Thank you.
Bring it. All of it. And all of that right back at you xo
Seconding this 100%
Thank you for sharing this blog, written months ago but i just read it! ❤️. I attempted to send my son a few years ago a book on plumbing as he's interested in possibly pursuing that route after released, but rejected due to "security threat". Another book rejected (years ago) was learning to speak Spanish. Of course I never checked to see if it was on the banned book list. I just assumed any book to help educate them would go thru. Apparently Not! Ridiculous!
Unbelievable (and yet not).
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer is one of my favorite books. Surrender Experiment and Living Untethered by the same author are also great.
I’ll say again just how important your perspective is, as it’s worth thinking about what this system does to the souls of all those involved in it. The abandonment of nuance (by a machine that is incapable of comprehending it) rarely leads to a positive outcome.
I appreciate how you retain the humanity to treat your antagonists with the eye for nuance that is not reciprocated by the system you’re forced to participate in. You praise where it is deserved, and criticize where it is fair to do so. To me, THAT explains the power of these pieces.
Michael Singer is essential! And I don't think I've sent him one of those!! Thank you.
The collateral damage of the prison system is so astounding, and the reason I an willing to keep writing about it. We are only one family and the domino effect has been immeasurable. Just the book issue and costs alone have taken up massive amounts of resources. Thank you for always reading and giving your thoughts.
This makes me so frustrated. Our prison systems can be so inhumane and absurd.
Not sure how I'm just seeing this comment but yes yes yes... still insane and frustrating.
Sadly relatable once again. My sister is still in the county jail--in Texas--where they have changed the book sending requirements twice in the past few months. We are not allowed to send from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or any retailer now. Only directly from publishers who do not use third party delivery services. Which is no one. Haven't been able to get a book to her in months. It is insane.
INFURIATING. 1. I can’t believe she is STILL there. Seems like it has been forever since your first note about this. 2. How can we say— with a straight face— that our system wants rehabilitation? Books are the most basic articles of human learning we can provide. Take those and you’ve taken a whole category of hope and change and evolution. Just ugh.
Wow, you opened my eyes. Thank you for the massive energy you put into this essay. I am better for reading it.
Thank you for reading, and for letting me know. It means so much.
Shouldn't there be a DOC PRISONER BILL OF RIGHTS? After all it's called the Department of Corrections. Shouldn't the Department be obligated to the core elements of rehabilitation that enable an inmate to correct their mistakes? Shouldn't the Department be required to cultivate good citizenship to ensure inmates are fit for society on release? It seems the DOC is more interested in breaking people than enabling them to recover their better judgement.
This. 100x this. Unfortunately, too many people (not just in Corrections) view 'prisoners' as non-people who gave up their rights when they broke the law. I could not agree with you more but it will take shifts in society's hard line beliefs in punishment over restitution and human growth.
Oof. My jaw dropped multiple times reading this. Your posts are an education in so many senses - what a world we live in. I love the note of hope at the end too. I’ll have a think on books but off the top of my head, if he hasn’t read it already Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett it’s a great one. Brilliant story, full spectrum of human experience/connection, and a history lesson to boot. ❤️
Thank you for reading and for your great suggestion! He has read Pillars and loved it. Please keep the recommendations coming!!
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is EXCELLENT! One of my favorite "keeper" books and available on Amazon.
Great option! I took him to the movie many years ago but I bet the book is better. 😉
The movie was not worth seeing 😖
Well, shoot, I guess I better read the book!!!
Extreme Ownership by Jocko would make a great read.
Great suggestion. 🖤