Hole in My Life- Jack Gantos; pgs 150-200

Jack Gantos's story gives me chills. This book is so raw and intense, it really does not sugar coat anything. Jack has been convicted of drug smuggling and is now in prison in Ashland, Kentucky. He is obviously scared, because he has never been in this sort of trouble before. He has to deal with possibly being rapped, it is one of the firs things he becomes aware of once he gets to prison. However, after being transferred to Ashland he is put in a hospital cell. Probably a more safe place than a regular cell. He had lice, which he was actually happy about because it meant staying in a hospital cell for a little while. While in prison, he tried to remain unnoticed, because he was not a tough guy, and not ready to fight anyone if they would try to attack him in anyway.He ended up spending 15 months in prison. The worst 15 months of this life.

I love how this story ends, even though it is a cautionary tale, and in some ways his experiences were horrible, it is still inspiring. It ends with him explaining that he now out in the open doing what he has always wanted. To write. I loved it. I think it's great when people who make mistakes overcome the shadows of their past. Jack has written other books so I'm eager to check those out sometime.