Jack Gantos reflects upon his time spent in a federal prison after he helps sail a boat containing two thousand pounds of hash from the Caribbean to NYC in hopes of earning money for college tuition. Beginning with the circumstances surrounding his bad decision, Gantos addresses how writing helped him to process the harsh experiences of prison life. Focusing on themes of redemption, justice, and rehabilitation, this memoir would be an excellent resource for an evaluation of drug sentencing and prison life.
Gantos, Jack. Hole in My Life. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2002.
Wonderful book for middle school or high school students; especially if they have read Gantos' fiction. He's very honest about his past and this book makes it easy to understand how he came up with his characters for his books.
ReplyDeleteJack Gantos just gave an interview about writing the book and his experience in prison and how it shaped his writing career. Check it out at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58b5aae4e4b0e5fdf619772f
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