that "ultimately, though, the book feels like a well-written, readable stage in Kerman’s rehabilitation." Thomas stated that the television show had improved on the book by expanding on Kerman's descriptions of real people and turning them into compelling fictional characters. Writing in the Journal-Advocate, Tricia Ketchum called the book "not your typical 'I survived prison memoir', referring to Kerman as "spoiled" as she received multiple care packages and money into her commissary. Ketchum concludes, "The best part of this book is the message that it leaves you with: No matter what choices you make, you never realize just how much they will impact the lives of those around you until it is too late." The book was selected by the UC Santa Barbara Library as its 2015 book for the university-wide reading program "UCSB Reads". See also Incarceration of women in the United States My Companions in the Bleak House Prison uniform, some are orange jumpsuits References External links English-language books American memoirs Debut books 2010 non-fiction books Memoirs of imprisonment Imprisonment and detention of women in the United States Spiegel & Grau books Orange Is the New Black Non-fiction books adapted into television shows