Joan Miner

I just spent the last several days reading because this material is well written and compelling and I was there. I left NYC in 1978 so was not seriously abused by the group as later patients were. My psychiatrist was Jack Gershberg who separated from Saul Newton when he became severely argumentative. Jack and Tony Gabrielle and Ellen Dolganos were honorable, ethical people never participating in patient intimidation or the bullying practiced by so many others revealed in this excellent book. I never lived in a group apartment but I had a share one summer in an Amagansett rental and danced at several city parties and dated a few therapists…..never my own therapist as that was clearly unethical and totally crazy!!! I was not aware that boundary was being broken by others but it apparently increased dramatically after I was safely in Los Angeles. Many of the people named were known to me and developing methods of intimidation early on.

This book is fabulous. I felt I was right inside the prison with the man. I had imagined what being incarcerated might be but I had no idea of the awful actual detail of daily life inside. The writer painted a memorable picture with every terrifying and frustrating moment. Since the USA imprisons so many people we really should know what reality is inside these places. I recommend this book for required reading, especially for young people who take risks and think they can easily deal with prison if they are caught. Let's make it part of the public school curriculum for middle schoolers before they are old enough to legally drop out of school. It could save some.