Things Fall Apart

by Hilary Neiman

Early one morning in 2011, Hilary Neiman was hard at work in the offices of her own successful adoption and surrogacy practice, when three agents of the FBI entered without warning, read her Miranda rights, and informed her, “This is your Come to Jesus day.” How does one go from being raised in a loving, ethical family and earning an advanced education, including in the law, to being accused in the headlines of joining a baby-selling, human trafficking ring? Eventually, Hilary would plead guilty, but not to baby-selling. She would forfeit her license to practice law, and spend five months in the Atwood Minimum Security Camp in Lexington, Kentucky. Things Fall Apart is the story of a young woman with nothing but the promise of a fulfilled life ahead of her, whose childhood dream turned into a nightmare.

258 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2014

Reviews

[AnnMarie Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things Fall Apart was a compelling read and one that I found myself identifying with. It was refreshing to hear her side of the story, without the media there to influence and throw in facts or terms unrelated to the case in order to add a dramatic flare to the story. This story was dramatic and intense enough without attempting to make it any worse than it was already.

I felt that Hilary wanted to share in her story that regardless of background and positive influences in one's life, anyone can make a mistake that could potentially land them in trouble with the law. No one is safe from their own free will, and her story is a perfect example of just that. People make mistakes in their lives every day, granted some of those mistakes are bigger than others.

Another message in Things Fall Apart that Hilary really drives home is that although anyone can make a mistake, they too can rebuild their lives and come out on the other side. Making a bad decision, or a series of bad decisions, does not mean that good decisions are no longer possible. Hilary learned that herself during her journey to rebuild her own life and now she knows that positive changes in her life can lead her down a new path. This new path may be entirely different than what she had always planned for her life, but a different path for her does not necessarily a wrong one.

Hilary's writing style is engaging and kept me glued to the story from page one. After reading her story, I really felt as if I really know her. It is not up to society to judge her actions, and it is not up to anyone other else to do so either. Hilary has earned forgiveness, and anyone, especially those not directly affected by this case, should consider that forgiveness and empathy are much healthier qualities to have than judgement and arrogance.

My Recommendation: This book is for anyone who is interested in the truth behind the headlines, those that have empathy for others and understand the importance of forgiveness and retribution. Those that read Things Fall Apart should keep in mind that everyone is capable of making poor choices, no matter where they come from, what line of work they are in, or who they are on the inside. The best of intentions can lead to the worst choices.

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[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. The author brings up a lot of subjects that arent commonly discussed. I also learned a lot about our criminal justice system and what a defendant has to go through. The author does a great job of humanizing the ladies in federal camp. It was certainly an eye opening read. I have read other books about prison life but most do not give a womens perspective. This book is different from Orange is the New Black because it goes deeper into religious and philosophical issues. What I especially loved about this book is the humor- I was laughing out loud at certain points.

[Andrii Sedniev · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book after having made some bad decisions heroine (Hilary Neiman) gets into prison for 5 months. She is a young woman who had good family, an advanced degree and a bright future in front of her when FBI agents came into her office. I think that this true story is incredibly engaging because you can relate to the heroine very well and imagine how would you act if you got into similar problems. Also...It's very interesting to follow thoughts of the author describing her feelings, observe how she evolves as a personality and learns lessons from perhaps the toughest period of her life. I learned a lot from this book, I liked reading this book and I can recommend this book to others.

[Cynthia Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her book Hilary Neiman writes about mistakes that she made that she had to pay for with 5 months in prison. It may sound that 5 months in prison for a young girl from a good family is the end of the life, however the heroine survives her punishment and learns valuable life lessons. This book reminded me that everyone makes mistakes and bad decisions however how we learn from them is what matters most. I not only learned a lot from experiences of Hilary Neiman but also looked at my own life from a different perspective. The authors language is very genuine and conversational which makes a book very interesting to read and scenes very visual. Great story!