Prisoner in the Kitchen: The Car Thief, the Murderer, and the Man Hired to Feed Them

by William Bonham

Winner of Simon & Schuster’s memoir contest in conjunction with AARP and the Huffington Post, the memoir of a man’s coming-of-age as a civilian cook in a maximum-security prison.In 1973, recent Montana transplant William Bonham desperately needs a job. Hoping to take advantage of his background working in restaurants and diners, he finally comes across a listing for a position offering great money and benefits—at Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. He takes it. As food service supervisor in the kitchen of the maximum-security prison, Bonham oversees a kitchen crew of convicts that prepares and serves each meal. Among his staff are Earl, a homely baker; Aldrich, a timid young dishwasher; Smoky Boy, the prison’s most feared and respected convict; Mackey, who claims to have cooked at Seattle’s Olympic Hotel in his pre-incarceration life; and Reed, a cook whose calm, witty demeanor wins over Bonham. Over the next year, Bonham comes to care for his crew. Although he knows that these men have committed unforgiveable crimes, Bonham forms a camaraderie with them that borders on friendship—until a late-night incident calls his judgment into question. Told with humor and empathy, A Prisoner in the Kitchen is the redemptive tale of Bonham’s transformation from a bright-eyed optimist who sees the good in everyone to a man who understands and revels in the complexities of human nature.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography Memoir, Book Club

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2016

Reviews

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should Be Required Reading For All Future Correctional Employees! Outstanding! Finally, a prison story told by an honest employee, one not trying to make himself look like a superhero, or by a crusading malcontent. Bonham tells it like it is, from the fear EVERYONE feels on their first day, to "the dark sense of humor you need in a prison", to the realization that "this was a prison, and there were always new and exciting ways to look stupid". Lessons such as "don't pretend to be tough in front of a tough guy" (I learned that one the hard way); "the one thing I lost at the prison was the faith I had in my ability to judge men", keeping your mouth shut and doing your job (do your own time), and the dangers you face when working with convicts. I give the author credit for getting out when he did, he didn't like the way the job was changing him. In my 20+ years working at federal prisons, I met a lot of men who should have taken his example. And I relate everyday to the things he misses about the job; "the intensity of the prison, the mad laughter and sudden anger, the strange stories...the need to be constantly aware, and the sense of being alive at every moment". A great, great story. Should be required reading for every person thinking about going into a career in corrections!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit to original review:

This is to clarify a point in my original review. In the last paragraph I mentioned older, quoted dialogue as giving memoirs a highly polished and inauthentic feel. I didn't mean to suggest that this book was fake in any way. I believe it's an accurate depiction of the actual events. I meant to say as a general statement that when quoted dialogue occurs years before the book is published the dialogue itself can feel too highly polished and inauthentic, not the overall book itself. This book is more story driven than dialogue driven so my general proposition about quoted dialogue isn't fully applicable here. (The author commented about the dialogue in the book (see his and my comments below.)) In any event I enjoyed the book and apologize for misstating my general views about quoted dialogue.

Original review:

I was looking for something quick and straightforward to maintain some reading momentum and this book did the trick. I'm a big fan of short chapters and Bonham delivers them from beginning to end.

Bonham writes well and generally expresses himself clearly and in interesting ways. This book focuses solely on his experience working in a maximum security prison in 1973 and could have been a dumping ground for stereotypes and saccharine moralizing. Fortunately this book is free of evil guards, righteous convicts and preachy sitcom-esque happy endings.

One criticism I have (that I've expressed previously about memoirs written many years after the events of the book) is the prodigious use of quotes for conversations held over 40 years before the book was published. It makes me think the book is too highly polished and inauthentic. Maybe the author wrote the manuscript way back when and dusted it off later in life. Maybe not. I don't know why such things bother me but they do. I'm still glad I read the book and would recommend it to most readers.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Huffington Post and AARP had a contest for a 50,000 word memoir contest Bill Bonham got to work trimming his autobiography (by half)- the result is a wonderfully written snippet of Bill's life.

This is an account of Bill's year supervising the kitchen in a maximum security prison. I really enjoyed his take on the men he worked with in the early 70's and the various situations he found himself in. It's a quick read, each chapter is basically an anecdote of a notable event of that year from interviewing for the job to breaking up a fight in the kitchen. A number of the stories are thought provoking as Bill sorts through many issues that we still wrestle with involved with incarceration, rehabilitation and managing prison with society. Super interesting.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Montana Library2Go | A memoir about working at Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge, in 1973-1974 is a very strange reading experience for me (like when I read Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune), but this was well-written and interesting. Worth reading.

[Pinar Altay · Rating 5 out of 5]

daha önce konusu hapishane mutfağı olan bir kitap okumamıştım, o yüzden elime aldığım andan itibaren büyük ilgiyle okudum. bu bir roman değil, o yüzden romandaki gibi bir olay örgüsü beklemek yanlış olurdu. bir anı kitabından ne beklentim varsa karşıladı. ayrıca ana karakterin bir yıl içinde geçirdiği değişimi de okumak çok zevkliydi.

[LINDA OCONNOR]

Gutsy.

From such a great idea comes this cook who works in the prison kitchen. His honesty and candor revived a question I have had from time to time: what kind if person works in a prison? Thanks to this book, I have my answer.

[Nayeem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under the radar sleeper-hit that's funny and endearing.

[Emilio III · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book won an award for memoir writing. I learned about it through AARP magazine, one of the sponsors of the award. It's the story of a man hired to work as a cook for inmates at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. The book gives a different perspective on prison life. The author paints a picture of the drab environs of the prison contrasted by the vibrancy of life on the outside. At times, it's easy to draw a correlation to The Shawshank Redemption in the way the author portrays the inmates. As the author grows more comfortable working among the prison population, he oscillates from seeing them as normal people who just made some wrong decisions to men he feels deserve all the bad that has come their way.

The story covers a one year period in 1973. At times, the prison comes across as an acceptable place to be incarcerated. But by the end of that year, the author realizes that he is affected by the despair and realities of prison life. When he discovers the details of the specific crimes of some of the inmates, he struggles with his conflicting opinions about them. He ultimately decides that he wants nothing to do with the inmates or the prison.

[Dave Benneman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prisoner in The Kitchen, starts out as a humorous tale of the authors year cooking in a prison and life in a very small town in Montana. It quickly evolves into a memoir that ferociously attacked my emotions.

William Bonham uses great phrases throughout the book and throws in some interesting facts about prisons. I enjoyed this book. It surprised me with the emotions it raised in me.

It was thoughtful and the stories related well told. I for one would like to see what Mr. Bonham had to cut. Then again I know with my own writing what gets edited should remain forever edited.

[Donna Frasor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short memoir of a civilian cook who works in a maximum security prison in Montana. He paints a vivid picture of his life among the inmates and his feelings toward these men as he provides an honest description of his experiences. But although he gives it his all, he is effected by the despair and realities of prison life. This first time author has to be given credit for leaving as he saw the changes the job was having on him.

[Mary MacKintosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoirs are a way to peek into someone else's life, and I enjoy reading them. This one gives the reader a look into a bleak environment, and what it is like to voluntarily walk into a grim workplace, where most people have no choice about being. This is prison as it was in the 1970s in Montana. Bonham writes a spare prose that captures his experience, well. What I take away from it is his lesson that monsters can be likable, and one cannot always trust one's instincts.

[Janet McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow read - but good

I love writers who can make me feel and William Bonham did that. Sometimes his writing made me feel too uncomfortable and so I would put the book down for awhile. The worst part of the book was the end. Why? Because I wanted more. I wanted the convict's stories to continue. I wanted to know more. A writer told me the best writers always leave the readers wanting more. Good job Mr. Bonham!

[Joi Cowdery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy flow !! No complaints. The author spoke his truth and I could very well see myself in that position ....to become close with the convicts and lose a sense of self OR recognize characteristics that were masked before and only brought out thru the relationships with the employees.

My first memoir ..... I highly recommend it.

[edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale worth telling

A definitely different read with great human touches in a penal environment. The genuine insight into the convict-guard-prison cook relationships painted an accurate (from the reader's point of view) picture of prison life.

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, no wonder it won an award in memoir. I will carry along the story of White Grass forever, I can't shake that image. The author reminds us of the humanity of the incarcerated, as well as the inhumanity.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and insightful. I enjoyed it, especially the descriptions of how the author grew and changed because of working in the prison kitchen. The stories of prison characters and happenings were also relevant and engaging.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

2016 Read Harder Challenge - read a food memoir - I think this counts - author was a chef in a prison for a year

[Karen Debolt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very interesting read. It does make you think about how you judge people and consider that criminals may be really likable.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Bonham's year as a cook and supervisor of the convict kitchen staff at the prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. Worth reading for his honest description of his experiences.

[Joni Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intersecting

Insight about what goes on beyond the locked prison doors. Easy reading , don't want to put it down book

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this book had to be trimmed to fit the word limit, but I want more!

[William Pisarello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read. Well written considering this is a first book for the author.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoir of a prison cook

Really enjoyed reading a memoir that had to do with just a young man who decides to take on a career in a prison working with prisoners and some of their back stories.