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Corrections in Ink: A Memoir
“Brave, brutal . . . a riveting story about suffering, recovery, and redemption. Inspiring and relevant.” —The
New York Times
An electric and unforgettable memoir about a young woman's journey—from the ice rink, to addiction and a prison sentence, to the newsroom—and how she emerged with a fierce determination to expose the broken system she experienced.
Keri Blakinger always lived life at full throttle. Growing up, that meant throwing herself into competitive figure skating with an all-consuming passion that led her to nationals. But when her skating career suddenly fell apart, that meant diving into self-destruction with the intensity she once saved for the ice.
For the next nine years, Keri ricocheted from one dark place to the living on the streets, selling drugs and sex, and shooting up between classes all while trying to hold herself together enough to finish her degree at Cornell. Then, on a cold day during her senior year, the police caught her walking down the street with a Tupperware full of heroin.
Her arrest made the front page of the local news and landed her behind bars for nearly two years. There, in the Twilight Zone of New York’s jails and prisons, Keri grappled with the wreckage of her missteps and mistakes as she sobered up and searched for a better path. Along the way, she met women from all walks of life—who were all struggling through the same upside-down world of corrections. As the days ticked by, Keri came to understand how broken the justice system is and who that brokenness hurts the most.
After she walked out of her cell for the last time, Keri became a reporter dedicated to exposing our flawed prisons as only an insider could. Written with searing intensity, unflinching honesty, and shocks of humor, Corrections in Ink uncovers that dark, brutal system that affects us all. Not just a story about getting out and getting off drugs, this galvanizing memoir is about the power of second chances; about who our society throws away and who we allow to reach for redemption—and how they reach for it.
An electric and unforgettable memoir about a young woman's journey—from the ice rink, to addiction and a prison sentence, to the newsroom—and how she emerged with a fierce determination to expose the broken system she experienced.
Keri Blakinger always lived life at full throttle. Growing up, that meant throwing herself into competitive figure skating with an all-consuming passion that led her to nationals. But when her skating career suddenly fell apart, that meant diving into self-destruction with the intensity she once saved for the ice.
For the next nine years, Keri ricocheted from one dark place to the living on the streets, selling drugs and sex, and shooting up between classes all while trying to hold herself together enough to finish her degree at Cornell. Then, on a cold day during her senior year, the police caught her walking down the street with a Tupperware full of heroin.
Her arrest made the front page of the local news and landed her behind bars for nearly two years. There, in the Twilight Zone of New York’s jails and prisons, Keri grappled with the wreckage of her missteps and mistakes as she sobered up and searched for a better path. Along the way, she met women from all walks of life—who were all struggling through the same upside-down world of corrections. As the days ticked by, Keri came to understand how broken the justice system is and who that brokenness hurts the most.
After she walked out of her cell for the last time, Keri became a reporter dedicated to exposing our flawed prisons as only an insider could. Written with searing intensity, unflinching honesty, and shocks of humor, Corrections in Ink uncovers that dark, brutal system that affects us all. Not just a story about getting out and getting off drugs, this galvanizing memoir is about the power of second chances; about who our society throws away and who we allow to reach for redemption—and how they reach for it.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
314 people are currently reading
11311 people want to read
About the author
Keri Blakinger
2 books157 followersKeri Blakinger is the author of Corrections in Ink, a memoir about addiction, incarceration and building a life after it all.
In her day job, she is a staff writer at The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news site dedicated to covering the criminal jutice sustem. Her work focuses on uncovering the worst parts of American prisons, and exposing flaws in the county's criminal justice system. Before coming to TMP, she covered prisons and prosecutors for The Houston Chronicle and her work has also appeared in VICE, the BBC, the New York Daily News, The New York Times and more.
She was part of the Houston Chronicle team whose coverage of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Two years later, she wrote a piece for the Washington Post Magazine's Prison Issue, which won a National Magazine Award. Currently, she lives in Texas.
In her day job, she is a staff writer at The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news site dedicated to covering the criminal jutice sustem. Her work focuses on uncovering the worst parts of American prisons, and exposing flaws in the county's criminal justice system. Before coming to TMP, she covered prisons and prosecutors for The Houston Chronicle and her work has also appeared in VICE, the BBC, the New York Daily News, The New York Times and more.
She was part of the Houston Chronicle team whose coverage of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Two years later, she wrote a piece for the Washington Post Magazine's Prison Issue, which won a National Magazine Award. Currently, she lives in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews
June 13, 2022
An illuminating and gut-wrenching memoir about a former figure skater from central Pennsylvania with a destructive side who turned to drugs in her teenage years and eventually landed in jail, then prison for drug possession. She first outlines how she found herself locked up, giving readers a background on her obsession with mastering figure skating which spun out into an eating disorder.
When her skating career was effectively over, without any productive place to put that hyper-focus on success, she began using drugs as an escape. She describes how hard life is when in the throes of addiction, and then how much harder it became after she started serving time, having to learn the nonsensical, yet psychologically brutal logic of the prison system. But most rewardingly, she details the work she's done since her release - using her writing skills and knowledge of the system to inspire change and improve the lives of those still behind bars.
I highly recommend this one.
When her skating career was effectively over, without any productive place to put that hyper-focus on success, she began using drugs as an escape. She describes how hard life is when in the throes of addiction, and then how much harder it became after she started serving time, having to learn the nonsensical, yet psychologically brutal logic of the prison system. But most rewardingly, she details the work she's done since her release - using her writing skills and knowledge of the system to inspire change and improve the lives of those still behind bars.
I highly recommend this one.
June 7, 2022
This is rough on the heart to read, but it is an amazing read. There is a lot about addiction, eating disorders, etc so warning for anyone avoiding those topics. My heart just kept sinking deeper and deeper. The information about the prison system made me furious and hopeless. It is a lot of emotion. Raw and right there in your face dropping into your heart. Heavy and honest. Real. Not a long read. One that I think it pretty important for many of us to look into. The compassion levels and view of people in certain situations hopefully will change. I would recommend it.
May 24, 2022
In Keri Blakinger’s memoir, Corrections in Ink, she tells her story of competing as an elite athlete, her decline into drug addiction, her incarceration, and her recovery and journalism career. At times harrowing, the author does not hold back in describing the details of her experiences both as an addict and her time in the corrections system. She discusses the many abuses of people within prison, oftentimes people who desperately need medical attention or rehabilitation.
Corrections in Ink is gripping and well-written. It’s a great read for anyone interested in the criminal justice system or prison reform.
Corrections in Ink is gripping and well-written. It’s a great read for anyone interested in the criminal justice system or prison reform.
June 12, 2022
4.5 stars
Take note that this book is full of potential triggers including eating disorders, addiction, suicide, drug use, homelessness, etc.
What a journey! Highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the author narrates. She brings hope, clarity and is quite self-aware of her privilege that helped her land back on her feet.
Take note that this book is full of potential triggers including eating disorders, addiction, suicide, drug use, homelessness, etc.
What a journey! Highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the author narrates. She brings hope, clarity and is quite self-aware of her privilege that helped her land back on her feet.
October 6, 2022
4.5 stars
A riveting and humane memoir of the criminal justice system. Keri Blakinger was a star figure skater as a teenager, but also had some serious struggles; by her senior year of high school she was living on the streets and selling sex. After a decade or so in the drug world, she was arrested for dealing and ultimately spent about a year and a half in jail and prison.
What makes this memoir stand out is that Blakinger is a fabulous storyteller, bringing the reader into her experiences, and skillfully showing the daily injustices and humiliations of incarceration, the ways the system truly dehumanizes people. You never lose track of her as a person though; the first half of the book alternates chapters between her early months in jail and her younger life, and to my surprise I found myself equally invested in both sections, and always wanting to keep reading and learn what would happen next. (And I learned a lot about the figure skating world, too!) It seems like Blakinger has had a lot of trauma in her life (much of it vaguely alluded to rather than spelled out), but the book has enough texture and insight to feel grounded rather than self-pitying. And in its hopeful elements, and the everyday and sometimes humorous ways that inmates find to deal with their situations, there’s a lot of resilience here. Blakinger is more privileged than many inmates, and one of her points is that the system sets people up to fail to the extent that you need her level of privilege to be able to come through and succeed.
Not the easiest read, but a fairly quick one—it covers so much that many elements are skated through pretty quickly, but Blakinger is able to pack a lot of meaning into a few words, so it never felt too fast. Absolutely worth your time if you’re at all interested in the reality of incarceration, perhaps even more so than the much more famous Orange Is the New Black.
A riveting and humane memoir of the criminal justice system. Keri Blakinger was a star figure skater as a teenager, but also had some serious struggles; by her senior year of high school she was living on the streets and selling sex. After a decade or so in the drug world, she was arrested for dealing and ultimately spent about a year and a half in jail and prison.
What makes this memoir stand out is that Blakinger is a fabulous storyteller, bringing the reader into her experiences, and skillfully showing the daily injustices and humiliations of incarceration, the ways the system truly dehumanizes people. You never lose track of her as a person though; the first half of the book alternates chapters between her early months in jail and her younger life, and to my surprise I found myself equally invested in both sections, and always wanting to keep reading and learn what would happen next. (And I learned a lot about the figure skating world, too!) It seems like Blakinger has had a lot of trauma in her life (much of it vaguely alluded to rather than spelled out), but the book has enough texture and insight to feel grounded rather than self-pitying. And in its hopeful elements, and the everyday and sometimes humorous ways that inmates find to deal with their situations, there’s a lot of resilience here. Blakinger is more privileged than many inmates, and one of her points is that the system sets people up to fail to the extent that you need her level of privilege to be able to come through and succeed.
Not the easiest read, but a fairly quick one—it covers so much that many elements are skated through pretty quickly, but Blakinger is able to pack a lot of meaning into a few words, so it never felt too fast. Absolutely worth your time if you’re at all interested in the reality of incarceration, perhaps even more so than the much more famous Orange Is the New Black.
November 21, 2022
REVIEW OF CORRECTIONS IN INK – Keri Blakinger
I’m not sure I can find enough descriptive words for this review. This is a memoir of Keri Blakinger and her journey from a hopeless heroin addict doing unspeakable things to support her crushing drug addiction to her eventual success in sobriety.
This memoir is unforgettable, gripping, brutal, shameless, and crushingly forthright.
We follow Keri through her addiction to just about any kind of drug she can get her hands on (heroin her principal demon), through a nightmarish two-year incarceration. She tells of the atrocities of incarceration. The difference between being in “jail” and being in “prison”. The ridiculousness of an institution that is meant to rehabilitate but, in truth, accomplishes nothing but breaking down self-esteem.
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in prison reform. We finally get to witness Keri’s decision to stay sober once released and the trials and tribulations that go with readjusting to the “outside”. The horrendous fear of a knock on the door during her parole and a time after as well, fearing some non-existent violation that will send her back to prison.
We also witness her slow progression of becoming one of the country’s most effectual prison reformers through her endless interviews and research.
This book is one I highly recommend. It is not for the faint of heart, but I believe that a better understanding of the flaws in our penal system will emerge for the reader.
I’m not sure I can find enough descriptive words for this review. This is a memoir of Keri Blakinger and her journey from a hopeless heroin addict doing unspeakable things to support her crushing drug addiction to her eventual success in sobriety.
This memoir is unforgettable, gripping, brutal, shameless, and crushingly forthright.
We follow Keri through her addiction to just about any kind of drug she can get her hands on (heroin her principal demon), through a nightmarish two-year incarceration. She tells of the atrocities of incarceration. The difference between being in “jail” and being in “prison”. The ridiculousness of an institution that is meant to rehabilitate but, in truth, accomplishes nothing but breaking down self-esteem.
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in prison reform. We finally get to witness Keri’s decision to stay sober once released and the trials and tribulations that go with readjusting to the “outside”. The horrendous fear of a knock on the door during her parole and a time after as well, fearing some non-existent violation that will send her back to prison.
We also witness her slow progression of becoming one of the country’s most effectual prison reformers through her endless interviews and research.
This book is one I highly recommend. It is not for the faint of heart, but I believe that a better understanding of the flaws in our penal system will emerge for the reader.
July 14, 2022
Thanks to @stmartinspress for an ARC of #CorrectionsInInk.
𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐊, a memoir by Keri Blakinger, tells of her descent into heroin addiction, prison time, and eventually a life beyond all that. Growing up, Blakinger was an elite ice-skater, making it to nationals while at the same time showing her first signs of breaking. As the competition grew more and more fierce, Keri could never quite reach the level she wanted to be at. Disappointment and pressure led her to drugs, sex-work, selling, rehabs, and eventually a full on heroin habit. Despite all that, Keri was attending Cornell and had nearly graduated, stopped short the morning she was finally arrested with a Tupperware container full of heroin.
The memoir covered everything that contributed to Keri’s demise and did it well, but even better for me was how well she shared her life in jail/prison. With no excuses and full honesty, she made me feel like I was right there with her as she experienced indignities, disappointments, humiliations, and hope. Through it all, she always acknowledged the many privileges afforded to her that many of her fellow inmates did not have. That made her time beyond prison especially inspiring, as Blakinger has taken everything she experienced while incarcerated and uses it to help those still behind bars. While I’m sure 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘬 would be equally great in print, I listened to this one and loved having Blakinger narrate her own life story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐊, a memoir by Keri Blakinger, tells of her descent into heroin addiction, prison time, and eventually a life beyond all that. Growing up, Blakinger was an elite ice-skater, making it to nationals while at the same time showing her first signs of breaking. As the competition grew more and more fierce, Keri could never quite reach the level she wanted to be at. Disappointment and pressure led her to drugs, sex-work, selling, rehabs, and eventually a full on heroin habit. Despite all that, Keri was attending Cornell and had nearly graduated, stopped short the morning she was finally arrested with a Tupperware container full of heroin.
The memoir covered everything that contributed to Keri’s demise and did it well, but even better for me was how well she shared her life in jail/prison. With no excuses and full honesty, she made me feel like I was right there with her as she experienced indignities, disappointments, humiliations, and hope. Through it all, she always acknowledged the many privileges afforded to her that many of her fellow inmates did not have. That made her time beyond prison especially inspiring, as Blakinger has taken everything she experienced while incarcerated and uses it to help those still behind bars. While I’m sure 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘬 would be equally great in print, I listened to this one and loved having Blakinger narrate her own life story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
June 25, 2022
Corrections in Ink is the incredible memoir written by Keri Blakinger. In a raw and honest fashion, Keri Blakinger tells of her early years as a figure skater with a promising career. As a young girl fighting with eating disorders. As a young woman who becomes involved with drugs - both abusing and selling them. As a young woman who sold her body for drugs. As a young woman who was arrested with a large quantity of drugs. As a young woman who spent nearly two years behind bars. As a woman who had more than one gift, that of writing and that of advocacy.
In her incredible journey, Keri experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, but she came out on top. In fact, with a job now as a reporter for multiple outlets, one who speaks for the rights of prisoners, while revealing flaws and corruption in a broken prison system, Keri is now a woman who has become a hero.
Keri's life was never easy. The expectation of perfection was what she struggled to achieve while on the ice, but it was this struggle that opened the doors to some of the tragic experiences she endured. However, this strong young woman never gave up on life (well, she did have a particularly sad experience along this vein), but she soldiered on, and now proves to be a fine example for anyone who rises above tragedy and hopelessness, proving to be a beacon of hope, strength and courage for anyone who reads her story.
Her life experiences were difficult to read, and the life she experienced behind bars was devastating and heartbreaking, but she kept a light shining. A light that would get brighter once she was on the other side of those prison bars. She got a second chance in life, one that she grabbed with both hands, and one who proves that anybody and everybody can be redeemed. She was and her light continues to shine.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my detailed YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/NBXINwaDMM0
In her incredible journey, Keri experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, but she came out on top. In fact, with a job now as a reporter for multiple outlets, one who speaks for the rights of prisoners, while revealing flaws and corruption in a broken prison system, Keri is now a woman who has become a hero.
Keri's life was never easy. The expectation of perfection was what she struggled to achieve while on the ice, but it was this struggle that opened the doors to some of the tragic experiences she endured. However, this strong young woman never gave up on life (well, she did have a particularly sad experience along this vein), but she soldiered on, and now proves to be a fine example for anyone who rises above tragedy and hopelessness, proving to be a beacon of hope, strength and courage for anyone who reads her story.
Her life experiences were difficult to read, and the life she experienced behind bars was devastating and heartbreaking, but she kept a light shining. A light that would get brighter once she was on the other side of those prison bars. She got a second chance in life, one that she grabbed with both hands, and one who proves that anybody and everybody can be redeemed. She was and her light continues to shine.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please also enjoy my detailed YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/NBXINwaDMM0
February 21, 2022
I enjoyed this book so much. The author writes her personal story of being a vulnerable teen who plummeted to the depths of a horrifying addiction before finally going through the prison system and coming out the other side. This book was insightful and was told with wit and intelligence. It has left me screaming out for a prison reform. I highly recommend. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.
July 4, 2022
Well, it was ok.
Important info about women's prisons? Yes.
Reflection about the reasons for her addictions. No. I was left to surmise that she had an addictive personality. Or people pleasing gone wild as a youth. Or perfectionism dialed up to 100. Idk. She doesn't really analyze that factor.
Reasons for choosing narcissistic emotionally abusive men? Nope, again. Why so self destructive? Idk. Her bulimia? Anorexia? Shoulder shrug.
Blakinger forgets ALOT. Hmmmm. She doesn't know why.... even prior to heavy heroin and other drug use. And neither does this reader.
And there is ALOT of drug use. And selling sex for drugs. I worried about catching something just reading about the ick factor of these encounters. Plus author notes several times how small she is.
As a title, Corrections in Ink, is awesome.
I hesitate to say that I didn't like her as a person , and therefore , wasn't very sympathetic. Addicts live for their drugs so that came across. I did feel sorry for her parents and the hell she put them through.
Her worry about her dog didn't seem genuine...I mean, why would you keep a poor helpless animal in a drug flophouse to witness abuse and chaos? Idk.
Blakinger does acknowledge her white, upperclass privileges, but spends an inordinate amount of worry on staying in Cornell University's good graces, as if Ivy League is all that counts. BTW, her original title was I.V. League, get it?
Important info about women's prisons? Yes.
Reflection about the reasons for her addictions. No. I was left to surmise that she had an addictive personality. Or people pleasing gone wild as a youth. Or perfectionism dialed up to 100. Idk. She doesn't really analyze that factor.
Reasons for choosing narcissistic emotionally abusive men? Nope, again. Why so self destructive? Idk. Her bulimia? Anorexia? Shoulder shrug.
Blakinger forgets ALOT. Hmmmm. She doesn't know why.... even prior to heavy heroin and other drug use. And neither does this reader.
And there is ALOT of drug use. And selling sex for drugs. I worried about catching something just reading about the ick factor of these encounters. Plus author notes several times how small she is.
As a title, Corrections in Ink, is awesome.
I hesitate to say that I didn't like her as a person , and therefore , wasn't very sympathetic. Addicts live for their drugs so that came across. I did feel sorry for her parents and the hell she put them through.
Her worry about her dog didn't seem genuine...I mean, why would you keep a poor helpless animal in a drug flophouse to witness abuse and chaos? Idk.
Blakinger does acknowledge her white, upperclass privileges, but spends an inordinate amount of worry on staying in Cornell University's good graces, as if Ivy League is all that counts. BTW, her original title was I.V. League, get it?
July 6, 2023
CORRECTIONS IN INK
Keri Blakinger
I don't usually enjoy memoirs, but this one pricked my interest and held my attention from page one to the end. I assume that this is because it deals with topics so near to my heart, the criminal justice system, prisons, and such. As I teach a corrections class and have toured many many Texas prisons, the fact that she included that system made it more interesting.
I think Ms. Blakinger laid it out plainly and without a great deal of self-pity about her part in how she got into addiction and then into prison and the realities of being an incarcerated offender. I am always appalled at the high expectation of society for returning offenders to be able to flip quickly from offender to citizen. Given all social stupid sayings, "You do the crime, you do the time" most have no idea what they are saying or what it means. In the last 25 years, I have been touring prisons, there is a distinctive and remarkable change in this state's attitude toward offenders and how they should be treated and handled.... we just cannot overcome that the state treats incarcerated offenders better than those who are free can obtain.
It takes concerted efforts to make a difference and Ms. Blakinger has found the public's ear to accomplish many things at many levels. Congratulations Ms. Blakinger for having made a huge step and turn in your life...
5 stars
Happy Reading!
Keri Blakinger
I don't usually enjoy memoirs, but this one pricked my interest and held my attention from page one to the end. I assume that this is because it deals with topics so near to my heart, the criminal justice system, prisons, and such. As I teach a corrections class and have toured many many Texas prisons, the fact that she included that system made it more interesting.
I think Ms. Blakinger laid it out plainly and without a great deal of self-pity about her part in how she got into addiction and then into prison and the realities of being an incarcerated offender. I am always appalled at the high expectation of society for returning offenders to be able to flip quickly from offender to citizen. Given all social stupid sayings, "You do the crime, you do the time" most have no idea what they are saying or what it means. In the last 25 years, I have been touring prisons, there is a distinctive and remarkable change in this state's attitude toward offenders and how they should be treated and handled.... we just cannot overcome that the state treats incarcerated offenders better than those who are free can obtain.
It takes concerted efforts to make a difference and Ms. Blakinger has found the public's ear to accomplish many things at many levels. Congratulations Ms. Blakinger for having made a huge step and turn in your life...
5 stars
Happy Reading!
December 20, 2021
A brutally honest memoir by Keri Blakinger who was a former National skating star and an outstanding student at Cornell University. Keri writes in detail what derailed her and her pursuit of a skating career, and while drugs are obviously a major factor, it is not the only factor. Why? Because people with positive self images don't typically turn to a life of drugs.
Despite all the accoutrements of a successful life, Keri struggled with self esteem from an early age and when at 17 her skating partner left her, she floundered. That sense of unmooring left her shattered and alone and seeking solace, which she found in drugs. Comparisons to the bestselling book Orange is the New Black are valid, however this is is a memoir that stands on its own. Keri who is now a journalist/author who writes about mass incarceration, is passionate about the horrific treatment of those who are incarcerated in the U.S. Criminal Justice System. That passion shows in this book.
I have a feeling that this memoir will be made into a tv series/movie.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
Despite all the accoutrements of a successful life, Keri struggled with self esteem from an early age and when at 17 her skating partner left her, she floundered. That sense of unmooring left her shattered and alone and seeking solace, which she found in drugs. Comparisons to the bestselling book Orange is the New Black are valid, however this is is a memoir that stands on its own. Keri who is now a journalist/author who writes about mass incarceration, is passionate about the horrific treatment of those who are incarcerated in the U.S. Criminal Justice System. That passion shows in this book.
I have a feeling that this memoir will be made into a tv series/movie.
* I read an advance copy and was not compensated.
May 16, 2022
An absolutely fantastic memoir about addiction, mental health, prison, and redemption. Keri’s journey is heartbreaking but beautifully written. It was particularly interesting to read her journey from prisoner to a journal who reported on the Texas incarceration system. The audio is read by Keri, herself, and I could not recommend it more.
August 14, 2024
Detailed, vivid, and somewhat grim account of a young woman's early promise as a figure skater giving way to her downfall as a junkie and prostitute. Most of the book covers her two miserable years spent in New York state prisons on a heroin-dealer beef. She gets clean while behind bars and embarks on a new journalism career. One strength shines brightly: she can write a compelling narrative.
June 5, 2022
Dear Corrections in Ink,
How do I write a letter to a book as important as you are? There are not enough words to explain how raw and touching you are. Memoir writing has to be one of the most difficult stories to write. Keri takes a deep dive into the darkest, most sordid parts of her life, exposing the brutal truths of her time turning tricks and selling drugs, and the pain, fear and isolation she experienced in jail and prison. I have had one person in my life who has done time, and I had no idea what the day to day was like. Being able to see a small part of what was that like for Keri opened my eyes to the brutality of the prison system in our country. She also does a brilliant job of acknowledging the privileges that she had at her disposal and sharing her gratitude for that privilege. She shed light on the facts that if she were Black, none of the second (and third and fourth) chances she was given, never would have happened for her. I was astonished to learn that time in solitary does not actually count toward time served, and how the system is rigged to keep felons inside it. I had no idea the rules were so arbitrary and unclear and easy to break. You are a beautiful story about the broken system in our country, a symptom of a much larger problem, and how one woman is working to change it.
How do I write a letter to a book as important as you are? There are not enough words to explain how raw and touching you are. Memoir writing has to be one of the most difficult stories to write. Keri takes a deep dive into the darkest, most sordid parts of her life, exposing the brutal truths of her time turning tricks and selling drugs, and the pain, fear and isolation she experienced in jail and prison. I have had one person in my life who has done time, and I had no idea what the day to day was like. Being able to see a small part of what was that like for Keri opened my eyes to the brutality of the prison system in our country. She also does a brilliant job of acknowledging the privileges that she had at her disposal and sharing her gratitude for that privilege. She shed light on the facts that if she were Black, none of the second (and third and fourth) chances she was given, never would have happened for her. I was astonished to learn that time in solitary does not actually count toward time served, and how the system is rigged to keep felons inside it. I had no idea the rules were so arbitrary and unclear and easy to break. You are a beautiful story about the broken system in our country, a symptom of a much larger problem, and how one woman is working to change it.
January 25, 2023
TW: - addiction, eating disorder, suicide, sexual violence and violence in general
Books like these are the reasons why I appreciate and love memoirs. It takes a great amount of courage to present a part of your life to the entire world, making yourself vulnerable to all sorts of criticism, especially in the context of this one.
Keri has penned down a brutally honest account of her life, from an aspiring ice skater to having an eating disorder to abusing drugs. The fear of falling short and failing resulted in a massive drug addiction to the point where she became homeless, a fulltime drug dealer, exchanging sexual favors to pay for drugs, getting high and then getting arrested.
Determined to stay sober she completed her sentence of two years and slowly and steadily got back on track and became a journalist. Having lived in the merciless and unfair reality of incarceration, she became the voice of those like her in the prisons, informing the world, the injustice and humiliation faced by the prisoners, how some prison authorities abuse their powers. Her work resulted in a lot of changes to the rules and norms bringing some relief to those who were suffering.
An honest, raw, heart wrenching but mind blowing read nonetheless.
Books like these are the reasons why I appreciate and love memoirs. It takes a great amount of courage to present a part of your life to the entire world, making yourself vulnerable to all sorts of criticism, especially in the context of this one.
Keri has penned down a brutally honest account of her life, from an aspiring ice skater to having an eating disorder to abusing drugs. The fear of falling short and failing resulted in a massive drug addiction to the point where she became homeless, a fulltime drug dealer, exchanging sexual favors to pay for drugs, getting high and then getting arrested.
Determined to stay sober she completed her sentence of two years and slowly and steadily got back on track and became a journalist. Having lived in the merciless and unfair reality of incarceration, she became the voice of those like her in the prisons, informing the world, the injustice and humiliation faced by the prisoners, how some prison authorities abuse their powers. Her work resulted in a lot of changes to the rules and norms bringing some relief to those who were suffering.
An honest, raw, heart wrenching but mind blowing read nonetheless.
November 20, 2023
I think everyone should write a memoir. beyond what happens in your life, I think it's important to also see how you go through life - what you notice, how you think.
that being said, Keri Blakinger's life took so many twists and turns, her memoir needed to be written. and she wrote it so well, sharing thoughts from journal entries and inviting readers to relive her life as it unfolds through snippets of her different lives. Keri walks us through her life as a nationally(?)-ranked ice skater, a top tier student, a teenage girl with anorexia, a drug addict/dealer, an inmate, and an investigative reporter. yet through all this, Blakinger writes in a way that frees her from being defined by any of these titles or lives. she shows how all these moments shape (and sometimes haunt) her, and she writes about her regrets with an honest sobriety. she speaks candidly about her privilege that may have loaded the dice in her favor, to succeed in a system set up for failure.
she's funny and honest and I love when memoirs feel like talking to a friend and hearing their life story.
that being said, Keri Blakinger's life took so many twists and turns, her memoir needed to be written. and she wrote it so well, sharing thoughts from journal entries and inviting readers to relive her life as it unfolds through snippets of her different lives. Keri walks us through her life as a nationally(?)-ranked ice skater, a top tier student, a teenage girl with anorexia, a drug addict/dealer, an inmate, and an investigative reporter. yet through all this, Blakinger writes in a way that frees her from being defined by any of these titles or lives. she shows how all these moments shape (and sometimes haunt) her, and she writes about her regrets with an honest sobriety. she speaks candidly about her privilege that may have loaded the dice in her favor, to succeed in a system set up for failure.
she's funny and honest and I love when memoirs feel like talking to a friend and hearing their life story.
May 31, 2022
This was a really tough read. Tough life. Bad choices. Unbelievable treatment in jail. Just a hard all around read.
Keri was a promising figure skater, who developed an eating disorder, who developed a drug addiction, who did all sorts of unspeakable things during the drug life, who ultimately gets caught and shipped off to jail.
Luckily, a good "ending", and she starts helping others who have been incarcerated, but the indignities and inhumane treatment that was status quo is crazy to read about. Definitely worth a read to understand the prison system.
Keri was a promising figure skater, who developed an eating disorder, who developed a drug addiction, who did all sorts of unspeakable things during the drug life, who ultimately gets caught and shipped off to jail.
Luckily, a good "ending", and she starts helping others who have been incarcerated, but the indignities and inhumane treatment that was status quo is crazy to read about. Definitely worth a read to understand the prison system.
January 3, 2023
One that I can tell I'll be thinking about for a long time.
March 21, 2023
A beautifully written memoir about a life lived both inside and outside prison walls. This book will teach you about privilege, addiction, and how the 2 intertwine with the prison system. I loved the author's way of writing and appreciated her candid realness. It didn't feel like she left anything out. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a good, quick memoir read.
July 11, 2022
Rating: 4
“An electric and unforgettable memoir about a young woman's journey—from the ice rink, to addiction and a prison sentence, to the newsroom—and how she emerged with a fierce determination to expose the broken system she experienced.” GR
This was a well written memoir that felt so honest and emotional. I would definitely recommend checking out the content/trigger warnings before you read this one. It can definitely be heavy at times and what you read will make you upset but hopefully it will make you want to help make changes for the better. This book really teaches you how important it is to check in with people. Some people might seem totally fine on the outside but on the inside they could be struggling with their mental health. It doesn’t hurt to ask if people are okay or if they need something. People who don’t receive support typically turn to self harm or drugs. I would definitely recommend this memoir and I think it is one that most people would benefit from reading. There is a lot more I could say but I think you need to experience it directly from the source.
“An electric and unforgettable memoir about a young woman's journey—from the ice rink, to addiction and a prison sentence, to the newsroom—and how she emerged with a fierce determination to expose the broken system she experienced.” GR
This was a well written memoir that felt so honest and emotional. I would definitely recommend checking out the content/trigger warnings before you read this one. It can definitely be heavy at times and what you read will make you upset but hopefully it will make you want to help make changes for the better. This book really teaches you how important it is to check in with people. Some people might seem totally fine on the outside but on the inside they could be struggling with their mental health. It doesn’t hurt to ask if people are okay or if they need something. People who don’t receive support typically turn to self harm or drugs. I would definitely recommend this memoir and I think it is one that most people would benefit from reading. There is a lot more I could say but I think you need to experience it directly from the source.
March 3, 2023
This memoir was a fairly depressing read that ended on a somewhat hopeful note (but still bleak because our US prison systems really, really suck). Trigger warning for nearly everything... obviously drug use/addiction and prison abuse, but also sexual assault and eating disorders as well. The author does not shy away from describing anything - while not gratuitous, it can be graphic at times.
The beginning has a bit of a dual timeline - covering Keri's early years as she strives to be a competitive figure skater but ultimately develops a drug habit and also her arrest and time in jail in alternating chapters (these chapters are all labeled clearly with the place and time). Then the latter part of the book follows a more chronological narrative and centers on her time in prison and her time after prison. She writes in a way that is clear and engaging. Her first-hand knowledge of the prison system is also supplemented with research, and it paints a bleak picture of how we treat prisoners and how that system is inherently broken. She touches on the additional barriers faced by people of color and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Definitely a worthwhile read. 4.5 stars
The beginning has a bit of a dual timeline - covering Keri's early years as she strives to be a competitive figure skater but ultimately develops a drug habit and also her arrest and time in jail in alternating chapters (these chapters are all labeled clearly with the place and time). Then the latter part of the book follows a more chronological narrative and centers on her time in prison and her time after prison. She writes in a way that is clear and engaging. Her first-hand knowledge of the prison system is also supplemented with research, and it paints a bleak picture of how we treat prisoners and how that system is inherently broken. She touches on the additional barriers faced by people of color and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Definitely a worthwhile read. 4.5 stars
August 24, 2023
Beim Ausleihen dachte ich, dass die Autorin aus dem Gefängnis berichtet. Dann merkte ich, dass sie das Buch erst hinterher geschrieben hat und befürchtete Religionsfindung, redemption, inspirierende Vorträge als Lebensunterhalt etc. So ist es aber nicht, und die Perspektive war interessant. Das US-Gefängnissystem ist also auch dann unfassbare Scheiße, wenn man weiße Overachieverin ist und reiche Overachiever-Eltern hat. Am Rande geht es darum, dass Privilegien, die unter einer dicken Schicht Probleme für die Inhaberin lange Zeit kaum zu erkennen sind, immer noch Privilegien sind.
March 19, 2023
3.5 stars. The “perfect” life then the not so “perfect” life. Anorexia, bulimia, heroine addiction, prostitution, the downward spiral of a girl who had a promising skating career. This book is about horrible things that happen because of an addiction and the determination of Keri Blakinger to work her way out of it. It’s about the prison system, her white privilege and so much more.
August 15, 2022
We need more stories by and about incarcerated people in the U.S. I hope that Keri Blakinger’s memoir sees as much success as Piper Kerman’s Orange Is the New Black, because it could open the door for more people to have their stories in the mainstream.
Blakinger acknowledges that her story is that of a white woman with many privileges. But going into this read, I think it’s important to know that Blakinger has established herself as an investigative journalist and held power to account in a criminal justice system that abuses its power with impunity.
Blakinger’s experience as an inmate informs her work as a journalist and writer, and in reading her memoir, I learned more about the systematic dehumanization that occurs on a daily basis is jails and prisons.
I am disinclined to frame this memoir as a redemption story, because people in jails and prisons should not have to prove their worth as human beings.
This is just one person’s experience. You can read more of Blakinger’s work with The Marshall Project, where she is “the organization’s first formerly incarcerated reporter.”
I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
Blakinger acknowledges that her story is that of a white woman with many privileges. But going into this read, I think it’s important to know that Blakinger has established herself as an investigative journalist and held power to account in a criminal justice system that abuses its power with impunity.
Blakinger’s experience as an inmate informs her work as a journalist and writer, and in reading her memoir, I learned more about the systematic dehumanization that occurs on a daily basis is jails and prisons.
I am disinclined to frame this memoir as a redemption story, because people in jails and prisons should not have to prove their worth as human beings.
This is just one person’s experience. You can read more of Blakinger’s work with The Marshall Project, where she is “the organization’s first formerly incarcerated reporter.”
I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2022
Corrections in Ink by Keri Blakinger is a groundbreaking debut from an extraordinary writer; in her memoir Blakinger offers a searing work of self-examination, an inquiry of power, and a funny, provocative, and inspiring personal story of addiction, prison and investigative journalism. Blakinger's book stands as a feminist response to David Carr's The Night of the Gun, a testament to where a woman can go after rock-bottom, the power to transform oneself, and the imperative to discover and tell the truth.
July 30, 2022
i'm choosing not to finish this book bc i feel like i get it. idk this book was nothing super new. like it's about a girl who was addicted to drugs and went to prison -- i have orange is the new black for that story line, thank u. best wishes to keri tho, i'm sure her life has been tough, it just wasn't a great book.
December 23, 2023
A raw and devastating look into the struggles of a drug addicted Cornell figure skating athlete. Keri shares her ups and downs with her drug addiction, the demoralizing and humiliating experience in the defunct prison system, and her determination through rehabilitation to find her calling to help others. Truly an emotional and gripping read. Thank you for sharing your story, Keri!
August 10, 2022
INCREDIBLE. “The whole premise of prison began to seem absurd: Locking hundreds of traumatized and damaged women in together and threatening them constantly with additional punishments is not rehabilitation. It is not corrections. It is not public safety. It is systemic failure.”
July 9, 2022
What an amazing book! Middle class white suburban girl, skater good enough to compete in the National Championships. Student bright and dedicated enough to get into Ivy League Cornell University, and now ace reporter for the Marshall Project. BUT….
None of this is the real story. This is the illusion she projected to the world. Underneath was a troubled young woman who developed a serious eating disorder early in life, followed by dabbling in drugs, falling into deep addiction to heroin—-even while acing classes at Cornell.
Eventually, it all came crashing down—-and that is when her story gets really interesting. She is arrested, with blaring headlines. She spends most of a year in the county jail (still feeding her addiction), and is then sentenced to two years in prison.
Where this book really shines is in Keri’s heartfelt, extremely well written, descriptions of the arbitrary and extraordinarily harsh punishments (formal and informal) inflicted on prisoners on a daily basis.
She describes a few days in solitary—and the lasting damage even that short stay did to her mental health. She describes being forced to stand in a corner as punishment for some non-existent violation, and a sadistic perverted guard who punished her (again for a non-existent violation) by forcing her to stand at her cell door naked for count. She describes being denied medical care for a life threatening illness because the doctor didn’t feel she deserved it.
On one hand, the book was maddening. I spend my life litigating prison abuses just like these, and every few pages I want to take the case! But she describes in detail just how much courage (and tolerance for risk) is required to simply assert that one has rights in prison. On the other hand, I am so great full for this book, as it so accurately and compellingly opens a window on the daily horrors inflicted on over two million people held in US prisons and jails every day. People (and Keri includes herself here) simply have no clue what prisoners face, until tel they or a loved one end up inside!
The other thing that makes this book so special is that Keri describes how she survived. She admits a lot has to do with white privileged, and acknowledges that her story might have had a very different ending had she been a Black woman.
The book ends in a high note, Keri became a reporter covering prisons, and has been able to force Texas (where she now works) to fix some of its worst policies.
I hope everyone reads this book, so that people are no longer taken by surprise when they or a loved one ends up incarcerated, and they are suddenly confronted for the first time with the reality of prisons.
None of this is the real story. This is the illusion she projected to the world. Underneath was a troubled young woman who developed a serious eating disorder early in life, followed by dabbling in drugs, falling into deep addiction to heroin—-even while acing classes at Cornell.
Eventually, it all came crashing down—-and that is when her story gets really interesting. She is arrested, with blaring headlines. She spends most of a year in the county jail (still feeding her addiction), and is then sentenced to two years in prison.
Where this book really shines is in Keri’s heartfelt, extremely well written, descriptions of the arbitrary and extraordinarily harsh punishments (formal and informal) inflicted on prisoners on a daily basis.
She describes a few days in solitary—and the lasting damage even that short stay did to her mental health. She describes being forced to stand in a corner as punishment for some non-existent violation, and a sadistic perverted guard who punished her (again for a non-existent violation) by forcing her to stand at her cell door naked for count. She describes being denied medical care for a life threatening illness because the doctor didn’t feel she deserved it.
On one hand, the book was maddening. I spend my life litigating prison abuses just like these, and every few pages I want to take the case! But she describes in detail just how much courage (and tolerance for risk) is required to simply assert that one has rights in prison. On the other hand, I am so great full for this book, as it so accurately and compellingly opens a window on the daily horrors inflicted on over two million people held in US prisons and jails every day. People (and Keri includes herself here) simply have no clue what prisoners face, until tel they or a loved one end up inside!
The other thing that makes this book so special is that Keri describes how she survived. She admits a lot has to do with white privileged, and acknowledges that her story might have had a very different ending had she been a Black woman.
The book ends in a high note, Keri became a reporter covering prisons, and has been able to force Texas (where she now works) to fix some of its worst policies.
I hope everyone reads this book, so that people are no longer taken by surprise when they or a loved one ends up incarcerated, and they are suddenly confronted for the first time with the reality of prisons.
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