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The Hot House: Life Inside Leavenworth Prison
he most dreaded facility in the prison system because of its fierce population, Leavenworth is governed by ruthless clans competing for dominance. Among the "star" players in these pages: Carl Cletus Bowles, the sexual predator with a talent for murder; Dallas Scott, a gang member who has spent almost thirty of his forty-two years behind bars; indomitable Warden Robert Matthews, who put his shoulder against his prison's grim reality; Thomas Silverstein, a sociopath confined in "no human contact" status since 1983; "tough cop" guard Eddie Geouge, the only officer in the penitentiary with the authority to sentence an inmate to "the Hole"; and William Post, a bank robber with a criminal record going back to when he was eight years old--and known as the "Catman" for his devoted care of the cats who live inside the prison walls.
Pete Earley, celebrated reporter and author of Family of Spies, all but lived for nearly two years inside the primordial world of Leavenworth, where he conducted hundreds of interviews. Out of this unique, extraordinary access comes the riveting story of what life is actually like in the oldest maximum-security prison in the country.
Pete Earley, celebrated reporter and author of Family of Spies, all but lived for nearly two years inside the primordial world of Leavenworth, where he conducted hundreds of interviews. Out of this unique, extraordinary access comes the riveting story of what life is actually like in the oldest maximum-security prison in the country.
480 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
268 people are currently reading
2668 people want to read
About the author
Pete Earley
26 books115 followersPete Earley is a storyteller who has penned 13 books including the New York Times bestseller The Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.
After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, Pete became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise.
His honest reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of few authors with ”the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.
When Pete’s life was turned upside down by the events recounted in his book Crazy, he joined the National Alliance of Mental Illness to advocate for strong mental health reform on the public stage.
After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, Pete became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise.
His honest reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of few authors with ”the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.
When Pete’s life was turned upside down by the events recounted in his book Crazy, he joined the National Alliance of Mental Illness to advocate for strong mental health reform on the public stage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 3, 2022
Meet the inmates of Leavenworth. In depth stories and histories directly from the prisoners. Murderers, thieves, assaults, all types of crimes. Includes stories from the inside. I found it very interesting and eye-opening. Awesome read.
May 19, 2012
Well-written insights into the lives (both inner and daily) of a selection of inmates who were at Leavenworth from 87-89. I wonder how much life in Leavenworth has changed since then, and if the new generation of guards still maintain the guard culture as it is represented in this book. In many ways, everyone involved comes off as being fairly awful, other than Geouge and Matthews.
In case you've read the book and you're curious, here's the update: Scott, Post, and Bowles are now dead. Post committed suicide after a post-release crime spree. I'm guessing Scott died of liver disease (which the book references). I couldn't find any obit for Bowles, just a deceased notice on the BOP locator. Bucklew was a pseudonym for Terry Alden, who is in Allenwood USP until 2058. Silverstein is at a supermax in Colorado.
Thomas Little was released in 2005 after serving 22 years. His story was probably the most alarming to me as far as the justice system goes. He robbed two banks (getting away with less than 5k each time and hurting nobody) and saying "Have a nice day" to the tellers after, and ended up serving more time than most murderers, rapists, and molesters do. I just don't get that. Maybe there's more to the story. The author seems to think that the BOP suspected that Little's friendship with Carl Bowles made him too dangerous to release.
Bowles died in 2007.
In case you've read the book and you're curious, here's the update: Scott, Post, and Bowles are now dead. Post committed suicide after a post-release crime spree. I'm guessing Scott died of liver disease (which the book references). I couldn't find any obit for Bowles, just a deceased notice on the BOP locator. Bucklew was a pseudonym for Terry Alden, who is in Allenwood USP until 2058. Silverstein is at a supermax in Colorado.
Thomas Little was released in 2005 after serving 22 years. His story was probably the most alarming to me as far as the justice system goes. He robbed two banks (getting away with less than 5k each time and hurting nobody) and saying "Have a nice day" to the tellers after, and ended up serving more time than most murderers, rapists, and molesters do. I just don't get that. Maybe there's more to the story. The author seems to think that the BOP suspected that Little's friendship with Carl Bowles made him too dangerous to release.
Bowles died in 2007.
October 25, 2017
A lot of books hint around about prison culture and what it's like to be incarcerated long-term; this book shows you what goes on in one of the toughest prisons in North America. The author does a great job of explaining how it works for the prisoners, how it works for the men and women keeping them locked up in there, and does a good job of sketching the bottomless gulf in between. I was also gratified to find that the whole first chapter was an update on one of our local boogeymen, Ronald Bailey ("Jeffrey Hicks"), a little creep parents in this area still mutter about nervously. Not an uplifting read, but a very enlightening one. I feel like I largely understand now how it works -- as told by the people involved.
November 29, 2013
A review on the back of my copy of the book by Nelson DeMillw says it perfectly: "You don't read this book as an outsider looking into Leavenworth. On the first page, you open the gates of the prison; by the second page, the gates have been closed behind you-and you won't get our until the final page."
Fascinating and just so well done.
Fascinating and just so well done.
November 27, 2013
The author, a journalist, was granted unprecedented access into the Hot House, where interviewed many inmates, guards, employees and family members. The result is this immensely readable 375-page tome, a wake-up call to all the “Square Johns” as to what prison life is really all about. Here are all the assaults, rapes, extortions, hooch, poker and drug deals, and everything else you hear about in the media. Earley did a fine balancing act, trying to tell the story from both the perspective of the con and the CO – though he did not get anything from black inmates, I suppose because of prison’s segregated nature, this was impossible.
If two memes here stand out from the others, other than a simple overarching feeling of constant brutality, they are: first, that the sentences that are handed out in this country seem sometimes to be whimsical and unjust – some monsters get nine years for rape and torture, while a man who never hurt anyone gets 25 for robbing a bank. This latter criminal, of course, is turned into a monster just by living in Leavenworth, so when he finally does get out, it’s society that pays a price in blood for not trying to rehabilitate this lesser criminal in the first place. The second interesting idea that the scenes of this book imply – though Earley never explicitly makes the point – is that the guards seem to be very much akin to the inmates: both groups are self-segregated and have racist tendencies (the COs toss the N word around with abandon), and seem to share the same delight in violence. Food for thought, you might say.
If two memes here stand out from the others, other than a simple overarching feeling of constant brutality, they are: first, that the sentences that are handed out in this country seem sometimes to be whimsical and unjust – some monsters get nine years for rape and torture, while a man who never hurt anyone gets 25 for robbing a bank. This latter criminal, of course, is turned into a monster just by living in Leavenworth, so when he finally does get out, it’s society that pays a price in blood for not trying to rehabilitate this lesser criminal in the first place. The second interesting idea that the scenes of this book imply – though Earley never explicitly makes the point – is that the guards seem to be very much akin to the inmates: both groups are self-segregated and have racist tendencies (the COs toss the N word around with abandon), and seem to share the same delight in violence. Food for thought, you might say.
April 28, 2016
Not a read for everyone but I found it compelling and informative. I liked how the author picked from here and there to tell the story—you get a sense that it was difficult to limit himself to the stories/interviews he chose.
You'll read one account and say "hey, this guy is innocent/should have better treatment" and think that Earley is sympathizing with the man, but then he turns that feeling around on its head in the next chapter when he makes you side with the guards. In the end, no one's word is really to be trusted because the only one who knows the truth of these stories are the ones who lived them.
EDIT: Oh! I forgot to mention something. This is an older book—there is a section of pictures in the middle of the ebook just like you'd have, on glossy pages, in middle of the paperback/hardcover. I was confused for a minute until I realized what it was. The chapter that it interrupts continues right after the images.
You'll read one account and say "hey, this guy is innocent/should have better treatment" and think that Earley is sympathizing with the man, but then he turns that feeling around on its head in the next chapter when he makes you side with the guards. In the end, no one's word is really to be trusted because the only one who knows the truth of these stories are the ones who lived them.
EDIT: Oh! I forgot to mention something. This is an older book—there is a section of pictures in the middle of the ebook just like you'd have, on glossy pages, in middle of the paperback/hardcover. I was confused for a minute until I realized what it was. The chapter that it interrupts continues right after the images.
November 9, 2014
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. Good journalistic read and well paced.
Read
October 25, 2024The book that I read was “The hot house Life inside leavenworth Prison.” The book was written by Pete Early. I won't spoil too much but the book is about life inside Leavenworth prison and it gives the point of view of the inmates and the guards. It went into their daily lives inside of the prison and showed the personality of the inmates.Thge book also talked about incidents that happened during the time period of the book. What I enjoyed about the book is that it’s not all one big story. The lives of the inmates in the prison are written in different stories and they go highly into detail. Another thing that I really liked about the book was that it gives a feeling of wonder. While reading the book people may wonder if the stories are true or not. I see why people may not like that a lot but I thought that it gave a little more interaction into the stories because you read a little more carefully to try and see if it's real or not. I give this book a 8/10 because it's interesting but there are some stories that aren’t as interesting and it might get a little. It's a bit boring but with the good stories the book gets extremely interesting.
November 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this book even though it's almost 30 years old. Pete Earley's experiences talking to correctional officers and inmates are fascinating. This book does not hide anything. While Earley tries to be non-biased, hints of his feelings are through the book. But that doesn't ruin it. I think that people can't help but have their own opinions and it's normal.
Do I hope prisons have improved since the writing of this book? Yes of course. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a fascinating glimpse into life in a federal prison in the 1980's. You can still learn about history and see this snapshot in time.
Do I hope prisons have improved since the writing of this book? Yes of course. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a fascinating glimpse into life in a federal prison in the 1980's. You can still learn about history and see this snapshot in time.
November 16, 2023
Very white biased: not a single African-American inmate interviewed, referring to Black inmates as “the blacks” (verses white inmates by name or as “white inmates”), and copious racial slurs in quotes. Although the author accurately depicted prison culture, it is through the lens of justifying this system of oppression.
April 22, 2011
Through a connection with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Earley gained unprecedented access to one of the federal system's most brutal properties. Many of the Leavenworth inmates he profiles are serving multiple life sentences, oftentimes both for crimes committed on the street and once locked up.
One, Thomas Silverstein, killed a guard while at an even more infamous federal prison in Marion, Illinois. He lives in a cage in Leavenworth's basement that inspired Hannibal Lecter's Tennessee digs in Silence of the Lambs. Another, Dallas Scott, thought nothing of threatening an inmate's life to induce his girlfriend to smuggle heroin into the prison. William Post looks after the cats at the prison. It's revealed far into the book that he married a girl from the outside while serving time in a penitentiary in California, and when denied parole, cut off all contact with no explanation. Post did this because he gave up hope; there's a lot of that going around in Hot House, even among the guards, who by and large hold a lot of contempt for the inmates, and for their new warden, not least because of his race. Robert Matthews, extensively profiled by Earley, faces an uphill battle as he replaces a popular (and white) warden named Jerry O'Brien and makes unusual managerial changes.
This book is not for those horrified by unrepentant violence - and this violence reads quite differently from the made-up murders in mystery novels, or even great magazine pieces on true crime. The convicts Earley profiles might have come into prison with a less-than-shocking story; a lot of them robbed banks and left no casualties. Prison life, however, deepens extreme defensive instincts, with constant threats of shank attacks and rape, the necessity of joining a group or gang for protection, and the underlying tension between guards and inmates. I read this book because I like Earley and I wanted to delve further into the subject of the American prison life and the Aryan Brotherhood, two horrors that inspired me to work as a public defender. What I found required some detachment from the narrative. Morbid curiosity only carried me so far; by the end, I admit I was grateful to leave the Hot House and back into the world of fake murders, where there's more romance to killings - and more reason than deep-seated and festering hatred.
One, Thomas Silverstein, killed a guard while at an even more infamous federal prison in Marion, Illinois. He lives in a cage in Leavenworth's basement that inspired Hannibal Lecter's Tennessee digs in Silence of the Lambs. Another, Dallas Scott, thought nothing of threatening an inmate's life to induce his girlfriend to smuggle heroin into the prison. William Post looks after the cats at the prison. It's revealed far into the book that he married a girl from the outside while serving time in a penitentiary in California, and when denied parole, cut off all contact with no explanation. Post did this because he gave up hope; there's a lot of that going around in Hot House, even among the guards, who by and large hold a lot of contempt for the inmates, and for their new warden, not least because of his race. Robert Matthews, extensively profiled by Earley, faces an uphill battle as he replaces a popular (and white) warden named Jerry O'Brien and makes unusual managerial changes.
This book is not for those horrified by unrepentant violence - and this violence reads quite differently from the made-up murders in mystery novels, or even great magazine pieces on true crime. The convicts Earley profiles might have come into prison with a less-than-shocking story; a lot of them robbed banks and left no casualties. Prison life, however, deepens extreme defensive instincts, with constant threats of shank attacks and rape, the necessity of joining a group or gang for protection, and the underlying tension between guards and inmates. I read this book because I like Earley and I wanted to delve further into the subject of the American prison life and the Aryan Brotherhood, two horrors that inspired me to work as a public defender. What I found required some detachment from the narrative. Morbid curiosity only carried me so far; by the end, I admit I was grateful to leave the Hot House and back into the world of fake murders, where there's more romance to killings - and more reason than deep-seated and festering hatred.
October 31, 2008
A well written work of journalism on a tough subject. Although at times just another litany of horrors from behind the walls. Stabbings, beatings, rapes and riots. Pete Earley gets the sordid details interviewing prisoners, guards and wardens. Yet with most journalists there is a sense on neutrality in their reporting, or at least there should be. Had Earley stayed neutral, less sensationalism, less pro-establishment, more consideration of the prisoners that aren't the blood thirsty "convicts" he sought to portray, then The Hot House would have been a stronger, realer book. But apparently most people reading about prisons don't want to hear about the monotony, the boredom, the futility and mind numbing sameness of daily incarcerated life - they want shanks, shivs, hooch, and punks and this is what Earley delivered.
April 28, 2018
I grew up in a town in Missouri, just across the river from the city of Leavenworth and its prisons, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. I've driven past the federal pen at Leavenworth many times so I am familiar with its structure and shape. This book was interesting to read, although some parts left me wanting to know more. Like, there was one chapter about an inmate escaping by confounding the guards and simply walking out the front door, but it didn't say how he got from his cell to the front door. I guess I would say that the book was interesting but not super compelling reading, or it didn't have much going for it in the way of suspense. The author spent about two years in and out of the prison interviewing inmates, guards, and the warden.
July 31, 2010
Pete Earley spent 3 years keeping up with the lives of 5 inmates deemed highly dangerous and sentenced to life in the Leavenworth penitentiary. He provides the stories from not only the 5 inmates he interviewed, but also the officers and wardens involved at the Leavenworth penitentiary at the time at that time. The stories are true-pics are provided to provide the reader with a more realistic idea of the "Hot House" and characters involved. I was enthralled with the stories and Early's use of words to pain pictures in the reader's mind. This book made my "would read again" list...and I generally don't read a book more than once!!!!
October 10, 2009
Excellent book and what prison life is really like and the mindset of many of the dudes in there
March 25, 2019
A fascinating insight into life in prison sad,funny scary and violent I couldn't put it down its a shame there's no follow up book
October 27, 2008
I have really been on a non-fiction kick lately, in hopes of expanding my reading base. It has always been so much easier for me to pick up a fiction book and get lost in whatever world the story puts me in. For non-fiction I have this horrible idea that it's going to be a harder read and I won't enjoy it as much, which is completely FALSE!!! At my office, you get a sense of what genre's people like by what you see them reading in the lunch room. About a year ago, I noticed that one of the girls always has non-fiction books based on prisons, true crime, and maybe even a few biographies. I have always been intrigued by these topics, but wasn't really sure where to even being to find a good/interesting book. So, the other day, I just asked her if she had a favorite book, or how she went about choosing the ones she reads. She happened to have one of her favorites sitting on her desk and let me borrow it!
I did not want to put this book down. It was so interesting, and I just got caught up in their world, or at least as close as my mind would allow. Obviously this is something that you would have to have experienced before to really understand, and I can thankfully say that I have never, nor ever plan to be part of the prison crowd. Let me just say that Pete Earley is a very brave man. He spent two years, 1987-1989, going into Leavenworth Prison in Leavenworth, Kansas without protection, to get the "true stories" that he shares. Some history that I was able to pick up on Leavenworth, it was built to resemble the Capitol in Washington D.C., and has a dome and all, obviously it is not made out of the same material. This was the first federal prison built, and is a level 5, Maximum security prison. The inmates are all males, and the majority of the prison staff are male as well. Those females that do venture to work there, are often times kept in assistant/secretary/school teacher type roles, and not guards.
Pete Earley not only interviews the inmates, but the guards as well. Some of them tell about their crimes and their lives inside the prison, others talk about their families and their lives before prison. One of the big controversies that first happens in this book is that the newly appointed warden is a black man. This upsets not only the AB (Aryan Brotherhood) inmates, but also those guards who are resistant to be taking orders from a black man. Some of the inmates that Earley talks to are: Carl Bowles, Thomas Little, Thomas Silverstein, Dallas Scott and Norman Bucklew (whose name was changed to protect him). The guards and other prison workers were: Warden Matthews, Eddie Geouge, Bill Slack, and Elke Shoats.
Thomas Silverstein was one of the most talked about prisoners during this two year period. He was kept in an isolated cell, with no human contact (solitary confinement) and the lights were kept on 24 hours a day. The only human interaction would be with the two guards that are posted outside his cell, but because he killed a guard, they will not speak to him. Although a very creative artist, he is denied drawing materials for quite some time as a reminder of who is in charge. There is a picture of one of this sketches in the book, and I was incredibly impressed with his artistic ability.
As I was reading this book, I kept thinking what life would be like to be a guard at a prison. From the accounts that are shared with Pete Earley, it sounds like there is a fine-line between home and work life, that is quite often blurred. One account, the guy ends up being shot, with a shotgun, by his own children. As the story unfolds it turns out that he was very abusive at home, and the kids finally got sick of it and took matters into their own hands. When you are constantly trying to prove your authority and keep others in check, it would be hard to turn that off when you weren't on the clock. It would be hard to leave this kind of work "at the office" at the end of the day. You would almost be inhumane if you were able to do that on a daily basis and not let the work effect you.
Carl Bowles, one of the inmates, has been in prison for the majority of his life, and is very respected/feared within Leavenworth. He likes to pick new inmates and take them under his wing. The guards and other inmates will often snicker that Carl is only picking the new meat so that they can be his "wife" on the inside. Carl talked to Thomas Little when he arrives and makes it clear that if you don't want anyone to mess with you there are three things you can do. You can team up with someone for protection, let them mess with you, or kill them. Thomas decides to take Carl up on his offer and they form quite a friendship. Carl explains to Thomas, after he hears other inmates calling him Carl's "wife" that after spending so much of his life in prison, he is just looking for someone that he can form a tight bond with. Of course he has sexual desires, but those can be taken care of. It is much harder to connect with someone on a more intimate basis while in prison. Someone you can talk to, and share things with, someone who really understands what you go through on a daily basis, and he found this companion in Thomas Little. Carl also goes out of his way to help have Thomas transferred to a lower level prison. Thomas is a first time offender and his crime was a bank robbery. Carl, after coaching Thomas what to ask, finds out that Thomas has been listed as an escape risk and that is why he was sent to Leavenworth. Apparently at the jail Thomas was being held in, the guard allegedly found Thomas' cell bars had been sawed through, and instead of proving that Thomas was the one that did it, they just made a note in his file and off to Leavenworth he went.
It was interesting to see what the different guards and inmates chose to talk to Pete about. Even though some of these guys are very dangerous people and have committed heinous crimes, they were very open and honest with Pete in regards to a variety of topics. Some wanted to talk about their families, or how they were better suited in prison than the outside world. Inside, they knew the rules and how to handle themselves, but if you open the gates, it becomes a whole new ballgame. Most of the inmates that were released ended up back inside within a year or two. Sometimes when you've lived one way of life for so long, it's hard to reprogram yourself and adjust to being a part of society again. There were even a few guys who preferred being behind bars than out on the streets.
This book was very much outside of my usual realm, but it was very mind-opening and I know it will stay with me for quite some time. I would really like to read something else along these same lines, and if you have any suggestions, they would be much appreciated. If any of this interests you, I would really recommend picking up this book. It is an eye-opening experience and a great read!
I did not want to put this book down. It was so interesting, and I just got caught up in their world, or at least as close as my mind would allow. Obviously this is something that you would have to have experienced before to really understand, and I can thankfully say that I have never, nor ever plan to be part of the prison crowd. Let me just say that Pete Earley is a very brave man. He spent two years, 1987-1989, going into Leavenworth Prison in Leavenworth, Kansas without protection, to get the "true stories" that he shares. Some history that I was able to pick up on Leavenworth, it was built to resemble the Capitol in Washington D.C., and has a dome and all, obviously it is not made out of the same material. This was the first federal prison built, and is a level 5, Maximum security prison. The inmates are all males, and the majority of the prison staff are male as well. Those females that do venture to work there, are often times kept in assistant/secretary/school teacher type roles, and not guards.
Pete Earley not only interviews the inmates, but the guards as well. Some of them tell about their crimes and their lives inside the prison, others talk about their families and their lives before prison. One of the big controversies that first happens in this book is that the newly appointed warden is a black man. This upsets not only the AB (Aryan Brotherhood) inmates, but also those guards who are resistant to be taking orders from a black man. Some of the inmates that Earley talks to are: Carl Bowles, Thomas Little, Thomas Silverstein, Dallas Scott and Norman Bucklew (whose name was changed to protect him). The guards and other prison workers were: Warden Matthews, Eddie Geouge, Bill Slack, and Elke Shoats.
Thomas Silverstein was one of the most talked about prisoners during this two year period. He was kept in an isolated cell, with no human contact (solitary confinement) and the lights were kept on 24 hours a day. The only human interaction would be with the two guards that are posted outside his cell, but because he killed a guard, they will not speak to him. Although a very creative artist, he is denied drawing materials for quite some time as a reminder of who is in charge. There is a picture of one of this sketches in the book, and I was incredibly impressed with his artistic ability.
As I was reading this book, I kept thinking what life would be like to be a guard at a prison. From the accounts that are shared with Pete Earley, it sounds like there is a fine-line between home and work life, that is quite often blurred. One account, the guy ends up being shot, with a shotgun, by his own children. As the story unfolds it turns out that he was very abusive at home, and the kids finally got sick of it and took matters into their own hands. When you are constantly trying to prove your authority and keep others in check, it would be hard to turn that off when you weren't on the clock. It would be hard to leave this kind of work "at the office" at the end of the day. You would almost be inhumane if you were able to do that on a daily basis and not let the work effect you.
Carl Bowles, one of the inmates, has been in prison for the majority of his life, and is very respected/feared within Leavenworth. He likes to pick new inmates and take them under his wing. The guards and other inmates will often snicker that Carl is only picking the new meat so that they can be his "wife" on the inside. Carl talked to Thomas Little when he arrives and makes it clear that if you don't want anyone to mess with you there are three things you can do. You can team up with someone for protection, let them mess with you, or kill them. Thomas decides to take Carl up on his offer and they form quite a friendship. Carl explains to Thomas, after he hears other inmates calling him Carl's "wife" that after spending so much of his life in prison, he is just looking for someone that he can form a tight bond with. Of course he has sexual desires, but those can be taken care of. It is much harder to connect with someone on a more intimate basis while in prison. Someone you can talk to, and share things with, someone who really understands what you go through on a daily basis, and he found this companion in Thomas Little. Carl also goes out of his way to help have Thomas transferred to a lower level prison. Thomas is a first time offender and his crime was a bank robbery. Carl, after coaching Thomas what to ask, finds out that Thomas has been listed as an escape risk and that is why he was sent to Leavenworth. Apparently at the jail Thomas was being held in, the guard allegedly found Thomas' cell bars had been sawed through, and instead of proving that Thomas was the one that did it, they just made a note in his file and off to Leavenworth he went.
It was interesting to see what the different guards and inmates chose to talk to Pete about. Even though some of these guys are very dangerous people and have committed heinous crimes, they were very open and honest with Pete in regards to a variety of topics. Some wanted to talk about their families, or how they were better suited in prison than the outside world. Inside, they knew the rules and how to handle themselves, but if you open the gates, it becomes a whole new ballgame. Most of the inmates that were released ended up back inside within a year or two. Sometimes when you've lived one way of life for so long, it's hard to reprogram yourself and adjust to being a part of society again. There were even a few guys who preferred being behind bars than out on the streets.
This book was very much outside of my usual realm, but it was very mind-opening and I know it will stay with me for quite some time. I would really like to read something else along these same lines, and if you have any suggestions, they would be much appreciated. If any of this interests you, I would really recommend picking up this book. It is an eye-opening experience and a great read!
April 11, 2023
Story 5/5. The author had two years journalistic access inside an infamous maximum security prison. He focuses on several inmates, guards and staff. Their individual stories are varied and riveting. These are told in parallel with the history of the prison, bureau of prisons and politics of the time. The collective history pieces are very interesting, and serve as breathing room from the tension of the individual narratives.
Characters 5/5. The characters are all so unique and dynamic. Some notable examples are:
The terrified young newcomer, forced to make unimaginable choices for his survival.
The brutal gang leader, who is institutionalized and unable to cope with the prospect of parole.
The optimistic and visionary new warden, faced with discrimination and resentment from his subordinates.
The cop killer in solitary, with a quiet determination and artistic side.
And many more...
Their portrayal is expertly balanced between stark objectivity and human compassion. They are all dynamic, interesting and relatable on some level, even the worst ones.
Structure 5/5.
Every chapter is a banger. The parallel story telling was masterful. I was always on the edge of my seat wanting to hear what happened next.
Writing 4/5. Great writing. Clear, concise but descriptive.
Value 5/5. It felt like my time was rewarded greatly. I never wanted to put this down.
Total 4.8/5. One of my favorite and most memorable reads. If you have interest in prisons, humanism and can handle reading about extreme violence then you should read this.
Characters 5/5. The characters are all so unique and dynamic. Some notable examples are:
The terrified young newcomer, forced to make unimaginable choices for his survival.
The brutal gang leader, who is institutionalized and unable to cope with the prospect of parole.
The optimistic and visionary new warden, faced with discrimination and resentment from his subordinates.
The cop killer in solitary, with a quiet determination and artistic side.
And many more...
Their portrayal is expertly balanced between stark objectivity and human compassion. They are all dynamic, interesting and relatable on some level, even the worst ones.
Structure 5/5.
Every chapter is a banger. The parallel story telling was masterful. I was always on the edge of my seat wanting to hear what happened next.
Writing 4/5. Great writing. Clear, concise but descriptive.
Value 5/5. It felt like my time was rewarded greatly. I never wanted to put this down.
Total 4.8/5. One of my favorite and most memorable reads. If you have interest in prisons, humanism and can handle reading about extreme violence then you should read this.
June 22, 2018
What a great read this is. Easily deserves five stars in my opinion. I also agree with the statement that this book is a “page turner”. I read it in just over one day. I was so gripped by the stories being told that I just couldn’t stop reading. It was a late night yesterday;)
I am currently reading quite some books on prison life. I want to get an idea to how people would function in an environment that is (i) very restricted; (ii) a combination of different races and gangs; and (iii) a mix of small and big crime leading to violence. I try to focus especially on diary-like books. I have read several books now and this one is the best so far. I must admit that the two prison-books from the “English-shaun” trilogy are also a great read.
I especially liked the continuiing variation of prisoner stories. I was amazed even by the sadistic behavior of the guards. It is not the first time I read this, but in this book you can clearly see that guards can go very far by irritating prisoners: e.g. keeping the awake, hurting them, keeping back mail, not taking serious health problems of prisoners, ...
I was most amazed by the story of on prisoner that was kept in isolation whereby the lights were kept on 24 hours per day, bing without warm water (for showering) for half a year, no books, no visits, ...
I am currently reading quite some books on prison life. I want to get an idea to how people would function in an environment that is (i) very restricted; (ii) a combination of different races and gangs; and (iii) a mix of small and big crime leading to violence. I try to focus especially on diary-like books. I have read several books now and this one is the best so far. I must admit that the two prison-books from the “English-shaun” trilogy are also a great read.
I especially liked the continuiing variation of prisoner stories. I was amazed even by the sadistic behavior of the guards. It is not the first time I read this, but in this book you can clearly see that guards can go very far by irritating prisoners: e.g. keeping the awake, hurting them, keeping back mail, not taking serious health problems of prisoners, ...
I was most amazed by the story of on prisoner that was kept in isolation whereby the lights were kept on 24 hours per day, bing without warm water (for showering) for half a year, no books, no visits, ...
March 11, 2022
This is a factual account written from interviews the author conducted while given an unprecedented access to the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas. Written in 1992, some aspects of the book are out-of-date. However, from research I've done on the modern prison system, it's both surprising and disheartening to see how little has changed in the ensuing 30 years. The Supermax in Florence, Colorado had not yet been built, so at the time, Leavenworth was the nation's topmost high security prison. Yet, the construction of the Supermax seems to parallel Leavenworth's construction at least as far as prison accommodations (cells) are concerned and perhaps with the exception that there are no windows to see the outside world from for an inmate at Florence.
I suspect, also, that if the Bureau of Prisons allowed access to Florence as they had to Leavenworth in the present day and age, they would find that there wouldn't be much change between the way prisoners (excuse me: inmates) interact with other prisoners when kept in similar isolating conditions, nor with how guards (excuse me: corrections officers) interact with inmates and with each other. I would be most interested in reading a similar work done today, but doubt the current BoP would ever allow a journalist such access.
I suspect, also, that if the Bureau of Prisons allowed access to Florence as they had to Leavenworth in the present day and age, they would find that there wouldn't be much change between the way prisoners (excuse me: inmates) interact with other prisoners when kept in similar isolating conditions, nor with how guards (excuse me: corrections officers) interact with inmates and with each other. I would be most interested in reading a similar work done today, but doubt the current BoP would ever allow a journalist such access.
September 13, 2017
This book presents the stories gathered by one journalist who was allowed to roam free in one of the toughest prisons in US. And it does a very good job at making one not stop reading for hours. The stories are engrossing, tough and very matter-of-fact. Both prison staff and inmates get presented in depth and in such a manner that one can get to see humanity in even the worst killer, while never minimizing their deeds. In fact this is what I appreciated most - the way the author manages to walk the thin line between demonizing these people for what they did and excusing their deeds. The book has a lot of deep reflections about freedom, society, friendship, life and death, in face even more than books that claim to talk about all of these.
Overall a surprisingly intelligent and interesting book. Will look for more works from the author.
Overall a surprisingly intelligent and interesting book. Will look for more works from the author.
November 15, 2020
Dated but excellent narrative about a high-security facility full of hardened criminals. Fun to play "Where are they now?" by running inmate names through Google search. (Has anyone figured out Norman Bucklew?) The author goes at great length to describe the racial tensions in prison, but he isn't able to interview any black prisoners. That's disappointing. We have plenty of interview access to Aryan Brotherhood white supremacists but none of the "D.C. Blacks."
I wonder if Leavenworth is any different now. It would seem that the Kansas summer heat that makes the prison so unbearable is a security risk as it only makes inmates angry. Is there air conditioning yet?
One final note: Why anal rape is still tolerated as a fact of life in America's prisons is a mystery to me. Prisoners have no expectation of privacy. Set up cameras everywhere and punish prisoners who assault others.
I wonder if Leavenworth is any different now. It would seem that the Kansas summer heat that makes the prison so unbearable is a security risk as it only makes inmates angry. Is there air conditioning yet?
One final note: Why anal rape is still tolerated as a fact of life in America's prisons is a mystery to me. Prisoners have no expectation of privacy. Set up cameras everywhere and punish prisoners who assault others.
February 11, 2025
I’ve always been fascinated by prison and inmate life. It’s a whole different world in those places, and I think that’s what fascinates me most. Another thing that interests me is how each inmate copes with each day, and how much anger some still hold on to. Some still are in denial, decades later. In this book, I wish the timeline was ironed out better. It jumped around to stay with a certain person’s perspective, then went back again to get someone else’s perspective. It was messy; nonetheless, I got the information and the general idea of what life was like in Leavenworth. As one of the prison directors said, “No one just comes to Leavenworth. You have to earn your way here.” And I hope I never do.
January 14, 2018
The Hot House provides a fascinating look into the lives of the inmates and guards of Leavenworth Prison in the late 1980s. While journalist Peter Earley doesn't shy away from the horrors of prison life (there are plenty of mentions of rape, torture, murder), he also presents a balanced view of the power dynamics in the prison; there is no black and white, good versus evil. It calls into question the American judicial system and the effectiveness of rehabilitation in a prison environment. I'd be interested in seeing a follow-up, especially with the rise of prison privatization in the 1990s and 2000s and its implications.
December 21, 2017
Fascinating mishmosh of multiple narratives within Leavenworth prison. You have to look back frequently to produce cohesive story lines, but the author acknowledges this at the onset. What struck me the most was the camaraderie between guards and (sometimes extremely violent) inmates that exists in the day-to-day, and the obvious but sometimes unsettling humanity that exists within people who somehow find it in themselves to commit horrific crimes. Fun, easy read.
February 1, 2018
This is a well researched look into a notorious prison. The criminals that the book covers are just that, really nasty murderous criminals. Glad those folks are locked up. It is informative but, I would say the skill level of writer ship or conveyance is marginal at best. Seems to be written by an average reporter that does everything in life in an average way for the sake of establishing more average-ness. Not written in a clever way, the cup is there but, it is dry.
July 4, 2018
An unflinching account of what goes on inside one of the country's most notorious prisons, and the lives of those involved with it for a two year period. Pete Earley's writing pulls no punches. Nothing is glossed over. This is what life is like for those who live there, work there, or have an indirect association with the institution, either presently or formerly. A fascinating, exciting read, to say the least.
August 2, 2018
The single most interesting section of this book was the one describing the escape artist Robert Litchfield. I was fascinated by his ability literally to talk his way out of prison - via the very front door. He alone deserves an entire book. As for the rest, well, the alternating chapters devoted to the Cuban prisoners bored me. What remained didn’t quite make up for it, imho. One final note: I got curious and googled what became of William “Catman” Post. No spoilers.
April 24, 2019
I thought this book was a good read. It took me longer than it takes me to read other books, because there was so much information and at times it was hard to follow the story lines that were happening with different people. I would recommend this book for someone who is looking to read about prisons and how the most notorious of them work. I really enjoyed the ability to read from both sides of the tracks about things that were happening in the prison.
July 15, 2020
This is a shocking and timeless book about life in Leavenworth Prison for inmates and guards. Earley, who does his research painstakingly and is a brilliant writer, takes us inside the prison doors and makes us see, hear, feel, smell and taste what's there. He weaves his story around real-life players, some enterprising and engaging, some violent and most are both. Since we house so many people with serious mental illness in our prisons, I find this book even more of a clarion call.
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