57 pages 1 hour read

Shane Bauer

American Prison: A Reporter’s Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2018

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

American Prison by Shane Bauer explores the private prison industry via Bauer's undercover experience as a corrections officer at Louisiana’s Winn prison, detailing profit-driven neglect and understaffing, and paralleling this with a historical examination of American convict labor's exploitative roots.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

American Prison by Shane Bauer is praised for its gripping and investigative journalism, offering a deep dive into the for-profit prison industry. Readers appreciate its compelling narrative and eye-opening insights. However, some critiques mention its intense and disturbing content, questioning its potential bias due to the author's activist background. Overall, it is a powerful exposé.

Who should read this

Who Should Read American Prison?

Readers who appreciated The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander or The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton will likely be captivated by American Prison. This book appeals to those interested in investigative journalism, social justice, and the complexities of the American penal system.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Incarceration

Social Justice

Race / Racism

Genre

Journalism

American Literature

Period

Post-War Era

Themes

Identity: Race

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice