I recently read "Prisoners Without Bars" by Donna O'Donnell Figurski and it was a powerful and thought-provoking read. The book is a memoir of the author's experiences growing up with a mother who was incarcerated, and how that affected her life. The story is a raw and emotional account of the struggles of living with a parent in prison and the trauma it causes.

The author's writing is honest and candid, and she does not shy away from the difficult and painful aspects of her story. The book is a powerful exploration of the impact of mass incarceration on families and communities, and the emotional toll it takes on those left behind. The author's personal experiences are used to illustrate the broader issues of the criminal justice system and its effect on the families of those who are incarcerated.

The book is also a story of hope, resilience and the power of family. The author's determination to succeed despite the odds, and her mother's determination to stay close to her family and make a better life for herself, is an inspiration. The author's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of family and how it can be a source of strength and support even in the most difficult of times.

Overall, "Prisoners Without Bars" is an important and powerful memoir that highlights the personal cost of mass incarceration. It is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the impact of the criminal justice system on families and communities. The author's personal story is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and it will stay with the reader long after the book is finished.

Great book. It's a moving insight into what it is like to care for someone with a traumatic brain injury. Our healthcare system needs a reset, and we need to support those who are caring for the patients within it.

Traumatic brain injury. It's something I have had no experience with personally, but I know a woman whose husband has experienced it. Also, my daughter has been a caregiver to a young person with a degenerative disease, who is also a “Prisoner Without Bars.” I found this book very interesting, as Donna told her story about her husband's brain injury and the resulting on-going challenges they face as a result. I greatly admire her faithfulness in caring for him and supporting him through everything they have had to face. I also found it amazing how he did recover! This is a very interesting book, and I recommend it.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. David,s and Donna's life would never be the same after David endures a traumatic brain injury that causes him to go into a coma. To survive three brain surgeries in less than month. This book was both informative and emotional. This is a must read.

Author Donna O'Donnell Figurski approaches her subject with clear-eyed honesty and an accessible writing style. She and her husband, David, an accomplished professor at Columbia in the molecular sciences, lived a seemingly enchanted existence that included a close-knit family, satisfying careers and an upscale lifestyle. Their circumstances changed in an instant with David's traumatic brain injury.

"The past was obviously gone, and life as we knew it would never again be the same," Donna acknowledges. Throughout the ordeal of David's recovery, "I had to believe that David would get better and that our lives would return to normal."

One gains the sense that Donna's sheer unwavering determination and belief that David would survive played no small part in his remarkable (if not complete) recovery. Obstacles presented themselves from the beginning when David was rushed to the hospital after collapsing in pain with a bout of blurry vision. One significant lesson came immediately when Donna discovered that paramedics couldn't -- or wouldn't -- take her to the hospital of her choice. A second big jolt occurred when a doctor declared that her husband was in "good shape." As she began to feel relief, the M.D. followed up with: "He'll make a good organ donor."

Donna recounts the family's ordeal from her perspective as the primary caregiver. Many readers will no doubt respond to the book as did Cyndy Feasel, who cared for her late husband, Grant Feasel of the Seattle Seahawks: "Donna has been a great teacher and example for me. I appreciate her zeal for knowledge and her helping others through their hardships."