We have become a country that over-incarcerates minor offenders. Simultaneously, systems are in place to make it virtually impossible for those who manage to leave the prison system to successfully rejoin society. According to the author, nearly 25% of the world’s prison population is in the US, though we represent only 5% of the world population. Many of the incarcerated are juvenile offenders, who committed horrific crimes before their brains were fully developed. The six lives that Kessler describes in Free are a sample of prisoners she meets in her work as an immersion reporter. White, black, male, female, short-timers, long-timers. Some are able to make a life for themselves after prison with a combination of hard work, luck, circumstance, and a second or third chance. Others are less successful. Kessler focuses especially hard on one man who has spent the majority of his life in prison, and who has become somewhat of an expert in restorative justice, a field of rehabilitation that focuses on bringing together victims and perpetrators, redefining ‘justice’ to mean not only punishment, but also empathy and making amends. This man had used restorative justice techniques such as mediation and reconciliation with fellow inmates for years in the prison environment, yet when it was time for his own parole hearing, the family and parole board were not in favor of his release. It’s easy to say lock criminals away and throw away the key, but when they inevitably return to society, how can they live productive lives when securing basic needs such as housing and a minimum wage job are off limits? The longer someone lives in prison, the more the panic and anxiety of living there ‘is not just embedded, but embodied.’ Combined with a learned helplessness, the removal of all independence and agency to make even basic decisions as when to shower, when to eat, builds a stronger barrier to re-entry. I am grateful to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read an advance egalley. I highly recommend this thorough and engaging piece. It is accessible and well-sourced. It has changed the way I think about the criminal justice system.

"Free: Two Years, Six Lives, and the Long Journey Home" by Lauren Kessler is a powerful exploration of the human spirit's capacity for transformation and resilience. Kessler's narrative skillfully weaves together the lives of six individuals as they navigate the complexities of reentering society after years of incarceration. Her compassionate and insightful portrayal sheds light on the challenges they face, as well as the hope and determination that drive them forward.

The strength of "Free" lies in Kessler's ability to humanize her subjects, allowing readers to connect deeply with their experiences. Through vivid storytelling and careful research, she paints a vivid picture of the struggles, triumphs, and moments of vulnerability that shape each individual's journey. Kessler's empathetic approach invites readers to reflect on their own perspectives on justice, rehabilitation, and second chances.

The book's exploration of the complexities of reintegration into society is both timely and thought-provoking. Kessler skillfully navigates the various societal, legal, and personal barriers that the individuals face, offering a nuanced portrayal of the complexities of the reentry process. "Free" serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of empathy and support for those seeking to rebuild their lives after incarceration.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book really showed me some sides of incarceration/ release I hadn't seen in depth before. It was interesting seeing how all the individuals reacted to being released as well. I liked reading her insights. I feel like it bounced around a lot and at some points it was hard to keep track of.

I think we all know the process of incarceration is messed up, but what happens to those that get out, how are we at ensuring these men and women feel like they can become integrated back into society, that they can easily get a job, become a functioning member of society, rent or buy a home, etc.? Spoiler alert, we suck at it big time. Free takes an empathetic look into what happens to those that get out of prison, focusing on three individuals, Arnoldo, Trevor, and Catherine, their stories, and what happens to them as well as how they feel when they are released into society. This was such a fascinating and interesting read, and one that I think everyone should pick up. Much to be learned here about how we as a society can do better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the digital copy to review.

What an immersive, powerful read. Lauren Kessler really humanizes six former prisoners she has known through her volunteer work for prisoners. Kessler explores what it means to be free for ex-convicts,

I don’t read many non-fiction books, but I gotta say that when I do, it’s one I end up absolutely loving. Being a Picky Bookworm usually means that I never promise to love a book, and I probably finish books I hate way more often than I should, but that when I come across a book I love, I REALLY love it. Free by Lauren Kessler is one of those books for me. Because it’s non-fiction, I had to approach it in a different way than I would a fantasy or thriller, but that doesn’t mean I loved it any less.

Lauren’s inside look into the lives of prisoners and inmates in America’s detention system is full of heart, full of hope, and full of truth.

Compared to other countries, our justice and detention systems are in desperate need of overhaul. Lauren looks at life from the viewpoint of 6 people, both long-term prison inmates, to off-and-on jail terms. How these various people enter life after long stints in prison, or after only a few months, gives us insight into what we can change as a society, and what we can learn from these indomitable people.

Each of the 6 people in Free have unique stories, and unique challenges that made their reentry into society difficult. Trevor had a supportive family waiting for him, which made housing easy to come by, but he had been in jail long enough that many things were still different and challenging in their own way.

f you haven’t already read Free by Lauren Kessler, I hope you rush over to Amazon and grab it right away. If you love non-fiction stories, if you love stories full of hope, or even if you just love a good story, Free is for you. Despite the sad and sometimes heavy subject matter, Free is a book that everyone should read at least once. If you love reading compelling stories that get you invested in the lives of others, you’ll want to read Free by Lauren Kessler.

FREE is a book I think everyone should read at some point. Kessler dives into six lives who all spent time in jail, and eventually were freed. But once freed, Kessler shows how different each life is, but how each person struggled in similar ways. Not only does Kessler discuss how our system has little to no rehabilitation aspect, she explains the inner workings of inmates who are jailed at a young age, and how it affects them once released decades later.

One thing that really stuck out to me was the lack of rehabilitation our system offered. Sure, that’s a well-known fact, but Kessler explained it in a way I don’t think anyone could argue against. She makes you ask yourself what kind of people do you want living beside you in society? Everyone wants civil, cordial neighbors, but if one of your neighbors was locked up in a cell, treated like an animal, would you welcome them back into society? Because with the psychological warfare they just endured for however many years, it’s safe to say they wouldn’t think the same as someone who’s never been to prison. So, what would happen if we put the effort into the people who needed the rehabilitation?

Kessler researches the prison environment developing friendships with inmates, desperately helping them tell their stories, yet grow as humans at the same time.

Now that these six are free, how free are they? Most are unable to get jobs due to their records, putting them in minimum wage jobs. Depending on their case, they might be in debt. With the cost of living, their minimum wage jobs doesn’t allow them basic necessities for life. The list goes on and on.

Ultimately, people march for justice, but prisons aren’t teaching inmates an alternative lifestyle to what they were living, perhaps the reason they were sent to jail. It’s very out of sight, out of mind, unless you personally know someone in this situation, or read stories like this.

Kessler teaches that once someone commits a crime and serves their time, they’ll actually never be done serving time even outside of the prison.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.

Content warnings: drugs, murder, addiction, details of graphic crimes

Special thanks to NetGalley and Source Books as well as the author for this ARC. What follows is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #LaurenKessler #SourceBooks

I don’t know if saying that I liked this book is appropriate given the subject matter. It wasn’t easy to read. This book follows six different people who have been in prison for a long time and are now facing release. Their crimes vary but their experiences all have something in common. They all showcase flaws in our legal justice system. I understand that this can be viewed differently by different people. For example, a victim of a crime like identity theft would probably struggle to feel empathy, understandingly of course.
This book is a powerful read and I’m confident, despite the different perspectives on the criminal justice system. Everyone should read it.

I thought this book would be more interesting. I am always intrigued by the criminal justice system and this book explores how real inmates try to reassimilate into everyday life. Howeve, it just didn't hold my interest at all. I didn't find it particularly well written and it didn't read like stories of the inmates. At times, it was very redundant and although I gave it multiple chances this was a Did Not Finish for me.

I think if it delved into more the story of each inmate and their experiences during and after release in a more cohesive way it could have been better for me

*Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley.*

While I was always at least somewhat aware of the difficulties former prisoners have integrating themselves back into everyday life, "Free" by Lauren Kessler really opened my eyes to just how difficult that process really is. This book is the perfect amount of emotional storytelling mixed with cold hard facts, statistics, and realities—providing an all-encompassing picture for the reader. If it was difficult to merely read about what these individuals went through, I can't imagine living it, though I'm grateful to have been led through their lived experiences to start to better educate myself and become more informed. A true inspiration, "Free" makes me want to find ways to give back to this community, and I'm sure it will inspire similar feelings in other readers, too.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

It is hard to write a review on a story that is non-fiction. The author is an author and reporter who works with those locked up, helping them to find words to say how they feel. To help them understand that they are smart, and clever, and just need someone to help them see this.

The book follows six inmates on how difficult it is to maneuver inside and outside prison. How upon release, there is sometimes someone there to help you - family, friends, etc., but sometimes there is not. You are released with a few bucks and a good luck and sent off into the world. I had no idea that they system was set up for failure, no wonder so many repeat offend because there is not enough help out there for these released prisoners to use for assistance.

I received a copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This is the first book I have ever read that points out the problems criminals are having when they are released into society. I never gave it a second thought. Most of my thinking regarding offenders has remained in the realm of their crimes and their sentences. Send them away and forget about them.

Ms. Kessler has brought to light the problems facing these people and how society has disregarded their plight. In the back of my head, I have agreed with the reform proponents that want to help people reintegrate into society. But then I quickly forget about it. However, this book has brought it to the front of my head.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe criminals should pay for their crimes, but once paid, they have a right to reenter society with help. Since our prison system is not set up to reform, rather it is set up to punish, it only seems right to pay more attention to those people who have no desire to commit further crimes.

Free will open your eyes to the serious questions surrounding our released prisoners. Want less crime in the streets, read this fascinating account of the reality people face when trying to create a new life for themselves.

In this book, Kessler follows six individuals ending incarceration and documents their attempts at re-entry into society. Kessler paints a clear picture of just how intensely American society has been structured to impede rather than support re-entry. From problems with obtaining housing and employment to the shock of being able to make basic decisions about bedtime and what to eat for a meal, people leaving prison are running into a brick wall. Support services are no nearly prevalent enough to meet needs, housing and employment options are limited, and the lack of independence and step-down programming leaves many individuals without any guidance on how to begin to integrate in a world where technology has changed and they now have a level of control over their basic needs that was never allowed them in prison. While I had a decent handle on the statistics that Kessler presented sparingly, it was really the journey into the details of the lives lived and the narrative components that brought the human connection and put the reader in a place to try experience or empathize with the struggles of re-entry.

This book was enlightening and educational, yet by about 50-60% it started to feel repetitive. I think I may have preferred a more in depth look at one or two people, other than multiple.

This was an excellent book. It was well researched and compelling. The structure was well done, and the first-person point of view made for such interesting reading. Kessler was able to draw on her own experiences with restorative justice, working in prisons and interacting with the individuals profiled in the book. She also provided staggering statistics about the criminal justice system and recidivism, mostly in the last few chapters of the book, so they didn’t bog down the reader along the way. Those included were pertinent and eye opening. I highlighted several passages and statistics to add to my book journal.

Kessler painted such a strong picture of what it’s like to go from inside prison walls to outside them and why it’s so hard. Our society expects individuals released from prison to do so much with so little. The odds are stacked against them in so many ways and Kessler was able to highlight this through sharing her experience in a simulation of completing re-entry tasks and then real-life stories of those trying to re-enter society as free individuals.

I highly enjoy day in the life accounts from real people especially in situations different from mine. This book included six different personal stories of those released from prison. Their stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring. I’m so glad Kessler brought these life stories to the page.

Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the criminal justice system. I’d also recommend it to anyone interested in true crime and wrongful convictions as supplemental reading to those topics.

I will absolutely read more by this author!

Lauren Kessler paints a grim picture of incarceration in our country in her new release, Free. With analysis of the struggles a released convict is confronted with while trying to access relief programs and the statistics showing that reform falls short for so many this is an eye opening look at what goes wrong for so many of our offenders that returns them to our overcrowded prison system. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own, and I highly recommend this book.

This book is right up my alley. It is compelling in telling the stories of so many in just a few really good examples of people imprisoned while in their youth and trying to create a life for themselves post prison in adulthood. It is a book that feels like everyone should have to read and a great discussion book.

It keeps you thinking and has you wondering if there are better ways, systems, or policies we could or should be putting in place. The author clearly seems to think so, but without coming right out and saying it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and am so happy I did. All opinions are my own.

This book was hard to put down! Lauren Kessler did a beautiful job of sharing and discussing the trials and triumphs of those in our prison system. By following six people - in and out of prison - Kessler shares their pain, struggles, and the reasons they found themselves behind bars - some as young children.

Tens of thousands of people exit prison each year with little or no idea where they will live or how to find a job. The roadblocks are numerous - employers generally won't hire people with a record, landlords won't lease to people with a record, and government services take months to go into effect. Nonprofits who work with this population are limited by funding and location. There is no consistency from county to county.

Through the stores of Arnoldo, Dave, Trevor, Catherine, Vicki, and Sterling, readers see the people behind the bars - their hearts, their struggles, their pasts, and their hopes for the future.

This is a book about how we are failing a large percentage of our population, but it is also a book about hope and redemption.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of "Free" by Lauren Kessler. I was a Criminal Justice major in college and have always been fascinated with the incarcerated and their journey back to the freedom of the outside world. Lauren Kessler follows six individuals as they make their reentry into society. It is gripping, moving, and presents a real world, ground view of what ex-inmates face on the outside. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the criminal justice system in this country.

Free is an eye-opening and mind-blowing account of six people who are released from incarceration and the two years that follow. I learned so much from this book and it truly made me think in a new way about the way we handle punishment and incarceration in the US. I truly enjoyed every minute. Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in return for my honest review.