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113th out of 115 books
—
37 voters
Sweet Hell on Fire: A Memoir of the Prison I Worked In and the Prison I Lived In
As a corrections officer at an all-male maximum security prison, Sara Lunsford worked with the worst of the worst, from serial killers to white supremacists. She knew that at the end of every day, she had to try and shed the memories of the horrors she had witnessed in order to live a happy existence. But the darkness invaded every part of her life. And dealing with a stre...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
November 1st 2012
by Sourcebooks
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Honest and inspiring. Talking about "narrative arcs" and "storytelling voice" in relation to a memoir like this is redundant, not to mention somehow snarkily oblivious, if you will. This is life lived (almost) one day at a time. You don't get arcs in life, you just get life.
Lunsford's account of her year is brutal and you get a no holds barred sense of a quest for self - or, more appropriately, the regaining of self - whether she thought she wanted it or not. It's quite something to sit down an...more
Lunsford's account of her year is brutal and you get a no holds barred sense of a quest for self - or, more appropriately, the regaining of self - whether she thought she wanted it or not. It's quite something to sit down an...more
This had the potential to be a much better book. The experiences that Lunsford lived through were genuinely fascinating but the story was hampered by a narrative voice that relied too heavily on cliches, posturing and self-justifications. More descriptive writing, stronger characterizations and more specificity overall would have heightened the drama and created more incentive for readers to become emotionally invested in the addiction-to-redemption arc of the memoir. Lunsford talks about honest...more
This is one of the first non-fiction books I've read. It wasn't what I expected though., which in a way was good and bad. It wasn't as disturbing as I thought it was going to be (which was good) When I first picked up the book not only was excited to read it but I was nervous. I was expecting some nasty stuff to be in this book, and don't get me wrong there was definitely some but it wasn't so bad. This story tells about Sara Lunsford and her job as a Corrections Officer in an all male facility....more
I admit that part of the reason I didn't particularly like this book is it reminded me of a woman I know that I don't particularly care for, so that colored my views. But I also think there should be a limit on how many times one should be allowed to drop the F-bomb in one book. I'm not a prude; that's not the problem. I understand that there is a ton of profanity between inmates and correctional officers, so any time she quoted herself or an inmate and they cussed, I was okay with that. But she...more
Detailed and gritty!
Look, I know some of you are looking at the description or cover and thinking, "there's no way I'd read that, it's not my tastes." Well, get out of your comfort zone, and read it anyway! There is an amazing story to be heard right here. This lady, Sara, went through hell and back within a year, and not only became a better person, but changed her whole being. She's strong, confident, smart, and you root for her every step of the way. Let me tell you, she doesn't disappoint ei...more
Look, I know some of you are looking at the description or cover and thinking, "there's no way I'd read that, it's not my tastes." Well, get out of your comfort zone, and read it anyway! There is an amazing story to be heard right here. This lady, Sara, went through hell and back within a year, and not only became a better person, but changed her whole being. She's strong, confident, smart, and you root for her every step of the way. Let me tell you, she doesn't disappoint ei...more
A year in the life of a female prison guard. All I could think of while reading this was my counselor's comment when I was hired at a youth agency to work with families in crisis, "how are you going to prevent your work from seeming like how normal families function to you?" Hmmm... While the author was a good guard, fair and honest and with excellent boundaries, her personal life was a mess. I didn't love this book, or even enjoy it very much. I don't really get the connection between her work...more
This is a great book. Reading it was like sitting down with a friend and a cup of coffee. Next thing I knew, the conversation was over, but I was changed. Though Sara's stories of the prison may not have been unique to only her (any CO will tell you a lot of these stories), it was the way she told them that made the book interesting. Her witty humor, the bluntness of it all- it just drew me in. Her world was falling apart before she took The Job. What better place to find control than in a maxim...more
I am not certain that a bland statement such as, "I liked this book", is appropriate for Sweet Hell on Fire. I did like the book and recommend it to others to read. The information about prisons was new and fascinating to me.
I felt with this book I experienced much more than a simple good read.
Author, Sara Lunsford's account of her personal and professional life challenges was gritty, tough, heartbreaking, and more than a little gross at times. But it also rang true and made me appreciate her...more
I felt with this book I experienced much more than a simple good read.
Author, Sara Lunsford's account of her personal and professional life challenges was gritty, tough, heartbreaking, and more than a little gross at times. But it also rang true and made me appreciate her...more
I found that this book brought back a flood of memories. Like Lunsford, I worked in Corrections, 21+ years for the Federal Government. I began my career with them as a Correctional Officer, and worked my way up through the ranks to a long-sought retirement. I was also a second generation law enforcement professional, and also had a legendary father to try to measure up to. I experienced many of situations Lunsford had with inmates, including some that were even worse. I, too, found myself self-m...more
Sweet Hell on Fire, indeed. The writing is excellent; Sara Lunsford's experiences are laid bare to her readers.
It is horrifying what she survived inside and outside of those prison walls.
While majorities of women have never been, and will never be, correctional officers, Sara still has a message that all women need. We can be free from our own prisons, “You define you.”
It is my dream to find that same courage. In reading Sara's book, I discovered that I am stronger than I thought I was. It is de...more
It is horrifying what she survived inside and outside of those prison walls.
While majorities of women have never been, and will never be, correctional officers, Sara still has a message that all women need. We can be free from our own prisons, “You define you.”
It is my dream to find that same courage. In reading Sara's book, I discovered that I am stronger than I thought I was. It is de...more
I've been interested in nonfiction, specifically true crime, since the mid-1990s and jumped at the chance to review this. I like reading and watching shows about the darker side of life. I thought it would be real interesting to read about working in the prison system from a woman's point of view.
The book was everything I thought it would be- disturbing and disgusting. Did I mention the cup of semen Sara found in an inmate's cell? The author's narrative is raunchy and unfiltered and is a bit muc...more
The book was everything I thought it would be- disturbing and disgusting. Did I mention the cup of semen Sara found in an inmate's cell? The author's narrative is raunchy and unfiltered and is a bit muc...more
Sweet Hell on Fire is one of the best memoirs I've read this year. It is in all ways funny, insightful, gripping, educational, and just plain inspiring. Ms. Lunsford is brutally honest about her years as a corrections officer, giving us a glimpse into a world most of us will never see from either side of the bars. Her story is rich in detail and she is not afraid to tell even the worst, most embarassing parts of it.
Having been one of the few women in the IT profession back when dinosaurs walked...more
Having been one of the few women in the IT profession back when dinosaurs walked...more
This is only the second book I have ever read in the setting of prison (the other one being Dreams from the Monster Factory by Sunny Schwartz). I was hesitant to enter into this world, because I knew that as much as I love this authors writing (she is fantastic romance novelist under a pen name)there would be tough moments in this. Once I started, I felt stupid for having waited so many months to dive in, because this was the best memoir I have read in a long time. Beautiful writing about a some...more
Sweet Hell on Fire is Lunsford's memoir covering the span of a year in her life chronicling her work as a prison guard and her descent into alcohol abuse. Each chapter represents one day during that year (not all 365 days are written about) either describing something that happened in her personal life or on the job in prison or both. Lunsford does a good job of tying her personal and professional stories together giving you both a look at what it's like to work inside of a prison while also des...more
This is a well-written memoir about a female corrections officer and her life at work and at home. I found her stories from her job to be really interesting. In my opinion, memoirs usually either really suck or are really compelling, and this book would fall in the second category.
My only complaint is that I found numerous typographical errors that distracted me from the story. However, the copy I read was an "uncorrected proof" so it's possible that the final version is cleaned up. (If so, I'd...more
My only complaint is that I found numerous typographical errors that distracted me from the story. However, the copy I read was an "uncorrected proof" so it's possible that the final version is cleaned up. (If so, I'd...more
A fast read where the reader is drawn into the difficult life of a prison guard. It is painfully good and leaves the reader sympathetic for those who's lives are contained by 4 walls.
I love crime novels and this true crime novel, as told by a female corrections officer, does not disappoint. Sara Lunsford takes the reader behind the walls of a state prison, as well as the prison her life as become, for a year in the life journey readers won't soon forget.
Interesting perspective on prison, conversational tone, and courageous sharing of experience and resilience. Ultimately a testament to our power to be happy if we so chose.
One of the best books I've read in a very long time. I think every woman should read this. Sara Lunsford is an inspiration.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected given the topic. I loved Sara's direct, blunt nature, I laughed out loud many times.
A heart wrenching, no holds bar look at life on The Job. Full review closer to release day.
Powerful, if disturbing. I've read a lot of prison memoirs but this is the first by a guard.
Why did a publisher put this book out? No offense to Ms. Lunsford but her story just didn't impress me or surprise me. I have known people in prison with far more graphic stories, and I have known addicts and alcoholics with far more tragic tales (eventually she even states she isn't an alcoholic, she just drank a lot).
sooooo bleh.
This was a win from Giveaways on Goodreads and I appreciate winning it. This was an interesting story from the perspective that the author gives you a raw account of what working in a prison environment is like. I cannot imagine being a woman and doing so - this must have taken much more fortitude than she gives herself credit for. I am glad that she was able to find her way back to herself, her relationships and move on in life.
Apr 13, 2013
Dana
added it
Full of cliche' but worth the read. Gritty, earthy, memoir of today's prison systems, and those who hold the keys.
dark, raw and a touch of humor at times this beautifully written memoir will have you hooked from page one and reading long into the night
A look at how cruel imprisonmment can be and the thankless job of a corrections officer.
May 22, 2013
Monica
marked it as to-read
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