In the words of Joe Caputo, “Scatter the nuns!” “Orange is the New Black” fans rejoice: Piper Kerman, real-life memoirist and author of the smash-hit book turned smash-hit Netflix series, “Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison,” will be giving a book talk and signing at Maryville University on Wednesday, September 10.
In the event that there are any people left on the planet unfamiliar with the tale of Piper Kerman, it goes something like this: Piper Kerman, real-life “nice blonde lady,” entered into a romantic relationship with a woman who dealt heroin for a West African kingpin.
As Kerman writes, “one very brief, very careless dalliance into the world of drug trafficking” and ten years later, the self-described WASP’s crime finally caught up with her. Kerman got slapped with 15 months in the Danbury Correctional Facility in Danbury, Conn., but managed to churn out 327 pages on her crime and punishment.
The Smith College grad’s often heartrending, often hilarious firsthand account of rivalries, romances, and religion in prison eventually earned Kerman A-list status, but not before Lionsgate Television and Netflix negotiated a deal to adapt the memoir into a TV series, which took over the media-steaming service and subsequently the entire entertainment world.
As the actors, producers, and writers of the grand slam series continue to pick up Emmys and Golden Globes left and right, Kerman has enjoyed success of her own in the form of healthy book sales. Thus, a book tour was born. Kerman’s stop in neighboring Maryville is highly anticipated by fans of the book and Netflix series alike. “I loved the show before I even knew it was based on a true story,” senior Asher Denkyriah said. “But after reading the memoir it’s based on, the whole story has a lot more meaning to me. I’ll be going to the book talk for sure.”
The lecture, Q&A and book signing is free and open to the public, and new fans stil have over a week to binge-watch the entire series. Kerman’s story has managed to strike the perfect balance between tear-jerking poignancy and belly-aching absurdity. So don’t be afraid to come to the Orange side.
