New Netflix series based on Brooklynite’s memoir of year spent in prison
Brooklyn BookBeat
Brooklyn-based author Piper Kerman earned critical raves for her memoir “Orange is the New Black”, which chronicles the 13-month stretch she spent in federal prison. Published three years ago, Kerman’s book is a fascinating account of the experiences that resulted in her becoming the unlikeliest of inmates and of the women she met behind bars. Now, her story – which offers an exceptional view into the lives of women in prison – will be featured on screen, premiering on July 11 as a Netflix Original Series, also titled “Orange is the New Black.” The show, created by Jenji Kohan (who created “Weeds”) and produced by Lionsgate Television, features Taylor Schilling (“Atlas Shrugged: Part I”), Jason Biggs (“American Pie”), Laura Prepon (“That ‘70s Show”), Kate Mulgrew (“Star Trek: Voyager”), and Natasha Lyonne (“American Pie,” “Slums of Beverly Hills”), among others.
Kerman, who has settled with her family in Brooklyn, works as a vice president at a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm. Kerman is not alone in having gone through a rebellious period as a young adult before settling down with a family and career, although her wholesome good looks make her story all the more startling. But for Kerman, her michevious past came back a decade later to haunt her in a serious way.
A Boston native, Kerman stuck around in Northampton after graduating from Smith College with a theater degree in 1992. There, she met Nora Jansen, an “impossibly stylish and cool lesbian” who was a bit older, already in her 30s. The two developed an intense relationship, soon after which Kerman discovered that Nora was a drug trafficker. Eager for adventure and a counterculture lifestyle, Kerman began traveling with Nora until she herself became involved in the drug trade. Ultimately realizing that she was in over her head, Kerman moved to San Francisco, where she got a job in TV production and began dating Larry, now her husband. She writes, “From the safety of the West Coast I broke all ties with Nora and put my criminal life behind me.”