Title: Hoggs II: Prison Journals
Author: Terol McCullar (T-Mac)
Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 978-1778390869
Pages: 224
Genre: Autobiography & Memoirs
Reviewed by: Christina Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
There is no tougher, heartbreaking, and dangerous place in the United States than prison. The prison system is both complex and extremely difficult to navigate – as both a prisoner and a prison guard. The need to maintain order and balance is universal for most prison authorities, and making sure those guards are both protected and held to a high standard to prevent corruption is a long and winding road which many prison systems struggle to maintain balance with.
In author Terol McCullar’s (T-Mac) Hoggs II: Prison Journals, that balance is explored perfectly through a series of stories which engage readers in the experiences and life journey within the prison system. Telling real stories through a fictional lens, the book delves into everything from life at the academy to inmate confrontations, and so much more, giving readers an intimate look into the world and work of prison guards. Blending humor, honesty, and insight into the technical terms and language spoken by prison guards and inmates alike, this book is an educational experience which will give the reader a firmer understanding of prison life.
The author did a remarkable job of keeping a respectable balance between entertaining storytelling and detailed accounts of both the true stories behind the chapters and the behavior of the prison guards that made up these stories. The range of different experiences the author relayed through these chapters was memorable, as I was able to gain insight into the tragic circumstances which brought some of the prisoners in, such as the young man who killed two people for disrespecting his girlfriend, to the interactions a prison guard off duty had with an on-duty police officer – and so much more. The imagery those details in the author’s writing brought out in the reader’s mind made the stories both compelling and visceral to behold.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy a mixture of non-fiction experiences told through a fictional lens. The stories found within both are entertaining and give them honesty and depth bringing these experiences to life in a unique way. The tremendous wealth of information and development which went into this book, and the experiences the author brought from his own life to these stories, made them feel so much more engaging. Hoggs II: Prison Journals is truly a book not to be missed.