Author: Shon Hopwood (with Dennis Burke)
Genre: Memoir (2012)
About: Shon Hopwood was a good kid from a loving family. He played high school basketball, had friends and attended church. After serving in the Navy and bored at home with no job prospects or money, Shon enlisted the help of his friend to rob a bank. The thrill of the first robbery led to more. Four more, as a matter of fact. At age 23 he was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. While there, Shon worked in the prison law library and learned of his knack for learning the laws (not just breaking them!). He soon received respect - and requests for legal help - from his fellow inmates.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this. My only annoyance was in Shon's discounting the seriousness of the robberies he committed. He may as well have been recounting a trip to Disneyland. Otherwise, his story is positive and uplifting, and I can't help but think that his life circumstances - of robbing banks, serving time, working in the prison law library, becoming interested in law, having the right people placed in his path to continue law after prison, AND falling in love with a woman who stuck by his side through it all - were orchestrated by God. Although he does mention a religious aspect to turning his life around, it's not a main focus of the book. One more thing...the pictures. I always love pictures to help me relate to the story and there were lots!
*Thank you to Crown Publishing/Random House for this book in exchange for my honest review.
