The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell

A new edition of Joe Loya’s memoir about hazard, crime, sin, and secular redemption, featuring an introduction by Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black.

Joe Loya's idyllic childhood came to an abrupt end at age 7 when his mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. In the two years before her death, Joe's extremely religious father became increasingly violent toward his two young sons -- a contradiction that haunted Joe for years. Then, at age sixteen, Joe retaliated during a particularly severe beating and stabbed his father in the neck.

Joe's father survived, but for Joe that bloody yet fulfilling attack was the starting point of a life of crime. After holding up his thirtieth bank, he was arrested and served seven years in prison. He continued his criminal behavior behind bars and was eventually placed in solitary confinement -- a hard way to do time, even for seasoned convicts. Alone in his cell for almost two years, Joe was finally able to develop compassion for his father, finding clarity and redemption through writing the origin stories of his griefs.