
Ink from the Pen
A Prison Memoir
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Narrated by:
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Michael Crouch
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By:
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Mark Olmsted
About this listen
Ink from the Pen is the story of an educated, HIV+ gay man whose decades-long walk on the wild side came crashing down in 2004, when he found himself facing nine months in prison for dealing the crystal meth he’d become addicted to during the worst of the AIDS epidemic. An accomplished writer, Olmsted soon discovered his love of words was precisely what would get him through the experience. With a keen eye for the finely-observed detail and an unerring capacity to deftly convey the poignancy and absurdities of incarceration, Mark learned that creativity is one of the most powerful survival tools there is.
©2017 Mark Olmsteed (P)2022 Mark OlmstedListeners also enjoyed...
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Listener received this title free
decades and have always been a huge fan of his writing. We worked together on a film project and were
even roommates once upon a time. What I didn't know was that he was living a double life and that I like
anyone who knew him was astounded upon hearing the reason for his arrest and imprisonment.
Mark Olmsted was/is one of the most intelligent, keenly observant, compassionate, generous and
unequivocally hilarious humanitarians I've ever met. That he landed in prison still prompts a cartoon
shake of the head but listening to his story--expertly and beautifully narrated by Michael Crouch--
reminds me of how complex, vulnerable and mercurial the human spirit is and how limiting it is to
identify someone as merely the sum of the worst event in their lives.
If you still have a beach vacation on the books, I cannot recommend this book enough.
Thank you Mark Olmsted for having the courage to tell this story, the wisdom to remain faithful to the
truth and the compassion to shine a light on those who may never see the light of day outside of prison
walls.
Exquisitely written and narrated
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Like a great novel but nonfiction.
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Brought the book to life
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The author could be any one of my dearest friends- who I would love to include in my dinner gatherings. There are so many stories walking among us. This is a perfect example of why I'm fed up with the glut of stories of "other worlds" when there is so much to delve into under our noses. And yes, the writing was beautiful. I often paused to note the turn of phrase.
Coming of age prison memoir? Trust me, just read!
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I loved the book, finished it in only three sittings. Bittersweet at times and always a unique perspective as part of a targeted population in a very scary place, and how Mark dealt with his circumstances with humor, fast thinking, “reading the room/cell,” and making the absolute best of a brutal situation.
Highly recommended read.
Loss and beauty
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Stories of prison, family and redemption
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So how did Olmsted end up in prison for drug dealing, after being denied bail (this wasn’t his first arrest). He lets us know up front that he’s not going to tell us - not in this book. His intention, and achievement, is to give a picture of prison life, which, for many, is dangerous and lonely. While Olmsted receives buckets of mail, many men get none at all. They have been forgotten by everyone they knew or loved. The book is a way of remembering them.
The prose is both straightforward and lyrical. The reading by Michael Crouch is superb - direct, sympathetic without sentimentality, all “characters” beautifully acted. It’s a compelling performance, one to savor over a days, a chapter or two at a time.
Peering behind the bars
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Indelible Read
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Completely satisfying. And surprisingly beautiful.
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Excellent Story & match of Narrator & Author
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