{"product_id":"lookout-for-shorts-book-garrett-phillips-9781734857504","title":"Lookout For Shorts","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAn arrest and conviction for trafficking ecstasy can be comical. The character-strewn path of corrections that followed is entertaining and enlightening. This is the story of a book-learnin' smart-ass who endured a three-year minimum-security tour of the slammer and lived to make fun of it. And who emerged a humbled and better man.\u003cem\u003eLookout For Shorts\u003c\/em\u003e is a departure from hardcore prison fare; it is gonzo and humorous in tone. Picture the worst cruise ship imaginable, full of guests from \u003cem\u003eThe Jerry Springer Show\u003c\/em\u003e, that never reaches a port. Tales abound of inmate absurdities and administrative follies juxtaposed against the coarse subculture of lockup. Along the way, Phillips unflinchingly describes his drug-dealing days, a rehab stint, and his misspent youth.We've all heard of \u003cem\u003eOrange Is the New Black\u003c\/em\u003e, the fish-out-of-water story that provided a glimpse into a fascinating micro-society.\u003cem\u003e Lookout\u003c\/em\u003e is similar but zips several steps further into humor. The main hazard the author faced was his head exploding from being immersed in a sea of weirdos and misfits. The nuttiness nearly made him forget about the ever-present threat of losing teeth and suffering fresh scars.Culled from copious journals, most of this tale is prison-based. The story begins with the arrest of a Generation X slacker, for dealing drugs at a jam band concert. Description of an upscale rehab stint and living in an AA-based halfway house follow, then the incarceration hammer comes down. In lockup, Phillips focuses more on how the\u003cem\u003e other \u003c\/em\u003eother half lives and his light-hearted cynicism gained from living in it.If you ever wanted to be the smartest person in the room, just go to state prison for a while. You'll probably be that guy the whole time, quips the author, in Sedaris-like style. Still, he ends up deeply empathizing with his downtrodden fellow felons along the way.Phillips described his odyssey thusly: I spent most of my life lying around, killing time. This led me to the slammer, where I lied around, killing time. I ended up in prison because of a lack of dedication, patience, and my failure to postpone gratification. So after my release, I wrote a book, which requires enormous amounts of dedication, patience, and postponing gratification. It's a start \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53187394109713,"sku":"NIN9781734857504","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781734857504.jpg?v=1772391495","url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/products\/lookout-for-shorts-book-garrett-phillips-9781734857504","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}