Ink from the Pen

A Prison Memoir

De: Mark Olmsted

Narrado por: Michael Crouch

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 Olmsted

Exquisitely written and narrated

I read Ink from the Pen when it was first released. In full disclosure I've known the author for several
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.

Like a great novel but nonfiction.

This book is set in prison, a world of disturbances where everything is taken away and people are divvied up by the lowest common denominator. But unlike other prison memoirs Mark's book jumps right over all the tired tropes of prison. The writing is impeccable, like a great novel but nonfiction. This book expertly takes you into the psyche of (seemingly) outwardly detestable characters, making you empathize with people you'd otherwise wouldn't consider. It's exactly the kind of humanism we need right now. You can’t help but read too fast because the story ebbs and flows so smoothly but the words are beautiful and worth savoring.

Peering behind the bars

In the foreword to his prison memoir “Ink from the Pen,” Mark Olmsted states frankly that he saw his fellow inmates as actors, whose actions he observed as “little plays.” Recording what he saw in letters to his sister, the letters became a blog and then this fascinating account of life in various prisons, as seen through the eyes of a highly educated, articulate, intelligent white man from what many would see as an enviable background. Interwoven with prison escapades of cons with nicknames like Undertaker, Extra, Whisper, and Thumper, are memories of childhood summers in France with his family, little league games in suburban Virginia, all the security of a loving, middle-class white family.

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.

Indelible Read

I highly recommend 'Ink From the Pen.' What a transformative ride! Its pages are populated with too many vivid, colorful characters to count. In a strange way, returning to spend time with them became comfort food for me. It's impossible not to grow to love these characters, however prickly or thuggish. Mark's contagious affinity for each one of them shines through despite—or precisely because of—their faultedness. The commanding, masterful voice of the narrator is infused with more than style; it's a unique worldview that breathes life into every description, word choice and understated reflection. In short, every turn of phrase in 'Ink From the Pen' is at once quirky and offbeat, yet relatable! At times, the tone manages to be both poignant and absurdly comical. The sobering portrait of prison culture and politics invites one to ponder the meaning in such a spiritual ‘time out’ and what those who find themselves enduring it may or may not have in common—things like luck of the draw, a stacked system, being dealt a shitty hand, DNA-as-blueprint, intergenerational trauma, and the inextricable relationship between nature and nurture. In the end, 'Ink From the Pen' calls upon the reader to suspend judgment and tap into our shared humanity.

Completely satisfying. And surprisingly beautiful.

I joined Audible to listen to this book. My digital library of audiobooks is enormous, pushing 1000, which might qualify me as a credible witness. Olmstead’s story would have riveted me in any medium, but I have never heard a more perfect match of narrator to book since the late Patrick Tull enacted Patrick O’Brian. I expected good; I did not expect the excellence I found in Audible’s Ink From the Pen. I’ll be gifting both the audio and paperback versions to the most discerning readers I know.