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Jun
12
Book Review: In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White
2009 at 10am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Published June 2, 2009 by HarperCollins
Neil White appeared to have it all. A successful magazine editor and entrepreneur by his early thirties, White had a beautiful wife, two happy children, an opulent home, expensive cars, and the respect and admiration of the members of his community in Oxford, Mississippi. And that was exactly what he wanted. He thrived on praise, on being recognized for his accomplishments, and on the belief that he was someone special.
He says he felt “bulletproof.”
But that all changed in the spring of 1993, when after months of kiting checks to cover increasing business expenses, White was convicted of bank fraud and sent to a minimum security prison in Carville, Louisiana. Upon his arrival, White learned that the prison grounds were also home to America’s last leprosarium and that he would be sharing space and interacting with individuals with leprosy (now called Hansen’s Disease).
In the Sanctuary of Outcasts chronicles White’s year at Carville and the transformation he underwent as he developed unexpectedly life-changing relationships with his fellow inmates and the leprosy patients. White recalls arriving at Carville and immediately setting out to plan his next big publishing business. To cope with his incarceration, he would pretend to be an undercover reporter interviewing inmates and patients for what would become an exposé on life at the country’s last leprosarium.
White knew a post-prison success would not make people forget what he had done, but it could certainly go a long way in convincing them that he wasn’t so bad after all. Other people’s opinions mattered to White, more than almost anything else, and he couldn’t fathom what life would be like without the trappings of wealth and admiration.
When he entered Carville, White needed a good, healthy dose of humility and real-world wisdom, and he found it in the most unexpected of people. During his early morning duty in the patient cafeteria, he met an elderly woman named Ella who had been at Carville since she was twelve years old. White’s conversations with Ella and the pithy, straight-to-the-heart bits of advice she shared with him became the catalyst for a life-altering transformation.
Ella encouraged Neil to look within himself, to use the time he was given to make changes and to plan a new life, and to stop worrying so much about what other people thought. She was a living example that difficult life circumstances do not have to equate to misery and bitterness. She symbolized hope, kindness, and the importance of accepting other people just as they are.
In the Sanctuary of Outcasts is a story about one man’s fall from grace and his journey back to humanity and humility. It is remarkably readable, often funny, occasionally heartbreaking, insightful, and informative. The characters White meets in prison and the people of character he encounters in the leprosarium force him to change his perspective and re-evaluate his priorities, and he leaves Carville prepared to become a different, better man.
I was pleasantly surprised by how well written and touching In the Sanctuary of Outcasts was. A story like White’s has the potential to become trite and overly sentimental, but he successfully avoids those pitfalls and resists the temptation to self-aggrandize. This is a book about finding a way out of the shambles of a broken, seemingly hopeless life and a reminder that it is what we do, not how we are thought of, that really matters.
I read In the Sanctuary of Outcasts in two sittings, and I can’t seem to stop talking about it. This is an unforgettable example of prison time doing exactly what it is supposed to do for an individual. It has great (real!) characters, a powerful story, a unique setting, and countless tidbits of interesting information you won’t find anywhere else. 4.5 out of 5.
Visit Neil White’s website to learn more and see a short video about Carville.
Special thanks to Kate at Folio Literary Management for recommending this great read.
[...] Book Review: In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White [...]
I really liked this one too.
This one sounds so good. I’m really looking forward to reading it!
I’m picky about memoirs because usually they aren’t written well or they seem sappy to me but this one sounds really good. I just added it to my TBR list.
And to even think that they put prisoners with patients. Ack!
I’m really looking forward to reading this one!
When I first heard about this book, I was sure it wasn’t something I wanted to read. Now I am pretty sure this is one I will be adding to my reading list. The writing sounds beautiful and very honest. It’s exactly the type of memoir I enjoy most.
I loved how honest and upfront he was in this book about his mistakes. He definitely struck all the right chords.
I’m putting this one on my list.
[...] of Outcasts Posted on June 18, 2009 by Rebecca @ The Book Lady's Blog Last week, I read and raved about Neil White’s memoir In the Sanctuary of Outcasts, which chronicles the year he spent at a [...]
[...] White, author of In the Sanctuary of Outcasts, is taking questions for a reader participation interview. You know you’re [...]
I am re-reading the book after seeing Mr. White in person. It is even more enjoyable the second time around. I highly recommend its rare look at an unusual situation.