I’ve spent an enjoyable 900 years with this book.

I don’t know if other people do this, but I usually have three books going that serve three different purposes. I have my reading in bed book, and it has to be interesting enough to keep me reading when the alternative is sleeping (Liane Moriarty is ideal for this). I have a book on the end table that’s light enough to read while my daughter plays (ex: home decor books). And I have spots for books that take a little discipline to get through, spots where I’ll be desperate enough for something to read that I’ll definitely read it: in my purse for while my daughter is in dance, by the bathtub, etc. This book took a little discipline, but that’s not a bad thing.

Courtroom 302 follows a year in Judge Locallo’s Chicago courtroom. It’s amazingly researched by Bogira and spends time with attorneys, Locallo, defendants, victims, both of their families, prison guards…everyone. (Interesting fact: Shameless’s many run-ins with the law take place in Cook county, same as this book.) It’s a very fascinating take on the criminal justice system and the ways it can screw absolutely everyone involved. It’s dense and a bit dry at times, which is how it wound up on my discipline-list, but very much worth it. I feel like I’ve been reading this book my whole life. I can’t recall when this year I started it, but I do know it moved houses with me in May and I just recently finished it. YMMV on that, though!