Oz: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill

Framed as the private diary entries of Hill, the philosophical, wheelchair-bound narrator of HBO's bleak but often riveting prison drama, this thorough compendium of everything Oz is a bonanza for the show's loyal fans, although it only occasionally provides interest to those not already in the know. Oz creator Fontana set out ""to put a human face on our faceless prison population"" with his gritty series; this book strives for the same goal by revealing Hill's ruminations on life in and out of Em City, which range from informed commentary on events in Oz to his own personal history. Augustus's entries touch on each episode in the series, which began the last of its six seasons this February. The levelheaded tone of the diaries often belies the frightening events they describe-e.g., ""The shanking wasn't fatal, but it'll be a while before Supreme Allah takes another shower."" Interspersed among the entries are sidebars (a season-by-season rundown of the number of victims of violence in Oz) and book excerpts that cover, for example, the execution of women in the United States and penal institutions' troubling responses to suicide attempts. A cast list and synopses of each episode (barring those from the final season) are included at the end. For fans of the series, this will be a satisfying companion volume. B&w photos throughout. (Feb.)