Ted Conover's first foray into New Journalism came while he was still in college, when he took time out to ride trains with hobos in the name of research for an anthropology thesis — a project that became his first book, Rolling Nowhere. In Newjack, he offers an insider's glimpse into the American criminal justice system. Conover, who had unsuccessfully appealed to the New York State Department of Justice to trail a prison guard through training as the basis for a magazine story, sidestepped rejection by applying to become a guard at New York's infamous Sing Sing prison. For 10 months, Conover immersed himself in the prison's culture, working as a guard during the day and recording his observations at night to preserve the secrecy of his endeavor. The ensuing book is an unflinching look at the harsh realities of prison life.