[1] Topics covered in the third section, 'Inside Out', include Woods journey to getting his sentence commutated in 2018, and the consequences of being unable to continue recording Ear Hustle in San Quentin during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[2] Some parts of the book have the prose presented in transcript form, and expand on stories originally covered in the podcast with additional context.

[4][5] Samantha Schoech from the San Francisco Chronicle praised the book for expanding on the background story of Woods more than the podcast, and for its impartiality, saying it was "not pro-prisoner or anti-prison; it is staunchly pro-human ... [and] is successful precisely because of this.

[6] Aperture said the book gave a "poignant narrative" that allowed readers to connect to incarcerated people in "surprisingly relatable ways".

[7] Stephanie Sendaula from Library Journal gave a positive review, saying even those unfamiliar with the podcast would be "absorbed by Poor and Woods’s storytelling", also describing Linnane's illustrations as a highlight of the book.