- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Mariner Books; None edition (Sep 22 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0618087281
- ISBN-13: 978-0618087280
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.8 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 499 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #232,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Here comes the story of the Hurricane: On June 17, 1966, two men entered the Lafayette Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, and shot four people, killing three. Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a onetime contender for the middleweight boxing crown, and John Artis, an acquaintance of Carter's, were charged with the murders. In a highly publicized and racially loaded trial, the prosecution hinged its case upon the convoluted and contradictory testimonies of two lifelong criminals, and failed to present any definitive evidence of Carter and Artis's guilt. Nonetheless, both innocent men were sentenced to life in prison. Hurricane is a detailed, inspiring account of Carter's 22-year effort to exonerate himself and regain his freedom.
Carter's saga is rich and complicated, and James Hirsch deserves praise for his balanced treatment. He brings Carter's electrifying and complex personality alive without unnecessarily lionizing him, masterfully detailing his transformation from a defiant, intimidating man known for his dangerous temper and stubborn pride into a enlightened one who defeated despair and unimaginable injustice. Upon incarceration, Carter refused to behave like a guilty man--by defying the rules: rejecting prison garb and keeping his jewelry, shunning prison food, and failing to see a parole officer. His defiance earned him cruel punishment, but he compelled the rigid, unforgiving system to come to terms, at least in certain instances.
Though he began an earnest study of the law in order to issue his own appeals, he could not have won his freedom without the astonishing collective effort of others. After a 1974 front-page story in The New York Times revealed his plight, there followed an outpouring of public support that included celebrity endorsements from, among many others, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, and Bob Dylan, who immortalized him in the famous song "Hurricane". Though all the publicity turned Carter into an icon for a time, ultimately it was the efforts of a group of enigmatic Canadians and a team of persistent lawyers that helped Carter achieve justice.
He lost his family, his boxing career, and 22 years of his life, yet in the end, he refused to allow bitterness to consume him. When the charges against him were finally dropped in 1988, he spoke at a press conference:
If I have learned nothing else in life, I've learned that bitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. And for me to permit bitterness to control or infect my life in any way whatsoever, would be to allow those who imprisoned me to take even more than the twenty-two years they've already taken. Now, that would make me an accomplice to their crime...He emerged from the fight of his life with his dignity and humanity intact. --Shawn Carkonen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
This authorized biography of Carter by former Wall Street Journal and New York Times reporter Hirsch brings an objective historical perspective to the boxer's story. Scrupulously researched and expertly crafted, Hirsch's updated account of Carter's life is both a rich portrait of a complex man and a clear-eyed telling of a remarkable life. Despite his success in the ring, or because of it, Carter was a man with a bad reputation when he was wrongfully accused of a gruesome triple homicide. As a defiant black man with a mean streak, a criminal record and flamboyant tastes, Carter jarred the sensibilities of many whites in his hometown of Paterson, N.J., and Hirsch explores the role that race played in determining his fate. Carter's hellish ride through the judicial system and the heroic efforts to free him make for fascinating reading. Hirsch used the Canadian edition of Lazarus and the Hurricane (reviewed above) as a source for much of his material, and some scenes are straight out of the earlier book. But Hirsch also explores the nature of Carter's relationships with the Canadians, including his romance and marriage to Lisa Peters, which is treated as a mere footnote in the Canadians' account. When Carter finally became a free man in 1988, he spent several years living in the Canadians' commune, but their controlling nature led him to believe he had traded one prison for another, with a debt of gratitude tying him down. He eventually severed ties.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
He was robbed of Freedom but never lost his principles,
By "big_talka" (Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter (Paperback)
Rubin Hurricane Carter is really one of my greatest idols. What he went through was a mixture of discrimination, racism and hate. He was robbed 22 years of his life for something he didnt do and was denied several appeals. This book displays Carter at his very best. Not only did Carter manage to find true love in a prison where he was filled with hate he also manages to have such inner strength that he was able to block out the prison from his mind and refused to co-operate with the so-called legal system. Through the time Rubin suffered in prison he began to stop training his body and began training his mind and read books by ghandi, malconX, nelson mandela and ouspensky. When Rubin was freed (with the help of a loyal canadian commune) he began living his life in peace and speaking out against wrongs. He now doesnt support boxing and believes its barbaric. Rubin was once said to never have a strip of fat without 10 layers of muscle around it. But now Rubin is even stronger then before. Using the saying "Mind over matter." This book isnt just for boxing fans as it goes far beyond boxing it speaks loud about discrimination, one man against the world, and about finding inner strength. This book tells a miraculous journey in the most full-filling way.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Skip the movie, Read this Book,
By
This review is from: Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter (Paperback)
I read this book and then saw the movie. This is a familiar formula for disappointment. The book is much better and richer than the movie. The movie portrays Carter as some kind of saint, deeply-principled, who is railroaded by the justice system. As the book reveals, Carter was a deeply troubled individual during the 1960's. Carter was a very angry person who seemed to antagonize authority. He was also an alcoholic and had selfish, chauvanistic attitudes towards women. These traits are overlooked in the film. In fact, the movie shows Carter a suave, kind person. The filmmakers probably skipped these aspects of Carter because they wanted the viewers to like Carter and root for him. In reality, Carter didn't seem a likeable person.HOWEVER, the fact that Carter was a troubled, angry person doesn't mean he's guilty of murder. Some people seem to invest their dislike of "hollywood justice" and the "cause celeb" aura surrounding this case, into convicting Carter for the murders. Don't confuse the issues. Carter was not a saint but he's still entitled to justice. Part of this book is the story of the unraveling of the prosecutor's case. As a federal district court found, the prosecutors withheld vital evidence from the defense - evidence which the defense was legally entitled to. The prosecutors also resorted to prejudice during the trial to persuade the jury of Carter's guilt. This is the so-called racial revenge theory advanced by the prosecution. The other important and most fascinating part of the book is the transformation of the man. During his prison sentence, Carter transforms himself, with the help of others, from an angry, troubled individual to a much kinder and complete human being. The movie, by overlooking Carter's bad traits, robs the viewer of this incredible growth of one person. My advice is to skip the movie and read this excellent book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
stormy life,
By
This review is from: Hurricane: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter (Paperback)
whether or not you believe him or like him, this well is very well written and a detailed account of the legal system he endured throughout his life. also the description of the supposed mind-controlling aspects of the canadiens he lived with is interesting and wasnt displayed in the movie at all. worth reading even if you saw denzel in the movie.
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