Product Description
In 1967, the black boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and a young acquaintance, John Artis, were wrongly convicted of triple murder by an all-white jury in Paterson, New Jersey. Over the next decade, Carter gradually amassed convincing evidence of his innocence and the vocal support of celebrities from Bob Dylan to Muhammad Ali. He was freed in 1976 pending a new trial, but he lost his appeal -- to the amazement of many -- and landed back in prison. Carter, bereft, shunned almost all human contact until he received a letter from Lesra Martin, a teenager raised in a Brooklyn ghetto. Against his bitter instincts, Carter agreed to meet with Martin, thus taking the first step on a tortuous path back to the world. Martin introduced him to an enigmatic group of Canadians who helped wage a successful battle to free him. As Carter orchestrated this effort from his cell, he also embarked on a singular intellectual journey, which led ultimately to a freedom more profound than any that could be granted by a legal authority.

Amazon.com Review
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

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 45 reviews)

Watch the movie instead by L. Taylor (Chapel Hill, NC)

1 Stars
January 23, 2009
I really wanted to like this book because I was so intrigued by Rubin Carter's story. Unfortunately, the book was dry and difficult to get into. I think I finally gave up without ever finishing it. If you're interested in the story, watch the movie.

Great story by Noah Hild (Antioch, CA)

4 Stars
December 25, 2008
If one does not have access to a good lawyer: This is what happens. I still can not understand how Mr.Carter found the strength to keep his fight ?!

A fascinating read by B. Patrick (Kansas, USA)

5 Stars
December 13, 2008
I bought this book for my husband after we watched The Hurrican movie. He loved this book from the first page to the last. It is such a compelling true story of the strength of the human spirit.

Engligh 9 review, Ms. Till by Jeffrey Killeen

4 Stars
October 21, 2008
This is a good book that has a positive message, but it also exposes some of the evils in human nature. Two men, Rubin Carter and John Artis, are convicted of murders they didn't commit and are sentenced to life in prison. This story shoes the struggles that Carter goes through in prison and it is only his knowledge that he is innocent that gets him through it. He changes from an angry and confrontational person into someone wiser with a better understanding of his role in the world. Carter's story is an excellent example of determination and perseverance.

My Journey to Rubin by Dr. Marilyn Windham (Lincoln, California)

4 Stars
May 12, 2007
I loved this book almost as much as I loved the movie. For me it was one more step to tracking down the man, the legend. This is a wonderful book for anyone to read, from juveniles through senior citizens. The justice that eventually prevailed is of the feel good sort. It was such an incredible coming together of so many elements. I think that it should be included on recommended booklists in middle and elementary schools.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	Lazarus and the Hurricane: The Freeing of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter by Sam Chaiton (Author), Terry Swinton (Author) This remarkable true story begins in a Brooklyn ghetto when a group of Canadians meets Lesra (Lazarus), an illiterate black teenager who wins their hearts. They end up bringing him to Toronto to help with his education, and while learning to read, Lesra finds a copy of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter's The Sixteenth Round. It was a book destined to change Lesra's life forever, and the lives of his adopted family. Rubin Carter, the subject of Bob Dylan's song "Hurricane," was a number one...
	The Hurricane Starring: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger, Liev Schreiber, John Hannah Directed By: Norman Jewison Also With: Armyan Bernstein (Producer), Armyan Bernstein (Writer), Irving Azoff (Producer), Dan Gordon (Writer), Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter (Writer), Sam Chaiton (Writer), Terry Swinton (Writer) RUBIN HURRICANE CARTER IS CUT DOWN IN THE PRIME OF HIS BOXING CAREER AND CONVICTED OF THREE MURDERS HE DID NOT COMMIT. SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, CARTER WRITES A BEST-SELLING AUTOBIOGRAPHY CALLED THE SIXTEENTH ROUND WHICH INSPIRES A YOUNG MAN TO ENLIST THE HELP OF ACTIVISTS TO MAKE CARTER A FREE MAN.
	Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and the American Justice System by Paul B. Wice (Author) A careful analysis of the workings of the criminal justice system and the role of racism in the infamous Rubin "Hurricane" Carter Case.
	Finding Fish by Antwone Q. Fisher (Author), Mim E. Rivas (Author) Antwone Quenton Fisher was raised in institutions from the moment his single mother gave birth to him in prison. As a foster child, he suffered more than a dozen years of emotional abandonment and physical abuse, until he escaped and forged a life on the streets. And just as his life was about to hit rock bottom, Antwone enlisted in the U.S. Navy -- a decision that would ultimately save him. There, he became a man and discovered a loving family he never had. Through it all, Antwone refused...
	Awakening of Intelligence, The by Jiddu Krishnamurti (Author) This comprehensive record of Krishnamurti’s teachings is an excellent, wide-ranging introduction to the great philosopher’s thought. With among others, Jacob Needleman, Alain Naude, and Swami Venkatasananda, Krishnamurti examines such issues as the role of the teacher and tradition; the need for awareness of ‘cosmic consciousness; the problem of good and evil; and traditional Vedanta methods of help for different levels of seekers.