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Rikers: An Oral History Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE A shocking, groundbreaking oral history of the infamous Rikers jail complex and an unflinching portrait of injustice and resilience told by the people whose lives have been forever altered by it

“This mesmerizing and gut-wrenching book shows the brutal realities that tens of thousands of people have been forced to navigate, and survive, in America’s most notorious jail.—Piper Kerman, New York Times bestselling author of Orange is the New Black

A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

What happens when you pack almost a dozen jails, bulging at the seams with society’s cast-offs, onto a spit of landfill purposefully hidden from public view? Prize-winning journalists Graham Rayman and Reuven Blau have spent two years interviewing more than 130 people comprising a broad cross section of lives touched by New York City's Rikers Island prison complex—from incarcerated people and their relatives, to officers, lawyers, and commissioners, with stories spanning the 1970s to the present day. The portrait that emerges calls into question the very nature of justice in America.

Offering a 360-degree view inside the country’s largest detention complex, the deeply personal accounts—featured here for the first time—take listeners on a harrowing journey into every corner of Rikers, a failed society unto itself that reflects society’s failings as a whole.

Dr. Homer Venters was shocked by the screams on his first day working at Rikers: “They’re in solitary, just yelling . . . the yelling literally never stops.” After a few months, though, Dr. Venters notes, one's ears adjust to the sounds. Nestor Eversley recalls how detainees made weapons from bones. Barry Campbell recalls hiding a razor blade in his mouth—“just in case”.

These are visceral stories of despair, brutality, resilience, humor, and hope, told by the people who were marooned on the island over the course of decades. As calls to shutter jails and reduce the number of incarcerated people grow louder across the country, with the movement to close the island complex itself at the forefront, Rikers is a resounding lesson about the human consequences of the incarceration industry.

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Product details

Listening Length 15 hours and 37 minutes
Author Graham Rayman, Reuven Blau
Narrator Nathan Agin, Jonathan Beville, Nancy Bober, Gisela Chipe, Mx. Nicky Endres, James Fouhey, Philip Hernandez, Cary Hite, Eric Jason Martin, Kamali Minter, Karen Murray, Jose T. Nateras, Kiiri Sandy
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date January 17, 2023
Publisher Random House Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B09YKG394F
Best Sellers Rank #77,684 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#20 in Penology (Audible Books & Originals)
#81 in Civil Rights Law (Books)
#111 in Criminal Procedure Law

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
158 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They appreciate the well-organized interviews and how the authors capture the experiences of those who have been incarcerated at Rikers Island.

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6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's a must-read for anyone interested in prison reform. The author provides new insights and makes the story more believable.

"...A good read that in time will be seen as a classic work of New York City journalism." Read more

"...in their experience while on the island which makes the book even more believable. I cannot wait to read the next book" Read more

"...It is a great read, but I can only take so much each day." Read more

"...This is a must read for anyone interested in the real for prison reform. Wow!" Read more

3 customers mention "Insight"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides new insights and interesting interviews. They appreciate the authors' ability to capture the experiences of those who suffered in Rikers.

"...The well-organized and interesting interviews in this book are an indictment of decades of New York City government policy...." Read more

"...The authors’ ability to capture the experiences of those that suffered in Rikers and shine a light on the enigma that is our prison system restores..." Read more

"...in the 80's-90's and found it to be a fascinating book with lots of new insight! It was a Valentine's day present to him!" Read more

Worth the read
4 out of 5 stars
Worth the read
I purchased the book in support of authors, and several of the officers named in the book including my brother. The book was raw, real, and candid all the way down to the language. The detainees very transparent in their experience while on the island which makes the book even more believable. I cannot wait to read the next book
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2023
    Reuven Blau and Graham Rayman give voice to those who really know what Rikers Island is like. The well-organized and interesting interviews in this book are an indictment of decades of New York City government policy. They also display the failings and humanity of Rikers detainees, employees, and managers. A good read that in time will be seen as a classic work of New York City journalism.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
    I purchased the book in support of authors, and several of the officers named in the book including my brother. The book was raw, real, and candid all the way down to the language. The detainees very transparent in their experience while on the island which makes the book even more believable. I cannot wait to read the next book
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Worth the read

    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
    I purchased the book in support of authors, and several of the officers named in the book including my brother. The book was raw, real, and candid all the way down to the language. The detainees very transparent in their experience while on the island which makes the book even more believable. I cannot wait to read the next book
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2023
    Not only is this a sobering account of notorious Rikers Prison and its brutal environment, it is a realistic portrayal of American culture these days—drugs, violence, lack of respect or following rules, poverty. The prison culture is outrageous. I can’t imagine being someone ending up in Rikers and surviving emotionally and physically. That would be enough deterrent for me if I were a youthful inner city teen or Gen Z. , especially in NY. Even though my college degree was in Criminology decades ago, I have always been fascinated with prisons and criminal justice in this country. It is a great read, but I can only take so much each day.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
    As a former state correction officer, I found this book to be very accurate. There is a lot that goes on in prisons and jails that the general public is unaware of. To call them correctional facilities is disingenuous because there is relatively little effort invested in correcting or rehabilitating the inmates. In reality, they are basically training centers for criminals. Over the years I watched many inmates enter the system and end up leaving with enhanced criminal skills. I saw one 18-year-old inmate arrive after being sentenced to one to three years for breaking into a convenience store in a rural area of the state with little crime and stealing a case of beer. There was another inmate from NYC who, as a member of a gang strong-arming local businesses, shot up a restaurant with an automatic rifle and he also got a one-to-three-year sentence. The disparities of sentences based on where the crimes were committed was disheartening. I saw a lot of brutal, disgusting and disturbing events over the years.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2023
    Incredible view of a system that so devastated many lives! The authors’ ability to capture the experiences of those that suffered in Rikers and shine a light on the enigma that is our prison system restores the integrity of the human spirit that a system tried to break!
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2023
    Living in NYC for many years I always heard folks talk about Rikers. It is in rap songs, political speech and is part of urban city living. This book peels back the skin and exposes the elephant in the room. I am a fan of law and order and several other crime series. Rikers is the non fiction that inspired the fiction (or so you think). This is a must read for anyone interested in the real for prison reform. Wow!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2023
    My husband is a retired Deputy Director of Guidance and Counselling Services for Rikers in the 80's-90's and found it to be a fascinating book with lots of new insight! It was a Valentine's day present to him!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
    Excellent portrayal of the notorious New York Rikers Island. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend it to anyone interested in criminal justice and why things must change.
    5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • DOUGLAS
    2.0 out of 5 stars MEH
    Reviewed in Canada on May 22, 2023
    Just a compilation of interviews. Nothing here folks. Don't buy it you'll be sorry. I am.