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In the Place of Justice: A Story of Punishment and Deliverance Audiobook
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(3.07) - 195 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From Wilbert Rideau, the award-winning journalist who spent forty-four years in Louisiana prisons working against unimaginable odds to redeem himself, the story of a remarkable life: a crime, its punishment, and ultimate triumph. After killing a woman in a moment of panic following a botched bank robbery, Rideau, denied a fair trial, was improperly sentenced to death at the age of nineteen. After more than a decade on death row, his sentence was amended to life imprisonment, and he joined the inmate population of the infamous Angola penitentiary. Soon Rideau became editor of the prison newsmagazine The Angolite, which under his leadership became an uncensored, daring, and crusading journal instrumental in reforming the violent prison and the corrupt Louisiana justice system. With the same incisive feel for detail that brought Rideau great critical acclaim, here he brings to vivid life the world of the prison through the power of his pen. We see Angola’s unique culture, encompassing not only rivalries, sexual slavery, ingrained racism, and daily, soul-killing injustices but also acts of courage and decency by keeper and kept alike. As we relive Rideau’s remarkable rehabilitation—he lived a more productive life in prison than do most outside—we also witness his long struggle for justice. In the Place of Justice goes far beyond the confines of a prison memoir, giving us a searing exposé of the failures of our legal system framed within the dramatic tale of a man who found meaning, purpose, and hope in prison. This is a deeply moving, eloquent, and inspirational story about perseverance, unexpected friendships and love, and the possibility that good can be forged under any circumstances.
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"Excellent book. Rideau never claims his innocence as so many other inmates do, but he struggles throughout the whole book trying to figure out why he is treated differently and is not released in the same manner as the other inmates. I love reading about the old days at the prison. Must read!"
— Pixismiler (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Incisive…As emotional, as any words I’ve read in a long time.”
— New York Times -
“Perhaps no book written by an inmate has ever conveyed so much factual and emotional information about day-to-day prison life.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Riveting…Amazing…The picture of prison life painted by Rideau isn’t the one portrayed in many movies…Now he has provided a wonderful chance to share his remarkable life.”
— Associated Press -
“Candid…Rideau is the rarest of American commodities—a man who exited a penitentiary in better shape than when he arrived.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“A series of stunning journalistic revelations…Quite simply, no prison memoir in recent memory contains prose as deft or as riveting.”
— Vanity Fair -
“A richly detailed [and] all too rare look at life behind bars.”
— New York Review of Books -
“Searing, suspenseful, stomach-churning and soul-stirring…A sobering indictment of the criminal justice and penal systems in Louisiana over the past half century—and testimony to the triumph of the human spirit.”
— Tulsa World -
“A masterpiece in the realm of autobiographies.”
— Anniston Star -
“In the Place of Justice is remarkably even-handed and generous.”
— Palm Beach Arts Paper -
“In the Place of Justice is as much a look inside Angola prison and the judicial system as it is a fascinating yet unsettling journey inside the minds of those who do time there.”
— Barnes & Noble, editorial review -
“To a society that treats convicts as a worthless underclass, Rideau’s story is a compelling reminder that rehabilitation should be the focus of a penal system.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“This is more than a prison memoir; it is a searing indictment of the American justice system.”
— Booklist -
“Fascinating and inspiring…This book is a gift to all of us in so many ways.”
— BookPage
Awards
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A 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Best Book for Nonfiction
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Nominated for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award
In the Place of Justice Listener Reviews
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" An excellent book about a man's struggle to gain freedom after paying for his crime. "
— Leza, 2/16/2014 -
" An incredibly affecting portrait of the American penal system and a look at a crippling injustice that was allowed to perpetuate for four decades. "
— Conor, 2/3/2014 -
" This is a interesting tale of a prisoner that was originally sentenced to die on death row in Angola prison in Louisiana in 1962. But due to the change in laws ends up spending life in prison instead. He is also talking about segregation times in prison as well. "
— Krys, 1/20/2014 -
" I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would because it was a book for school. "
— Carissa, 1/19/2014 -
" This one will hurt your brain. You want to feel bad for Wilbert's situation, it is undeniable that he was given unequal treatment by an all white judge and jury. But was he given unfair treatment? Should convicted murderers face only 12 years? "
— Chris, 1/18/2014 -
" Loved reading this book. Thought-provoking and well-presented, but the play-by-play style dragged a bit for me in the end. "
— Sushud82, 1/14/2014 -
" An interesting look at life inside a prison and a man's fight for freedom. I found it sentimental at times, and a little self-aggrandizing, too. I think Rideau had a hard time ending it. But overall interesting and pretty good. "
— Maria, 12/12/2013 -
" It takes perseverance and a friend to survive and he does. "
— Roberta, 9/3/2013 -
" A good read and good story but likes to say how good he was all the time "
— Micky, 7/23/2013 -
" I really learned something about injustice and prison life from this one "
— Aberlowitz, 6/10/2013 -
" A story about forgiveness. "
— Shayne, 6/7/2012 -
" Excellent memoir by a man who was imprisoned in Angola for 44 years. He provides an insider's view of the criminal justice system from 1961-2005 that is unique and worth reading. "
— Elyssa, 2/12/2012 -
" This is an excellent book and gives an amazing view of the criminal justice system and its inequalities. Whatever is your initial reaction to a book by a convicted killer, you should give it a read. It is also a chronicle of keeping an unbroken spirit. "
— Patsye, 11/24/2011 -
" I'm not a fan of non-fiction, especially the story of a man who commits a robbery then murder and shows no remorse. "
— Barry, 5/13/2011 -
" This was a good read but I got bored reading the same ole' same ole' page after page. I also felt the writer was a bit over the top consistently taking about "me" to the point of losing sight of the fact he was in prison for a reason. "
— Janie, 4/1/2011 -
" Excellent. <br/>The book combines elements of a legal thriller to a story of personal redemption to a journalistic account of life inside prison. "
— Zach, 3/15/2011 -
" A good read and good story but likes to say how good he was all the time "
— Micky, 2/17/2011 -
" Loved reading this book. Thought-provoking and well-presented, but the play-by-play style dragged a bit for me in the end. "
— Sushud82, 1/18/2011 -
" An excellent book about a man's struggle to gain freedom after paying for his crime. "
— Leza, 1/10/2011 -
" This one will hurt your brain. You want to feel bad for Wilbert's situation, it is undeniable that he was given unequal treatment by an all white judge and jury. But was he given unfair treatment? Should convicted murderers face only 12 years? "
— Chris, 12/16/2010 -
" I'm not a fan of non-fiction, especially the story of a man who commits a robbery then murder and shows no remorse. "
— Barry, 9/25/2010 -
" I really learned something about injustice and prison life from this one "
— Aberlowitz, 8/20/2010 -
" This is a interesting tale of a prisoner that was originally sentenced to die on death row in Angola prison in Louisiana in 1962. But due to the change in laws ends up spending life in prison instead. He is also talking about segregation times in prison as well. "
— Krys, 6/21/2010 -
" This is an excellent book and gives an amazing view of the criminal justice system and its inequalities. Whatever is your initial reaction to a book by a convicted killer, you should give it a read. It is also a chronicle of keeping an unbroken spirit. "
— Patsye, 6/7/2010
About Wilbert Rideau
Wilbert Rideau was editor of The Angolite, a prison news magazine that during his tenure was nominated seven times for a National Magazine Award. While in prison, he was a correspondent for NPR’s Fresh Air; coproduced and narrated a radio documentary called “Tossing Away the Keys,” for NPR’s All Things Considered; served as correspondent for “In for Life” for ABC-TV’s Day One; and codirected the Academy Award–nominated film The Farm: Angola, USA. He is the recipient of a George Polk Award and an American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award, among others. He was awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship in 2007 and works as a consultant with the Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project. He lives in Louisiana.
About Dominic Hoffman
Dominic Hoffman, winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards for narration, has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice. He is a Los Angeles–based actor of stage, screen, and television. He has appeared in such television shows as The Shield, NYPD Blue, and The Jamie Foxx Show. He attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as well as the American Conservatory Theater.