Synopses & Reviews
Eye of the Hurricane: My Path from Darkness to Freedom is a self-portrait of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a twentieth-century icon and controversial victim of the U.S. justice system turned spokesperson for the wrongfully convicted. In this moving narrative Dr. Carter tells of all the "prisons" he has survived--from his childhood through his wrongful incarceration and after. A spiritual as well as a factual autobiography, Eye of the Hurricane explores Carter's personal philosophy, born of the unimaginable duress of wrongful imprisonment and conceived through his defiance of the brutal institution of prison and ten years of solitary confinement. His is not a comfortable story or a comfortable philosophy, but it offers hope for those who have none and serves as a call to action for those who abhor injustice. Eye of the Hurricane may well change the way we view crime and punishment in the twenty-first century.
Review
"Rubin Carter describes his truly inspiring journey through his early life of brutality and suffering into his current life of hard-won spiritual affirmation and worldwide advocacy for the wrongly convicted. His views on the American justice system and the death penalty are outspoken, uncompromising, and ultimately accurate. Dr. Carters autobiography presents the unique and passionate vision of a unique and passionate man." —Sister Helen Prejean, author, Dead Man Walking
Review
“When a judge is responsible for freeing a person whom he believes has been wrongly convicted of murder, he worries whether he will live to regret or be proud of that decision. When it comes to Rubin Carter, I have no regrets. He has justified my faith in him, and I am proud of the person he has become. He is a testament to the human spirit.” —Judge H. Lee Sarokin, retired, U.S. Appeals Court
Review
"A wonderful and inspiring book. I expected gritty—it's based on the life of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, after all. What I didn't expect was to be so moved by his extraordinary insight, his disarming honesty and his grace. I loved the book." —Professor Cookie Ridolfi, director, Northern California Innocence Project
Review
"An uplifting tale of how a man can transcend shackles of all sorts." —Globe and Mail
Review
"Long story short, if Eye of the Hurricane doesn't inspire you, nothing will." —Smooth Magazine
Review
"Essential for the socially conscious." —Library Journal
Synopsis
A spiritual as well as a factual autobiography, this is a self-portrait of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a 20th-century icon and controversial victim of the U.S. justice system turned spokesperson for the wrongfully convicted. Exploring Carters personal philosophy—born of the unimaginable duress of wrongful imprisonment and conceived through his defiance of the brutal institution of prison and a decade of solitary confinement—this work offers hope for those who have none and serves as a call to action for those who abhor injustice. Exposing the inherent flaws in the legal and penal systems, this autobiography also serves as a prison survival manual—be it a brick-and-mortar cell or the metaphorical prison of childhood abuse, racism, and despair.
About the Author
The recipient of two honorary doctor of law degrees, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter is former chair and CEO of Canadas Association in Defense of the Wrongfully Convicted and currently serves as CEO of Innocence International. His life is the subject of the film The Hurricane, starring Denzel Washington.
Ken Klonsky is a freelance writer and a prisoners advocate.
Former antiapartheid activist, leader of the African National Congress, and president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela is a Nobel laureate and an international advocate for human rights.