Powerful. Particularly in the age of #MeToo, Banks' story stands out as remarkable - and his grace and restraint even moreso. While the cynic in me wants to look at most of these types of memoirs as little more than PR, the endless optimist desperately hopes that the Banks portrayed in this book is the real deal. His final recommendations seem warranted, particularly in light of how his own case has turned out. Possibly the one narrative change I would have made would have been to end it at what Joe Public would generally see as the climax of his story - the moment he stormed the field as an NFL player and knelt in prayer at the 50 yard line. But Banks himself sees that as just one moment among many, and does a remarkable job of showing his public priorities of the several years now since that moment. Truly a remarkable book, and absolutely one anyone interested in the US criminal justice system in particular should read.

Because the publisher wants it, I'll note here that I am writing this review on June 22, 2019 - 10 days before publication of this book. Meaning that it is in fact an Advance Review Copy. As is my own standard for *all* of my reviews, ARC or not, my review is my honest reflection of my experience with the book. ( )

4.5 stars. This was excellent. I decided to read this after seeing the movie and am astounded at Banks' resiliency and grace through the whole ordeal. While the cynic in me wants to look at most of these types of memoirs as a PR play, I don't think that's the case here. His final recommendations at the end of the book about working to reform the system and educate others were very powerful. He lived a nightmare that hopefully none of us ever has to experience and he overcame terrible circumstances with a never-ending commitment to positivity and self-discipline. Brian is an excellent role model for young men (or women) who struggle with who they are and where they fit in society. ( )

All it took was an accusation. A he said, she said moment and a young black teen with a promising football career ahead of him, finds his life derailed. A heavily football recruit, a young man who did his best to stay out of trouble, who had no previous police record, finds himself in juvvie, with his bail set at one million dollars. How is this fair? How is this justice? Facing an impossibly long sentence for something he did not do, his lawyer convinces his mother to take a plea bargain. His once bright future will be spent in serving six years in prison.

Thank goodness for these innocence projects, this one in California, that has set so many unjustly convicted men back their freedom. But, one can't give them time back, can't give them back their youth, many times can't give them back their families, their reputation. Brian made the most of what he had, learning, turning to spirituality not to become bitter, one can say he was one of the lucky ones. He does manage to achieve part of his dream.

A stirring story, one among many that point out the need for justice reform. When one makes an accusation, all involved need to be sure it is factual, not one made for revenge of hurt feelings, because all it takes is an accusation, just an accusation to ruin a man's life.

ARC from Edelweiss. ( )

At first I thought not to read this book because I was not all that impressed with the writing. However, it was the story that drew me more deeply into this book as I've been hearing a lot about about the need for reform of the United States criminal justice system. i was also drawn to read this book because I have a friend in prison, and I'm concerned about what life in prison must be like for him. I thought this book would give me some insight into what life is like for a prisoner.

This book talked about the fact that moneyed people are allowed out of jail at a rate far higher for the same crime for which a less affluent person is jailed, often due to the less affluent person's inability to afford bail. That, in itself, is discriminatory.

This story is of Brian Banks, a then sixteen-year-old student who was wrongly imprisoned for six years for an alleged rape which he did not commit. The is a true experience told by the prisoner himself. Fortunately his story ends on a happy note, but that is not the outcome in all wrongful imprisonments.

In this book, a judge spent almost no time reading letters he was meant to read and then sentencing Brian to six years in prison wrongfully. This made me think of times in my own life and in the lives of family and friends when others controlled our lives by their actions...even to the point of death. Nothing in life is fair. It is painful to read about wrongful imprisonment.

This is an important book to read because of the information it shares, especially teaching about the injustices and problems of the American criminal justice system and the existence of the California Innocence Project. This powerful read touched my heart as I followed the emotional state of Brian Banks throughout his ordeal. ( )