Rating: 
Summary: The power within and beyond
Review: "I Am the Central Park Jogger" carries a special message - not exclusively, but especially - to those who are in the throes of overcoming any affliction that appears to be insurmountable.While Trisha Meili includes information regarding her brutal and barbaric beating and rape in "I Am the Central Park Jogger", we are spared details and any dwelling on the event. After all, she has no memory of the atrocious act, and there were no witnesses. After having miraculously survived her beating and consequential surgeries, she was then faced with recovering from residual physical and mental limitations. Meili writes openly, passionately, and sincerely about her steps to recovery, both big and small. "I Am the Central Park Jogger" reminds us of the power within each of us to overcome obstacles we thought to be beyond our reach. We are reminded of the power that comes from supportive families, friends, medical professionals, and caring people all over the world. This book offers hope and inspiration for those in unfathomable circumstances. It reminds us of the importance of giving our support when we see others in need.
Rating:
Summary: Tenderness from the most unlikeliest of places
Review: A truly inspiring book, and one of the most tenderly expressed sagas I've ever read. It is amazing that such tenderness could result from such a brutal and ghastly crime. Remembering those "dark" days of 1989 NYC could make a person's blood boil. I will never think of the author as simply "the Central Park jogger" ever again. David Kane Mindenhall, Paso Robles, CA
Rating: 
Summary: Recovery or not: still every family¿s worst nightmare
Review: A very simple, yet profound, first person story of recovery, a recovery in which Ms. Meili's healing was, in her words, "as much a function of the heart as it is of medicine." Ms. Meili is an extraordinary woman who deserves all the acclamation she has received for her courage, her fortitude and her recovery, both physically and psychologically. But the brutal rape to which Ms. Meili was subjected is not the central focus of her book. Indeed except for her fame which will help sell the book, this same book could have been written if Ms. Meili had sustained her injuries in a car crash. This point is underscored by the deft manner in which Ms. Meili handles the fact that the convictions of teens who "confessed" to the attack were vacated because it appears the confessions were made-up and they were actually innocent. Their guilt or innocence is no more central to Ms. Meili's book and her recovery than the nature of the attack. This is also a patriotic book, in which all of the best and most idealistic characteristics of the American spirit come to the forefront. Doctors and nurses who care and provide the best medicine available. Business colleagues and social friends who give their time and love. A family who provides its love, support and confidence in their daughter's ability, needs and independence. A high powered corporation which sheds its "business first attitude" and does everything economically and humanly possible to ease the pain of her family and provide her with a bridge to recovery, and not just because it will help its public image. At the same time, just bubbling below the surface of Ms. Meili's story, is a classic parable of the relevance of class, wealth and race in America. By race I do not mean the fact that Ms. Meili is white and her attacker or attackers black. Rather one needs to ask whether there would have been the same outpouring of love, empathy, support and staying power to her story if Ms. Meili had been a young, female black investment banker at Solomon (assuming there were or are any). Would the media and Solomon's top tier executives have responded the same way if the Central Park Jogger had been a secretary rather than a young women who was of the same age and social class as their daughter? Could Ms. Meili herself have made the recovery she did if she had not, during the first 27 years of her life, been blessed with a significant head start on the road to success: an affluent middle class, intact loving family; strong friendships; the best education the United States had to offer, at which she excelled, topped off by foreign internships, a positive outlook and social and financial success and security? Whether or not Ms. Meili's central thesis about healing is correct is immaterial as is the extent to which she was helped by the hand dealt her during what she calls her "first life." One wants to think there is merit in her philosophy, but in any event Ms. Meili's struggles should be an inspiration to anyone who has been brought down by a random act of violence, illness or accident and is determined to crawl their way back.
Rating:
Summary: Yeah, yeah, yeah ... she certainly is an inspiration
Review: As always when I read non-fiction, I look for a glimpse into the lives of others, to discover facets of life I have not experienced. And, thank heaven, I have not had to go through what this gallant woman endured. And endure she has! She came back from the most hideous abuses a woman can suffer, and then had to deal with a long physical recovery and the public's insistance on politicizing her violation -- which would have seemed to me to be yet another violation, and added pressure I certainly didn't need when fighting to recover from my physical and mental faculties. Yet Trisha managed to focus on the positive, to take strength from love and support from family and friends (many she'll never meet) and was nourished by her spiritual side. If Trisha profits from my purchase of this book, I am glad. For I feel I profited from her story, her strength and her honesty. And I'm sure that there are countless women all across the country who do not feel that the brutalization of another woman is "yesterday's news," and will also feel inspired by this wonderful story. Trisha is living proof that the human spirit can rise above anything!
Rating:
Summary: A role model anyone can learn from
Review: Aside from the sheer miracle of her physical recovery, I am most amazed by her emotional and mental recovery. Trisha never wanted anyone to feel sorry for her and wanted to earn everything she got. She is a brave and inspiring woman, and I am happy she has found her soulmate to share her amazing life. This book is a must read for anyone who needs a figurative kick in the pants to get motivated to do . . . anything!
Rating: 
Summary: Touching story, but could it still happen to someone else?
Review: Being 24, I don't remember very much of the Central Park Jogger's attack in 1989, but saw the book at the library and was intrigued so I decided to check it out. I couldn't believe all that Trisha Meili went through, and really how quickly she recovered from it all. I'm not saying that her injuries weren't severe; on the contrary, it sounds like the poor woman was near death. But in just a few months, she went from being in a coma to back jogging, and within a little over six months from the attack she was back to work as vice president at an investment banking firm. She is truly a strong, brave woman. But what bothered me the most about this was that not everyone who is attacked/beaten/raped gets this kind of attention and special treatment from their employers, doctors, hospitals, society in general. While what happened to her is absolutely terrible, post-attack this woman was EXTREMELY lucky in more ways than one, and there are those of us who have suffered similarly with not such "breaks" as a job (with a promotion) waiting for us upon recovery and subsequent return to work, paid medical leave, private nurses, lodging for family, etc. The list goes on. Anything this woman needed was given to her by her employer, and that really is not the norm. She then also had a countless string of friends there for her during recovery, as well as doting boyfriends. To write a book about all the people who were there for her in her time of need just seemed to kind of rub it in to others out there who were less fortunate in similar situations. Also there is not enough (well, any) focus on the fact that the REAL rapist was just caught, and she shows no remorse for the fact that innocent men spent 13 years of their lives locked up for a crime they did not commit. But I would recommend this book, it is inspiring and her story is a remarkable one.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring story of a survivor
Review: Heard I AM THE CENTRAL PARK JOGGER, written and read
by Trisha Meili . . . it is the true story of the author who on April
19, 1989, went out for a solo jog near 102nd Street in New York
City's Central Park . . . as you may recall, she was attacked,
raped, savagely beaten and left for dead. Somehow, she managed to survive . . . and this book is the inspiring
story of how she did so. How she fought back from not even being able to do such
simple things as read time and walk made me feel blessed for
all that I do have (and often take for granted) . . . I was especially
moved about how she even resumed her career as a runner . . . and
gained greater insight into what make folks do that activity . . . the
key, at least according to Meili, is to set a goal and work toward
accomplishing it.
Rating:
Summary: Very Uplifting!
Review: I am only 20 years old, So I do not remember hearing about the Central Park Jogger until recently. I was in shock to hear that someone would have the power to survive such a brutal attack. I am now motivated to live my life to the fullest. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks they have nothing worth living for or to anyone who needs a reality check! Awesome read! Awesome Book!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I found this a very honest, sad and inspirational story. As for the prosecutions being overturned, the boys let of jail had previously confessed to the crime and re-enacted it on video tape. They also had confessed to committing other assaults and robberies earlier that night. So it is not at all clear they were in fact innocent. And to characterize Ms. Meili as anything but a victim an heroic survivor is perposterous.
Rating:
Summary: God Bless the Central Park Jogger
Review: I listened to the audio version of the Central Park Jogger, and my heart went out to her. My only negative thought was, she should have had someone else do the reading of her audio version. Her experience, survival, and eventual support of other victims was very interesting. I admire her courage. I would have liked to learn more about the trial and the person who was eventally caught and convicted. And I would have liked to know more about the original group of boys who were put on trial. In any event,it was an okay book and I hope it brings some peace to Trish for having written it, and to other victims.
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