Product Description

On May 26,1967, the spiraling career of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, then the top contender for the world middleweight boxing crown, came to a shuddering and tragic halt: he and a young man were found guilty of the murder of three white people in a New Jersey bar. Originally published as an attempt by Carter to set the record straight and force a new trial, The 16th Round is a timeless, eye-opening portrait of growing up black in America, a scathing indictment of the prison system, and a mesmerizing re-creation of his furious battles in the ring and in the courtroom.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #305602 in Books
• Published on: 1991-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 339 pages

Customer Reviews

The 17th round-a review of the 16th round
I was inspired to read this book when I heard the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane". This amazing book is a moving account of Rubin Carter's life written by Rubin himself while he was in prison. The stories of his life in prison and the battles he fought were great. I couldn't put the book down. The only problem with this book is that it is out of print and very hard to track down. It is defintely one of the best books I have ever read.

Hurricane:A political injustice
I heard of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter from the inspirational film "the hurricane" starring Denzel Washington. After seeing the film I became enthralled in the story of a man framed for murders he did not commit and locked away in a cell for 20 years. I decided to get the autobiography of the hurricane entitled the 16th round. The book starts by exposing the life of a child sentenced to a state home for boys from the brutality of the kids and gaurds to the racism and segregation of the prison system in America. Rubin was in prison for most of his early life filling him with hate and rage from the gaurds and other inmates. So he started boxing. His pure power and skill made him an unstoppable talent. That is until he shared his thoughts on the racist Police forces that patrolled the american ghettoes. From then on the police set out to destroy his life. Rubin was pulled over after the murder of 3 white customers of a patterson bar.After 3 witnesses claimed he wasn't the murderer he was released. Five months later He was about to take on Dick Tiger for the middle weight title.But it was not to be and he was arrested and sentenced to three times life after the admitted liars Bello and Bradley said that he was the murderer. And so Rubin entered the familiar walls of Trenton state prison once again for a crime he did not commit. This story of injustice is exellently written. It is an inspirational book that will fill you with love and compassion for the amazing fighter of battles in the ring and battles of political injustice,Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. By Owen Clark.

Powerful...Incredible...Enthralling...Amazing!
The Sixteenth Round was the powerful, emotional document of Rubin Carter's life, ending with a plead to force a new trial to prove his innocence. But, it turned out to be a timeless, eye-opening portrait of prisons in America and the haunting truth of Justice and Fate.

Needless to say, this book is explicit, angry, and takes all prisoners. You can't escape the cruelty of Rubin's life, witnessing the reality, and how he was caught in the center of Hell...and the haunting fact was that it was the truth. The pain he had to go through is, to me, inconceivable.

Rubin Carter has written a terrific book, more than what he wanted it to be...a timeless testament about America, justice, prison, and fate...He may not be the best boxer, but he is one of the best fighters...fighting the dehumanization of his life weaving through prison and out, and fighting the cruelty of "Madame One-Eyed Justice" and "Fate."

This book will not come off of your brain...it is a very honest, angry, stirringly emotional, thriller of a book. I recommend it to the people who saw the movie, and someone who wants a direct and eye-opening portal into the mind of a black man living through the Civil Rights Movement.