The Measure of a Man [Paperback]

Alan Karmin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2006

"...there is no other court in the land where the penalty for perjury does not exist - you can lie your ass off and not only NOT be punished for it, but actually be rewarded for it. There is no other court where you are presumed guilty until proven innocent. And for non-custodial parents...especially fathers...going through a divorce...and the never-ending litany of custody issues and all the rest that goes with it...it can feel like eternal damnation." Thanks to false accusations of domestic violence made by his ex-wife, the life of Alan Karmin - and that of everyone else around him - was turned completely upside down. It did not matter that Karmin did absolutely nothing wrong and that his ex-wife was lying. The mere fact that she made the claim was damage enough. Most people are under the misconception that you are INNOCENT until PROVEN GUILTY. Well that is just not the case when it comes to domestic violence. Murderers and drug dealers are given more rights. During the whole ordeal, Karmin was verbally abused and threatened by a judge, verbally and physically accosted by police officers, criticized by DYFS officials, shown the door by school officials and even turned away by some life-long friends.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Karmin is an award-winning writer and author of numerous articles published in newspapers and trade journals. He is an active member of the Children’s Rights Council and has been a featured speaker for organizations and educational institutions. Honored by the New Jersey State Legislature for “praiseworthy determination and spirit,” he is a graduate of the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, with a degree in Communications. Alan lives in New Jersey with his children Eddie and Beckie and miniature schnauzers Zipper and Stitch.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (January 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419624091
• ISBN-13: 978-1419624094
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,414,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The REAL TRUTH, August 30, 2006

By 

NOBODY KNOWS THE TRUTH BETTER THAN ME (Westfield, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Measure of a Man (Paperback)

I am the son of the author. I lived through the horrific mess that my mother put us all through. Although some accounts of personal details could be somewhat embarrassing to me, my father was completely accurate in every detail. I believe he did a great job in telling our story and his added touchs of heartwarming stories and humor made it not only bearable to read about my own unpleasant experiences...but also made for an interesting and enjoyable read.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If any life deserves an autobiography, this one does!, March 21, 2006

By 

Michael Rosenthal (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Measure of a Man (Paperback)

This book details the struggles of an ordinary guy, who encounters extraordinary life experiences. He details how our justice system sometimes dispenses anything but justice. It is the story of how one lying, scheming ex-wife, along with a blindly sympathetic judge, can ruin one's life, both emotionally and financially. It is a powerful story and I highly recommend it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true memoir of the terrifying nightmare of trusting in a family-court judge to dispense justice instead of perverting it., September 4, 2008

By 

Barbara Johnson "Barbara C. Johnson" (Andover, Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Measure of a Man (Paperback)

After I offered to read and review The Measure of a Man in exchange for a free copy from the author, Alan Karmin, I expected to be bored by it.

As a lawyer known for her stance on false allegations, I have been inundated with emails and phone calls from fathers who had fought or were fighting for their children in the halls of our so-called justice system. All the stories were similar: no matter what evidence Dad had, no matter what supporting witnesses he had, no matter what was fair, no matter how revengeful or out of control or just plain vindictive the mother of their children was, no matter how often Dad proved that she lied to the police, no matter how often she lied to the court, he lost. Mom got sole physical and, often, sole legal custody.

I assumed Karmin's story would be more of the same, for those stories accurately described the inevitable course of a domestic relations action in our neo-feminist society.

Much to my surprise, the book was a page-turner. I read it in two nonstop sessions, interrupted only for Day 3 of the Republican National Convention. I was determined to hear Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin's speech. After listening to the Democratic female pundits on the Larry King Show critiquing Palin's speech, I shut the TV off and began the second session. Although exhausted, I continued reading until I finished it at 5:15 a.m.

The book conveyed Karmin's emotion, thought, development, and action. It was like the Tom Mix serial "Miracle Rider" I used to see as a child for 10 cents at the Magnet theatre. Each Saturday, I learned that neither Tom Mix nor Tony his "wonder horse" was killed when they galloped off the top of the cliff to avoid being trampled by a stampede of buffalo or when they rode through a burning forest. At the top of each chapter, Tom Mix and his faithful horse appeared with renewed energy. A classic formula for novel-writing.

Karmin has talent. He knows how to "show and tell." I am surprised a mainstream publisher did not pick up his book for publication. Maybe he never tried to interest a mainstream publisher in his book. I don't know, but what we have here is a true memoir of the terrifying nightmare of trusting in a family-court judge to dispense justice instead of perverting it.

A five star read.