I Am the Central Park Jogger : A Story of Hope and Possibility (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "At 5 P.M. on the day of the assault, I turned down a dinner invitation from a friend because I had too much work to..." (more)
Key Phrases: rape survivors, New York, Central Park, Kevin O'Reilly (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In April of 1989, a young woman was brutally assaulted and raped while jogging in New York’s Central Park. The attack captured headlines around the world as the anonymous "Central Park Jogger" fought to recover from massive injuries that left her near death. Fourteen years later, in this first person account, Trisha Meili broke her silence to discuss the incident in her own words and reveal who she was before the attack and who she became as a result of it. Meili tells the story of a competitive and driven young executive at a finance firm whose life was destroyed, and how she ultimately rebuilt it. Passages where Meili is reunited years later with the doctors and nurses who saved her life are especially compelling, as are her accounts of testifying in court and her first run after the incident. While her candor is remarkable and certainly moving, it’s worth noting what this book does not include. Meili can provide no detail of the actual attacks (she has no memory of them), she has little to say about the racial controversy her case ignited, and she only briefly mentions the fact that, during the writing of this book, the convictions of her attackers were vacated after another man confessed to the crime. But these are not necessarily omissions; they are simply not central to Trisha Meili’s highly readable story of tragedy and, ultimately, triumph. I Am The Central Park Jogger is not just a book for New Yorkers curious to finally hear from "The Jogger"; it’s an inspirational tale of overcoming enormous obstacles and getting back on the road again. --John Moe

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-In early 2002, convicted murderer and rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the brutal attack on a Central Park jogger in April, 1989, a confession substantiated by the identification of his sperm on her clothes. Five black and Hispanic teens who had been "wilding" in the park that night had confessed and been convicted, and most had already served time for the assault. Reyes's unexpected confession led to much recrimination of the justice system. Meili can shed no light on her attack or attacker(s). She was so brutally beaten about the head, as well as being raped and sodomized, that she lay near death in a coma for 12 days in a hospital. Over the next months, she had to relearn how to talk, feed herself, think abstractly, and walk. Her balance still falters and she still is troubled by double vision in her left eye. Her prolonged recuperation and continued recovery; the support of family, her employer, and the general public; and her marriage have all induced a change in life vision for this strong and courageous woman. Her compelling story, which is honestly and openly told, is one of hope and inspiration in the midst of the most frightening pain and fear.
Carol DeAngelo, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; 1 edition (April 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743244370
• ISBN-13: 978-0743244374
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #846,349 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yeah, yeah, yeah ... she certainly is an inspiration, April 24, 2003

By A Customer

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!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A role model anyone can learn from, May 4, 2003

By	Julie "PhotoHappy" (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

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!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You are a woman of inspiration!, April 28, 2003

By A Customer

I was too young to know what was going on around Trisha's brutal attack in 1989 but felt compelled to read her book 14 years later. I can't read it fast enough. I have never met her but I feel so proud of her - like she is a personal friend. Trisha writes many horrific details of what happend to her, how she has struggled to become the woman she is today and what is means to be a survivor. I find myself praying for her and thanking God for taking care of her. I am amazed by her strength, perseverance, and openess. It is a gift from God that she does not remember what happened to her. She knows what it is to be a survivor and we can all learn from her!!