Sleepers - Lorenzo Carcaterra

I remember when this movie came out, starring Kevin Bacon - and that's all I knew about it. I always thought it was some kind of alien/sci-fi flick, which is definitely not my thing. My youngest daughter, Jessica, set my misconceptions straight a few months ago and strongly encouraged me to read the book.

Little did I know that this was the heart-wrenching tale of four friends growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York, in the midst of the civil rights movement, and their suffering at the hands of an incredibly abusive juvenile system. It is a moving account of a series of life-changing events, which the author claims to be true. A little research reveals that his claims cannot be substantiated, based largely upon the fact that juvenile records are sealed and that the author changed the names when telling his story. Certainly, it's no great stretch of the imagination to believe that at least a large portion of his account rings true - particularly if you have any knowledge or familiarity with the history of the American judicial system.

Either way, this is a well-written, powerful book that evoked within me a range of emotions - not the least of which were horror, disgust, and sadness, ultimately followed by relief to see these boys released from incarceration. Factual or not, I consider this book a must-read for all book lovers.