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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 11 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Fast Paced and Gripping Jan 19, 2011
By Debbra Walker
WARNING! Do not pick up a copy of Keith Smith's Men in My Town unless you want to be riveted to your seat. The novel is drawn from his own childhood experience of being kidnapped and assaulted by a stranger. From the first line until the dramatic end, Men in My Town will keep you engrossed in his story of violence, retribution and survival.
In Men in My Town, Smith dares to take on the unspeakable; male on male sexual assault. Take it on he does. Smith is fearless in his portrayal of the rape, fear and aftermath of the crime. As the main character, struggles to get home, the hair stood up on my arms. It was so real, so heart wrenching, Smith pulled me in completely. The crisp writing style is not "preachy", self pitying or moralistic. Neither saints nor villains; the characters are drawn cleanly, realistically. Just ordinary men in Rhode Island, taking care of one of their own in the only way that seemed just at the time.
I recommend Men in My Town as a fast paced and inspiring novel.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Riveting Apr 22, 2009
By Paul Belmonte
Men In My Town is a powerful story of a young boy's trauma of being sexually abused and the scars that have remained with him to this day. It combines a vivid sense of memory, unique observational skills about life in Rhode Island in the 1970's and an all consuming urge to survive in the midst of great fear. Keith's story is a painful representation of what it is like to be sexually abused and how the forces of revenge expressed in violence can emerge from a shaken community.It takes a great deal of strength and courage for anyone to publicly share what is like to be sexually abused at a young age. Keith exhibits both qualities in a literary manner that draws you in immediately at the start of his book. Once you're reading the book you won't be able to put it down until you are at the last page. It feels like you have left this world and have been placed right next to Keith as he describes an almost unspeakable journey filled with horror,emotional trauma and violence. What emerges in the end is what President Kennedy once wrote about. Profiles in Courage. Keith's story is a profile of courage. It is not too often that you get to encounter such bravery in a book. This is your opportunity to do so. Buy the book.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
Thought Provoking Apr 19, 2009
By Karan
Men in My Town is an intense and emotional story. The power of the story is in its message. By sharing his story, we get a glimpse into Mr. Smith's life and how he handled the storms in his life with the help of a few men who he knew he could count on. The book will make you think about what's important in life; it will challenge you to look at people in a different light.
The book will pull dozens of emotions from you. I recommend this book to every person, no matter, age, gender, race, religion, personal interests or circumstances. The story is entertaining and inspirational.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Dick Massimilian says, "Read this Story. Buy this Book." Jun 12, 2011
By Keith Smith, Author of 'Men in My Town'
Comment from Global Strategic Leadership Advisor, Dick Massimilian.
I worked with Keith Smith for over a year as his executive coach while he was a Vice President at Merrill Lynch. I looked forward to our sessions together, as Keith was candid and coachable. A Wall Street winner who could eat nails for breakfast with the best of them, Keith grew into a leader whom people will follow anywhere. We became friends and kept in touch as he rose through the ranks at Merrill.
Imagine my surprise then when Keith's book, Men in My Town, appeared in 2009. A work of fiction, the book is based on an actual event. Keith was hitchhiking near his home in Lincoln, Rhode Island in 1974 when at age 14 he was abducted by a stranger and assaulted. Despite his ordeal, he remembered information that enabled police to arrest his assailant. But the assailant was murdered prior to trial. Men in My Town is a story set in Lincoln around these events.
Statistics tell us that people fortunate enough to survive what Keith survived often endure a life of psychological challenges. Not Keith. He has turned the darkest event in his life into a contribution. This week he discusses his abduction and "Five Steps we Can Take to Keep Kids Safe" live on NBC. He is Trustee of a non-profit organization that provides crisis counseling to victims of sexual assault. He remains a successful senior financial services industry executive. Silent for many years, he is now a spokesman.
Read this story. Buy Men in My Town.
Visit Dick Massimilian's Blog at [...]
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Compelling, thoughtful writing. May 29, 2009
By Dow Stewart
"Dow"
An insightful, well-paced story with colorful Runyonesque characters, Smith's book depicts a community with a unique sense of moral values. Cathartic without self-pity, the tale is of an abused lad whose neighbors enact justice when the judicial system fails.
I hope Smith will continue writing. His depiction of flawed yet highly moral characters, the purity of his prose, and the insight of his experiences could be the basis for many more engrossing tales.
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