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Jew in Jail
JEW IN JAIL is the true story of the nearly six years that I spent incarcerated in various correctional facilities throughout the state of New York. It deals with my attempts at recovery from past addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling, as well as my efforts to turn my life around in hopes of becoming a solid citizen and successful member of society upon my release. In addition, my book also provides insight into how I, as a minority in prison, was forced to fend for myself against all of the mistreatment at the hands of the powers that be from the Department Of Correctional Services in this "world within the real world," as well as the daily grind of doing time with hardened criminals, many of whom I felt no close connection to, all the while continuing to fight for the true justice I strongly felt I wasn't afforded during my lower court proceedings.
736 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2010
5 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Gary Goldstein
2 books15 followersI came into the world on October 18, 1961. John F. Kennedy was President of the United States. The film West Side Story was released, and would go on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Major League Baseball was celebrating Roger Maris of the New York Yankees, who hit a then-record 61 home runs that season.
I was an excellent student, although a bit of a class clown too. I spent a majority of my time playing sports, but fell in love with newspapers, which was how I was initially introduced into
writing and storytelling.
While attending Kingsborough Community College from 1979-1981, I served as editor-in-chief of
the school's paper, and then joined the staff at Long Island University's Seawanhaka for my junior and senior years. At L.I.U. where I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism in 1983, I was also a selected member of Sigma Delta Chi, as well as Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges.
My last year in college included an unpaid internship at WCBS-TV, Channel 2 in New York City, where I learned so much about the television business. Upon graduation, I landed a job at the network, starting as a news clerk for The CBS Morning News with Diane Sawyer, and also weekend shifts for The NFL Today with Brent Musburger.
After quickly rising in the ranks to producer, my life suddenly went on a downward spiral due to
addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling, which ultimately led to nearly six years behind bars for robbery.
My time incarcerated gave birth to my first published book, Jew in Jail, which tells my true story
of how I finally decided to deal with my addictions and turn my life around, all the while under the toughest conditions imaginable of being a minority in the prison system, forced to fend for myself.
Writing Jew in Jail - as I was doing my time - allowed me to become very introspective, and realize that I could help others in similar situations of being an addict and/or living with low self-esteem.
Today, I still reside in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where I am working on my next book
project, continuing to promote Jew in Jail, and always helping other addicts through my motivational and inspirational speeches, and one-on-one consultations.
I was an excellent student, although a bit of a class clown too. I spent a majority of my time playing sports, but fell in love with newspapers, which was how I was initially introduced into
writing and storytelling.
While attending Kingsborough Community College from 1979-1981, I served as editor-in-chief of
the school's paper, and then joined the staff at Long Island University's Seawanhaka for my junior and senior years. At L.I.U. where I earned my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism in 1983, I was also a selected member of Sigma Delta Chi, as well as Who's Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges.
My last year in college included an unpaid internship at WCBS-TV, Channel 2 in New York City, where I learned so much about the television business. Upon graduation, I landed a job at the network, starting as a news clerk for The CBS Morning News with Diane Sawyer, and also weekend shifts for The NFL Today with Brent Musburger.
After quickly rising in the ranks to producer, my life suddenly went on a downward spiral due to
addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling, which ultimately led to nearly six years behind bars for robbery.
My time incarcerated gave birth to my first published book, Jew in Jail, which tells my true story
of how I finally decided to deal with my addictions and turn my life around, all the while under the toughest conditions imaginable of being a minority in the prison system, forced to fend for myself.
Writing Jew in Jail - as I was doing my time - allowed me to become very introspective, and realize that I could help others in similar situations of being an addict and/or living with low self-esteem.
Today, I still reside in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York, where I am working on my next book
project, continuing to promote Jew in Jail, and always helping other addicts through my motivational and inspirational speeches, and one-on-one consultations.
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February 17, 2013
Jew In Jail: Gary Goldstein
Not everyone faces the world in the same way. Not everyone feels they have to abide by the rules, work for a living without taking what does not belong to them. Some justify their actions because they need to fill a void, need to overcome a problem or just because they in this case owe money to someone. Drugs, alcohol, pills, medication and poor self-esteem are a deadly combination when mixed together. Minds can be dulled, reflexes impaired and thoughts blinded by the lack of understanding caused by all of the above. When one young man named Gary Goldstein sets his sites on robbing three dry cleaners for the sake of ripping them off in order to pay his bookie the money owed him, little did he think, know or understand that his life would change forever.
Gary decided to take his chances and follow his instincts when executing these robberies. In 1998 Gary Goldstein strung out on drugs, alcohol and pills a deadly combination with a toy gun tucked away and used for effect only to scare his victims not only confessed to the cops under suspicious conditions, thought he might be set free if he told them the truth, but wound up in jail without any contact with the outside world for quite some time. A lawyer that was definitely not on his side and a sidebar meeting that would tilt the hands of justice and balance the scale but not in his direction, Gary hoped that the judge would be kind, give him a lighter sentence if he gave the police what they wanted before he lawyered up as they say. But, although he hoped to be seen as someone off balance, crazy and in need of some sympathy and help the judge, the police and the court deemed him a menace of danger to society and hence her was sent to the tombs and then Rikers. The descriptions of the jail, the cells, the odors, stench and those he encounters are so graphic and so vividly described you can create not only a mental image of what he is going through, the incarceration period, the people he deals with and the attitude he adopts in order to survive.
Jew in Jail is based on the author’s real life experiences, the many years he spends in prison, his feelings about those incarcerated with him, the S.A.I.D. program he enrolls in to get help and the treatment he receives. Hoping to find out more about his case, others like it he enlists the help of the prison libraries, law librarian and hoping to research and bring to light the harsh treatment received by the sentencing judge, the fact that people like him are not harden criminals but have an addiction and illness that needs to be addressed and these people need therapy, help and rehab in order to function when they are released. But, unfortunately the time served is usually the resolution and the prisoner is now on his/her own to find his or her own way back.
The S.A.I.D. Drug Program at first consisted of Gary observing everything and learning more about it. I love the way instead of using names of prisoners or courtroom he refers to it as a ballplayer would as the bullpen. Interesting term, which denotes that he tried to take things not lightly but in stride, hoped to lighten his mind and learn to deal with his situation. Researching his rights, his case and learning that his lawyer had waived his rights testify in front of the grand jury without his knowledge makes you wonder just whose side the lawyer was on, what he hoped to gain from getting Gary’s sentence increased and wanting as we learn a Huntley hearing to have his confessions suppressed. Lack of contact after pleading not guilty with the lawyer, bail set at 10 thousand dollars and no knowledge of what happened next would make your blood boil and definitely let Gary know he was in for a downward spiral. Hearing the other inmates talk about their courtroom time Gary begins to develop a distain and definite disgust for the others and even more angry with himself for getting arrested in the first place.
Changing Sprungs or type of confinement, meeting different counselors, learning about cases related to his and learning how inept his lawyer is should have alerted him to not only fire him but to the fact that he might have his own hidden agenda. Sad but true Gary would learn unfortunately hard way that not everything was what it seemed and even those that appear to want to help you are not always on your side.
Author Gary Goldstein takes readers deep inside the prison system in many different prison facilities, the indignities he faced, the betrayals and deceits of those that were supposed to support and help him and guide him through the processes needed to create an appeal, to protect his rights as an individual and to defend him in court. With a lawyer that did little or nothing to make sure that he received a fair sentence and deal, a judge that was so narrow minded and hardnosed she could barely see past her own nose and a court system that failed him miserably Gary Goldstein was sentenced to seven years flat. Hoping to be able to get an appeal, reduce his time would take months, years and hard work but not before he endured many more obstacles. With his father’s death and his mother’s illness while incarcerated and unable to assist his family during these times, Gary had to find ways to cope without leading himself back down the wrong path.
The author continues with his stay at Oneida and the many inmates, officers and people who came to his aid, those that tried to bring him down and the several who made sure that he had a chance to find his way out. The conversations that he shares, the processes he relates, the jobs he was required to do really enlighten readers as to what someone in prison endures and would help tough teens learn many hard lessons if given this book to read as a great resource for what can happen when you make one mistake.
There were times when he paid the price for what others did and accused him of. There were times he had to defend himself against all odds. There were much in prison that did not like him others who would do anything to bring him down but through it all some how he survived. The law library seemed to be his salvation and going to general business where he learned a lot. Being a Jew in Jail at times was a serious disadvantage when prejudice reigned in his face. Receiving tickets for infractions, hoping to get them reversed, trying to defend himself and just hoping to stay off the open radar Gary Goldstein at times fought a downhill battle while trying to find a way to climb back up. Yet, there were some like Mr. Lee that never betrayed his trust while others tried hard to bring him down. Mr. DeCristo believed in him and his policy of treating others as they treat him was often put to the test. Learning the computer in General Business should prove an asset made to feel worthless the folly of some of the officers. While writing a grievance to try and get out of the facility and be transferred to one closer to home would prove to ire some even more. His salvation his journal that he is sharing with readers but when it is found in his cell what they do is wrong. Pages 402-410 will bring a smile to your face. Read it to find out why.
When getting transferred to another dorm and then his complaints were investigated and he explained about his journal. As Gary feels that the hands of justice have turned against him and what happens next will more than enlighten readers as to what happens when you have to fight for your life and you have a Tier III disciplinary hearing which is serious if found guilty. Not everyone is what he or she seems and not every outcome is what he expected. At times he was considered arrogant and others one of the group but no matter how hard he tried he was still what others disliked Jewish. Smart, using his brain and always trying to fight for himself he spent every waking hour when he could on his case, trying to counteract what Lieutenant Santos had planned for him and deal with the many threatening situations he faced.
But, the worst had yet to come, as you will learn when you read Chapters 29 and 30. Next he is moved to another facility. Lawyers that did not move fast enough transfer requests, the past and his crime brought to light and the author enlightens reader as to how his case proceeded in Chapter 36 as well as more difficulties, more tickets and more confrontations. But, Gary has what we call Chutzpah and will never give up as he Fights Fire with Fire. From joining many groups, to trying to just find his way out Gary spent time in the Box as he describes, being chastised, embarrassed and at times ridiculed but never once could any one deflate his true spirit or deflate him. Letters to politicians, officials and more and then finally a chance to speak his mind. Imagine getting in trouble for having too many sugar packets. You have to read this to believe what he and so many others had to endure and should not have. So, if he was rich and had a better lawyer would he have gotten a lesser sentence or released sooner? Sad that money and power often go hand in hand and those that cannot afford more wind up more than just left behind.
With the help of an appellate attorney named Warshawsky and faith in himself and God Gary just might do the impossible, get the appeal, be released and hopefully join his family. Chapter 48 sets it all up and tells the finally outcome. Hopes soared then diminished and read chapter 52 to learn the rest. An ending that is quite compelling and a book that is straightforward, well documented, well written and would make Irving Goldstein smile in heaven and proud of his son. From this Jewish reviewer to this amazing Jewish Man: Chutzpah you have, determination and persistence you will never lack and the respect of so many you have gained.
Fran Lewis: Reviewer
August 13, 2012
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" This was a very difficult review to write. It can be challenging to critique any book, but it's especially hard when that book is the author's own narrative. Still, I couldn't help coming away from reading Jew in Jail with rather mixed feelings, and I hope that I can explain those feelings without sounding overly judgmental. For starters, when I received the book for review, I somehow mistakenly got the impression that the author had suffered from prejudicial treatment while in prison due to his ethnicity and religion which wasn't really the case. He did fight an ongoing battle to be placed in another facility which had a larger Jewish population, but at first, he, by his own admission, was doing it mostly to be closer to his family. When first arrested, Mr. Goldstein acknowledged that he hadn't even been an observant Jew of late, and ended up being one of those prisoners who reconnected with his faith while serving his time. I do believe that as time passed he became more faithful to his religion and genuinely did want to move to another prison in order to be even more observant by being in a larger group of his fellow Jews. Although the author does contend that he believed his Constitutional Rights were being violated by the powers-that-be in the prison system not granting his repeated requests for transfer due to religious reasons, he does not at any point claim that they were singling him out for such treatment. However inadequate they might have been, the prison system did have rabbis who came fairly regularly to every facility where the author spent time, so with this potential prejudice set aside, Jew in Jail simply becomes one man's narrative of his experiences with the judicial and penal systems.
All that said though, my mixed feelings had little to do with any disappointment over my own preconceived notions. The story was admittedly interesting right from the start, but the further I read, the more self-centered it seemed to become. I realize that this is always true to some degree with any memoir, but there were times when I felt like Mr. Goldstein rarely was able to look outside of himself at the people around him without criticizing them for one thing or another. The book often felt like a series of complaints about instances in which he felt he was treated unfairly and how he chose to respond to those things. I understand that there is a political hierarchy within the prison system and one must learn how to play the game and fight for their own rights or risk being branded a weakling and constantly suffer abuse. Still, I think that one must choose their battles wisely, and I wasn't always convinced that the author had done that.
Firstly, at no point did Mr. Goldstein deny that he had committed the crimes of which he was accused, only that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time. While I understand that he may have gotten a raw deal in his court proceedings, some of that was his own doing, not only by committing the crimes in the first place, but also through a series of errors in judgment. These mistakes included but were not limited to confessing to the police (not once but three times) without counsel present, not pressing harder on the issue of being under the influence, and most importantly, not requesting new counsel when his assigned public defender was obviously either an incompetent boob or “in bed” with the prosecutor, all of which ultimately led to him pleading guilty instead of standing trial. However, everyone makes mistakes, and the author does often admit his own flaws, but it doesn't usually stop him from seeming to turn the blame back on someone else eventually.
As to his time in prison, I have no doubt that Mr. Goldstein was harassed at times by both his fellow inmates, as well as some guards. As to the other prisoners, the author seems to have been able to handle himself pretty well. As for the guards, it's a sad fact of prison life that many of the people in these jobs are narcissists who, when placed in such a position of power choose to misuse it. There were some cases, such as when his personal journal was confiscated as contraband, where I felt that the author was well within his rights to fight it, but there were other times when, by his own admission, he simply let his temper get the best of him and had he kept his mouth shut, he might have avoided getting into trouble. There were even a few times that he confessed to, in essence, “gaming” the system, and while I can appreciate his candidness, these little episodes of dishonesty made it more difficult to sympathize when the real trouble came about. The author is also very direct in his opinions of nearly everyone he meets, and at times, I wasn't quite sure how to take that. Occasionally, he seems to be joking, but more often than not, he appears serious. Oftentimes, his comments seemed to come off with an air of superiority. While I'm sure some of these people who were the targets of the name-calling and biting commentary deserved it, I wasn't so certain that others did. Having been made fun of a great deal in my life, I'm pretty sensitive about such things, even when directed at someone else, and prefer to see a bit more diplomacy employed.
Ultimately, it's not my place to judge this man's experiences, and that's not what I'm trying to do. On some level, I understand his reasons for doing the things he did, but I think I could have been even more sympathetic if he'd included more personal narrative. The author states that he had addiction problems long before this incident, and I often found myself wondering what caused this kind of a downward spiral until he finally hit rock bottom. He also admits to having committed a previous robbery for which he only received probation, but he only really mentions it in conjunction with why he got such a stiff sentence the second time around. Periodically, throughout the book Mr. Goldstein says that he realizes he wouldn't be in whatever situation he finds himself if he hadn't broken the law and often expresses his regrets. I have no doubt that he's sorry for what he did, but more often than not his remorse centers on the grief he caused his family rather than his victims. It's certainly admirable for him to be apologetic to, and infinitely appreciative of, his loving family, and understandable that he would focus on them since his father passed away seven months after his arrest. However, it might have been nice for him to express more contrition toward his victims as well and perhaps even a desire to offer them some sort of restitution upon his release. If he did, it's not something that was mentioned in this book. The last thing I would have liked to see was more self-reflection. Aside from mentioning his attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and other support and vocational programs, the author discusses very little about his actual recovery. I couldn't help wondering why he didn't seem to suffer any side effects from withdrawal, and his transformation appeared to be almost instantaneous. I just think it would have been helpful to understand his state of mind and what kind of mental and emotional adjustments he had to make to succeed.
If Mr. Goldstein meant Jew in Jail to be an angry rant against the judicial and penal system, it rings rather hollow to me. He would have had to take the high road himself every single time and cite more cases than his own to convince me of widespread abuses. The harsh reality is that prison is not a nice place to be under any circumstances, and sometimes it may seem unfair or even unjust, so in that respect, his story does not seem to be all that different than what I imagine most guys face behind bars. However, the author does raise some valid issues regarding the prison system and the possible need for reforms, especially when guards or others in charge appear to be misusing their power.
Jew in Jail works much better as one man's journal of day-to-day prison life and his own personal journey, and in that capacity, it is an intriguing story worth reading. I learned quite a lot about the inner workings of prison life that I didn't know, and was rather surprised by how well the book held my interest. The author is a good writer with an engaging style that made this lengthy tome an easy read. However, I think he could have used a good editor as he has a tendency to write in run-on sentences and be a bit repetitive. Overall though, it was pretty well put together. I admire Mr. Goldstein for his tenacity. He's like a dog with a bone and just doesn't give up even when it might be prudent to do so. I sincerely wish him all the best and hope he's been able to put that dogged persistence to good use on the outside staying clean and sober and starting a new life, which seems to be the case.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
"3.5 stars" This was a very difficult review to write. It can be challenging to critique any book, but it's especially hard when that book is the author's own narrative. Still, I couldn't help coming away from reading Jew in Jail with rather mixed feelings, and I hope that I can explain those feelings without sounding overly judgmental. For starters, when I received the book for review, I somehow mistakenly got the impression that the author had suffered from prejudicial treatment while in prison due to his ethnicity and religion which wasn't really the case. He did fight an ongoing battle to be placed in another facility which had a larger Jewish population, but at first, he, by his own admission, was doing it mostly to be closer to his family. When first arrested, Mr. Goldstein acknowledged that he hadn't even been an observant Jew of late, and ended up being one of those prisoners who reconnected with his faith while serving his time. I do believe that as time passed he became more faithful to his religion and genuinely did want to move to another prison in order to be even more observant by being in a larger group of his fellow Jews. Although the author does contend that he believed his Constitutional Rights were being violated by the powers-that-be in the prison system not granting his repeated requests for transfer due to religious reasons, he does not at any point claim that they were singling him out for such treatment. However inadequate they might have been, the prison system did have rabbis who came fairly regularly to every facility where the author spent time, so with this potential prejudice set aside, Jew in Jail simply becomes one man's narrative of his experiences with the judicial and penal systems.
All that said though, my mixed feelings had little to do with any disappointment over my own preconceived notions. The story was admittedly interesting right from the start, but the further I read, the more self-centered it seemed to become. I realize that this is always true to some degree with any memoir, but there were times when I felt like Mr. Goldstein rarely was able to look outside of himself at the people around him without criticizing them for one thing or another. The book often felt like a series of complaints about instances in which he felt he was treated unfairly and how he chose to respond to those things. I understand that there is a political hierarchy within the prison system and one must learn how to play the game and fight for their own rights or risk being branded a weakling and constantly suffer abuse. Still, I think that one must choose their battles wisely, and I wasn't always convinced that the author had done that.
Firstly, at no point did Mr. Goldstein deny that he had committed the crimes of which he was accused, only that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time. While I understand that he may have gotten a raw deal in his court proceedings, some of that was his own doing, not only by committing the crimes in the first place, but also through a series of errors in judgment. These mistakes included but were not limited to confessing to the police (not once but three times) without counsel present, not pressing harder on the issue of being under the influence, and most importantly, not requesting new counsel when his assigned public defender was obviously either an incompetent boob or “in bed” with the prosecutor, all of which ultimately led to him pleading guilty instead of standing trial. However, everyone makes mistakes, and the author does often admit his own flaws, but it doesn't usually stop him from seeming to turn the blame back on someone else eventually.
As to his time in prison, I have no doubt that Mr. Goldstein was harassed at times by both his fellow inmates, as well as some guards. As to the other prisoners, the author seems to have been able to handle himself pretty well. As for the guards, it's a sad fact of prison life that many of the people in these jobs are narcissists who, when placed in such a position of power choose to misuse it. There were some cases, such as when his personal journal was confiscated as contraband, where I felt that the author was well within his rights to fight it, but there were other times when, by his own admission, he simply let his temper get the best of him and had he kept his mouth shut, he might have avoided getting into trouble. There were even a few times that he confessed to, in essence, “gaming” the system, and while I can appreciate his candidness, these little episodes of dishonesty made it more difficult to sympathize when the real trouble came about. The author is also very direct in his opinions of nearly everyone he meets, and at times, I wasn't quite sure how to take that. Occasionally, he seems to be joking, but more often than not, he appears serious. Oftentimes, his comments seemed to come off with an air of superiority. While I'm sure some of these people who were the targets of the name-calling and biting commentary deserved it, I wasn't so certain that others did. Having been made fun of a great deal in my life, I'm pretty sensitive about such things, even when directed at someone else, and prefer to see a bit more diplomacy employed.
Ultimately, it's not my place to judge this man's experiences, and that's not what I'm trying to do. On some level, I understand his reasons for doing the things he did, but I think I could have been even more sympathetic if he'd included more personal narrative. The author states that he had addiction problems long before this incident, and I often found myself wondering what caused this kind of a downward spiral until he finally hit rock bottom. He also admits to having committed a previous robbery for which he only received probation, but he only really mentions it in conjunction with why he got such a stiff sentence the second time around. Periodically, throughout the book Mr. Goldstein says that he realizes he wouldn't be in whatever situation he finds himself if he hadn't broken the law and often expresses his regrets. I have no doubt that he's sorry for what he did, but more often than not his remorse centers on the grief he caused his family rather than his victims. It's certainly admirable for him to be apologetic to, and infinitely appreciative of, his loving family, and understandable that he would focus on them since his father passed away seven months after his arrest. However, it might have been nice for him to express more contrition toward his victims as well and perhaps even a desire to offer them some sort of restitution upon his release. If he did, it's not something that was mentioned in this book. The last thing I would have liked to see was more self-reflection. Aside from mentioning his attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and other support and vocational programs, the author discusses very little about his actual recovery. I couldn't help wondering why he didn't seem to suffer any side effects from withdrawal, and his transformation appeared to be almost instantaneous. I just think it would have been helpful to understand his state of mind and what kind of mental and emotional adjustments he had to make to succeed.
If Mr. Goldstein meant Jew in Jail to be an angry rant against the judicial and penal system, it rings rather hollow to me. He would have had to take the high road himself every single time and cite more cases than his own to convince me of widespread abuses. The harsh reality is that prison is not a nice place to be under any circumstances, and sometimes it may seem unfair or even unjust, so in that respect, his story does not seem to be all that different than what I imagine most guys face behind bars. However, the author does raise some valid issues regarding the prison system and the possible need for reforms, especially when guards or others in charge appear to be misusing their power.
Jew in Jail works much better as one man's journal of day-to-day prison life and his own personal journey, and in that capacity, it is an intriguing story worth reading. I learned quite a lot about the inner workings of prison life that I didn't know, and was rather surprised by how well the book held my interest. The author is a good writer with an engaging style that made this lengthy tome an easy read. However, I think he could have used a good editor as he has a tendency to write in run-on sentences and be a bit repetitive. Overall though, it was pretty well put together. I admire Mr. Goldstein for his tenacity. He's like a dog with a bone and just doesn't give up even when it might be prudent to do so. I sincerely wish him all the best and hope he's been able to put that dogged persistence to good use on the outside staying clean and sober and starting a new life, which seems to be the case.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2012
When I was asked to review this book, I was intrigued from the off. I notice that Gary is now a motivational speaker and from reading this book, I am not surprised. The true life story begins with Gary leaving home with a toy gun and a bookie to settle, and it ends with him being sent to prison for multiple robbery!
Gary tells his tale throughout in his own candid way and his voice is one of a strong, very opinionated man. First of all, it is obvious from his crimes that he was heavily under the influence of drink and drugs, and not of sound mind; he is arrested on the street, casually drinking a bottle of Bud, having robbed 3 dry cleaners of their cash to pay off his debt. Not the actions of a hardened criminal, but obviously needing to be punished all the same.
What infuriated me about this was not Gary's actions, (which obviously are inexcusable), but the obvious stitch-up job by the police, his lawyer, and even his Judge. Gary soon finds himself, sober, shocked and in jail on a 7 year prison term. I have to say, I wanted to slap his lawyer on more than one occasion and I am sure I would be part of a long queue.
This book is essentially Gary's prison diaries, he lays it all bare, his addictions, crimes, thoughts, feelings;they are all laid out in the many, many pages of his well edited and produced work.
I loved this book. It is an epic read, but every detail, no matter how small, is necessary to the book to give you a real sense of just what prison is like, and what feelings it stirs up. Gary himself is quite often opinionated, often feeling superior to his cellmates and wardens and this does show in his work. He gets into petty battles over things with the wardens, leading to a high number of Tier tickets for his behaviour. Once such ticket is keeping sugar packets in his dorm, to trade for stamps, as he saves these from his special diet. He amasses a huge amount and one particularly petty officer, Wolf, who I soon detested, went to war with Gary and he lost his sugar. Sound petty? A waste of time? Imagine being in prison, having to ask to shower, phone home, or for a bar of soap. Then see how petty things become.
His little problems become big ones to him in his closed environment and his clever guile and sheer lip at the officers had me howling and air punching in places. His dry sense of humour and elevated sense of self is endearing and makes you turn those pages, to see if he will win this battle.
I have to say that Gary is a well educated Jewish man from New York, comes from a supportive, intelligent loving family - to see himself fall from grace in such a spectacular fashion has Gary spinning on his heels for much of the book, and he never quite makes the connection between what he has done and who he now is, as oppose to his own view of himself.
His father, who hid his medical developments from his son to protect him, dies whilst Gary is a newbie in prison. The Jewish faith means that his father is buried in a very short space of time from death, so Gary is unable to get a pass to the funeral. This destroys Gary, and the hopelessness, guilt and impotence of the situation bleeds from the pages. I cannot imagine any man coping with all that in such a short space of time, but Gary does it and comes out fighting at the other side. Not a feat to be belittled or ignored.
Gary stays clean in prison, even refusing dietary medicine and sets to work, reconnecting with his religion, working on his own case in the law library relentlessly, writing letters, and writing the journal that became this book.
I would recommend this read to anyone, it provoked so many debates in my household that my husband and I are still not speaking (joke!). I guarantee you though, that you will be rooting for Gary to get home to his family and rebuild his life. Not everyone is a lost cause, and Gary Goldstein is living breathing proof. A great cautionary tale for addicts, potential or otherwise that a person from any walk of life can lose their way and find themselves on the edge, looking in, wondering what the hell happened.
Rachel Dove, The Kindle Book Review
Gary tells his tale throughout in his own candid way and his voice is one of a strong, very opinionated man. First of all, it is obvious from his crimes that he was heavily under the influence of drink and drugs, and not of sound mind; he is arrested on the street, casually drinking a bottle of Bud, having robbed 3 dry cleaners of their cash to pay off his debt. Not the actions of a hardened criminal, but obviously needing to be punished all the same.
What infuriated me about this was not Gary's actions, (which obviously are inexcusable), but the obvious stitch-up job by the police, his lawyer, and even his Judge. Gary soon finds himself, sober, shocked and in jail on a 7 year prison term. I have to say, I wanted to slap his lawyer on more than one occasion and I am sure I would be part of a long queue.
This book is essentially Gary's prison diaries, he lays it all bare, his addictions, crimes, thoughts, feelings;they are all laid out in the many, many pages of his well edited and produced work.
I loved this book. It is an epic read, but every detail, no matter how small, is necessary to the book to give you a real sense of just what prison is like, and what feelings it stirs up. Gary himself is quite often opinionated, often feeling superior to his cellmates and wardens and this does show in his work. He gets into petty battles over things with the wardens, leading to a high number of Tier tickets for his behaviour. Once such ticket is keeping sugar packets in his dorm, to trade for stamps, as he saves these from his special diet. He amasses a huge amount and one particularly petty officer, Wolf, who I soon detested, went to war with Gary and he lost his sugar. Sound petty? A waste of time? Imagine being in prison, having to ask to shower, phone home, or for a bar of soap. Then see how petty things become.
His little problems become big ones to him in his closed environment and his clever guile and sheer lip at the officers had me howling and air punching in places. His dry sense of humour and elevated sense of self is endearing and makes you turn those pages, to see if he will win this battle.
I have to say that Gary is a well educated Jewish man from New York, comes from a supportive, intelligent loving family - to see himself fall from grace in such a spectacular fashion has Gary spinning on his heels for much of the book, and he never quite makes the connection between what he has done and who he now is, as oppose to his own view of himself.
His father, who hid his medical developments from his son to protect him, dies whilst Gary is a newbie in prison. The Jewish faith means that his father is buried in a very short space of time from death, so Gary is unable to get a pass to the funeral. This destroys Gary, and the hopelessness, guilt and impotence of the situation bleeds from the pages. I cannot imagine any man coping with all that in such a short space of time, but Gary does it and comes out fighting at the other side. Not a feat to be belittled or ignored.
Gary stays clean in prison, even refusing dietary medicine and sets to work, reconnecting with his religion, working on his own case in the law library relentlessly, writing letters, and writing the journal that became this book.
I would recommend this read to anyone, it provoked so many debates in my household that my husband and I are still not speaking (joke!). I guarantee you though, that you will be rooting for Gary to get home to his family and rebuild his life. Not everyone is a lost cause, and Gary Goldstein is living breathing proof. A great cautionary tale for addicts, potential or otherwise that a person from any walk of life can lose their way and find themselves on the edge, looking in, wondering what the hell happened.
Rachel Dove, The Kindle Book Review
April 11, 2013
When I was given the 700+ page book of Jew in Jail, I wasn't sure what I was going to read. It looked like a memoir and I have never found the concept of reading a memoir as 'exciting'. I was proven wrong by reading this book.
Gary Goldstein started out as a successful person, with graduating from college, having a successful career in some of the biggest names in news, and being a good son to his parents. His life was turned upside down when he became addicted to drugs and alcohol. He was fired from his prestigious job, he quit the 'hard stuff' in drugs, and went to prescription drugs instead. While he did have a valid reason to take pain medice, with a slipped disc in his back and other back problems, his abuse of them led to his downfall.
Along with his drug and alcohol abuse, he was also a habitual gambler. The day before everything started, he was asked by his mother what he was going to do with a toy gun that she found lying on his bed. He lied to her and told her it was for his nephew (who's birthday was coming up). Instead he used the toy gun to hold up three laundry mats/dry cleaners. Though his moves were strategic, in that the stores he hit wasn't using video cameras, and they were ran with the old style of cash registers where they can open it up with a press of a button, he found himself 'needing a drink' after the three robberies. Already intoxicated from pills and alcohol, he went to a couple of stores to buy himself a drink.
After getting arrested, and spilling his beer, he finds himself in the hands of cops without having his miranda rights spoke to him, officers who coerced his confession by offering Gary his pills, and promises to go home. Gary went through an officer written confession (which he signed), a self-written confession, and a video-taped confession before he was put in jail.
After finding out he wasn't going home, he quickly realizes that he was put up to framing himself. From that point on it's a fight with the judicial system in getting what he was promised. However, the process took longer than anticipated and Gary's father passed away in the process. The entire story is about Gary's troubles, regrets, daily routine, and his process of learning how the system screwed him over.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review Notes: As stated above, I was hesitant in reading this book. The sheer size of the book was in itself frightening, but if you are hesitant like me let me give you some advice. Read it. This book really opened my eyes to the judicial system and how crooked it really is. The way a simple news story can turn a judges mind, even if it wasn't about the defendant was mind blowing. I recommend this book to ANYONE who has a troubled youth or adult in their family. I've learned a lot from this, and a lot of the book hit home for people in my family.
Gary Goldstein started out as a successful person, with graduating from college, having a successful career in some of the biggest names in news, and being a good son to his parents. His life was turned upside down when he became addicted to drugs and alcohol. He was fired from his prestigious job, he quit the 'hard stuff' in drugs, and went to prescription drugs instead. While he did have a valid reason to take pain medice, with a slipped disc in his back and other back problems, his abuse of them led to his downfall.
Along with his drug and alcohol abuse, he was also a habitual gambler. The day before everything started, he was asked by his mother what he was going to do with a toy gun that she found lying on his bed. He lied to her and told her it was for his nephew (who's birthday was coming up). Instead he used the toy gun to hold up three laundry mats/dry cleaners. Though his moves were strategic, in that the stores he hit wasn't using video cameras, and they were ran with the old style of cash registers where they can open it up with a press of a button, he found himself 'needing a drink' after the three robberies. Already intoxicated from pills and alcohol, he went to a couple of stores to buy himself a drink.
After getting arrested, and spilling his beer, he finds himself in the hands of cops without having his miranda rights spoke to him, officers who coerced his confession by offering Gary his pills, and promises to go home. Gary went through an officer written confession (which he signed), a self-written confession, and a video-taped confession before he was put in jail.
After finding out he wasn't going home, he quickly realizes that he was put up to framing himself. From that point on it's a fight with the judicial system in getting what he was promised. However, the process took longer than anticipated and Gary's father passed away in the process. The entire story is about Gary's troubles, regrets, daily routine, and his process of learning how the system screwed him over.
Rating: 9.0/10.0
Review Notes: As stated above, I was hesitant in reading this book. The sheer size of the book was in itself frightening, but if you are hesitant like me let me give you some advice. Read it. This book really opened my eyes to the judicial system and how crooked it really is. The way a simple news story can turn a judges mind, even if it wasn't about the defendant was mind blowing. I recommend this book to ANYONE who has a troubled youth or adult in their family. I've learned a lot from this, and a lot of the book hit home for people in my family.
May 3, 2013
Gary has an interesting way of taking his readers on his journey of addictions, the criminal justice and court systems, and his own personal battles. It is a fantastic read, well written, and will leave you in AWE of how one man "Clawed" his was to "Freedom & Life" I would highly recommend this book, especially for anyone needing "Inspiration" to either reach out for recovery, or need a reason to Stay in Recovery!
April 7, 2016
At 700-plus pages, Gary Goldstein's "Jew in Jail" is part-memoir, part-catharsis, and an all revealing look at how a college graduate gets hooked on pills and booze, turns to crime and ends up in prison. During the entire novel, from the moment he is arrested until the book's final pages, Goldstein is desperately trying to get back to the life he threw away. It would be easy to look at this huge book, judge it by its cover and simply say, "No thanks, it is going to be too hard to read all this" and throw away the proverbial prison key. I wanted to try to read it, though, because in our email exchanges, Goldstein seemed earnest and polite. We are about the same age and early on, I found myself rooting for him, hoping this college graduate with parents, a sister and other family can return to something of what he left behind.
I first heard about Gary about four years ago, when we both were on social media, promoting our respective books. He made contact with me about doing an interview, but I told him I am not a blogger. I offered to read his book, though, and mention him on Twitter when appropriate. My initial reaction, when "Jew in Jail" arrived, was disappointment - the book was huge and I worried about whether or not I could ever finish it. I chipped away at it over the past few years and finished it tonight. When the book begins, Goldstein has robbed some dry-cleaning businesses in Manhattan while drunk and high. He gets sentenced to seven years in prison and spends all his spare time researching similar cases and working on his appeal. As he adjusts to prison life, he also tries to connect with his religion, perhaps as a way to find that part of himself he left behind and to be closer to his father, who died not long after Gary got into trouble.
Along the way, we see how Gary's poor judgment affected his life. His family is supportive but the entire situation is embarrassing and everyone knows things won't ever really be the same; he adjusts to other prisoners (he gets into a few fights) and the prison life by knowing when to advocate for himself and when to be quiet. He takes self-improvement classes and keeps a journal (which turned out to be his book). This obviously isn't what Goldstein, a college graduate, expected or envisioned for himself. He is dismayed by the course his life has taken and this regret is made worse by his father's death - Gary knows he let down his father and that he doesn't have the life his parents wanted for him.
"Jew in Jail" takes us through the various prisons Gary serves time in; we get a look inside at his routine and his obsession with filing an appeal for a sentence reduction or for an appeals court to overturn his conviction. When neither of those things happen, Gary realizes he will be in prison for about 6 years, followed by probation, and he tells us how much he regrets the mistakes he made and how terrible he feels for letting down his folks.
It is good to see Goldstein on the outside; we want him to join us and live up to his potential. Today, he is a motivational speaker and has been living clean, something he wishes he had done all along. We root for him because we don't want to be in his shoes, and don't want him to be there anymore, either.
I gave the book 3 stars. Goldstein does a good job of taking us inside prison, letting us see what it is like dealing with other inmates and officers and how much we take for granted as free people. I didn't go higher in my rating because the book is quite long and could have used some editing. Overall, though, it is an interesting story of redemption and self-forgiveness, something we all experience and is a universal theme Goldstein has captured.
I first heard about Gary about four years ago, when we both were on social media, promoting our respective books. He made contact with me about doing an interview, but I told him I am not a blogger. I offered to read his book, though, and mention him on Twitter when appropriate. My initial reaction, when "Jew in Jail" arrived, was disappointment - the book was huge and I worried about whether or not I could ever finish it. I chipped away at it over the past few years and finished it tonight. When the book begins, Goldstein has robbed some dry-cleaning businesses in Manhattan while drunk and high. He gets sentenced to seven years in prison and spends all his spare time researching similar cases and working on his appeal. As he adjusts to prison life, he also tries to connect with his religion, perhaps as a way to find that part of himself he left behind and to be closer to his father, who died not long after Gary got into trouble.
Along the way, we see how Gary's poor judgment affected his life. His family is supportive but the entire situation is embarrassing and everyone knows things won't ever really be the same; he adjusts to other prisoners (he gets into a few fights) and the prison life by knowing when to advocate for himself and when to be quiet. He takes self-improvement classes and keeps a journal (which turned out to be his book). This obviously isn't what Goldstein, a college graduate, expected or envisioned for himself. He is dismayed by the course his life has taken and this regret is made worse by his father's death - Gary knows he let down his father and that he doesn't have the life his parents wanted for him.
"Jew in Jail" takes us through the various prisons Gary serves time in; we get a look inside at his routine and his obsession with filing an appeal for a sentence reduction or for an appeals court to overturn his conviction. When neither of those things happen, Gary realizes he will be in prison for about 6 years, followed by probation, and he tells us how much he regrets the mistakes he made and how terrible he feels for letting down his folks.
It is good to see Goldstein on the outside; we want him to join us and live up to his potential. Today, he is a motivational speaker and has been living clean, something he wishes he had done all along. We root for him because we don't want to be in his shoes, and don't want him to be there anymore, either.
I gave the book 3 stars. Goldstein does a good job of taking us inside prison, letting us see what it is like dealing with other inmates and officers and how much we take for granted as free people. I didn't go higher in my rating because the book is quite long and could have used some editing. Overall, though, it is an interesting story of redemption and self-forgiveness, something we all experience and is a universal theme Goldstein has captured.
November 6, 2013
This book was very long. Showed the life of Gary Goldstein while he was in New York State Prisons. Gary, had already had a prior offence when he was arrested for this felony. I still am not sure why Gary felt the need to feel he didn't deserve the five years. During his writing of this memoir he described people that worked for the prison system, other inmates, and the rabbis who had positions at the prison. His descriptions of the people were mean and very self loathing. I took this through out his story as Gary, looking down on anyone with a blue collar income. There were many typos and structure of paragraphs and sentencing that needs to be fixed, granted it has been self published two other times. I hope that Gary fixes these issues and shortens the book so it shortens the rhetoric on many pages. The book to me seems to be away of trying to beat the judicial system of New York. This by no means was a "harsh" punishment. Being convicted with a crime on top of another crime, I was surprised he didn't receive a longer extended stay. Gary, today is a man who is giving back. he has learned to live his life and still struggles with his own addiction while still helping others to get the attended help they need.
July 6, 2012
I read this tome because Gary was to be a guest on It Matters Radio and I was to co-host. To be honest, if I hadn't made that commitment, I wouldn't have lasted twenty-five pages into the book. As it was, I could have stopped there, and it wouldn't have really mattered. Endless self-involvement and self-pity set in the equally endless and debilitating world of New York's Department of Corrections.
The sad thing is that on the show Gary proved himself an interesting and I think maturing individual who is trying to give back to the world and most importantly to keep himself sober - free of booze, pills, and gambling. I wish him well in that effort. What I can't do is wish you to read his book. It just is too long, too repetitious, and too lacking in insight. I do hope he'll write another book about being a mensch.
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