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Chase Your Shadow: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius
The definitive account of the rise and fall of South African Olympic and Gold Medal-winning Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, from his personal and athletic success to the murder charge that rocked the world and put both the man, and post-Apartheid South Africa, on trial.
Oscar Pistorius made history as the first amputee to compete against able-bodied runners at the 2012 London Olympics. A hero in his native South Africa, the “Blade Runner” as he is known for his futuristic prosthetic legs, became a global icon of resilience and determination.
But less than a year later, Pistorius rocked the world once again when he shot his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, through a closed bathroom door in the early hours of February14, 2013. Charged with murder, he claimed self-defense, contending that he had acted in a blind panic, imagining an intruder had broken in. But as the investigation moved to trial—during which the prosecution sought to prove that he killed her in a rage after an argument—a picture emerged of a traumatized individual fascinated with guns and assailed, behind the heroic facade, by anguish and self-doubt.
Acclaimed journalist John Carlin follows the trials of this fallen champion, detailing his fraught upbringing, his almost superhuman rise to athletic glory, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Steenkamp’s death. At the center of Pistorius’s story is South Africa—a young democracy stained by a history of racial disparity and levels of criminal violence that are among the highest in the world.
Thoughtful and probing, Chase Your Shadow offers a piercing look at this intriguing modern tragedy, bringing to life a complex figure and the troubled land that shaped him.
Oscar Pistorius made history as the first amputee to compete against able-bodied runners at the 2012 London Olympics. A hero in his native South Africa, the “Blade Runner” as he is known for his futuristic prosthetic legs, became a global icon of resilience and determination.
But less than a year later, Pistorius rocked the world once again when he shot his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, through a closed bathroom door in the early hours of February14, 2013. Charged with murder, he claimed self-defense, contending that he had acted in a blind panic, imagining an intruder had broken in. But as the investigation moved to trial—during which the prosecution sought to prove that he killed her in a rage after an argument—a picture emerged of a traumatized individual fascinated with guns and assailed, behind the heroic facade, by anguish and self-doubt.
Acclaimed journalist John Carlin follows the trials of this fallen champion, detailing his fraught upbringing, his almost superhuman rise to athletic glory, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Steenkamp’s death. At the center of Pistorius’s story is South Africa—a young democracy stained by a history of racial disparity and levels of criminal violence that are among the highest in the world.
Thoughtful and probing, Chase Your Shadow offers a piercing look at this intriguing modern tragedy, bringing to life a complex figure and the troubled land that shaped him.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2014
49 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 18, 2015
Before reading this excellently reported book, I always assumed Oscar Pistorius got away with intentional homicide. I didn't believe his version of the night that ended with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead -- that he accidentally shot her four times, through a closed toilet door, because he believed he heard an intruder in his home. However, the author does a great job of presenting both sides, and all the evidence, and it really makes you wonder.... The book also is a biography of sorts of Pistorius, who was born with congential defect in both legs and underwent amputation at 11 months old ... a decision made by his parents and that led to him becoming one of the world's most recognizable athletes. He never would have had the tremendous success as a Paralympian -- and Olympian -- had his parents chosen corrective surgery instead. For all his talent, though, Pistorius also struggled with anxiety, largely because of his limitations when not wearing his prosthetic legs. One of his greatest fears was having his house being broken into....and that's what he believed was happening the night that Reeva was killed. The book details his long trial and the judge's decision to find him guilty of culpable homicide...saving him many years in prison....but at any rate, Pistorius' career is over and his life will never be the same. The book also is a great study of the politics and social fabric of South Africa, which also had a great influence on the man once called the Blade Runner.
November 1, 2016
A ciertas personas las endiosamos como si fueran parte del Olimpo pero al final de cuenta no sabemos si son buenos o malos. Oscar Pistorius, el único discapacitado que pudo correr en unos JJOO asesinó a su novia. Pero más allá, hay un hombre lleno de inseguridades y miserias. Un niño que vivió con una madre alcohólica y paranoica que dormía con un arma debajo de su almohada. Un padre ausente. Una doble amputación de piernas. En esta excelente crónica de John Carlin se evidencia que más allá del bien y el mal somos humanos con fortalezas y debilidades, inseguridades y certezas. Si el asesinato fue con o sin intención sólo lo saben dos personas, él y Reeva. Siempre quedará la duda.
February 13, 2022
Carlin wavers between timidity and adulation in his recounting of Pistorius’ life. He mostly fails to reach into the heart of dating violence, male rage or entitlement, preferring to focus on how post-apartheid Africa handles celebrity and crime. I suppose legal considerations forced him to take the “maybe he didn’t” stance, but it makes for a superficial and plodding read.
January 7, 2017
Si te preguntaste por qué un hombre tan exitoso, valiente y amable como Pistorius pudo dar muerte a su novia, debes leer este libro.
Si no lo quieres leer, acá una súper resumen: es el fiel reflejo de un país tremendamente dividido y paranoico.
Si no lo quieres leer, acá una súper resumen: es el fiel reflejo de un país tremendamente dividido y paranoico.
June 3, 2019
la relación mas toxica de amor-odio que he tenido con un libro, al final gano mas el odio y aquí mis razones.
es un libro del cual aprendí mucho sobre la sociedad sudafricana por los pasajes históricos que ahí se mencionan y vivir la cultura de ese país tan alejado al nuestro.
conocía a escazes el caso Pistorius pero quería leer el libro para entenderlo mejor.
no encontré nada mas que no hubiera podido encontrar en wikipedia.
el libro excesivamente largo para lo que cuenta, de casi 400 paginas le sobraron mas de 250.
el libro era algo entretenido al principio por los aspectos históricos y culturales de Sudáfrica, pero nunca logro llamar mi atención y querer interesarme por leerlo y saber mas, si lo termine fue por compromiso.
la narrativa del autor es tediosa y aburrida y apesar de que aprendí algo del país y en ratos resultaba entretenido (por los hechos contados y no la narrativa) cuando el libro permanecía cerrado, la pensaba mucho para abrirlo, no daban ganas de continuar con la historia y en ocasiones prefería leer algo en Internet para conocer la historia y ponerle fin, lo cual me arrepiento ahora de no haberlo hecho porque no encontré nada mas.
si este libro no se lleva la peor calificación es porque si aprendí algo y me resulto satisfactorio conocer un poco mas de un país algo extraño y poco conocido como lo es Sudáfrica.
es un libro del cual aprendí mucho sobre la sociedad sudafricana por los pasajes históricos que ahí se mencionan y vivir la cultura de ese país tan alejado al nuestro.
conocía a escazes el caso Pistorius pero quería leer el libro para entenderlo mejor.
no encontré nada mas que no hubiera podido encontrar en wikipedia.
el libro excesivamente largo para lo que cuenta, de casi 400 paginas le sobraron mas de 250.
el libro era algo entretenido al principio por los aspectos históricos y culturales de Sudáfrica, pero nunca logro llamar mi atención y querer interesarme por leerlo y saber mas, si lo termine fue por compromiso.
la narrativa del autor es tediosa y aburrida y apesar de que aprendí algo del país y en ratos resultaba entretenido (por los hechos contados y no la narrativa) cuando el libro permanecía cerrado, la pensaba mucho para abrirlo, no daban ganas de continuar con la historia y en ocasiones prefería leer algo en Internet para conocer la historia y ponerle fin, lo cual me arrepiento ahora de no haberlo hecho porque no encontré nada mas.
si este libro no se lleva la peor calificación es porque si aprendí algo y me resulto satisfactorio conocer un poco mas de un país algo extraño y poco conocido como lo es Sudáfrica.
May 1, 2020
This book was a comprehensive account of Oscar Pistorius’ trials, fame, catastrophe and psychology.
I had the esteemed privilege of meeting the author himself at the Johannesburg book launch in 2014 who signed my own copy😃.
The author’s assiduous extrapolation of the key players in the trial itself, Mandela, South Africa’s political landscape, Pistorius’ upbringing, character biographies and the complexities of Pistorius’ character was truly remarkable. A highly recommended read for those who wish to learn more about this contentious topic in finer detail.
“As hero and anti-hero, he offers an archetype to which all people can relate. He is an extreme case of an individual who has made the best of the cards that life has dealt him, but he has revealed himself to possess to an equally extreme degree the insecurities that all are prey to”.
I had the esteemed privilege of meeting the author himself at the Johannesburg book launch in 2014 who signed my own copy😃.
The author’s assiduous extrapolation of the key players in the trial itself, Mandela, South Africa’s political landscape, Pistorius’ upbringing, character biographies and the complexities of Pistorius’ character was truly remarkable. A highly recommended read for those who wish to learn more about this contentious topic in finer detail.
“As hero and anti-hero, he offers an archetype to which all people can relate. He is an extreme case of an individual who has made the best of the cards that life has dealt him, but he has revealed himself to possess to an equally extreme degree the insecurities that all are prey to”.
September 3, 2020
This is a fascinating book, both as a profile of a very unstable famous athlete and as an ethnography about South Africa. I didn't realize the degree of misogyny in S. Africa; acc. to this book, the society really regressed after Nelson Mandela. But it still sounds like a place a woman shouldn't want to ever live. Pistorius is a complex and tormented creature. Why did he sleep with a gun under his bed? Did he really think that he had to blast away at every noise he heard in his house? He was a pretty scary guy in relationships--very dominating of women. He always wanted to keep his celebrity afloat. If you fire a pistol four times into a bathroom door, you have to pay for it somehow. The fact that people run around S. Africa packing heat as an ordinary way of doing business creeps me out.
October 26, 2015
Fair play to John Carlin – he really has pulled out all the stops to be fair in this account of Pistorius's life and crimes, assembling witnesses who have nothing but good things to say about the so-called Blade Runner. Having spent time in South Africa, Carlin is also good on local detail but, in my humble opinion at least, his main drawback is that he's a man.
Having spent more than a decade living in Johannesburg I am fairly aware of the type to which Pistorius conforms and, sorry as I am to resort to David Attenborough style language, the old-style Afrikaner is a riot of fine manners and courtesy when he feels that he has found a woman from whom he can extracted a regular supply of sex. When this situation changes, however, the gloves are off.
I don't think that I'm the only woman in the world to suspect that Oscar Pistorius murdered Reeva Steenkamp in a fit of rage after an argument. The man was a hair-trigger accident ready to happen and not all the people in the world saying that he would walk on water to breastfeed a disabled child are going to change my mind.
Carlin does put up a good fight, however and this is well worth reading, mostly impeccably researched and grippingly written.
Having spent more than a decade living in Johannesburg I am fairly aware of the type to which Pistorius conforms and, sorry as I am to resort to David Attenborough style language, the old-style Afrikaner is a riot of fine manners and courtesy when he feels that he has found a woman from whom he can extracted a regular supply of sex. When this situation changes, however, the gloves are off.
I don't think that I'm the only woman in the world to suspect that Oscar Pistorius murdered Reeva Steenkamp in a fit of rage after an argument. The man was a hair-trigger accident ready to happen and not all the people in the world saying that he would walk on water to breastfeed a disabled child are going to change my mind.
Carlin does put up a good fight, however and this is well worth reading, mostly impeccably researched and grippingly written.
April 1, 2015
What a surprise this book is. This was well written and brought to light many of the issues surrounding this case. It tries to be fair and balanced, asking us are we judged on the worst decision of our lives. He clears up a lot of the rumors around the incident and paints a full portrait of Oscar as two men, a brash, driven athlete and celebrity and an insecure man struggling with fear in a violent culture. Judge Masipa is also well drawn and Carlin strives to show how the South African legal system works and her many challenges in this case. I appreciated the cultural approach to this case in the book. He places this incident and trial clearly in the South Africa of today which was new to me.
May 16, 2020
I had to look up a quick video on dolus before writing the review. It was a core part of the prosecution's case and I didn't feel like the author gave a proper explanation of the concept in the book.
This was really well done though. It has changed my view on this case. I feel awful for the judge here, because she can only go with what was presented before her. There's no reason for her to have received the threats she did for the outcome. Come on people, if the prosecutor didn't go a good job of proving beyond a reasonable doubt don't take it out on the judge!
Anyway, I enjoyed this. I do wish that more of the book was based on the actual trial but I understand that we had to learn Pistorius' background and life to fully appreciate what was presented in the court case.
This was really well done though. It has changed my view on this case. I feel awful for the judge here, because she can only go with what was presented before her. There's no reason for her to have received the threats she did for the outcome. Come on people, if the prosecutor didn't go a good job of proving beyond a reasonable doubt don't take it out on the judge!
Anyway, I enjoyed this. I do wish that more of the book was based on the actual trial but I understand that we had to learn Pistorius' background and life to fully appreciate what was presented in the court case.
November 14, 2016
Este libro es una traducción bastante españoleta del libro en inglés. La verdad yo no soy alguien muy interesada en la vida personal de los deportistas pero este libro me lo recomendó una persona con una biblioteca muy bien curada entonces me atrevo a leerlo. Se lee muy fácil, la narrativa es fluida y bien conectada. Me gustan mucho las citas que hace el escritor antes de cada capitulo. Es muy interesante no por el el retrato que pinta de un héroe caído sino porque hace muy investigación del personaje y de la sociedad que dio pie para que este existiera. Esto es periodismo de investigación, esta muy bien documentado y vale la pena.
April 5, 2021
Finally a non biased third party look into what exactly happened that night in Oscar Pistorius apartment. Not only specifically what happened that night, but what led up to Oscars actions. Now I know he has wrote a book basically defending himself; but I’m glad I chose to read this one. Oscar admits to killing his girlfriend that’s not the issue here. The issue is, was the story he gave to be believed. If this would have happened anywhere else in the world to anyone else would they have been treated as well as Oscar has in South Africa? This is an incredible study into the trial and life of Oscar Pistorius and I would like to believe this is the most accurate coverage of those things. I’m a huge fan and reader of true crime but this was so much more than that. This was part biography, part true crime, and most importantly part sociological study of the place and people of South Africa. A tormented geographical area had just as much to do with this shooting as anything else did. If you really like to go deep into something and really feel some resolve once you’re done; this is it. This book brings all of those satisfactions forward, if only all stories of crime were told in this voice and style.
March 31, 2024
Ik heb zelden of nooit de behoefte om een biografie te lezen en al zeker niet van een sportman of -vrouw. Mijn interesses liggen elders, bij true crime bijvoorbeeld, wat me dan toch bij dit boek bracht. In ‘Oscar Pistorius: het ware verhaal’ schetst auteur John Carlin het leven van de ‘Blade Runner’ vanaf zijn geboorte en doorheen zijn vroege jeugd, alsook de reis naar de eeuwige roem als hardloper die de zeges aan elkaar reeg en tevens de eerste Paralympiër op de Olympische Spelen werd, tot het moment waarop zijn hele wereld instort wanneer hij zijn vriendin Reeva Steenkamp dood schiet en het daaropvolgende proces. Het levensverhaal van Pistorius wordt ook gesitueerd in de omgeving waar het zich afspeelt: de geschiedenis van en de huidige situatie in zijn thuisland Zuid-Afrika. John Carlin slaagt erin om een genuanceerd beeld van Oscar Pistorius te schetsen, als sportveld, maar ook als een man met angsten en gebreken. Ik geef het boek 2 sterren, voornamelijk omdat ik de delen over de rechtszaak vrij moeilijk te lezen en niet altijd even duidelijk vond.
December 11, 2020
This is an account of the extraordinary life of the world's best known paralympian.
Oscar Pestorius overcame a debilitating disability to become the poster boy for post-apartheid South Africa. After Mandela he was the biggest hero in a country more used to being ridiculed than celebrated on the global stage; someone an entire nation could be proud of.
And then, less than six months after hitting his peak at the London 2012 Olympic Games - where he was the first 'disabled' person in history to compete against 'able bodied' athletes - everything came crashing down. The morning after Valentine's Day the following year, the news broke that Pestorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
This book tells the story of Pistorius's incredible rise and even more dramatic fall.
There were appeals and re-sentencing afterwards, but this ends when Pistorius is acquitted on the count of murder.
Oscar Pestorius overcame a debilitating disability to become the poster boy for post-apartheid South Africa. After Mandela he was the biggest hero in a country more used to being ridiculed than celebrated on the global stage; someone an entire nation could be proud of.
And then, less than six months after hitting his peak at the London 2012 Olympic Games - where he was the first 'disabled' person in history to compete against 'able bodied' athletes - everything came crashing down. The morning after Valentine's Day the following year, the news broke that Pestorius had shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
This book tells the story of Pistorius's incredible rise and even more dramatic fall.
There were appeals and re-sentencing afterwards, but this ends when Pistorius is acquitted on the count of murder.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2021
'Chase your Shadow: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius' is not only an excellent account of the trial itself but also of contemporary South Africa. The book reads very well and has led to rumblings that it will be adapted into a movie (John Carlin's book, 'Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation' was later turned into the movie 'Invictus'). I personally enjoyed this novel having been to South Africa and the cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Port Elizabeth in particular (These cities feature prominently in the book) as well as having done academic work on the country. The insight into Pistorius's life prior to the shooting as well as the background of other key figures was very effective and intriguing. I would highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more John Carlin books in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2025
Inicio de lectura: 1 de septiembre del 2024
Finalización de la lectura: 15 de octubre del 2025.
Me gusta el hecho de que te enseña que cada persona tiene su pasado y como este afecta en sus decisiones en la vida actual, el cómo llegamos a poner en un pedestal a una persona y la hacemos parecer perfecta al punto en que se nos olvida que es un humano, también el hecho de como los medios de comunicación pueden transformar lo que se creé que es verdad.
Resumen de mi experiencia: Muy largo, pero necesario, el fiscal Nel me cayó peor que la fiebre en periodo de exámenes.
Mucho contexto social, político, ambiental, familiar, cultural, saltos entre su pasado y su presente.
Me gustó, sí, pero es un libro que toma su tiempo, no vas a leerlo de una sentada y a mi no me cayó bien en un periodo universitario.
Finalización de la lectura: 15 de octubre del 2025.
Me gusta el hecho de que te enseña que cada persona tiene su pasado y como este afecta en sus decisiones en la vida actual, el cómo llegamos a poner en un pedestal a una persona y la hacemos parecer perfecta al punto en que se nos olvida que es un humano, también el hecho de como los medios de comunicación pueden transformar lo que se creé que es verdad.
Resumen de mi experiencia: Muy largo, pero necesario, el fiscal Nel me cayó peor que la fiebre en periodo de exámenes.
Mucho contexto social, político, ambiental, familiar, cultural, saltos entre su pasado y su presente.
Me gustó, sí, pero es un libro que toma su tiempo, no vas a leerlo de una sentada y a mi no me cayó bien en un periodo universitario.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2020
It was fascinating and heartbreaking at turns to read a more in-depth account of Oscar Pistorius. There was a good balance of his athletic career, the night his girlfriend was shot, and the aftermath. This was written before the appeal, so there is no information on that. However, I couldn't escape the fact that this account was so very biased. The author was not striving for accuracy, research, and first-hand information, but sensationalism, and writing out the private thoughts of people involved. Thoughts that clearly weren't known for a fact at all. The author touches on the personal biases this case aroused in anyone who read about it, but so clearly exhibits it himself, that it's hard to know what is fact and fiction.
February 20, 2024
Pistorius estaba destinado a ser un punto de inflexión en el atletismo a nivel mundial.
Tal como aparece en el libro, Pistorius era el equilibrio perfecto entre lo humano y máquina.
Iba a pulverizar los record mundiales, no sin antes eternizar el conflicto entre el rol de la ciencia en el deporte.
Pero, 4 disparos y todo se acabó. Otro héroe más que cae en desgracia.
El libro se divide en dos. La primera, un detallado perfil del personaje , la segunda se enfoca en el juicio.
Me quedo, por lejos, con la 2° parte.
Todavía no conozco un libro que aborde un juicio que sea malo.
Tal como aparece en el libro, Pistorius era el equilibrio perfecto entre lo humano y máquina.
Iba a pulverizar los record mundiales, no sin antes eternizar el conflicto entre el rol de la ciencia en el deporte.
Pero, 4 disparos y todo se acabó. Otro héroe más que cae en desgracia.
El libro se divide en dos. La primera, un detallado perfil del personaje , la segunda se enfoca en el juicio.
Me quedo, por lejos, con la 2° parte.
Todavía no conozco un libro que aborde un juicio que sea malo.
June 21, 2021
An interesting recounting of the killing of Reeva Steenkamp by her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius but not the best written of true crime books. Carlin does a decent job of exploring Pistorius' background but does seem to take a slant towards the defense theory which was ultimately dismissed by the courts (not told here due to the length in time for the appeal). I actually found more info from Wikipedia which I can't imagine is any author's true aim. Fitting to me is that Pistorius had to go back to jail on the overturned verdict that seemed to better support the evidence presented.
June 14, 2017
Not a huge fan of this book, but that's not to say that others won't enjoy it. It's pages inform of Oscar's early years and new found success. If you're looking for a book that informs in complete detail the murder case, skip this book. I would really like to see a forensic psychologist dive into Oscar's brain and past the same way one did for Casey Anthony and Scott Peterson.
May 13, 2020
Un libro muy bien contado. Narra los entresijos de la vida de una estrella de rock venida a menos.
También, en mi opinión, el escritor nos da una muestra del sistema judicial sudafricano como una radiografía de la sociedad de esos lares.
También, en mi opinión, el escritor nos da una muestra del sistema judicial sudafricano como una radiografía de la sociedad de esos lares.
September 29, 2020
It was ok. Kind of slow it took me longer to read than I thought. I still feel he was't given enough time after what he did. I wonder how much truth did he tell. Did he really not know what he was doing? He knows the truth.
October 8, 2017
Buena historia, no conocía a Óscar. Sin embargo me pareció un tanto pesada. El autor no sale una y otra vez de lo mismo, podrías no leerla y no pasa nada.
September 6, 2021
Very well written and researched. Through no fault of the authors, subsequent events made the ending feel slightly odd
November 9, 2023
I found this interesting at some points but mainly just the sections that allowed me to compare the judicial system of South Africa with the United States. Found this to be somewhat one sided.
March 2, 2025
I'm a huge fan of this case which is why I found it enjoyable. However, it felt like the author had a huge bias against Pistorius which I think ruined some parts of the book
February 25, 2017
"Cuanto más triunfa, más grande es el ídolo; pero cuando comete un error y se cae, mayor es el monstruo en el que se convierte. Cuando las cosas funcionan, todo el mundo aplaude y eres un héroe; pero cuando van mal, aparecen los invidiosi , los envidiosos, y ahora gritan con fuerza, celebrando su fracaso." -Paolo Urbani.
Solo Oscar Pistorious a ciencia cierta sabe que paso realmente la noche del 13 de febrero de 2013, en lo personal no pude armar un juicio de 'el si queria matarla' o 'el es inocente'. Estoy totalmente en contra de aquellos que con los ojos cerrados culpan a un hombre o lo defienden porque realmente no saben que paso y cuales eran los motivos lo unico cierto es que el apreto el gatillo y solo eso asumo en lo personal como verdad.
El libro me parecio ¡excelente! presenta de forma detallada pero sin resultar tedioso todos los detalles del juicio, de la vida de Pistorius y su entorno, es el primer libro que leo de John Carlin y creo que quede enganchada a leer sus otros textos.
Solo Oscar Pistorious a ciencia cierta sabe que paso realmente la noche del 13 de febrero de 2013, en lo personal no pude armar un juicio de 'el si queria matarla' o 'el es inocente'. Estoy totalmente en contra de aquellos que con los ojos cerrados culpan a un hombre o lo defienden porque realmente no saben que paso y cuales eran los motivos lo unico cierto es que el apreto el gatillo y solo eso asumo en lo personal como verdad.
El libro me parecio ¡excelente! presenta de forma detallada pero sin resultar tedioso todos los detalles del juicio, de la vida de Pistorius y su entorno, es el primer libro que leo de John Carlin y creo que quede enganchada a leer sus otros textos.
August 4, 2015
Valentines Day Feb 14, 2013 at around 3.13am in the four-bedroom luxury gated home at Silver Woods estate, Pretoria, South Africa four shots were fired by Oscar 'Blade Runner' Pistorius into a closed bathroom door killing his then girlfriend and model Reeva Steenkamp. She was hit in the arm, head and hip. They had been together for only 3 and a half months. He thought it was an intruder and that Reeva was in bed. Well that was the story that Pistorius went with anyway.
This is how the book starts and then covers a little biography of the couple starting with Pistorius who was born on 22 November 1986 with deformed legs / feet (Fibular hemimelia) and had both legs amputated below the knee at the age of eleven months. This ended up being a great decision by the parents Henke and Sheila. Henke soon separated from Sheila and she then died at the age of 44 through drink. Oscar adored her and she would never see him become the World champion Blade Runner. He had to board at Pretoria Boys High School and in the holidays he would stay with his aunt Diana (his mothers sister) or with Uncle Arnold and his wife Lois (where his younger sister Aimee lived). He also had an older brother called Carl. It was with rich Uncle Arnold that Oscar stayed with after he was let out on bail awaiting the murder trial. It was when he was 14 that he fell and broke one of his prosthetic legs that his grandmother, Gerti, went and took him to a local place to get it fixed. There a junior doctor, Francois van der Watt then worked with a plane engineer to come up with more modern legs for running.
You see Oscar as the caring person that meets with a family from Iceland whose child who was also born with fibular hemimelia then you hear about some of the reckless antics he gets up to. Letting a gun off in a restaurant, driving too fast, drinking too much and then crashing a speedboat in 2009 where he ended up with a broken jaw, the bones of one eye socket smashed, broken ribs and the loss of three litres of blood. He runs against able-bodied athletes at the London 2012 Olympics where he made it to the semi-final in the 400 metres.
The court gets access to some WhatsApp conversations with him and Reeva which are quite startling but do they really help the prosecution? One year and 17 days after the fatal shooting the trial starts on March 3, 2014 and televised around the world.
The book is really interesting as it certainly makes you think when you hear about Pistorius' insecurities and the way he was brought up. Did it change my initial judgement? Probably not, but it does make you look at it in a different way.
This is how the book starts and then covers a little biography of the couple starting with Pistorius who was born on 22 November 1986 with deformed legs / feet (Fibular hemimelia) and had both legs amputated below the knee at the age of eleven months. This ended up being a great decision by the parents Henke and Sheila. Henke soon separated from Sheila and she then died at the age of 44 through drink. Oscar adored her and she would never see him become the World champion Blade Runner. He had to board at Pretoria Boys High School and in the holidays he would stay with his aunt Diana (his mothers sister) or with Uncle Arnold and his wife Lois (where his younger sister Aimee lived). He also had an older brother called Carl. It was with rich Uncle Arnold that Oscar stayed with after he was let out on bail awaiting the murder trial. It was when he was 14 that he fell and broke one of his prosthetic legs that his grandmother, Gerti, went and took him to a local place to get it fixed. There a junior doctor, Francois van der Watt then worked with a plane engineer to come up with more modern legs for running.
You see Oscar as the caring person that meets with a family from Iceland whose child who was also born with fibular hemimelia then you hear about some of the reckless antics he gets up to. Letting a gun off in a restaurant, driving too fast, drinking too much and then crashing a speedboat in 2009 where he ended up with a broken jaw, the bones of one eye socket smashed, broken ribs and the loss of three litres of blood. He runs against able-bodied athletes at the London 2012 Olympics where he made it to the semi-final in the 400 metres.
The court gets access to some WhatsApp conversations with him and Reeva which are quite startling but do they really help the prosecution? One year and 17 days after the fatal shooting the trial starts on March 3, 2014 and televised around the world.
The book is really interesting as it certainly makes you think when you hear about Pistorius' insecurities and the way he was brought up. Did it change my initial judgement? Probably not, but it does make you look at it in a different way.
March 21, 2015
I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this book; I was looking at some disability narratives and this must have come up on the search engine. I'm also not sure why I started reading this, as I don't follow track and field and although I was aware that there was a disabled runner who had competed at the Olympics, I didn't know anything at all about Pistorious nor was I following this trial. What compelled me to read beyond the first chapter? I was curious to see which side I would land upon. I thought the author did a very good job of showing both sides of the story. Along the way he taught me a lot about the difference between the legal system in South Africa and the system here in the U.S. He also educates the reader about violence in South Africa, in particular, violence against women. I would compare this book to Nina Burleigh's THE FATAL GIFT OF BEAUTY, which ostensibly is about the trial of Amanda Knox, but which also ends up being about the Italian judicial system and the difference between Italian and American attitudes toward women. Both books leave you wondering: what really happened?
October 27, 2015
-Truly well-written report. The author gives a very professional, and serious perspective of the case. No matter what point of view you had before reading the book, this is really good. He avoids the sensationalism. And he included many details, little details.
-We cannot forget that even though it is a very sad and dramatic story, it is real life. This really happened. Hard to believe, though.
-It covers: Oscar's bio, Reeva's bio and their careers, their families, their relationships, South Africa as a society, the night of the crime, the court case, and short bios of most of the people involved/related to the couple. This gives you a wide perspective of the case.
-It is good to whilst reading, do some quick online research, too. Read some of the news written at that time, watch some reports. There is a lot of material online.
-You reach a point when everything looks the same story and words all over again, repetition again and again, but no, it starts with the night when the crime happened and when you reach the chapter about the court and Oscar declaring about that night, not everything is the same and some details have been added. Key points.
-We cannot forget that even though it is a very sad and dramatic story, it is real life. This really happened. Hard to believe, though.
-It covers: Oscar's bio, Reeva's bio and their careers, their families, their relationships, South Africa as a society, the night of the crime, the court case, and short bios of most of the people involved/related to the couple. This gives you a wide perspective of the case.
-It is good to whilst reading, do some quick online research, too. Read some of the news written at that time, watch some reports. There is a lot of material online.
-You reach a point when everything looks the same story and words all over again, repetition again and again, but no, it starts with the night when the crime happened and when you reach the chapter about the court and Oscar declaring about that night, not everything is the same and some details have been added. Key points.
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