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A Prayer Before Dawn: A Nightmare In Thailand
A Prayer Before Dawn is the true story of one man’s fight to survive inside Klong Prem Prison, the notorious Bangkok Hilton. Billy Moore travelled to Thailand to escape a life of drug addiction and alcoholism. He managed to overcome his inner demons for a time but relapsed after trying ya ba – a highly-addictive form of methamphetamine. Moore’s life quickly descended into chaos, drug dealing and violence until he was eventually arrested and imprisoned in Klong Prem, a place where life has no value. A Prayer Before Dawn is no ordinary prison memoir; it’s the story of one man’s struggle to survive in one of the world’s toughest prisons. It’s also a story of redemption in the most unlikely of places.
166 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
122 people are currently reading
2172 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
May 8, 2018
Una palabra : WOW.
Best Autobiography of Year 2016
I have got so much to share right now.
First of all, A Prayer Before Dawn is a book that will leave an impression on you of a lifetime.
Second, read the first point. Again!
Plot: It is an inspirational and engaging narration of a drug addict who was accused of various crimes related to drug dealing.
It unfolds the journey of the author when he was handcuffed by the Thailand Police and had to spend his days in the most torturous prison imaginable.
Billy's life was normal like any other person except the fact that he was a hardcore drug addict. He went to rehab for counselling and did everything to get rid of this addiction.
His approach and methods seemed to function very well in erasing the word 'drug' from his life but fate had decided to play some more with his willpower.
Resisting himself all he could, he did his best to avoid it and rescued himself until the fateful day came in Thailand where he was again trapped in the claws of drugs.
Only this time, it was deadly dangerous.
'Pa Ba', a drug he never had in his life, got hold of his consciousness , made him uncontrollable, followed by going to prison and face the tormenting events.
Being a teacher, Muay Thai boxer, an action actor, trainer and finally a great counselor.
Moore's life has got a lot to inspire you.
A Prayer Before Dawn is a story of dedication and determination to come out of the worst place, fighting with own demons, surviving a nightmare.
Bravely!
THAT was fab!
Moore's story will inspire each and every person on this planet. Undoubtedly.
He has narrated his journey in a manner that felt as if I was speaking with my friend without any restrictions. In the end, you are so motivated that you know you can conquer the world.
A Prayer Before Dawn has influenced my life in the most positive way possible.
When it hits you that it is the true story, it leaves a non-forgettable mark in your head.
I recommend it highly to everyone.
Verdict : A true story that pierces your mind.
I'm out of adjectives now. One of the best books for me. What else can I say!
Best Autobiography of Year 2016
I have got so much to share right now.
First of all, A Prayer Before Dawn is a book that will leave an impression on you of a lifetime.
Second, read the first point. Again!
Plot: It is an inspirational and engaging narration of a drug addict who was accused of various crimes related to drug dealing.
It unfolds the journey of the author when he was handcuffed by the Thailand Police and had to spend his days in the most torturous prison imaginable.
Billy's life was normal like any other person except the fact that he was a hardcore drug addict. He went to rehab for counselling and did everything to get rid of this addiction.
His approach and methods seemed to function very well in erasing the word 'drug' from his life but fate had decided to play some more with his willpower.
Resisting himself all he could, he did his best to avoid it and rescued himself until the fateful day came in Thailand where he was again trapped in the claws of drugs.
Only this time, it was deadly dangerous.
'Pa Ba', a drug he never had in his life, got hold of his consciousness , made him uncontrollable, followed by going to prison and face the tormenting events.
Being a teacher, Muay Thai boxer, an action actor, trainer and finally a great counselor.
Moore's life has got a lot to inspire you.
A Prayer Before Dawn is a story of dedication and determination to come out of the worst place, fighting with own demons, surviving a nightmare.
Bravely!
THAT was fab!
Moore's story will inspire each and every person on this planet. Undoubtedly.
He has narrated his journey in a manner that felt as if I was speaking with my friend without any restrictions. In the end, you are so motivated that you know you can conquer the world.
A Prayer Before Dawn has influenced my life in the most positive way possible.
When it hits you that it is the true story, it leaves a non-forgettable mark in your head.
I recommend it highly to everyone.
Verdict : A true story that pierces your mind.
I'm out of adjectives now. One of the best books for me. What else can I say!
June 13, 2018
Ive read a lot of banged up abroad books and this one is the worst. Totally boring and self centred. He basically talked and boasted about himself, boxing etc ... compared to the likes of Marching Powder and Midnight Express, it doesn’t even come close. Boring and dull.
March 4, 2025
Un giovane pugile inglese, fatto di stupefacenti, viene arrestato in Thailandia con l'accusa di porto abusivo di armi e rinchiuso in carcere con una lunga pena da scontare; dopo aver vissuto in condizioni disumane e ai limiti della sopravvivenza psicofisica, grazie all'aiuto di organizzazioni umanitarie, riesce a trovare la forza per disintossicarsi e ad essere estradato nel suo paese natio dove, dopo una breve detenzione, torna libero. Seppur lontano dai livelli qualitativi del più celebre "Fuga di Mezzanotte", il libro autobiografico di Billy Moore non è da disdegnare sul piano narrativo e si legge con coinvolgimento perché scorrevole e ad alto impatto emotivo.
July 25, 2018
Sadly this was a true dairy for Billy when he was detained in Thailand due to consuming drugs, It shows how man suffer and resist in Theatre Internment Facility, how he faced his destiny with courage.
Being in the jail is possible for each man, but it is not possible that each man in this situation can achieve what Billy done.
Being in the jail is possible for each man, but it is not possible that each man in this situation can achieve what Billy done.
January 27, 2019
Badly written book by a self-centred career loser and criminal. Yes, he's had a hard life starting from an awful childhood but a lot is self-inflicted or somebody else's fault. There are strong racist and sexist undertones - all Thais are untrustworthy and all Thai women are even more so! A sort of Scouse "Midnight Express" with the same harrowing depictions of local prison conditions and assorted cons and their foibles. No real insights though and no real surprise either that the writer ended up back in jail not long after being released from prison. If you can buy this for £1 or thereabouts then it's okay as a quick read but you won't make any connection with any of it.
June 10, 2018
Reading this book, I thought the writing was okay and the story was captivating enough. It wasn't boring and it didn't drag. But I still think I started this book with the wrong expectations. If you're into non-fiction, biographies, real-life stories like this and you also like to watch the movie versions like I do, you know that they almost always change the ending to something more moving and dramatic, something that keeps the audience satisfied and makes you feel as though the story you just saw is really different and unique, and obviously so to justify it coming out as a movie. I guess I expected that big transformation, big awareness of what the protagonist did wrong and just a big, bold character development. I guess I expected there to be an enlightenment point where he just stopped what he was doing and started all over again with new intentions.
But real life is not like that. This isn't fiction. It's someone's life that you read of, someone going through stuff I wouldn't be able to even imagine had I not read about, the violence, the cruelty, hopeless fights you go through with prisoners, guards, psychopaths, drugs, and most importantly yourself. And in real life, I think it's the biggest of developments if you wrote a book about how you survived 5 years imprisoned in another country, in a place you made a home for yourself out of despair. And it's the biggest of gains if you wrote a book that starts with anecdotes of your father hitting you and how it played a huge part at you committing crimes and going that path in the first place, and in the end, you still have the courage to say that you forgive him. Stories like this, even though they have no similar aspects to my life, make me feel a lot of things. I'm glad I read this book.
But real life is not like that. This isn't fiction. It's someone's life that you read of, someone going through stuff I wouldn't be able to even imagine had I not read about, the violence, the cruelty, hopeless fights you go through with prisoners, guards, psychopaths, drugs, and most importantly yourself. And in real life, I think it's the biggest of developments if you wrote a book about how you survived 5 years imprisoned in another country, in a place you made a home for yourself out of despair. And it's the biggest of gains if you wrote a book that starts with anecdotes of your father hitting you and how it played a huge part at you committing crimes and going that path in the first place, and in the end, you still have the courage to say that you forgive him. Stories like this, even though they have no similar aspects to my life, make me feel a lot of things. I'm glad I read this book.
November 12, 2014
A loveable rogue's action-packed story
Gripped from the start. No boring chapters of childhood history in this memoir. Billy drops the reader straight into the horror of drug addiction. The pace revs up to his arrest. The dangers of the Thai jail kept me reading way past my bedtime. The prose is crisp, punchy and effective. The pace is relentless. Highly recommended.
Gripped from the start. No boring chapters of childhood history in this memoir. Billy drops the reader straight into the horror of drug addiction. The pace revs up to his arrest. The dangers of the Thai jail kept me reading way past my bedtime. The prose is crisp, punchy and effective. The pace is relentless. Highly recommended.
January 6, 2015
interesting ...would be a good movie
December 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
A Prayer Before Dawn (oddly, I don't know what that title is referencing) seems like a story told for personal catharsis more than publication. It's poorly written, unfocused, and extremely choppy, with no apparent message or lesson to draw from the author's self-inflicted problems of drug abuse, violence, and the stretch of time he spent in the godawful conditions of Thailand's prisons that wasn't covered by a screen ubiquitous in American arcades throughout the 1990s:
A Prayer Before Dawn (oddly, I don't know what that title is referencing) seems like a story told for personal catharsis more than publication. It's poorly written, unfocused, and extremely choppy, with no apparent message or lesson to draw from the author's self-inflicted problems of drug abuse, violence, and the stretch of time he spent in the godawful conditions of Thailand's prisons that wasn't covered by a screen ubiquitous in American arcades throughout the 1990s:
"WINNERS DON'T USE DRUGS"
William S. Sessions, Director, FBI
Read
February 2, 2019Sooo, I watched the movie and kind of like the vibe of it and assumed the book should be better, as in my experience they are most of the time. but this wasn't the case and honestly I didn't like this book a bit and wouldn't recommend.
December 22, 2015
If you need a reminder that doing drugs is a bad idea in a foreign country, and thinking it will be ok because I am an American/British/Australian, citizen, and they are easy to get and everyone is doing it, this is another book that will inform you of the differences between 1st world prisons and 3rd world ones. Not to mention how hated you will be for not being a native.
November 21, 2018
Recensione in ANTEPRIMA
.
Ho sempre pensato che un buon titolo fosse un ottimo biglietto di presentazione per un libro. Poche parole che devo essere in grado di catturare l’attenzione di un lettore e, di certo, questo titolo è stato in grado di solleticare la mia curiosità. Andando avanti con la lettura mi sono resa conto che Una preghiera prima dell’alba è stato scelto perché “Se pensi che nella tua vita tutto vada male, prova a metterti anche per soli cinque minuti nei miei panni, e poi ne riparliamo”, come titolo magari suonava troppo rude.
Credetemi, questo libro vi saprà conquistare sin dalle primissime pagine. La scrittura non è affatto pretestuosa, Billy Moore non vuole incantarti e credo che neanche gli interessi il nostro parere; si limita semplicemente a raccontarci i fatti così come si sono svolti. Mi piace molto il Billy, è uno che va dritto al punto senza troppi giri di parole, non si nasconde dietro falsi moralismi, non nega le sue debolezze e i suoi errori. Ci racconta la sua personale discesa negli inferi, ci rende testimoni della brutalità e della nefandezza dell’essere umano. Ci apre le porte delle carceri thailandesi, dove l’uomo non viene trattato più come tale, ma alla stregua delle bestie. Giorno dopo giorno è una lotta per la propria sopravvivenza, dalla ricerca di cibo a quella della droga, unica compagna fedele e costante nella sua vita.
Anche solo ventiquattr’ore in quell’inferno erano troppe.
Ogni giorno le stesse facce che camminavano, sputavano, starnutivano e respiravano lo stesso ossigeno. Ero chiuso in quello spazio ristretto con quattrocento persone intorno. Travolto dalla sensazione di sentirmi in trappola. Gli spintoni, le lunghe code per i bagni, la mancanza d’acqua. No, nessun uomo poteva sopportare un supplizio del genere. Erano condizioni che violavano qualsiasi diritto umano, qualsiasi trattato che fosse mai stato scritto. Ma lì dentro i diritti umani non significavano nulla.
Deve costantemente guardarsi le spalle, non può fidarsi di nessuno, solo di se stesso, della sua forza e della sua sanità mentale. Sì, perché perdere la ragione, lì dentro, sembra essere l’unica via di fuga.
Quello che mi ha colpito in particolar modo è stato scoprire con quanta facilità si può finire in prigione in Thailandia. Non conosco molto di questo Paese, né le abitudini, né il modo di vivere, ma una cosa è certa: se commetti un reato, lo fai con la consapevolezza di andar incontro una pena severissima. Non appena oltrepassi il cancello di quelle prigioni, il concetto di diritti umani si svuota completamente. Carceri sovraffollate, droga, HIV, lotte per il potere e il dominio del territorio, nessun rispetto della dignità umana, scarsità di cibo, di acqua e di qualunque altro genere di prima necessità.
Ecco contro cosa ha dovuto lottare Billy ogni giorno, ma ce l’ha fatta. L’istinto di sopravvivenza è stato più forte di ogni macigno che lo schiacciava, il primo, e il più grande di tutti, la sua dipendenza dalla droga; la stessa dipendenza che lo ha condotto nel suo inferno personale. Per nostra fortuna, Billy è stato in grado di farci dono di questa sua testimonianza.
(Dal libro nel 2017 è stato tratto anche un film).
.
Mumu' per RFS
.
Ho sempre pensato che un buon titolo fosse un ottimo biglietto di presentazione per un libro. Poche parole che devo essere in grado di catturare l’attenzione di un lettore e, di certo, questo titolo è stato in grado di solleticare la mia curiosità. Andando avanti con la lettura mi sono resa conto che Una preghiera prima dell’alba è stato scelto perché “Se pensi che nella tua vita tutto vada male, prova a metterti anche per soli cinque minuti nei miei panni, e poi ne riparliamo”, come titolo magari suonava troppo rude.
Credetemi, questo libro vi saprà conquistare sin dalle primissime pagine. La scrittura non è affatto pretestuosa, Billy Moore non vuole incantarti e credo che neanche gli interessi il nostro parere; si limita semplicemente a raccontarci i fatti così come si sono svolti. Mi piace molto il Billy, è uno che va dritto al punto senza troppi giri di parole, non si nasconde dietro falsi moralismi, non nega le sue debolezze e i suoi errori. Ci racconta la sua personale discesa negli inferi, ci rende testimoni della brutalità e della nefandezza dell’essere umano. Ci apre le porte delle carceri thailandesi, dove l’uomo non viene trattato più come tale, ma alla stregua delle bestie. Giorno dopo giorno è una lotta per la propria sopravvivenza, dalla ricerca di cibo a quella della droga, unica compagna fedele e costante nella sua vita.
Anche solo ventiquattr’ore in quell’inferno erano troppe.
Ogni giorno le stesse facce che camminavano, sputavano, starnutivano e respiravano lo stesso ossigeno. Ero chiuso in quello spazio ristretto con quattrocento persone intorno. Travolto dalla sensazione di sentirmi in trappola. Gli spintoni, le lunghe code per i bagni, la mancanza d’acqua. No, nessun uomo poteva sopportare un supplizio del genere. Erano condizioni che violavano qualsiasi diritto umano, qualsiasi trattato che fosse mai stato scritto. Ma lì dentro i diritti umani non significavano nulla.
Deve costantemente guardarsi le spalle, non può fidarsi di nessuno, solo di se stesso, della sua forza e della sua sanità mentale. Sì, perché perdere la ragione, lì dentro, sembra essere l’unica via di fuga.
Quello che mi ha colpito in particolar modo è stato scoprire con quanta facilità si può finire in prigione in Thailandia. Non conosco molto di questo Paese, né le abitudini, né il modo di vivere, ma una cosa è certa: se commetti un reato, lo fai con la consapevolezza di andar incontro una pena severissima. Non appena oltrepassi il cancello di quelle prigioni, il concetto di diritti umani si svuota completamente. Carceri sovraffollate, droga, HIV, lotte per il potere e il dominio del territorio, nessun rispetto della dignità umana, scarsità di cibo, di acqua e di qualunque altro genere di prima necessità.
Ecco contro cosa ha dovuto lottare Billy ogni giorno, ma ce l’ha fatta. L’istinto di sopravvivenza è stato più forte di ogni macigno che lo schiacciava, il primo, e il più grande di tutti, la sua dipendenza dalla droga; la stessa dipendenza che lo ha condotto nel suo inferno personale. Per nostra fortuna, Billy è stato in grado di farci dono di questa sua testimonianza.
(Dal libro nel 2017 è stato tratto anche un film).
.
Mumu' per RFS
January 6, 2018
A prayer before Dawn
William "Billy" Moore was born to an unlucky mother and abusive, violent father.
Drugs and violence what he saw and learnt in his early life in Liverpool. He learnt how to deal with Police and survive in prison. Still that experience wasn't enough to get out alive in Hellish Thai prisons.
He started to box during his successful and unsuccessful attempts to get clean from drugs still when he was in UK. Eventually it was boxing which became cause for him to stay in Thailand permanently, when he visited there on a routine fun trip.
And then this how his nightmare starts.........
It was one of those books whom I always want to grab in first chance. It wasn't a let down.
I am highly impressed with ability of this book to make us read it.
The title is taken from the part of the book when William Moore witnessed significance of religion in his life. This is why he liked time of early morning to offer his first Islamic prayer of a day.
Yes, Islamic prayer because of his conversion to Islam. If you are one of those who already have prejudice against Islam, then I guess you won't read this book.
Anyone who doesn't consider drugs a problem should read this. Anyone who think that doing drugs in a foreign country is OK if you are American/Australian/British, then you would unleash Hell on yourself. Because that country can be Thailand.
I have no doubt about Klong Prem Jail be one of deadliest, dirtiest and inhuman place on the face of planet earth.
William "Billy" Moore was born to an unlucky mother and abusive, violent father.
Drugs and violence what he saw and learnt in his early life in Liverpool. He learnt how to deal with Police and survive in prison. Still that experience wasn't enough to get out alive in Hellish Thai prisons.
He started to box during his successful and unsuccessful attempts to get clean from drugs still when he was in UK. Eventually it was boxing which became cause for him to stay in Thailand permanently, when he visited there on a routine fun trip.
And then this how his nightmare starts.........
It was one of those books whom I always want to grab in first chance. It wasn't a let down.
I am highly impressed with ability of this book to make us read it.
The title is taken from the part of the book when William Moore witnessed significance of religion in his life. This is why he liked time of early morning to offer his first Islamic prayer of a day.
Yes, Islamic prayer because of his conversion to Islam. If you are one of those who already have prejudice against Islam, then I guess you won't read this book.
Anyone who doesn't consider drugs a problem should read this. Anyone who think that doing drugs in a foreign country is OK if you are American/Australian/British, then you would unleash Hell on yourself. Because that country can be Thailand.
I have no doubt about Klong Prem Jail be one of deadliest, dirtiest and inhuman place on the face of planet earth.
October 1, 2019
The first half of the book was alright. You are not sure when or how exactly he ends up in prison and so there’s a sense of suspense building as he gets deeper into his latest drug addiction. The arrest itself is kind of dramatic too (will he poop them out?!?) and so are his first impressions of the prison he ends up in. But after that, everything just fizzles out. Aside from repeating endlessly that the conditions were awful, there’s no clear arc or “plot” to follow, more just a collection of mostly unrelated experiences that never lead to anything like a revelation or change. For example, he takes up boxing again after hanging around the prison gym for a while, has a fight, wins, ... , then stops again, only to pick it up for a sentence or so later on. He at some point becomes a Muslim (for the food), which I guess is meant to be important given the title of the book, but aside from a couple of paragraphs about his time cutting papayas, nothing more is said about it. When at the end he gets out, there are some hurried paragraphs in which he feels relieved and wants to rest, but nothing really about what he’s learned or what it all meant. He just wants to rest, it seems.
Not unenjoyable to read, but wouldn’t really recommend this to anybody else unless they were specifically interested in Thai prisons or yaba.
Not unenjoyable to read, but wouldn’t really recommend this to anybody else unless they were specifically interested in Thai prisons or yaba.
September 10, 2019
lets start of with Im remedial and this gives me hope of writing a book.
Billy has Angels on his shoulders for sure.
He deserves ten stars for getting through this but the book sadly I can only give two .
Billy has Angels on his shoulders for sure.
He deserves ten stars for getting through this but the book sadly I can only give two .
February 11, 2015
Standard
Fairly standard prison story. Nothing shocking but enjoyable read. Good beach book. Hope he is going well in life now.
Fairly standard prison story. Nothing shocking but enjoyable read. Good beach book. Hope he is going well in life now.
April 3, 2015
good read .. why oh why do people never listen to the rules of the law
August 24, 2016
Good read
Good read.
Interesting story. I just hope that he stays clean and out of jail.
God luck to you billy
Good read.
Interesting story. I just hope that he stays clean and out of jail.
God luck to you billy
July 10, 2019
One star for the unintentional comedy value, no stars for the transphobia--and the fact this book even exists.
October 11, 2019
Recensione a cura di Lilith per Feel the Book
Recensire questo libro non è stato facile, non perché non sia bello o scritto bene, ma perché è la storia vera di una persona che è scivolata in un inferno, personale prima e reale poi, come la prigione di Klong Prem in Thailandia.
Questa è la storia di Billy Moore, residente a Liverpool, figlio di un padre ubriaco e violento e di una madre abituata a subire. Cresciuto in un ambiente violento e povero, Billy si è sempre sentito solo e non voluto. Le sue amicizie sono poco raccomandabili, la polizia lo tiene d’occhio e scivolare nell’abisso dell’alcool sembra un passaggio obbligato. Ma Billy ha una chance per uscire dal buio: la boxe. È bravo, è una promessa, potrebbe aspirare a una brillante carriera. Purtroppo, nel suo cammino incontra anche la droga, e la tossicodipendenza lo conduce in prigione.
Uscito dal carcere si disintossica e, per cambiare vita, per allontanarsi dalle persone che lo hanno fatto sprofondare nel buio, parte per la Thailandia. Tuttavia i problemi sembrano non essere finiti. In Thailandia inizia a combattere in una palestra infima, partecipa a incontri truccati per il divertimento dei turisti e inizia a praticare il Muai Thai. Quella nuova disciplina gli piace e Billy vuole combattere sul serio, cimentarsi in incontri “veri” per diventare un campione. Per un determinato periodo ci riesce, conosce addirittura Silvester Stallone e partecipa alle riprese di “Rambo III”. Ma si sa, le fregature sono dietro l’angolo: conosce una ragazza e s’innamora, si frequentano ma… lei ha un fidanzato. Per Billy è una doccia gelata, pensava che lei fosse diversa dalle altre ragazze tailandesi, e dopo quella delusione ricade nell’inferno della droga.
E oltre a consumarla inizia a spacciarla: fino a quando viene arrestato. Abbiamo già sentito parlare delle prigioni Thailandesi, non sono proprio un bijoux, la corruzione è alle stelle e ti vendono per nulla. Billy, infatti, dopo l’arresto, viene condannato a tre anni di reclusione. La descrizione del carcere è raccapricciante, la vita rinchiusi in cella è qualcosa di inimmaginabile. Billy racconta le sue giornate senza entrare troppo nei dettagli (anche se credo che sia molto peggio di ciò che ho letto), racconta le violenze perpetrate dalle guardie, la sporcizia, la corruzione, come sia facile diventare violento per la propria sopravvivenza. Dopo due anni viene scarcerato ed estradato in Inghilterra, grazie ai volontari e all’ambasciata inglese. Tornato a casa, finisce di scontare la pena, e adesso cerca di rifarsi una vita dimenticando ciò che ha vissuto, cosa che gli auguro vivamente: penso che abbia imparato la lezione, ma a caro prezzo. Un libro vero, intenso, doloroso in certe parti ma molto chiaro nel descrivere le emozioni e il perché delle scelte fatte, anche se sbagliate. Un libro che può essere letto da tutti, ma ben sapendo che l’argomento non è facile.
Editing a cura di Ash.
Recensire questo libro non è stato facile, non perché non sia bello o scritto bene, ma perché è la storia vera di una persona che è scivolata in un inferno, personale prima e reale poi, come la prigione di Klong Prem in Thailandia.
Questa è la storia di Billy Moore, residente a Liverpool, figlio di un padre ubriaco e violento e di una madre abituata a subire. Cresciuto in un ambiente violento e povero, Billy si è sempre sentito solo e non voluto. Le sue amicizie sono poco raccomandabili, la polizia lo tiene d’occhio e scivolare nell’abisso dell’alcool sembra un passaggio obbligato. Ma Billy ha una chance per uscire dal buio: la boxe. È bravo, è una promessa, potrebbe aspirare a una brillante carriera. Purtroppo, nel suo cammino incontra anche la droga, e la tossicodipendenza lo conduce in prigione.
Uscito dal carcere si disintossica e, per cambiare vita, per allontanarsi dalle persone che lo hanno fatto sprofondare nel buio, parte per la Thailandia. Tuttavia i problemi sembrano non essere finiti. In Thailandia inizia a combattere in una palestra infima, partecipa a incontri truccati per il divertimento dei turisti e inizia a praticare il Muai Thai. Quella nuova disciplina gli piace e Billy vuole combattere sul serio, cimentarsi in incontri “veri” per diventare un campione. Per un determinato periodo ci riesce, conosce addirittura Silvester Stallone e partecipa alle riprese di “Rambo III”. Ma si sa, le fregature sono dietro l’angolo: conosce una ragazza e s’innamora, si frequentano ma… lei ha un fidanzato. Per Billy è una doccia gelata, pensava che lei fosse diversa dalle altre ragazze tailandesi, e dopo quella delusione ricade nell’inferno della droga.
E oltre a consumarla inizia a spacciarla: fino a quando viene arrestato. Abbiamo già sentito parlare delle prigioni Thailandesi, non sono proprio un bijoux, la corruzione è alle stelle e ti vendono per nulla. Billy, infatti, dopo l’arresto, viene condannato a tre anni di reclusione. La descrizione del carcere è raccapricciante, la vita rinchiusi in cella è qualcosa di inimmaginabile. Billy racconta le sue giornate senza entrare troppo nei dettagli (anche se credo che sia molto peggio di ciò che ho letto), racconta le violenze perpetrate dalle guardie, la sporcizia, la corruzione, come sia facile diventare violento per la propria sopravvivenza. Dopo due anni viene scarcerato ed estradato in Inghilterra, grazie ai volontari e all’ambasciata inglese. Tornato a casa, finisce di scontare la pena, e adesso cerca di rifarsi una vita dimenticando ciò che ha vissuto, cosa che gli auguro vivamente: penso che abbia imparato la lezione, ma a caro prezzo. Un libro vero, intenso, doloroso in certe parti ma molto chiaro nel descrivere le emozioni e il perché delle scelte fatte, anche se sbagliate. Un libro che può essere letto da tutti, ma ben sapendo che l’argomento non è facile.
Editing a cura di Ash.
January 15, 2021
This book was so intriguing and well written. The authors journey through recovery and prison taught me so much. Having been to Thailand (not in prison) I appreciated the personalities that carry into prison life off the streets. Highly recommend this book for people needing to be scared straight from drugs or prison in a foreign country or just need to appreciate what they have.
July 12, 2025
Third book about Thailand in a row. Somebody stop me.
November 24, 2019
We first meet Billy Moore, a drug-addicted petty criminal from a broken, working class British home, as he is leaving prison for rehab. With no positive frame of reference through which to process his life experiences or the world around him, Billy at first takes rehab lightly and fights every effort to help him. But as he rapidly runs out of second chances, he manages to make a change, to quit drugs and alcohol, and to begin a relatively normal life.
Things are going well for Billy, when he decides to take a vacation with a friend to Thailand. He quickly finds his place in the country, learns Muay Thai and fights professionally at a local club, and even gets a job as an extra in a Sylvester Stallone movie filming in the region. Life is good, until Billy falls in love with a woman who breaks his heart, and he suddenly realizes that he has no one around him for support. Alone in a foreign land, his old demons surge back to the surface, and he descends into a black hole of drugs, drug dealing, violence and paranoia. And then it gets worse.
Betrayed by a crooked cop, Billy is arrested and sentenced to seven years in Thailand's hellish prison system. Confronted by inhuman conditions, brutal treatment, disease, and madness, it is all he can do to keep afloat. A Prayer Before Dawn is the story of Billy Moore's years as an inmate in Thailand - the friends he made, the internal battles he fought, and at last, his release. It is direct, honest, and clearly in the author's voice, and while it does not rise to the heights of some of the best writing about prisons, its raw energy and sense of reality at its worst, is hard to shake.
Things are going well for Billy, when he decides to take a vacation with a friend to Thailand. He quickly finds his place in the country, learns Muay Thai and fights professionally at a local club, and even gets a job as an extra in a Sylvester Stallone movie filming in the region. Life is good, until Billy falls in love with a woman who breaks his heart, and he suddenly realizes that he has no one around him for support. Alone in a foreign land, his old demons surge back to the surface, and he descends into a black hole of drugs, drug dealing, violence and paranoia. And then it gets worse.
Betrayed by a crooked cop, Billy is arrested and sentenced to seven years in Thailand's hellish prison system. Confronted by inhuman conditions, brutal treatment, disease, and madness, it is all he can do to keep afloat. A Prayer Before Dawn is the story of Billy Moore's years as an inmate in Thailand - the friends he made, the internal battles he fought, and at last, his release. It is direct, honest, and clearly in the author's voice, and while it does not rise to the heights of some of the best writing about prisons, its raw energy and sense of reality at its worst, is hard to shake.
November 28, 2016
Glad I was fortunate enough to have won this hard-back autobiography in a Goodreads giveaway.
It's hard to imagine the little regard for life that a Thai man has in one of their prisons. For a foreigner in any of their prisons, especially the 'Bangkok Hilton Prison' where Billy was incarcerated, it's even less. How Billy Moore was able to survive even a week, much less five years, speaks volumes about how resilient his character must be. His boxing skills helped his survival a bit.
Although Billy abused drugs while living there, he was eventually erroneously arrested for theft. Thailand's laws are unique in that one only has to serve a few years for theft, but decades for drugs. Prisoners can wait for years for a hearing, which some never get at all. All prisoners are only allowed to wear shorts. Their daily food ration consists of thin and watery cabbage soup, which they wait in long queues to be fortunate enough to get.
Thanks to a British charity called Prisoners Abroad, Billy was finally released from prison and returned to Liverpool. His body suffered numerous injuries while in prison & subsequent surgeries in England were not completely successful.
This book tells exactly what his prison life was like, in explicit and shocking detail. Reading it is not for the faint-hearted.
It's hard to imagine the little regard for life that a Thai man has in one of their prisons. For a foreigner in any of their prisons, especially the 'Bangkok Hilton Prison' where Billy was incarcerated, it's even less. How Billy Moore was able to survive even a week, much less five years, speaks volumes about how resilient his character must be. His boxing skills helped his survival a bit.
Although Billy abused drugs while living there, he was eventually erroneously arrested for theft. Thailand's laws are unique in that one only has to serve a few years for theft, but decades for drugs. Prisoners can wait for years for a hearing, which some never get at all. All prisoners are only allowed to wear shorts. Their daily food ration consists of thin and watery cabbage soup, which they wait in long queues to be fortunate enough to get.
Thanks to a British charity called Prisoners Abroad, Billy was finally released from prison and returned to Liverpool. His body suffered numerous injuries while in prison & subsequent surgeries in England were not completely successful.
This book tells exactly what his prison life was like, in explicit and shocking detail. Reading it is not for the faint-hearted.
March 23, 2017
What I love the most when reading a true to life story is the ending part, which most gives a positive end to lighten the whole story. The lessons learned. The good thing.
Life is really hard to deal with, really not an easy thing, and all we need is to make decisions, always.. we always have a choice, whether it's good or bad we need to make sure that we learned something from it,atleast.. the story showed the best example of choosing the bad thing at first but then the most important is that Billy realized what he did and move on to be a better person. I believed some people need to experience hard things in order to learn and realized things to be a better one. Some learned from other's mistakes, depends on what we choose. Billy chose the bad and learned from it afterwards, bad thing that he need to experienced first those all hardships in life before he changed. Need to learned the life lessons in the most hardest way. But at the end of the day, It's still glad to hear that he now a better person.
Thank you for sharing your story. I learned so much from it. Hope you can touch many life especially those who are now into same choices as what you did before.
Life is really hard to deal with, really not an easy thing, and all we need is to make decisions, always.. we always have a choice, whether it's good or bad we need to make sure that we learned something from it,atleast.. the story showed the best example of choosing the bad thing at first but then the most important is that Billy realized what he did and move on to be a better person. I believed some people need to experience hard things in order to learn and realized things to be a better one. Some learned from other's mistakes, depends on what we choose. Billy chose the bad and learned from it afterwards, bad thing that he need to experienced first those all hardships in life before he changed. Need to learned the life lessons in the most hardest way. But at the end of the day, It's still glad to hear that he now a better person.
Thank you for sharing your story. I learned so much from it. Hope you can touch many life especially those who are now into same choices as what you did before.
March 19, 2019
A whirlwind dive into life in a Thai prison and all the horrors therein. I was so swept up in the story I read this in one night but felt the story either needed more depth around some of the other characters or more succinct focus on Billy.
ETA: My book club watched the movie together last night. While reading the book, I found myself wondering if all of the backstory of Billy's childhood, rehab stint, and boxing career in Thailand were necessary to the story. The movie incorporates some but not all of these elements and for this (and other reasons) seems to lose a lot of the humanity I grew to appreciate even more in the book.
ETA: My book club watched the movie together last night. While reading the book, I found myself wondering if all of the backstory of Billy's childhood, rehab stint, and boxing career in Thailand were necessary to the story. The movie incorporates some but not all of these elements and for this (and other reasons) seems to lose a lot of the humanity I grew to appreciate even more in the book.
August 2, 2018
I've just finished this book with tears in my eyes. This really opened my eyes to how corrupt Thailand is. I really admire Billy for writing this account. I don't agree with how luxurious prisons in the UK are at all, but what Billy endured in Thailand was shocking and I cannot help but feel pity for him. I particularly enjoyed reading about the relationships Billy built up. I felt incredibly sorry for the man who's dictionary was stolen, as he really wanted to improve his English. I hope Billy leads a better quality of life now.
January 15, 2017
A Prayer Before Dawn: My Nightmare in Thailand’s Prisons by Billy
Moore is informative. It tells the horrors of the Thailand prison system. It also tells how messed up being an addict and drug dealer makes your life. It is a book that makes the case for not using drugs and staying out of prisons in other countries. Hard to read some of the things but it is an autobiography which tackles hard things.
I won a free copy of this book through Goodread's giveaway
Moore is informative. It tells the horrors of the Thailand prison system. It also tells how messed up being an addict and drug dealer makes your life. It is a book that makes the case for not using drugs and staying out of prisons in other countries. Hard to read some of the things but it is an autobiography which tackles hard things.
I won a free copy of this book through Goodread's giveaway
April 24, 2019
Really really good book. Read almost half of it in the first day, which is good for me.
Excellent book, a real page turner and what a mad life. Heard this guy promoting his book on Radio Merseyside and was very down to earth which got me interested in the thought of purchasing this book.
Being a Scouser myself I could relate to some of what Billy was saying except for his experiences obviously.
What a book!
Excellent book, a real page turner and what a mad life. Heard this guy promoting his book on Radio Merseyside and was very down to earth which got me interested in the thought of purchasing this book.
Being a Scouser myself I could relate to some of what Billy was saying except for his experiences obviously.
What a book!
April 30, 2019
One of the rare instances when the movie is better than the book!
Did not like or sympathise at all with the author of the book. Racist and transphobic overtones are evident throughout with the author making very broad, unflattering statements around Thais and transgendered people. Billy very clearly fits the 'Ugly Foreigner' stereotype.
I couldn't get through this book and don't think anyone should make the mistake of paying for this.
Did not like or sympathise at all with the author of the book. Racist and transphobic overtones are evident throughout with the author making very broad, unflattering statements around Thais and transgendered people. Billy very clearly fits the 'Ugly Foreigner' stereotype.
I couldn't get through this book and don't think anyone should make the mistake of paying for this.
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