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Held Hostage: A Serial Bank Robber's Road to Redemption
While Ken Cooper lived with his wife and two children and worked as publicity director for a Christian college, he was leading a double life--as a felon.
With a vivid, you-are-there style, this former gentleman bank robber takes readers on a journey through years of armed robberies, the dramatic shooting that ended his career, the horrors of prison, and a soul ultimately finding peace. Without fear or embellishment, Cooper openly shares the darkest moments in his life. Yet in these moments he finally meets God and ends up becoming a bright light in a horrendous prison system. From adrenaline-pumping true-life crime to an experience of God's gentle love, readers won't be able to put down this gripping memoir of transformation and God's grace.
With a vivid, you-are-there style, this former gentleman bank robber takes readers on a journey through years of armed robberies, the dramatic shooting that ended his career, the horrors of prison, and a soul ultimately finding peace. Without fear or embellishment, Cooper openly shares the darkest moments in his life. Yet in these moments he finally meets God and ends up becoming a bright light in a horrendous prison system. From adrenaline-pumping true-life crime to an experience of God's gentle love, readers won't be able to put down this gripping memoir of transformation and God's grace.
318 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2009
20 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 3, 2020
Intense! This is the best book I have read in a very long time! Ken Cooper's brutally, honest approach about the dark and sometimes conflicting path he was leading is a shocking read all the way through. From his ego trips on bank heists to his horrible prison experiences to finally his ultimate road to redemption. This one is a must read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2021
This was an honest, raw, and at times, difficult account to read, but it is laced with hope throughout the pages as Ken's relationship with Jesus grows into a life of faithfulness.
July 4, 2013
I was prompted to read this book as a result of a chance meeting with this author at a recent seminar in Jacksonville. Ken Cooper’s oral account of how he assaulted banks is very difficult to digest. It is hard to understand how a successful businessman could ever be motivated to jeopardize everything to undertake such a risky endeavor. When I asked Ken about this directly in Jacksonville, he hesitated to answer, but finally offered up that he was just “crazy”.
However, after subsequently reading his book, I now understand that Ken was actually addicted to adrenalin. The heightened risk of robbing banks and taking hostages produced an adrenalin “high” that came to control Ken. Until reading this book, I never really knew anything about adrenalin addiction.
Although Ken’s adrenalin addiction preceded the cyber revolution, modern adrenalin addiction often manifests in computer gaming, whereby addicted gamers have been known to even avoid sleeping to pursue their cyber fantasies. In many ways, Ken was like an addicted gamer, with the exception that he had to play out his fantasies in a double life, as opposed to satisfying them in a computer world. When Ken was shot by a security officer, during a robbery, he couldn’t just restart the game. Instead, he went to prison.
Ken’s book leads the reader through the horror of being incarcerated in Florida, but also unveils the positive impacts of religious volunteers, who unselfishly devote their time to restore people like Ken.
USA Today Article on Ken Cooper
However, after subsequently reading his book, I now understand that Ken was actually addicted to adrenalin. The heightened risk of robbing banks and taking hostages produced an adrenalin “high” that came to control Ken. Until reading this book, I never really knew anything about adrenalin addiction.
Although Ken’s adrenalin addiction preceded the cyber revolution, modern adrenalin addiction often manifests in computer gaming, whereby addicted gamers have been known to even avoid sleeping to pursue their cyber fantasies. In many ways, Ken was like an addicted gamer, with the exception that he had to play out his fantasies in a double life, as opposed to satisfying them in a computer world. When Ken was shot by a security officer, during a robbery, he couldn’t just restart the game. Instead, he went to prison.
Ken’s book leads the reader through the horror of being incarcerated in Florida, but also unveils the positive impacts of religious volunteers, who unselfishly devote their time to restore people like Ken.
USA Today Article on Ken Cooper
June 21, 2013
The Portuguese proverb,God writes straight with crooked lines, finds a good example in this remarkable biography.
Ken Cooper shares his life story candidly, but without wallowing in lurid details. He lived a shocking double life, hiding his bank robbing from virtually everyone, until he was shot and arrested in a bank robbery and had to face a 99-year prison sentence. After becoming a Christian in jail, he was challenged to grow in his faith and trust God for safety as he was placed in the hardest block of the hardest prison in the state. Ken's life was transformed and he was released on parole after four years.
Ken Cooper shares his life story candidly, but without wallowing in lurid details. He lived a shocking double life, hiding his bank robbing from virtually everyone, until he was shot and arrested in a bank robbery and had to face a 99-year prison sentence. After becoming a Christian in jail, he was challenged to grow in his faith and trust God for safety as he was placed in the hardest block of the hardest prison in the state. Ken's life was transformed and he was released on parole after four years.
January 19, 2011
WOW. I started this book in the morning on a Saturday because I was up early and wanted to do something without really getting up right away....so, I started this book and read all 312 pages in one day. It was an amazing read. I'm definitely still digesting it. It gave me a lot to think about in terms of Redemption, Grace, Trusting God in difficult circumstances, God's amazing miracles, and more. LOVED it.
April 25, 2013
Thrilling is what this book is. Having been jailed a couple if times (blush) I could totally relate to a portion of this book.
The author is honest, open and quite articulate. He describes how it all started at a young age, how it went down Jill from there and how God swooped in w/ redemption to bring him back from the brink of a black hole.
An especially encouraging read for anyone who has family or friends involved in crime/illegal activities.
The author is honest, open and quite articulate. He describes how it all started at a young age, how it went down Jill from there and how God swooped in w/ redemption to bring him back from the brink of a black hole.
An especially encouraging read for anyone who has family or friends involved in crime/illegal activities.
March 21, 2013
Having retired from corrections, this was interesting insight from the inmate point of view. The story of his salvation and God's protective and pre-emptive miracles leading to his release and chartering a successful prison ministry at first are too incredible to be true, but that only convinced me that God is truly in the business of miracles. He has a humble, inspiring attitude. Read this to see a realistic picture of the inside of a prison and a true testimony of the power of God.
February 3, 2016
I was interested how Ken thought through-out his crimes,
all leading to his arrest through his experience in prison.
However, his story seemed to end too perfectly -
would loved to have followed through his experiences as a free man.
As a comparison, much preferred Charles Colson's "Born Again" & "Loving God"
as his journey goes beyond the prison walls.
His faith is seen in action as a free man, not just as an inmate.
all leading to his arrest through his experience in prison.
However, his story seemed to end too perfectly -
would loved to have followed through his experiences as a free man.
As a comparison, much preferred Charles Colson's "Born Again" & "Loving God"
as his journey goes beyond the prison walls.
His faith is seen in action as a free man, not just as an inmate.
Read
January 26, 2014Very insightful
I was impressed with the deep emotional content. I was not expecting to read some of the details but was impressed by the ability to describe the experiences without having to read vulgarity. I was captivated from the beginning and didn't want to put the book down until I was finished.
I was impressed with the deep emotional content. I was not expecting to read some of the details but was impressed by the ability to describe the experiences without having to read vulgarity. I was captivated from the beginning and didn't want to put the book down until I was finished.
March 23, 2010
Read this in 1 day - couldn't put it down! Gives you an inside look at Florida prisons. This is the story of "the gentleman bankrobber" and his journey to peace. He and his wife now run a prison ministry.
October 15, 2014
This true story is about a man who very politely robs banks for the adrenaline rush it gives him. In prison he turns to Christ. Interesting insight into what motivates some criminals. Today Ken Cooper has a ministry to inmates.
August 28, 2012
It was a Kindle Freebie so I figured what the heck? This was a winner! I very much enjoyed Ken's story of being caught in Bank Robbing, Jail, finding faith and learning to live it out.
September 6, 2012
This book is by the actual convict and to hear is journey to Christ makes u want to go and get in church immediately. It is a wonderfully written book and captivating read!
Read
January 2, 2013I love reading autobiographies and NEVER tire of how God gets ahold of people. This one started to drag a bit towards the end. Easy fun read!
August 20, 2022
An amazing book about redemption and the power of Grace. It also provides a very clear look at the inside of the Florida prison system.
December 13, 2014
Very good book!! It was encouraging to me to see how god works in mysterious ways!!l
August 30, 2012
Great book!!
March 26, 2014
This is an interesting story of how a bank robber hits rock bottom and finds God while in prison.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews