Omschrijving
A work infused with contradictions in which the Allan who commits sometimes unspeakable acts of mayhem and aggression is not the Allan telling the story from inside his own head: an often vulnerable and sensitive individual to whom his own actions never seem to make any sense beyond a misguided insistence on living up to his tough guy image.
'Despite all the tribulations he faced in his early life Weaver conveys his experiences with humour and affection. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be reminded of why they embarked on a career in the probation service': Probation Journal 'When Mr Weaver talks about the importance of tackling the causes of crime, he does so from an unusual position of authority and experience': The Scotsman 'There will be few who can match the range and depth of his understanding... Weaver tells his story with unflinching frankness. He does not glory in the life he lived, but takes the reader into a world where it could seem to be just a part of normality. Long-term prisoners are wont to speak of their lives as a journey. One puts down this book reminded of how very long that journey can be, of the distant, half-known country where it can have begun, of the price it can exact and the importance of nourishing hope': Independent Monitor 'A book that makes painful reading at times, painful to read of the damage that Allan Weaver caused to himself and others and their property, but also painful to read how structures often combined, some would say colluded, to take him further away from the person he could have been. But it is a book that helps us better understand Allan Weaver, and those like him, who, given a chance, can get away from their past and help build a better future': Internet Law Book Reviews
As a local hard case, author Allan Weaver took no prisoners. Neither does he in this compelling work in which he tells of a life of violent episodes and chaotic early life.