Our Guys
The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb
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Our Guys
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Narrated by:
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Tom Parks
About this listen
It was a crime that captured national attention. In the idyllic suburb of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, four of the town's most popular high school athletes were accused of raping a retarded young woman while nine of their teammates watched. What went wrong in this seemingly flawless American town? In search of the answer, Bernard Lefkowitz takes the listener behind Glen Ridge's manicured façade into the shadowy basement that was the scene of the rape, into the mansions on "Millionaire's Row", into the All-American high school, and finally into the courtroom where justice itself was on trial.
Lefkowitz's sweeping narrative, informed by more than 200 interviews and six years of research, recreates a murky adolescent world that parents didn't - or wouldn't - see: a high school dominated by a band of predatory athletes; a teenage culture where girls were frequently abused and humiliated at sybaritic and destructive parties; and a town that continued to embrace its celebrity athletes-despite the havoc they created-as "our guys". The clash of cultures and values that divided Glen Ridge, Lefkowitz writes, still divides the country.
Contains mature themes.
©1997 Bernard Lefkowitz (P)2021 TantorWhat listeners say about Our Guys
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cee Jay
- 10-12-23
"don't ruin their futures"
devastating. Men who behave like this ruin their own futures. Do better. Parents: do better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jacinta Duffy
- 07-09-23
Excellent
Another great included audio book that I discovered. Having lived in New Jersey for many years, I was very interested in this story. It's a long listen, but I found it to be very well researched, and the narrators voice was so easy to listen to. What can one say about these guys who, although teenagers, showed little regard or respect for women and, in particular and primarily, Lesley. What they did was truly awful. They took full advantage of this very innocent girl. Also, what was done to Mary Martins' home was truly shocking and demonstrated the low life characters of these guys. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it throws a light into male chauvinism and abuse in the early stages of their life.
Recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sazza
- 20-12-23
Unbelievable lack of respect and justice for this young vulnerable girl
Brilliantly written, researched and narrated. It was compelling from the get go, but deeply disturbing that these vile, spoilt brats who committed their horrific rapes on a very young human being who they knew was intellectually challenged and vulnerable were not only protected by their families but worse, by the so-called 'judge', Cohen, a title and profession he doesn't deserve, who presided over the lengthy proceedings of this harrowing case.
Cohen should hang his head in shame for allowing these disgusting young men to be out on bail for years and while awaiting for the appeal process, they continued to enjoy their freedom, putting other women at risk.
Like the author said, this would never have happened if the crimes were committed by individuals who were not from the privileged class of these men.
Cohen, who recalled what he was like as a young man himself, drew on that as part of his own attitude back then to form his decision making in this case, expected the jurors to make their judgments and decisions based solely on the evidence they heard during the trial.
It's a mockery of the law and dereliction of duty. A despicable injustice to young 'Leslie Faber' and her family. It's this type of attitude that women aren't important enough to fight for when powerful men commit these types of heinous crimes, but especially so, when it's a vulnerable person who's been abused and raped.
'Judge' Cohen is the kind of 'man' who hasn't the guts to challenge such horrors unless perhaps eg a black person or someone of lower class was standing accused in the dock. It's people like Cohen who fail women and give the wrong message to any man, young or not, that it's not so bad a crime to rape a female. He's fuelling the fire all the time he fails and he failed spectacularly.
Women are not safe when predators like these are left to walk free and unpunished, or barely punished. We spend all our lives knowing we aren't protected and further, that it's our fault, somehow. This case highlights such archaic attitudes and the fight us females have on our hands to be heard and get justice.
Huge respect to 'Leslie's' lawyer and all who tried who support her. Yes there was ignorance with her parents, but I appreciate times were different then, tho I can't imagine personally waiting to report the crimes if that were my daughter.
Thank you to Bernard Lefkowitz for writing this book and for speaking out on behalf of the vulnerable and for having the courage to reveal the truth. Tom Parks, you are a fantastic narrator and brought this entire terrible story with all its characters to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stephen
- 12-05-24
American hypocrisy at it's best
This book is one of the most horrific I have ever listened too. lncluding those of serial killers, and human injustices in general. With most of the audiobook listens or books I've read, you can understand or grasp the depravity of an individual or society who have committed in human acts. Due to narrative in which they came to that point, or faced with the accountable for the actions.
The horror of this book, is not merely what took place by the 13 middle class boy's, noting this heinous crime. Beautifully and meticulously portrayed by the author, and read by the narrator. In which the American morals and values both in the Glen Ridge and the way justice system dealt with this matter. Including the families, school, and friends of this rapists.
A book that captures your heart and sense of truth. 5/5.
The legacy of Glen Ridge is one of cowardly, spineless and misjudged individuals.
Shame on you all.
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