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Boston Strong  By  cover art

Boston Strong

By: Casey Sherman, Dave Wedge
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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Publisher's summary

Veteran journalists Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge have written the definitive inside look at the Boston Marathon bombing with a unique, Boston-based account of the events that riveted the world. From the Tsarnaev brothers' years leading up to the act of terror to the bomb scene itself (which both authors witnessed firsthand within minutes of the blast), from the terrifying police shootout with the suspects to the ultimate capture of the younger brother, Boston Strong: A City's Triumph over Tragedy reports all the facts--and so much more.

Based on months of intensive interviews, this is the first book to tell the entire story through the eyes of those who experienced it. From the cop first on the scene to the detectives assigned to the manhunt, the authors provide a behind-the-scenes look at the investigation. More than a true-crime book, Boston Strong also tells the tragic but ultimately life-affirming story of the victims and their recoveries and gives voice to those who lost loved ones. With their extensive reporting, writing experience, and deep ties to the Boston area, Sherman and Wedge create the perfect match of story, place, and authors.

If you're going to listen to only one audiobook on this tragic but uplifting story, this is it.

©2015 Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Boston Strong

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Wrong Person Reading this Book!!!!

What didn’t you like about Joe Barrett’s performance?

Not everyone from Boston sounds like a member of the Kennedy family. I cringed every time I knew he was going to try to duplicate the Boston accent. I hated his reading of this book!!!

That being said, I have listened to other books that he narrates - and he is excellent. He just was wrong for this book and it was painful to listen to.

Did Boston Strong inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

I started to listen to this during the Tsarnaev trial. Since it came out 2 years after the marathon bombing and we were only getting tweets from journalists about the trial (no cameras allowed in the courtroom), I was hoping there were some new revelations in this book. Possibly some hints of things that I hadn't already read, that might be introduced as evidence.I will say this book gives you the stories of some of the lesser known victims who were not as public as say Jeff Bauman, so while horrible, it was interesting to hear some new stories of people who were there that day.There was quite a bit about the Richard's family, and to me, it just felt invasive. Also, I caught an error early in the recording as to the year Henry was born. That just irked me. Really? Such a horrible story and you can get facts right? It made it seem irresponsible and honestly, I was on guard as I listened to the rest of it, waiting for the next error.I live in Boston, so I have seen A LOT of coverage on the bombings and read a lot on the bombings. I don't feel that there was a lot of information that was new or "exclusive". That being said, if you don't live in Boston and haven't been exposed to as much on the Marathon Bombings, you will probably learn a lot.So the net-net on this one is, if you are from the area - skip it. If you don't know a lot about what happened, the victims, what happened in Watertown, and the response then listen...The 2 things that won't change no matter where you live are: a factual error in the book and the narration is horrible.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Inaccurate, Biased, Annoying Performance

Where do I start with all the inaccuracies in this book? There are so many that I got tired of writing them down! Some examples: the Sox play in the morning on Patriot's Day. The vivid description of the Waltham murders was imagined by the author and should have been described as such. Wheelchair elites usually start coming in before 11:00 am. and cops are in place well before then. Krystal Campbell wasn't a waitress; she managed a restaurant. Special Agent Richard DesLauriers was planning on leaving the FBI before the bombings and stayed on. He didn't "disappear" into the private sector in shame; he is in corporate security at Penske Corporation. He was one of the many heroes of the event and should be accorded respect. And the mistakes go on and on.

Another big problem witht he book is its bias. To start, it makes a big hero out of Dennis Keeler without mentioning Keeler's extremely checkered past. From taking shortcuts, violating civil rights to bullying confessions out of innocent people while he was a detective, Keeler went from being called "Mr. Homicide" to "Mr. Reversed on Appeal". There are several articles online which describe Keeler's problems. Make sure to catch the one describing his (alleged) habit of harassing women in bars. Yes, he did well during the bombing crisis. So did many others. The book should have kept his contribution in perspective. Another way the book is biased is in refraining from mentioning the role in Fox News in the photos being released early, possibly leading to the death of Sean Collier. See the National Geographic* and HBO documentaries on the bombings for more information.

Finally, the performance of this book has so many problems that it overshadows the narrator's pleasant voice and smooth delivery. Smooth except for the accents, which range from bad to offensively bad. Carlos Arredondo, for example, is Costa Rican. He has a soft Spanish accent with slightly rolled R's, not a cartoon Mexican accent. Various other characters have various levels of different types of Boston accents -- all of which the narrator butchers. One character who didn't have a Boston accent at all was Captain John Parker at the start of the American Revolution. He most likely had a British accent. The Boston accent developed MUCH later. The worst accent is either the narrator's attempt at a Chinese accent or his abject failure to accurately imitate Mayor Menino (whose nickname was "Mumbles"). Not one accent in this audiobook was good. The narrator should have just read all the quotes in his own voice and moved on. He can't do accents.

*National Geographic is owned by Fox News, so doesn't name Fox News in the documentary, but even they cover that aspect of the investigation.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The reading of this book is terrible!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this audio version of this book. The reader does a terrible job. He reads it so fast that it is hard to catch what he is saying. The false Boston accent is ridiculous.

Would you be willing to try another one of Joe Barrett’s performances?

Never

Could you see Boston Strong being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Any additional comments?

I stopped listening after the first chapter. I wish that I could get my credit back.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Important story. An ok book.

The story is an important one and should be read by anyone with a heart and soul for Boston and New England. Perhaps the book version is a better medium.

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Terrible narration

Why oh why does the narrator attempt accents. The story of the survivors and the sequence of events is a powerful one. It doesn’t need dramatic narration and certainly not a terrible attempt at different accents.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended

Not since 9/11 has American soil been attacked, but in 2013 the Boston Marathon bombings changed all that. Hear the story behind the cowards who committed this atrocity and the hero’s who brought them to justice. Learn about the survivors and their stories after. A great read and powerful story…HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Too close to home

I seen a movie about this. I like how the book goes till the next marathon.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome book!!!!

The book, “Boston Strong”grabbed your attention and kept it...Well written and very detailed...I highly recommend this book...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible and inspiring

If you liked the movie Patriot Day then you'll love this book. It tells a very respectful and in depth story of many involved in that horrible day and it's aftermath.

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