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  • Strangeways

  • A Prison Officer's Story
  • By: Neil Samworth
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (3,593 ratings)
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Strangeways cover art

Strangeways

By: Neil Samworth
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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Summary

Neil ‘Sam’ Samworth spent 11 years working as a prison officer in HMP Manchester, aka Strangeways. A tough Yorkshireman with a soft heart, Sam had to deal with it all – gangsters and gangbangers, terrorists and psychopaths, addicts and the mentally ill. Men who should not be locked up and men who should never be let out.

Strangeways is a shocking and at times darkly funny account of life in a high security prison. Sam tackles cell fires and self-harmers, and goes head to head with some of the most dangerous men in the country. He averts a Christmas Day riot after turkey is taken off the menu and replaced by fish curry, and stands up to officers who abuse their position. He describes being attacked by prisoners, and reveals the problems caused by radicalization and the drugs flooding our prisons.

As staffing cuts saw Britain’s prison system descend into crisis, the stress of the job – the suicides, the inhumanity of the system, and one assault too many - left Sam suffering from PTSD. This raw, searingly honest memoir is a testament to the men and women of the prison service and the incredibly difficult job we ask them to do.

©2018 Neil Samworth (P)2018 W. F. Howes Ltd

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What listeners say about Strangeways

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

The Honest and Brutal Truth. Loved It...

I enjoyed this book so much I have to give it a 10 out of 10.
As a person who previously only had the black and white picture of prison life as given in the official line and dodgy press coverage, this book opened my eyes and heart to the full colour picture of the pressures and dangers that prison staff have to deal with every day while feeling undervalued.
The content was so well balanced, brutal, heart breaking and so honest that it hurt some times, but then it also made me smile a lot too. I am dismayed, distressed and angered at some of the revelations within this book. The story that unfolded was real, sharp and at times also heartwarming. All my emotions were heightened. I will be listening to it again, and recommending it to all.
I would like to thank Neil Samworth for his honesty, bravery, and for writing such a valuable piece of work...

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56 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and enlightening

Good read brought back many memories both happy and sad of my time as an OSG at Manchester prison and later as a member of the I MB at Forest Bank
The writer displays a compassionate, firm and fairDescription of his past vocation

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33 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thanks Sam

First & foremost I really hope writing this book helped Sam on his road to recovery. Secondly it's a very honest book & I really liked Sam & felt that he was being really open & straightforward. It was interesting to see how prisons work although I'm sure now as Sam says that things are a lot worse. As usual, the workers on the shop floor are never recognised for the incredible things they do & are made scapegoats at every opportunity.When things hit rock bottom someone will have to do something about it, just a shame it has to come to this.

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23 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Eye-opening

A riveting account of life as a prison officer. well written and well read, with occasional touches of humour in what is very gritty story. It has enlightened me on the prison service. Being a wimp, I found the section on prisoners who self-harm a bit difficult, but it is important to hear it.

I found suggestions on how to improve the prison service particularly interesting. it was also nice to hear the author's actual voice at the beginning and at the end of the book.

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19 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • 13-01-19

Interesting subject matter told by a likeable guy

Often biographies, while interesting are the story of horrible unliveable people...Samworth speaks from the heart & says it like it is.

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12 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Strangeways

This book is written by a prison officer in the private sector. His experience of prisoners is minimal . sadly he tries to make out he is the saviour of the service. and even states his wife cooked breakfast for prisoners to give them a good feed up. he does not make it clear if this was for a small wing or the whole prison. He has narcissistic tendencies his feeding the 5,000 would never have happened. Health and safety would never allow it and as for security it is a non starter.He was not in the job for long which says a great deal. He comes across as a friendly big hearted Yorkshireman but my considerable experience as a Principal Officer at HMP Parkhurst tells me this man is not good Officer material.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Required reading in my opinion

Great book, harrowing,hilarious, brutal and honest. Let’s hope the powers that be listen to the sensible common sense suggestions put forward by someone who has lived and suffered their incompetence for years and not sat in an ivory tower.

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11 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Jail stories

This book was ok. If you’ve worked in a prison don’t bother as it’s the same old jail stories. But if you haven’t, you’ll be hooked & horrified.
Johnathon keeble was probably the best voice actor I’ve heard to date on audible though. Worth the purchase for that performance alone!

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9 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good insight

An informative insight into prison culture. Whether you sympathise or empathise with the characters is up to you and your politics.
Are prisons tough enough on offenders or are they too soft and easy going on inmates. Is punishment properly dealt with from a crime victim's point of view. I learned a lot from this book. I'll say no more.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

100% Solid

This is real. The total reverse of what the media tell us about prison. Very well narrated.

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9 people found this helpful