Go-Boy: Memories of a Life Behind Bars

by Roger Caron, Pierre Berton, Joanna D'angelo (Introduction)

Caron, Roger

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Biography, True Crime, Biography Memoir, Crime

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Excerpts from Wikipedia: Roger Caron:

Roger "Mad Dog" Caron (April 12, 1938 – April 11, 2012) was a Canadian robber and the author of the influential prison memoir Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars (1978). At the time of publishing, Caron was 39 years old and had spent 23 years in prison.

Bibliography:
1978 Go-Boy! Memories of a Life Behind Bars, Hushion House, 292 pages, ISBN 0-9682522-3-0
1985 Bingo! The Horrifying Eyewitness Account of a Prison Riot, Methuen, 216 pages, ISBN 0-458-99700-5
1988 Jojo, Stoddart Publishing, 180 pages, ISBN 0-7737-2208-4
1992 Dreamcaper, Stoddart Publishing, 215 pages, ISBN 0-7737-5486-5

Reviews

[Steen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually kind of surprised just how much I enjoyed this book. I feel like a jerk saying that considering this was about a mans life in prison. I think the reason why is that many of the places he talked about I am somewhat familiar with considering I am also from Ontario and I actually went to college in Kingston so I passed by the Kingston Pen many many times.

Roger Caron spent most of his life behind bars mainly because he liked robbing banks. It also seemed like he spent most of his time while behind bars trying to figure out how to get out. I am astounded that he managed to break out of the various facilities that he was in thirteen times! But reading about what life was like in jail and especially back then (1950,1960s etc) I really don't blame him. He also spent a lot of time solitary confinement, the worst being a stretch of two years! He got into fights, got injured, got beaten, got punished and even had to endure corporal punishment that made it hard for him to walk, and electro-shock treatment.

One of the things that shocked me, and I don't know why because asylums back then are known for crazy stuff like this but when he was sent there for a time, (and no he wasn't actually insane but couldn't face the reality of being in solitary for such a long period anymore so faked it to get a change of scenery), right away he witnessed an attendant in the facility take a towel and strangle an emotional patient until they passed out. Apparently this was common in high risk mental hospitals and they called it the 'sleeper'! I mean who does that!

He earned in 1978, the Governor-General’s Award for Go-Boy! Sadly in his latter years, he suffered from Parkinson's disease and thus became trapped in a different type of prison. He passed away at the age of 73 in 2011.

**Edited to Add that in 2016 I got to go on a tour of this place. This is a National Historic Site of Canada and was shut down in 2013.

[Veronica Thomas-lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a great fan of all the books Roger Caron has written over the years. But my all time favorite is Go Boy it tells of a young man's jail time in Canada and how it really was with the whippings and the beatings and what he saw and learned. IT is one of a very few that brought me to tears and maybe as a young person rethink my own path in life. It is a book where he says it as it was , and he does not come across at blaming others for where he was or why. The book is a great personal story and I would tell everyone to read at least one of Roger Caron's books in your life. I would tell everyone to read it and realize everyone has a story and this one is just one of the better books out there.

[Petra Morin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this during my Prison Memoir stage in the 90's and when I heard that Roger Caron had passed away I got hold of a copy to read this one again. (at a used bookstore, I believe it is O/P) It's fascinating, scary and sad. I can only read so much at one sitting because it is so disturbing at times. Still an awesome book.

[Ian Mctavish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I taught an essential English class and this was one book that my students read from cover to cover. Roger Caron lead a rough life, but his writing transformed his own life as well as the people who read it.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up there is this depiction of what a "bad person" is and this monster as we know them will get what they deserve from the "good guys". You are lead to believe that these "bad people" must go to jail and that it will cure them of their ills before they come out into society again. There is strange notion that here's the problem, and here's the fix. It's all black and white, and it's all good. As I have gotten older I have a better understanding that life is full of grays. And when I came across this book I knew I had to read it.

This book was a good introduction in getting some clarity that life in jail is scarier than one could imagine. It becomes a free for all to the point where even the so called good guys become evil. I mean who truly wants to choose between 12 whippings that cause fractures of both a physical and psychological nature vs an unknown psychological testing project that even thinking about it makes my claustrophobic mind want to run and hide.

The writing style is very descriptive and personal. He not only talked about the crimes themselves but the emotions behind them all. He expressed who he may have scared and who scared him which I can only imagine is not an easy thing to outwardly state in a system regarded with so much hatred that your emotions are typically kept to yourself.

I find it hard to say I enjoyed this book, as that would imply that I enjoy reading about how corrupt our "rehabilitation" system is, and how easy it was for Roger to escape on several occasions and go on yet another crime spree. So I will leave it as, I found it a fascinating read on many levels. It was a cry for help from both those who became prisoners, to those who watch over those inmates who will stop at nothing to get out of jail. This book brought to life that it is about time we start asking how we can punish those who do terrible crimes but also have them become rehabilitated in the process, not fear further for their life and see no way out but to continue to do more crimes in order to succeed.

[R. Scott Reath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always found the books assigned in school to be dreadfully boring, Barometer rising, and the Great Gatsby, tested my tolerance for the written word. I always sought out more edgy material with this one exception. When I read Go Boy!, I was shocked due to the subject matter, and the real world violence that the writer confronted. One doesn't often expect a career criminal's tale to captivate the imagination and acivate mind's inner cinema. If for no other reason, the retelling of an escape attempt form a man imprisoned in 1950's escaping in the 1960's was riveting. Caron steals a truck to grant distance form the yeard and when he turns over the negine, Janis Joplin is belting at the top of her lungs form a radio that was left at top volume. That scene alone is worth the price fo the book. the only reason I didn't give it five is that some readers may find the whole prison life a bit uncomfortable. I found it hard to put down.

[Dionne Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caron illustrates how a person can become a career criminal and manages to rationalize his actions in a way that makes the reader understand his point of view. He talks about his childhood and how his criminal activity began, but he also explains how he didn't know how to stop. There was quite a bit of action and adventure in this story that kept me engaged.
I took this book out from the library not knowing that it takes place near my house. This made it even more engaging! It caused me to question our prison system and if we really manage to rehabilitate criminals to reintegrate them into society, or if they are simply doomed to endlessly repeat the cycle.

[Joanne Woodbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

We did a tour of the Kingston Pen two years before I finally got my hands on Roger’s first book. What a story. Cannot believe the torture that happened on Canadian soil. Glad he was finally freed. Great writing considering Roger’s lack of education.

[Jenna Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book I just dug out of my memories from my prison obsession phase but I was maybe 13 so I need to re read it. I loooooove reading about stuff that happens / happened in Canada if u do too this is a good one

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read and a peak into the penal system in Canada. Also a look into a tortured soul who struggles to get out of the life he finds himself in.

[Robert Sadler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read in the life of a serial criminal. It was a great insight to life behind bars.

[Rivkah]

Amazing and tough book to read. But it gives insite to prison life extensively. And sadly, these things may still be happening in prison.

The one thing in this book I am finding strange, is that he dosn't seem too sory.
Another thing is that almost half his life (Since he was thirty ad least) was behind bars.
Although this is a great book, it is violent (Obviously) and has lots of swearing/mature matter, so I would **Not reccogmend for younger audiences

[Veronica Thomas-lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was one of the most informative and enlightening book that was so inciteful of what actually went on behind the prision walls in Canada.

[Terri London Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read this in high school and it was so entertaining.

[Sandra-lynn Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna read