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Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
by
From bestselling author Jon Krakauer, a stark, powerful, meticulously reported narrative about a series of sexual assaults at the University of Montana — stories that illuminate the human drama behind the national plague of campus rape.
Missoula, Montana, is a typical college town, with a highly regarded state university, bucolic surroundings, a lively social scene, and a ...more
Missoula, Montana, is a typical college town, with a highly regarded state university, bucolic surroundings, a lively social scene, and a ...more
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Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
April 21st 2015
by Doubleday
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Marj
28.95 hardcover, but i got it from the library
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Start your review of Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Absolutely gripping. The subject matter is one close to my heart, but after reading this and Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven, I'm starting to think he can make any subject interesting with his emotive and engaging writing style. Who knows? Maybe I can even get myself interested in mountaineering and tackle Into Thin Air or Eiger Dreams.
We shall see.
Anyway, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is extremely horrifying. I followed a number of the cases the author writes abo ...more
We shall see.
Anyway, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is extremely horrifying. I followed a number of the cases the author writes abo ...more

Jul 02, 2015
Shelby *trains flying monkeys*
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
liburry-book,
read-2015

Rape in unique. No other crime is so fraught with controversy, so enmeshed in dispute and in the politics of gender and sexuality.
This book is not an easy read. It is however a book that should be read. It really should be required reading in high school and early college years. Not just for the boys either. Girls need this book too.
I wish I could do this book justice in a review. I just don't think I can encompass it well enough. Just read this book people. Even if you hate the way Jon Kra ...more

Short review: Ban Men
Longer review: Horrifying look at rape culture at work in Missoula, MT, but also applicable everywhere. The first half of the book is much stronger. The second half is basically court transcripts. I would have liked to see more synthesis, and author insight. At the very end Krakauer is also like, "I had no idea it was this bad and that so many women were raped and now I know," and it was kind of strange but I guess it was also honest. What really struck me in this book is ho ...more
Longer review: Horrifying look at rape culture at work in Missoula, MT, but also applicable everywhere. The first half of the book is much stronger. The second half is basically court transcripts. I would have liked to see more synthesis, and author insight. At the very end Krakauer is also like, "I had no idea it was this bad and that so many women were raped and now I know," and it was kind of strange but I guess it was also honest. What really struck me in this book is ho ...more

May 21, 2015
Petra-X is getting covered in Soufriere ash
rated it
it was amazing
Recommended to Petra-X is getting covered in Soufriere ash by:
Alisi ☆ wants to read too many books ☆
The book was brilliantly and exhaustively written.
The system seems to be all women are guilty of getting themselves raped, or if they aren't guilty it wasn't that bad. And any efforts to accuse men, Our Footballers especially, will be seen as wicked girls who couldn't get a boyfriend or had some other contemptible and probably girlie motive. Police will only prosecute rape when they are 100% sure of getting a conviction as that looks good on their record.
Advice to girls going to college.
1. Do ...more
The system seems to be all women are guilty of getting themselves raped, or if they aren't guilty it wasn't that bad. And any efforts to accuse men, Our Footballers especially, will be seen as wicked girls who couldn't get a boyfriend or had some other contemptible and probably girlie motive. Police will only prosecute rape when they are 100% sure of getting a conviction as that looks good on their record.
Advice to girls going to college.
1. Do ...more

I will read anything Krakauer writes.
This book, in particular, is both powerful and necessary. As he writes: "rather than being the nation's rape capital, Missoula had an incidence of sexual assault [in 2010] that was in fact slightly less than the national average. That's the real scandal." ...more
This book, in particular, is both powerful and necessary. As he writes: "rather than being the nation's rape capital, Missoula had an incidence of sexual assault [in 2010] that was in fact slightly less than the national average. That's the real scandal." ...more

All right, I'm going to be an asshole.
That's really the only way this will come off, isn't it? How can I explain that, while I believe that the subject matter is incredibly important, disturbing, and heart-wrenching, that the book itself doesn't live up to the task?
I love Jon Krakauer's work. What I love most about his writing is the way that he uses very specific narratives to talk about, and to illustrate, a much broader point. In INTO THE WILD, he wrote about one man's purposeful isolation, ...more
That's really the only way this will come off, isn't it? How can I explain that, while I believe that the subject matter is incredibly important, disturbing, and heart-wrenching, that the book itself doesn't live up to the task?
I love Jon Krakauer's work. What I love most about his writing is the way that he uses very specific narratives to talk about, and to illustrate, a much broader point. In INTO THE WILD, he wrote about one man's purposeful isolation, ...more

This is a painful, frustrating, teeth-grinding, angst-inducing, trigger-filled must read.
For those who think Krakauer is picking on Missoula, or out to tarnish the image of a whole community, get over it and read the book.
In the end he praises the University of Montana (where my daughter goes to school) for their improvements, he lauds the Missoula police, and highlights a weak spot for victims of sexual assault in the local justice system--the County Attorney's office.
Will those in charge of ...more
For those who think Krakauer is picking on Missoula, or out to tarnish the image of a whole community, get over it and read the book.
In the end he praises the University of Montana (where my daughter goes to school) for their improvements, he lauds the Missoula police, and highlights a weak spot for victims of sexual assault in the local justice system--the County Attorney's office.
Will those in charge of ...more

This narrative shocked me; enraged me; then frightened me. Krakauer exposes a rape culture that resides in the University of Missoula, Montana. Rape is the most under reported, prevalent violent crime against women and often committed by men whom they are acquainted with. This looks at 3 specific cases where the accused are football players. No more than 20% of rapes are reported. Why? Just look at how they are adjudicated. The victim re-victimized and traumatized physically through the collecti
...more

At the end of almost every audiobook the narrator comes on and says “We hope you have enjoyed this audio presentation of insert title. This morning when I got to the end of Jon Krakauer's latest book, and heard that, I had to laugh. No, I did not enjoy Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. It is an excruciatingly painful book to read or listen to. It describes, in living Technicolor, several gut-wrenching sexual assaults and the years of psychological torment that the victims ...more

***NO SPOILERS***
Common rape fallacies:
Common rape fallacies:
1) Many women “cry rape.”
2) Many rape victims are the ones who choose not to charge and prosecute their rapists.
3) Most rapists don’t know their victims.
4) Most rapists are punished.If you think the United States is one of the most forward-thinking countries when it comes to this monstrous crime, if you think police do everything in their power to protect rape victims, if you think most people understand rape in general, you’d be sorely mistaken, and you ...more

A powerful examination of the realities of rape on college campuses ( Missoula in this book),
is just frickin TOO HIGH!!!!
The stories in Missoula are gut wrenching... details after details... Is it any wonder justice is hard to come by...
More rapes go under-reported than 'any' other crime? A crime which leaves life long scars.
If the 'big crimes' on college campuses of 'under-reporting' were stealing.... ( which happens too), the victim would feel angry, invaded, and a range of other emotion...b ...more
is just frickin TOO HIGH!!!!
The stories in Missoula are gut wrenching... details after details... Is it any wonder justice is hard to come by...
More rapes go under-reported than 'any' other crime? A crime which leaves life long scars.
If the 'big crimes' on college campuses of 'under-reporting' were stealing.... ( which happens too), the victim would feel angry, invaded, and a range of other emotion...b ...more


Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Jon Krakauer is an American writer best known for his writings about the outdoors
"Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town'' is a brutally honest, absorbing piece of investigative journalism that chronicles several alleged cases of "non-stranger" rape that occurred in the college town of Missoula, Montana, between January 2008 and May 2012.
While I found some of the book's descriptions of sexual assaults highly descrip ...more

With the atrocity of the Stanford swimmer rapist case blowing up in the news, I feel like I could not have read Missoula at a more relevant time. Jon Krakauer does a great job highlighting the flurry of rapes that took place in the college town of Missoula at the University of Montana. His extensive and meticulous research shines as he delves into the convoluted intricacies of prosecuting rape in our legal system and the horrible trauma survivors experience as a result of rape. While Krakauer fo
...more

****WARNING**** - to all of my GR friends who read my reviews, this is not going to be a typical review for me- it simply cannot be.
Krakauer has given voice to a subject that is extremely personal to me - I was a victim of sexual assault and as Krakauer points out, to not be believed is almost worse than the assault itself. As to the book- brilliant- mother-effing brilliant.
Anyone (Kirsten Pabst) who wants to claim that this book provides a one-sided view of a complicated issue- well you can j ...more
Krakauer has given voice to a subject that is extremely personal to me - I was a victim of sexual assault and as Krakauer points out, to not be believed is almost worse than the assault itself. As to the book- brilliant- mother-effing brilliant.
Anyone (Kirsten Pabst) who wants to claim that this book provides a one-sided view of a complicated issue- well you can j ...more

In Toronto, we are currently being inundated with news of the trial of Jian Ghomeshi. He was a radio personality on Canada's public radio who was dismissed last year after stories surfaced about assaults involving many women. From the get go, he claimed that he was into rough sex and that the women had consented. Ultimately, charges were laid in relation to assaults on three women, and the trial has just finished this week. Every day for the past two weeks, we have been bombarded with informatio
...more

“Rape is the most unreported serious crime in the nation.”
Wow, the author’s note mentioned that some portions of this book would be hard to read, and I did find that to be the case. Krakauer takes the high rate of reported sexual assaults in college towns, and hones in on the small college town of Missoula, Montana. Between 2010 and 2012, he introduces us to half a dozen cases of rape and sexual assault. Some made national headlines, as several members of the college football team were implicate ...more
Wow, the author’s note mentioned that some portions of this book would be hard to read, and I did find that to be the case. Krakauer takes the high rate of reported sexual assaults in college towns, and hones in on the small college town of Missoula, Montana. Between 2010 and 2012, he introduces us to half a dozen cases of rape and sexual assault. Some made national headlines, as several members of the college football team were implicate ...more

If I were to be asked what is my most inconsistent position, my greatest double-standard, the dissonance which keeps cognitively challenging me, it would be my stance on prison and sexual assault. First off, I am horrified by our modern day equivalent to slavery, sympathize deeply with inmates (especially, but not limited to, nonviolent inmates), and wish we had a better way. A better mental health care system, vastly expanded social services, educational and vocational programs for those who ge
...more

“Most women are all too familiar with men like Calvin Smith. Men whose sense of prerogative renders them deaf when women say, "No thanks," "Not interested," or even "Fuck off, creep.”
― Jon Krakauer, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
This book is so important to read. It is a stunning look at college rape and our justice system. It will most likely make the reader both sad and pretty angry.
When I think of Montana, I think of pure, wild beauty. The kind of place as close to p ...more
― Jon Krakauer, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
This book is so important to read. It is a stunning look at college rape and our justice system. It will most likely make the reader both sad and pretty angry.
When I think of Montana, I think of pure, wild beauty. The kind of place as close to p ...more

What an excruciating eye-opener! If you do not trust authorities now, reading this true account of the numerous unreported crimes and sexual assaults on a Missoula, Montana college campus will not improve your confidence.
The statistics are baffling and the procedures deplorable not only for the University of Montana, but the Missoula Police Department and Missoula County Attorney's Office as well who all failed to do their jobs. It is a shame that politics and football games became the greater i
...more
I read this book over the course of a weekend. It was so compelling and infuriating, I couldn't put it down. I won't summarize the contents, but suffice to say, it deals with upsetting subject matter and though it's a few years old now, is extremely relevant (I guess it would be relevant at all times in history, sadly). The author handled the subject with great care, attention and compassion and I am sure I will read more by him in the future. Recommended!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at htt ...more
Find more reviews and bookish fun at htt ...more

3.5 stars
This would have been 4 stars but it got very dry near the end. I loved how informative this is and for the most part is was very impactful and dark and an important read, but the legal process took up a huge chunk of this book and although I know it's important to understand how the justice system works in order to perceive its corruption, I had to skim some of those parts. However, I thought the women's stories were very brave and I hope this book doesn't scare people away from reporti ...more
This would have been 4 stars but it got very dry near the end. I loved how informative this is and for the most part is was very impactful and dark and an important read, but the legal process took up a huge chunk of this book and although I know it's important to understand how the justice system works in order to perceive its corruption, I had to skim some of those parts. However, I thought the women's stories were very brave and I hope this book doesn't scare people away from reporti ...more

This is not an easy read. I read it slowly, partly because of the difficulty of the content, partly because I read it in pockets of free time at work.
In the conclusion to Missoula, Jon Krakauer writes:
In the conclusion to Missoula, Jon Krakauer writes:
"...I was angry with myself for being so uninformed... I resolved to learn what I could about [rape.] I did a lot of reading, and sought out rape survivors who were willing to share their stories. Writing this book was an outgrowth of that quest....more
As the scope of my research expanded, I was stunned

Just saw this:
Breaking News
BAYLOR University lawsuit alleges during a 4 year period, 31 football players committed:
* 52 acts of rape
* 5 gang rapes
* 2 or more gang rapes by 10 or more players at one time
read more here: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/baylor...
MISSOULA:
RAPE AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN A COLLEGE TOWN
By John Krakauer
***********FIRST: A "MUST READ" ARTICLE***********
Vanderbilt University football players video recorded themselves gang raping an unconscious female student: http://ww ...more
Breaking News
BAYLOR University lawsuit alleges during a 4 year period, 31 football players committed:
* 52 acts of rape
* 5 gang rapes
* 2 or more gang rapes by 10 or more players at one time
read more here: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/baylor...
MISSOULA:
RAPE AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IN A COLLEGE TOWN
By John Krakauer

***********FIRST: A "MUST READ" ARTICLE***********
Vanderbilt University football players video recorded themselves gang raping an unconscious female student: http://ww ...more

Alarming, Infuriating and Disheartening (especially for father of two 17-year-old daughters heading to college next fall)[Oct. 19, 2016]

University of Montana in Missoula

Montana Grizzlies college football team, Member, NCAA Division I, Football Championship Subdivision
MISSOULA is Jon Krakauer's thorough and enlightening examination of the paramount, yet largely publicly opaque, problem of rape on college campuses nationwide (mainly by acquaintances). JK takes a narrative look at the specifics (ma ...more

University of Montana in Missoula

Montana Grizzlies college football team, Member, NCAA Division I, Football Championship Subdivision
MISSOULA is Jon Krakauer's thorough and enlightening examination of the paramount, yet largely publicly opaque, problem of rape on college campuses nationwide (mainly by acquaintances). JK takes a narrative look at the specifics (ma ...more

The scenarios discussed in this book were well researched. If you are looking for a book that gives an unbiased view of all sides of the rape issue, this is not it; this definitely focuses on the victim and the tendency of the law and society to side with the attacker (I am not giving my opinion as to whether that is good or bad, it just is so I thought I would mention it). For me, Krakauer has written some great books and some frustrating books. This leans toward the frustrating side mainly bec
...more

I attended Catholic school for grades 7 through 12, so I was just in time for “sex education” Catholic-style, which basically consists of letting you know that nothing is permitted: no masturbation, no sex outside of marriage, no gay sex (obviously), and, even within church-sanctioned heterosexual marriage, no birth control. Back then, the nuns and priests seemed to think it was a given that all the girls wanted to wait until marriage, and there was no acknowledgment that we might have any sexua
...more

Huh? Oh Goodreads, I did write a review for this. Why are you in my currently reading? Well, from what I remember now, I really loved this one. This book follows three different cases in Missoula, all involving the city's god-like football team, and the women they raped. What I liked most was the focus on how society often looks at the woman's actions. Was she drunk, did she actually say no? Oh, and yes, it is rape if a person is unconscious. I also liked how the woman's actions after a rape are
...more

Motivated by a close friend's acquaintance rape, Jon Krakauer's decidedly victim-centric account of a string of rapes at the University of Montana at Missoula in the late 2000s through 2013 is a compelling, well-researched look at the factors that comprised this "epidemic".
We learn that the rates of sexual assault and rape at U of Montana are not much different than other colleges and universities across the nation. As is the case nearly everywhere, so many victims opt not to report the crime t ...more
We learn that the rates of sexual assault and rape at U of Montana are not much different than other colleges and universities across the nation. As is the case nearly everywhere, so many victims opt not to report the crime t ...more

I was astounded that John Krakauer was capable of writing such a lousy book. I understand the need to put a national spotlight on acquaintance rape, the rape culture of colleges, the attitude of student athletes, and the unwillingness of many officials to hear women's voices. Krakauer reinforced statistics about how many rapists are never held accountable (90%) and how many women actually do lie about being raped (less than 10%). I realize that Missoula was used as a typical college and that he
...more

"When an individual is raped in this country, more than 90 percent of the time the rapist gets away with the crime."
Read this book.
I read this book because Jon Krakauer. A good reason, but there are so many more reasons to read this book.
On a personal note, this was an incredibly painful read for me. No book or movie or tv program has ever affected me this strongly. I always thought trigger warnings were pretty much bullshit. I don't anymore, as I sit here with this just-finished book on my lap, ...more
Read this book.
I read this book because Jon Krakauer. A good reason, but there are so many more reasons to read this book.
On a personal note, this was an incredibly painful read for me. No book or movie or tv program has ever affected me this strongly. I always thought trigger warnings were pretty much bullshit. I don't anymore, as I sit here with this just-finished book on my lap, ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Crime, Mysteries ...: Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town - March 2019 | 33 | 43 | Mar 30, 2019 01:34PM | |
Play Book Tag: Missoula / Jon Krakauer - 4**** | 3 | 26 | Apr 06, 2018 08:43PM | |
Play Book Tag: Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town / Jon Krakauer. 4 stars | 1 | 10 | Jan 26, 2018 10:24PM | |
Nonfiction Naviga...: Book Review | 1 | 3 | Dec 15, 2017 12:22PM | |
Nonfiction Naviga...: Crime and Injustice in College Towns | 1 | 2 | Dec 10, 2017 08:21AM |
Jon Krakauer is an American writer and mountaineer, well-known for outdoor and mountain-climbing writing.
https://www.facebook.com/jonkrakauer ...more
https://www.facebook.com/jonkrakauer ...more
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“It is very tempting to take the side of the perpetrator. All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to see, hear, and speak no evil. The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of pain. The victim demands action, engagement, and remembering….”
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“Rape and war, she explained are among the most common causes of post-traumatic stress disorder, and survivors of sexual assault frequently exhibit many of the same symptoms and behaviors as survivors of combat: flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, hypervigilance, depression, isolation, suicidal thoughts, outbursts of anger, unrelenting anxiety, and an inability to shake the feeling that the world is spinning out of control.”
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