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How to Escape from Prison
The Remarkable Story of How One Man Defied the Odds
At 18, Paul Wood thought he had lost everything. He had committed an act he knew would send him to prison for many years. To a young man like Paul, it might as well have been for the rest of his life.
Plunged into a nightmarish world of extreme violence, solitary confinement, gang allegiances, drugs, vindictive wardens and regular stabbings, Paul spent the next 11 years confined in some of New Zealand's toughest jails.
Based on an account of his experiences he wrote while still inside, How to Escape from Prison chronicles Paul's road to redemption and a new life as a doctor of psychology, helping others strive to fulfil their potential and develop the resilience to flourish, even in adversity. This is a gripping read about a man who sank to the depths of despair, before scaling the heights of true freedom.
'Paul's transformation is unbelievable. We are sometimes brought up to think a zebra can't change its stripes. Paul Wood's story is proof that anyone can change. It gives you great courage that you can do anything.'
- Sir John Kirwan
At 18, Paul Wood thought he had lost everything. He had committed an act he knew would send him to prison for many years. To a young man like Paul, it might as well have been for the rest of his life.
Plunged into a nightmarish world of extreme violence, solitary confinement, gang allegiances, drugs, vindictive wardens and regular stabbings, Paul spent the next 11 years confined in some of New Zealand's toughest jails.
Based on an account of his experiences he wrote while still inside, How to Escape from Prison chronicles Paul's road to redemption and a new life as a doctor of psychology, helping others strive to fulfil their potential and develop the resilience to flourish, even in adversity. This is a gripping read about a man who sank to the depths of despair, before scaling the heights of true freedom.
'Paul's transformation is unbelievable. We are sometimes brought up to think a zebra can't change its stripes. Paul Wood's story is proof that anyone can change. It gives you great courage that you can do anything.'
- Sir John Kirwan
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2018
42 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 5, 2019
Violence is the measure of a man. Paul Wood owns his past, and has learnt from it and moved beyond it. How to escape from prison is a valuable book, it showcases Paul's personal growth, how he faced the reality of his sentence and incarceration and used his time to change his future. He was able to grow mentally and spiritually and redeemed yourself. Paul used his life sentence to educate himself and prove that you can be rehabilitated if you have the right support system in place and are willing to change.
At 18, Paul Wood thought he had lost everything. He had committed an act he knew would send him to prison for many years. To a young man like Paul, it might as well have been for the rest of his life. This was a very interesting book, nothing was sugar coated, whichI appreciated as it gave the books message real credence.
At 18, Paul Wood thought he had lost everything. He had committed an act he knew would send him to prison for many years. To a young man like Paul, it might as well have been for the rest of his life. This was a very interesting book, nothing was sugar coated, whichI appreciated as it gave the books message real credence.
January 6, 2020
Intense. The "self help" type parts I found ok, but the autobiographical pieces were riveting. Adding to this a couple of months post my note...I saw Paul speak which inspired me to buy the book. Then after reading it I saw him in Chch airport so thought I’d say hello. I can’t remember all that we talked about but when I went to leave he said “thanks for that, you made my day”. The way he spoke both to an audience and in person was impressive and intense in a positive way.
November 24, 2019
I first heard of this guy when he was being interviewed on the radio a few months back and his journey really caught my attention. Because I’m not a Kiwi I came to this with no knowledge of the case and so got a fresh and revealing take on this fascinating story as it unravelled in all its detail.
There is a lot of good stuff in here. Wood confronts the perils and pitfalls of toxic masculinity within the prison system, and we see the ways in which it can just as easily kill you as save your life, which exposes the many shortcomings and hypocrisies of the system.
We see that the overwhelming majority of inmates are made up of Maori and Polynesian men, which is reflective of the country’s ongoing deeper issues with racism and discrimination. There are some moments where I felt he came across like a reformed smoker, all OTT over compensating for his past ways etc, but overall this was a gritty, confessional and inspiring memoir. The standard of writing and insight is certainly above most prison memoirs and this should be recommended reading for all prisoners throughout the NZ penal system and beyond.
October 12, 2022
Curiosity finally got the best of me with this book. I met Paul some time ago (before this book was published) when he facilitated a leadership workshop I attended. Fast-forward a few years, and I started seeing this book pop up in libraries and book shops. Everyone loves a good redemption story, and even better if you have met the person, right? Right. However, this book stands on its own merits (i.e. without my familiarity bias). Paul is an excellent writer and story-teller, and his story is impressive. I found the sections on his five steps to escape (self-imposed mental) prisons less compelling than the autobiographical bits, but they still had useful insights. All up, a great read.
September 5, 2019
Good story of bravery and redemption. Dr Woods is an amazing speaker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljjls...) and an inspirational, hard-working, person. That he comes from just down the road from me is a bonus, but this is well worth a read to support local authors.
January 9, 2021
Inspirational reading that shows life could be dramatically changed with the right attitude and persistent approach to self-improvement. I have devoured the book in 3 days and will recommend it to anyone who needs some motivation to start working towards a better future.
September 9, 2023
A blend of riveting memoir and non riveting humanist self-help psychology. The autobiographical stuff was worth it though.
February 17, 2020
When I was in New Zealand Michael Sethna gave this book saying I might have competed against Paul Wood in Judo in the late 90’s and that he was now a well-regarded Psychologist who had done time in Prison. Right weight class, but when I was doing well in Judo, Paul Wood was in Prison for murder.
I can say I detested him as a person for the first 8 chapters of the book. He was an over entitled, narcissistic, anti-social, arsehole. I took umbridge at his comparison of his situation to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn was sent to the Gulag as a Political Prisoner, and according to Solzhenitsyn definition Wood would have been nothing more than a thief in the Gulag. What a conceited wanker, I thought.
He wrote well and it was an easy read. He talked about the ease of getting drugs into prison, and how the good prison officers allowed corruption of the system. I was amazed at how well the prisoners were treated and how many rights they had, yet Wood still maintained the system was corrupt against him and he was still a victim of the ‘system’. He believed in conspiracies about the administration targeting him. It made me think that the powerless make the powerful god like in their own minds.
He wrote about the vindictive wardens, and I thought my arse. He held the guards to a much higher standard, then his contemporaries. If he had of held himself to the same standard, he would have ended up in prison. Prison was the best place for him, and gave him more opportunities than was fair. Luckily, he came from New Zealand, a country where even murderers are treated with remarkable dignity by the system. The more of the first eight chapters I read, the more my admiration for the New Zealand Justice system grew and my opinion of Paul Wood grew lower and lower. The work reminded me of the Wolf of Wall-street, glorifying that which is not deserving of glory.
He described an acid inspired dream where his dead mother told him he was doing the wrong thing, that he was better than where he was (p84), but this did not inspire change. It all changed from Chapter 9 when he decided to stop using drugs and began reading philosophy and psychology. We read a lot of the same books, if fact I do not think there was one book he quoted that I had not read. He writes a lot about embracing Stoicism which got a big thumbs up from me. The change in the book was rapid (but I doubt it was in his life), he began referring to people as Corrective Services Officers, rather than Screws.
Thought the book he describes an antagonistic relationship with one Officer he calls ‘Cowboy’. As he is changing Cowboy has the opportunity to reasonably hold him back and would have been justified in doing so. Cowboy chooses to give Wood an opportunity. As he was making positive changes it was the Prison Officers who became his advocates and supporters. Reading between the lines the Prison Officers seemed good people that were mostly just and fair reflecting Wood’s attitude back on him. They were doing a job and did not deserve the abuse and violence, that the Prisoners felt entitled to give them. They deserve all good things that they get. They are wise and were able to recognise when people were having a go and responded appropriately. People also responded appropriately when people were not having a go, and blaming their misfortunes on the system.
“Our prison system was devised at a time when people believed we all have a ‘spark of divinity’ within us, that it is wrong to despair of even the most antisocial miscreants in society” - “the notion that prisons should seek to rehabilitate prisoners, to nurse that spark of divinity into a flame”. (p 324). Wood benefited from this enlightened perceptive, that someone as obviously loathsome as him was given the opportunity for redemption as soon as he was prepared to accept that opportunity and work with the system. It is an observation that one can cheat the system, change the system, but never beat the system.
I have been on the end of the type of abuse over entitled, narcissistic, anti-social, arseholes think they are justified in giving public servants (because I represent the system professionally) just going about their jobs more times than I care to remember. I think I would like Paul Wood today if we meet. We would have interesting chats about philosophy and psychology. I am not sure he intended this, but my respect for the corrections system and those who serve it was increased for reading this book. Everyone deserves as many opportunities as the need. The system worked well for Paul Wood. It was exactly what he needed, when he needed it.
I can say I detested him as a person for the first 8 chapters of the book. He was an over entitled, narcissistic, anti-social, arsehole. I took umbridge at his comparison of his situation to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn was sent to the Gulag as a Political Prisoner, and according to Solzhenitsyn definition Wood would have been nothing more than a thief in the Gulag. What a conceited wanker, I thought.
He wrote well and it was an easy read. He talked about the ease of getting drugs into prison, and how the good prison officers allowed corruption of the system. I was amazed at how well the prisoners were treated and how many rights they had, yet Wood still maintained the system was corrupt against him and he was still a victim of the ‘system’. He believed in conspiracies about the administration targeting him. It made me think that the powerless make the powerful god like in their own minds.
He wrote about the vindictive wardens, and I thought my arse. He held the guards to a much higher standard, then his contemporaries. If he had of held himself to the same standard, he would have ended up in prison. Prison was the best place for him, and gave him more opportunities than was fair. Luckily, he came from New Zealand, a country where even murderers are treated with remarkable dignity by the system. The more of the first eight chapters I read, the more my admiration for the New Zealand Justice system grew and my opinion of Paul Wood grew lower and lower. The work reminded me of the Wolf of Wall-street, glorifying that which is not deserving of glory.
He described an acid inspired dream where his dead mother told him he was doing the wrong thing, that he was better than where he was (p84), but this did not inspire change. It all changed from Chapter 9 when he decided to stop using drugs and began reading philosophy and psychology. We read a lot of the same books, if fact I do not think there was one book he quoted that I had not read. He writes a lot about embracing Stoicism which got a big thumbs up from me. The change in the book was rapid (but I doubt it was in his life), he began referring to people as Corrective Services Officers, rather than Screws.
Thought the book he describes an antagonistic relationship with one Officer he calls ‘Cowboy’. As he is changing Cowboy has the opportunity to reasonably hold him back and would have been justified in doing so. Cowboy chooses to give Wood an opportunity. As he was making positive changes it was the Prison Officers who became his advocates and supporters. Reading between the lines the Prison Officers seemed good people that were mostly just and fair reflecting Wood’s attitude back on him. They were doing a job and did not deserve the abuse and violence, that the Prisoners felt entitled to give them. They deserve all good things that they get. They are wise and were able to recognise when people were having a go and responded appropriately. People also responded appropriately when people were not having a go, and blaming their misfortunes on the system.
“Our prison system was devised at a time when people believed we all have a ‘spark of divinity’ within us, that it is wrong to despair of even the most antisocial miscreants in society” - “the notion that prisons should seek to rehabilitate prisoners, to nurse that spark of divinity into a flame”. (p 324). Wood benefited from this enlightened perceptive, that someone as obviously loathsome as him was given the opportunity for redemption as soon as he was prepared to accept that opportunity and work with the system. It is an observation that one can cheat the system, change the system, but never beat the system.
I have been on the end of the type of abuse over entitled, narcissistic, anti-social, arseholes think they are justified in giving public servants (because I represent the system professionally) just going about their jobs more times than I care to remember. I think I would like Paul Wood today if we meet. We would have interesting chats about philosophy and psychology. I am not sure he intended this, but my respect for the corrections system and those who serve it was increased for reading this book. Everyone deserves as many opportunities as the need. The system worked well for Paul Wood. It was exactly what he needed, when he needed it.
August 12, 2019
I heard Paul talk recently and was very keen to get my hands on this book. Have to confess I got a little bored with the prison talk, but enjoyed the other parts of the book - especially how he turned his life around once he began studying. Very inspiring. Good on him, I hope he can make a huge difference in the life of other young lads that have lost their way.
August 13, 2019
Thoroughly recommend this book to nearly everyone in NZ, especially teenagers upwards. All about seeing possibilities and focussing on "doing better, feeling better", finding meaning in life. Thank you to Dr Paul Wood for writing this and being so honest.
November 1, 2021
For all the self-affronting honesty the author displays he still neglects to mention that he stole money from his dying mother. I was also troubled by the White Guilt/racism of low expectations that he was forced to pay lip service to in order to please prison authorities and 'escape'.
"We are all our own prisons, we are each all our own wardens and we do our own time. I can't judge anyone else. What other people do is not really my affair unless they approach me with it. Prison's in your mind. Can't you see that I'm free?
See, prison doesn't begin and end at the gate. Prison is in the mind. It's locked in one world that's dead and dying or it's open to a world that's free and alive."
~ Charles Manson said it better
"We are all our own prisons, we are each all our own wardens and we do our own time. I can't judge anyone else. What other people do is not really my affair unless they approach me with it. Prison's in your mind. Can't you see that I'm free?
See, prison doesn't begin and end at the gate. Prison is in the mind. It's locked in one world that's dead and dying or it's open to a world that's free and alive."
~ Charles Manson said it better
July 17, 2019
Inspiring read and even more inspiring speaker if you ever get the chance to hear Paul address a conference or work shop. Not an easy story to hear about but very eye opening. Very impressive & motivating to hear what you have achieved and how you did it
August 16, 2019
Fabulous read and an amazing genuine guy
Have been to a number of his courses and he is so genuine in his work, is so easy to listen to and understand.
Amazing read and journey to this point. I'm definitely motivated to start laying bricks for my future
Have been to a number of his courses and he is so genuine in his work, is so easy to listen to and understand.
Amazing read and journey to this point. I'm definitely motivated to start laying bricks for my future
October 3, 2019
Paul Wood was convicted of murder and imprisoned at age eighteen spending the next eleven years in Mt Crawford, Paremoremo, and Rimutaka prisons.
He has recorded these years in a recently released book How to Escape From Prison, a harrowing read of a young man’s journey with drug addiction and violence before his escape from his “mental prison’ enabled him to complete a degree while still in prison.
A mental prison Wood explains is a “set of distorted or misguided beliefs that condition our view of ourselves and the choices available to us, that prevent us from seeing clearly what we might achieve if we chose to live freely.”
Growing up in Wellington, Wood progressed from fighting with his brothers and dropping out of school, as well as becoming caught up in the drug scene before killing his drug dealer with a baseball bat, three days after the death of his mother.
How to Escape from Prison records Paul’s life behind bars and the people he meet inside who encouraged his road to redemption and the completion of a masters degree in psychology. He commenced further study for a doctorate while in prison completing this on his release and graduating on 2011.
The writing style is simple and easy to follow although the graphic detailing of the drug taking and prison life is at times overwhelming and I felt enormous relief as Paul Woods found his pathway to freedom through study. He said, “Once I discovered reading, I began to read voraciously”, and throughout the book he has included many quotations from books which assisted in his rehabilitation. His Five Steps to Freedom outlined in part two of the book include good advice and strategies to help people escape their mental prisons, and he has also shared “a list of things that assist in the development and exercise of self-control” which he calls “Willpower 101”.
Paul Wood lives in Wellington is a motivational speaker, and leadership and personal development specialist, contributes regularly to the media and works with charities that focus on helping young men avoid prison or reintegrate on release. How to Escape from Prison is an inspiring read and valuable resource for anyone needing help to fulfill their potential and turn their dreams into reality.
He has recorded these years in a recently released book How to Escape From Prison, a harrowing read of a young man’s journey with drug addiction and violence before his escape from his “mental prison’ enabled him to complete a degree while still in prison.
A mental prison Wood explains is a “set of distorted or misguided beliefs that condition our view of ourselves and the choices available to us, that prevent us from seeing clearly what we might achieve if we chose to live freely.”
Growing up in Wellington, Wood progressed from fighting with his brothers and dropping out of school, as well as becoming caught up in the drug scene before killing his drug dealer with a baseball bat, three days after the death of his mother.
How to Escape from Prison records Paul’s life behind bars and the people he meet inside who encouraged his road to redemption and the completion of a masters degree in psychology. He commenced further study for a doctorate while in prison completing this on his release and graduating on 2011.
The writing style is simple and easy to follow although the graphic detailing of the drug taking and prison life is at times overwhelming and I felt enormous relief as Paul Woods found his pathway to freedom through study. He said, “Once I discovered reading, I began to read voraciously”, and throughout the book he has included many quotations from books which assisted in his rehabilitation. His Five Steps to Freedom outlined in part two of the book include good advice and strategies to help people escape their mental prisons, and he has also shared “a list of things that assist in the development and exercise of self-control” which he calls “Willpower 101”.
Paul Wood lives in Wellington is a motivational speaker, and leadership and personal development specialist, contributes regularly to the media and works with charities that focus on helping young men avoid prison or reintegrate on release. How to Escape from Prison is an inspiring read and valuable resource for anyone needing help to fulfill their potential and turn their dreams into reality.
June 16, 2020
When Paul Wood was a teenager, he made a series of small yet poor decisions which ultimately led him down a path of self-destruction.
Just three days after his mother passed away, Wood committed murder and was given a life sentence to be served at Rimutaka Prison. Yet it was the act of physical imprisonment which made him realise he had been mentally imprisoned for years.
Wood tells us that everyone is born free, but some of us allow ourselves to become prisoners in our own minds. For Wood, it was his self-belief that there was no life for him outside of dealing drugs and committing violent acts which trapped him in a repetitive cycle of making dangerous and self-destructive decisions.
He got sucked into a culture of excessive alcohol and drug consumption, fighting and crime. The person Wood was prior to his sentence would never have dreamed of gaining a PhD - yet this is what prison allowed him to achieve.
Wood describes his frightening beginning to prison life and how he learnt to adapt in a place where violence is used as an honour code, even if your instincts scream at you to walk away from conflict. He describes a place where trouble finds you, even if you do your best to avoid it. And he also tells of his amazing journey to free himself of the confines he created for his own life and the people who helped him turn it all around. A great story of transformation, with a self-help element at the start of every chapter.
Just three days after his mother passed away, Wood committed murder and was given a life sentence to be served at Rimutaka Prison. Yet it was the act of physical imprisonment which made him realise he had been mentally imprisoned for years.
Wood tells us that everyone is born free, but some of us allow ourselves to become prisoners in our own minds. For Wood, it was his self-belief that there was no life for him outside of dealing drugs and committing violent acts which trapped him in a repetitive cycle of making dangerous and self-destructive decisions.
He got sucked into a culture of excessive alcohol and drug consumption, fighting and crime. The person Wood was prior to his sentence would never have dreamed of gaining a PhD - yet this is what prison allowed him to achieve.
Wood describes his frightening beginning to prison life and how he learnt to adapt in a place where violence is used as an honour code, even if your instincts scream at you to walk away from conflict. He describes a place where trouble finds you, even if you do your best to avoid it. And he also tells of his amazing journey to free himself of the confines he created for his own life and the people who helped him turn it all around. A great story of transformation, with a self-help element at the start of every chapter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2023
One of the best self-help books/auto-biographies I’ve ever read. Paul wood dives into his life and time in prison. It’s a powerful story as Paul wood alludes to his physical time in prison with also your own metaphorical prison. He structures the book into sections that describe the process of his steps to freedom. I have never been as inspired as a book such as this. It was an extremely vulnerable, raw and inspirational read. I recommend this book to everyone who asks if there’s a book that I love. The mental resilience was something I applauded for time and time again when reading this. It’s a great prelude to his next book, mental fitness. References to stress in your life and its purpose was also very eye opening into how we perceive it and other things in life as well. Thank you so much for creating such an amazing read. This also helped me apply a different psychology of viewing my life and struggles and my own mental prison.
My favourite quotes
“You must remind yourself that you were born free, and that the thoughts and beliefs that you hold back can be challenged, tamed and replaced, no matter how hard it seems to remember this at the time”
“Without stress, we aren’t appropriately stimulated to reach peak performance in any area”
My favourite quotes
“You must remind yourself that you were born free, and that the thoughts and beliefs that you hold back can be challenged, tamed and replaced, no matter how hard it seems to remember this at the time”
“Without stress, we aren’t appropriately stimulated to reach peak performance in any area”
February 1, 2020
Inspiring story of how a Paul Wood managed to turn his life around (with the help of a few selfless people who refused to give up on this angry young man) by finally realising HE was the key to making different choices for his life. I very much liked the inclusion in some of the chapters of Dr Wood using his knowledge and experience in the field of psychology, to comment on and explain some of the behaviours of his young self.
Discussing his childhood (two parents present and siblings he seemed close to) is helpful in challenging the tendency to stereotype people serving time in prison.
He had a pretty grim start to his 'coming of age' stage of life. There are certainly lessons to be learned and questions to reflect on after reading this book.
Discussing his childhood (two parents present and siblings he seemed close to) is helpful in challenging the tendency to stereotype people serving time in prison.
He had a pretty grim start to his 'coming of age' stage of life. There are certainly lessons to be learned and questions to reflect on after reading this book.
April 23, 2024
Paul Wood. this was an great recommendation I had given to me by someone at work. It felt insightful and you could clearly tell Paul had put a lot of time and effort into rebuilding himself and making sure he would never fall as low as he did. His advice at the start of each chapter was inspiring and his '5 Steps towards freedom' was really insightful. He wrote it out so little-by-little you could do it yourself and reach a level of mental freedom that Paul has achieved. It was also a great insight into the prison system within New Zealand and im glad Massey University gave paul a shot and let him study because look at where he's ended up. It just shows that with effort you are able to change yourself for the better and come up from rock bottom.
October 16, 2019
This was one if the best reads I've picked up in the last 10 years. I work in the justice sector and it has given me consideration as to how the sector is experienced. Dr Paul Wood's journey of redemption is harrowing and there is plenty to be learnt for all here, regardless of your background.
This book raises questions for us all to consider about human potential and it doesn't matter what the starting point is. I listened to this as an audio book but intend to get a hard copy to pour over sections that I need re read and also it's a book I'd like to lend out at work and to friends and family.
Highly recommended!
This book raises questions for us all to consider about human potential and it doesn't matter what the starting point is. I listened to this as an audio book but intend to get a hard copy to pour over sections that I need re read and also it's a book I'd like to lend out at work and to friends and family.
Highly recommended!
September 29, 2020
How to escape from Prison is about Paul Wood. A book about one of the first men to get a degree while in prison.
The first third of the book sets the scene of how he landed in prison. The murder of a drug dealer and his experience with the NZ Police.
I struggled reading the middle portion as he highlights the realities of Paremoremo and an atmosphere of extreme violence between rival gangs.
The final portion of the book was very inspiring as it shows his growth, focus and determination.
Perhaps the most interesting portion was the final chapter - which needs to be read.
From Inmate to Doctor of Psychology.
The first third of the book sets the scene of how he landed in prison. The murder of a drug dealer and his experience with the NZ Police.
I struggled reading the middle portion as he highlights the realities of Paremoremo and an atmosphere of extreme violence between rival gangs.
The final portion of the book was very inspiring as it shows his growth, focus and determination.
Perhaps the most interesting portion was the final chapter - which needs to be read.
From Inmate to Doctor of Psychology.
April 6, 2022
What a stark summary of a life.
Facing up to the extreme impact of hands-off parenting when it combined with falling in with the wrong crowd and taking on the wrong lessons about manhood.
I felt broken on his behalf at the Parole Board hearing.
The change Paul has made to his life, he is clear he has made with the assistance and support of many, but it is still HIS change - others might not have made it even with the same opportunities presented to them.
I found the self-help bits a little preachy, Paul is deeply in to Stoic philosophy, but they also still taught me something. And the autobiographical portions are intense.
Facing up to the extreme impact of hands-off parenting when it combined with falling in with the wrong crowd and taking on the wrong lessons about manhood.
I felt broken on his behalf at the Parole Board hearing.
The change Paul has made to his life, he is clear he has made with the assistance and support of many, but it is still HIS change - others might not have made it even with the same opportunities presented to them.
I found the self-help bits a little preachy, Paul is deeply in to Stoic philosophy, but they also still taught me something. And the autobiographical portions are intense.
February 1, 2020
Paul Wood has lead a life very different to mine, and what he writes about was a completely foreign and rather terrifying experience of crime, drugs, and prison. It was inspiring to see how education and the support of good people around him made it possible for him to become reformed and reintegrate to society. The book shows how difficult that is and how our prisons aren’t set up for more people to do that, which is a sad reflection on our society and justice system.
September 7, 2023
If you love real stories written by real people, then this is the best book I can recommend to you. Before judging the cover, the title is not as literal as you may think. As someone who's never been to physical prison, this book is still hugely eye opening and talks a lot about being stuck in a mental prison. This book was almost impossible for me to put down, its such an amazing book even for those who have never stepped foot in prison themselves. 10/10 reccomend
January 22, 2020
One of the most inspiring books I've read. Dr Paul totally transformed his life and empowers you to look at how you can change yours. I read this book straight after reading "The subtle art of not giving a fuck" and it was really surprising to me that the themes were both very similar. Its about understanding whats important to you and what you want out of life and making it happen.
December 9, 2020
This book was recommended to me by a friend and I now recommend this book to everyone who is my friend - or, at least, reading this review. Such a great book; it's written well, tells an interesting story, draws upon human psychology and presents information that is genuinely helpful to anyone who identifies as a human.
February 19, 2021
Nona
I began listening to this book by Dr. Paul WOOD and found after a couple of chapters it was not something I wanted to continue with at this time. The references to his childhood were a bit disturbing, and I suppose I am not in the mood for this type of brutality at the moment.
May come back to it.
I began listening to this book by Dr. Paul WOOD and found after a couple of chapters it was not something I wanted to continue with at this time. The references to his childhood were a bit disturbing, and I suppose I am not in the mood for this type of brutality at the moment.
May come back to it.
April 10, 2024
“Life isn't about finding yourself life is about creating yourself”
Fascinating and insightful story. All based on real events and not just being in a real prison but the prison of ones mind. How disordered thinking can influence a population. A friend recommended this to me and I’m glad she did. What a story.
Fascinating and insightful story. All based on real events and not just being in a real prison but the prison of ones mind. How disordered thinking can influence a population. A friend recommended this to me and I’m glad she did. What a story.
September 16, 2019
I skim read some of this book as I was not interested in the grim realities of NZ prison life’s mindless violence and substance abuse. I skipped to the bits about how he managed to overcome it all and emerge a different person.
January 27, 2020
Best book I've read for ages.I was interested to read this book as Paul grew up in Karori in the 70s and went to the same primary school as me. It was interesting to read his account of living and 'escaping' the NZ prison system. It demonstrates how someone can change if they put their mind to it.
April 14, 2020
Recommended this book by a friend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also watched his talk from TEDx in Auckland on YouTube, which i'd also recommend (afterwards).
A lot of his journey without over-emphasising his philosopy of personal ownership of our destinies.
A lot of his journey without over-emphasising his philosopy of personal ownership of our destinies.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews