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A Prisoner's Perspective: The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind
The feds called me a criminal mastermind, but that’s not how I see it.If I were a criminal mastermind, I wouldn’t have been caught and I wouldn’t have been in prison for fifteen years.Friends often ask, “How were you able to stand fifteen years in a federal prison?”“All because of God and a woman named Cynthia.”Federal authorities described Mike Savage as a criminal mastermind capable of bending people to his will. He was that and more. His criminal empire was the subject of a five-year federal investigation that culminated in his indictment on 101 criminal charges that ultimately put him in prison for fifteen years, two months, and twenty-eight days. From Mike’s perspective, he would lose everything in his life, including his beloved wife who had no idea Mike was a criminal.But God had other plans—for both of them.A Prisoner’s The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind chronicles how God, through the self-sacrificing love of Mike’s wife Cynthia, moved to save both of them and restore them as the husband and wife He wanted them to be. Mike’s memoir demonstrates that even through violence, separation, poverty, cancer, and death, God’s great self-sacrificial love still changes and restores those lost, even in the dark criminal underworld that had been Mike’s life. It is an example of how God is still at work in this world and how He never gives up on His people.
262 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 8, 2019
A prisoners perspective
He is not a criminal mastermind or else he would not have gotten caught.
He was sentenced 15+ years for money laundering. He didnt write this so you would pity him because he really wasnt all that bad. He wrote this to show what he went through and what he learned and how he has changed for the better.
In the beginning he says that he is a child of God and that he found peace. I thought that was important because it shows that his morals are in the right place and he is hopefully on the right track.
He also didnt write this for 10 long year after he got out because he didnt want to relive it, understandable.
We see every step of the way from the trial to the transportation to day one. I have seen alot of shows with prisoners and i think that seeing his perspective will give more people an insight not only because he was not a serial killer but because he did something wrong he paid the price lost alot of time with his wife and son and now he is doing his best to live in the light.
Seeing all the shows and documentaries about people in prison usually emphasizes the violence and poor conditions but what we dont see is that he joined a chior so he could get out of the prison. I didnt know they did that, had prison chior groups.
I thought it was funny that he thought the chapel and its people were racist.
Every chapter contains five or so pages on a different topic different situation and you really get to see what it was like for him.
While in prison he became a Christian and once he got out he knew he wanted to teach and preach. He wanted to become a better person because he came to God and I hope he reached alot of people
He is not a criminal mastermind or else he would not have gotten caught.
He was sentenced 15+ years for money laundering. He didnt write this so you would pity him because he really wasnt all that bad. He wrote this to show what he went through and what he learned and how he has changed for the better.
In the beginning he says that he is a child of God and that he found peace. I thought that was important because it shows that his morals are in the right place and he is hopefully on the right track.
He also didnt write this for 10 long year after he got out because he didnt want to relive it, understandable.
We see every step of the way from the trial to the transportation to day one. I have seen alot of shows with prisoners and i think that seeing his perspective will give more people an insight not only because he was not a serial killer but because he did something wrong he paid the price lost alot of time with his wife and son and now he is doing his best to live in the light.
Seeing all the shows and documentaries about people in prison usually emphasizes the violence and poor conditions but what we dont see is that he joined a chior so he could get out of the prison. I didnt know they did that, had prison chior groups.
I thought it was funny that he thought the chapel and its people were racist.
Every chapter contains five or so pages on a different topic different situation and you really get to see what it was like for him.
While in prison he became a Christian and once he got out he knew he wanted to teach and preach. He wanted to become a better person because he came to God and I hope he reached alot of people
July 20, 2018
Savage has a unique appreciation of the gospel. He knows what it is like to stand before a judge, have your sins identified, realize you have no defense, and the penalty be determined. He had been the subject of a five year investigation resulting in his indictment on 101 criminal charges.
His international money laundering activities resulted in him serving over fifteen years in prison. One of his jobs in prison was to work with the chaplain. He ultimately heard and responded to the gospel. A few weeks later his wife did too.
Savage shares his experiences in prison. He continually doubted his wife would stick with him. She is an amazingly faithful and selfless person who would go without eating so she could send him the money he needed to call her. She worked while he was in prison, the only source of support for her and their son.
Savage tells of his experiences of returning to a free society upon release from prison. He had to relearn many social graces. He was introduced to cell phones and the Internet. Feeling called to ministry, he took classes and is currently an adjunct professor teaching Bible, theology, and psychology.
This is a very interesting memoir. It reveals much about prison experiences, including those in privatized institutions. Savage is very honest about his feelings throughout his experiences, such as his anger. I was a little disturbed that he still had so much anger after his salvation and release from prison. His wife said God was working on his rough edges. I never sensed an genuine remorse for his illegal activities. I would have liked a clearer expression of the need for his forgiveness and appreciation for God's grace in his life.
All that being said, Savage's memoir is a good example of God's unfailing love. God took Savage through much in order to get his attention. Perhaps God's love was best shown through his wife and her faithfulness.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Shayla Raquel. My comments are an independent and honest review.
His international money laundering activities resulted in him serving over fifteen years in prison. One of his jobs in prison was to work with the chaplain. He ultimately heard and responded to the gospel. A few weeks later his wife did too.
Savage shares his experiences in prison. He continually doubted his wife would stick with him. She is an amazingly faithful and selfless person who would go without eating so she could send him the money he needed to call her. She worked while he was in prison, the only source of support for her and their son.
Savage tells of his experiences of returning to a free society upon release from prison. He had to relearn many social graces. He was introduced to cell phones and the Internet. Feeling called to ministry, he took classes and is currently an adjunct professor teaching Bible, theology, and psychology.
This is a very interesting memoir. It reveals much about prison experiences, including those in privatized institutions. Savage is very honest about his feelings throughout his experiences, such as his anger. I was a little disturbed that he still had so much anger after his salvation and release from prison. His wife said God was working on his rough edges. I never sensed an genuine remorse for his illegal activities. I would have liked a clearer expression of the need for his forgiveness and appreciation for God's grace in his life.
All that being said, Savage's memoir is a good example of God's unfailing love. God took Savage through much in order to get his attention. Perhaps God's love was best shown through his wife and her faithfulness.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Shayla Raquel. My comments are an independent and honest review.
July 11, 2018
A Prisoner's Perspective by Mike Savage is a memoir about learning to trust and rely on God. Mike Savage is very open about his years spent in prison, his issues on trust, insecurities and his search and rescue by God.
Mike Savage had a Christian upbringing but it was only in prison where he met God. Reaching rock bottom has a way of focusing one's life. Mike Savage learnt to trust and rely on God at all times.
The author is also very open about his trust issues with his wife, convinced she would leave him. Both Mike Savage's wife and God are faithful.
A Prisoner's Perspective is a powerful and open memoir about coming to faith and living out that faith whilst under lock and key.
Let Mike Savage's story inspire you to trust the Good Shepherd with your one and only life.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Mike Savage had a Christian upbringing but it was only in prison where he met God. Reaching rock bottom has a way of focusing one's life. Mike Savage learnt to trust and rely on God at all times.
The author is also very open about his trust issues with his wife, convinced she would leave him. Both Mike Savage's wife and God are faithful.
A Prisoner's Perspective is a powerful and open memoir about coming to faith and living out that faith whilst under lock and key.
Let Mike Savage's story inspire you to trust the Good Shepherd with your one and only life.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
June 13, 2018
A True Love Story
Professor Savage takes the reader on a journey from his days of committing white collar crimes to his spiritual redemption. He follows a long line of redeemed people as he emphasizes his lostness without glorification and magnifies his redemption. In an entertaining manner he moves through interactions with just enough detail to provide insight into his life in prison, as well as family interactions.
In the end, Dr. Savage tells a love story, of his love for God and his growing love relationship with his wife. Though he does many other things, the continual emphasis is on the self-giving love he learned from his patient wife. While it sometimes feels that his wife is presented in larger-than-life fashion, one cannot deny that her loving dedication carried their family through 15 and a half very long years! Without giving in to cliche or predictability, Savage tells of God's never-ending love that chased him down even in federal prison. In the end, his description of classroom interactions with Bible College students shows that Savage learned how to love others, probably from watching his wife.
Professor Savage takes the reader on a journey from his days of committing white collar crimes to his spiritual redemption. He follows a long line of redeemed people as he emphasizes his lostness without glorification and magnifies his redemption. In an entertaining manner he moves through interactions with just enough detail to provide insight into his life in prison, as well as family interactions.
In the end, Dr. Savage tells a love story, of his love for God and his growing love relationship with his wife. Though he does many other things, the continual emphasis is on the self-giving love he learned from his patient wife. While it sometimes feels that his wife is presented in larger-than-life fashion, one cannot deny that her loving dedication carried their family through 15 and a half very long years! Without giving in to cliche or predictability, Savage tells of God's never-ending love that chased him down even in federal prison. In the end, his description of classroom interactions with Bible College students shows that Savage learned how to love others, probably from watching his wife.
January 9, 2019
What a powerful book. I loved this memoir.
I loved it for a couple of different reasons.
One was the fact that my husband and I used to be in a worship band that traveled to different prisons throughout Michigan and Ohio and ministered to the men. Mike talked about his time arranging for volunteers like I would have been. It brought back so many memories of our time ministering to those men and all the hoops we had to go through just to get into the prisons. I also gained a new perspective of what was going on behind the scenes and what these men were going through.
I also loved how God worked in Mike’s life and Cynthia’s, how Cynthia stayed with Mike even when he continued to doubt her. It reminded me a lot of my husband’s persistence in our marriage when things weren’t good and I was ready to give up.
I highly recommend this book and I don’t often give a non-fiction book five stars but this one gets a strong five star rating from me.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author. All opinions are my own.
I loved it for a couple of different reasons.
One was the fact that my husband and I used to be in a worship band that traveled to different prisons throughout Michigan and Ohio and ministered to the men. Mike talked about his time arranging for volunteers like I would have been. It brought back so many memories of our time ministering to those men and all the hoops we had to go through just to get into the prisons. I also gained a new perspective of what was going on behind the scenes and what these men were going through.
I also loved how God worked in Mike’s life and Cynthia’s, how Cynthia stayed with Mike even when he continued to doubt her. It reminded me a lot of my husband’s persistence in our marriage when things weren’t good and I was ready to give up.
I highly recommend this book and I don’t often give a non-fiction book five stars but this one gets a strong five star rating from me.
A copy of this book was given to me by the author. All opinions are my own.
July 3, 2018
A compelling story of a faith odyssey-- the the author relates his a life journey that's both highly painful AND highly redemptive. He goes from a life of success, power, the good life .. to prison and a continual set of humiliating circumstances (even after his release). A true testimony of how God's love supports and transforms, even when He doesn't give us the easy way out we seek. And one of God's life-saving blessings for the author is his wife, Cynthia, who stands by him and encourages him through a series of discouraging circumstances. The story reads quickly as Savage mostly lays out his story and his faith observations, then moves on. I may be forced to lower his rating half a star for not sharing more about his radio years (which no doubt must have been an interesting trove of stories) but perhaps that's another book.
October 8, 2018
This book is a fascinating look at the federal prison system.
Mike Savage, A Prisoner’s Perspective: The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind, federal prison system
The Good
-Captivating story to read
-I learned a lot about what happens in the federal prison system
-Easy, fast read
-Good editing
-An honest outlook on prison life
-Doesn’t dwell as much on the prison politics as much
-Does dwell on his personal insecurities especially those dealing with his wife.
-Great story of how God redeemed a person
The Bad
-N/A
The Unsure*
-N/A
*My opinion: what I didn't care for or do not prefer. This will not lower a rating unless it overly distracts from the story.
I highly recommend reading the book because of one person’s redemption through the federal prison system.
Mike Savage, A Prisoner’s Perspective: The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind, federal prison system
The Good
-Captivating story to read
-I learned a lot about what happens in the federal prison system
-Easy, fast read
-Good editing
-An honest outlook on prison life
-Doesn’t dwell as much on the prison politics as much
-Does dwell on his personal insecurities especially those dealing with his wife.
-Great story of how God redeemed a person
The Bad
-N/A
The Unsure*
-N/A
*My opinion: what I didn't care for or do not prefer. This will not lower a rating unless it overly distracts from the story.
I highly recommend reading the book because of one person’s redemption through the federal prison system.
June 17, 2018
Inspiring true story about how regardless of what we have done or where we are at, we can choose to become a Christ follower and live in His amazing grace! Even when we don’t see Him working He is....Author Mike Savage’s story shows how God can and will, soften hard hearts and show us how to live on His purpose! Highly recommend for anyone, and in particular those who have for whatever reason been unable to accept, see or believe that God wants to redeem us all!
August 6, 2018
What an interesting read about a man that had lost himself, was sent to prison for just over fifteen years and eventually found himself through his trust in God and the support of his wife. This isn't a preachy, preachy book, it's a book of turning a life around, learning to help others and at the same time learning to help oneself, I thoroughly recommend A Prisoner's Perspective - The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind.
February 1, 2019
The book gives us just a glimpse into the author’s life before the authorities removed him from his home in 1991. The readers time is spent with the author going through the legal process, in prison, and after his release. I think this was an honest story of the progression of a relationship with God – just like any relationship, there are ups and downs, questions and non-answers, and he presented an authentic view of how a person’s reactions can vary.
September 26, 2018
When sheer determination pairs up with God's amazing grace... watch out! I appreciated the balance of honesty and humor as the author recounted his experience of being caught, doing his time, his wife's perseverance, and finding redemption. A Prisoner's Perspective is an encouraging and powerful story of survival.
July 5, 2018
Amazing Testimony
Loved this book.... it was easy to read and entertaining! I loved the honesty and transparency. It gives a whole new perspective to the life of prisoners.
Loved this book.... it was easy to read and entertaining! I loved the honesty and transparency. It gives a whole new perspective to the life of prisoners.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews