The Lost Son: A Life in Pursuit of Justice

by Bernard B. Kerik

New York City's "top cop," Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, manages the largest municipal police force in the world. As a former jail warden with a background in international security and antiterrorism, he's fought for justice all over the world. Now, he looks back at the most difficult -- and most personal -- unsolved case of all: the mystery of his own mother, who abandoned him 41 years ago.

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

639 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Bernard Bailey Kerik was an American consultant and police officer who was the 40th Commissioner of the New York Police Department from 2000 to 2001.
Kerik joined the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in 1986. He served from 1998 to 2000 as commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction and 2000–2001 as New York City Police Commissioner, during which he oversaw the police response to the September 11 attacks. Kerik conducted two extramarital affairs simultaneously, using a Battery Park City apartment that had been set aside for first responders at Ground Zero.
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush appointed Kerik as the interior minister of the Iraqi Coalition Provisional Authority. In 2004, Bush nominated Kerik to lead the Department of Homeland Security. However, Kerik soon withdrew his candidacy, explaining that he had employed an undocumented immigrant as a nanny. His admission sparked state and federal investigations. In 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty in Bronx Supreme Court to two unrelated misdemeanor ethics violations and was ordered to pay $221,000 in fines.
In 2009, Kerik pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York to eight federal felony charges for tax fraud and making false statements. In February 2010, he was sentenced to four years in federal prison, of which he served three years. In 2020, he obtained a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump for his federal convictions for tax fraud, ethics violations, and criminal false statements. After the 2020 United States presidential election, Kerik supported Trump's false claims of voter fraud and attempted to help overturn the election results.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely better read by not Googling Bernard Kerik prior to reading it, as my doing so clouded my opinion of him for the 2nd half of the book. Apparently, Kerik did not remain on the proper side of the law in the years following his time as NYPD Police Commisioner, but upon finishing the book, I realized there wasn't any connection between what was discussed in the book and what he was charged with, so I don't feel that this autobiography is in any way invalidated because Kerik eventually ended up serving jail time.
I was not familiar with Kerik before reading this book, surprising when I realized he was Police Commissioner on 9/11, and thus his name and face were frequently in the news. Many of the other names mentioned, particularly the high ranking people in the Fire Department were familiar, but not his. 9/11 is the epilogue to this book, however, as the book was near completion when the terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, and Kerik wisely waited, to include his unique perspective on that day and the days following. Had the book been released following 9/11 without any mention of it, given Kerik's position, I would have definitely said it was a glaring omission.
The focus on the book is Kerik's career rise to the position of Police Commissioner, interwoven with his personal mission to find out the truth about the circumstances surrounding his mother's death when Kerik was a young boy. Upon being appointed Police Commissioner, Kerek noted that his path to the position was rather unconventional, and this book illustrates the steps along the path, from serving as personal security to wealthy Middle Easterners to bringing down drug cartels bringing drugs into New York to reforming the New York prison system on Riker's Island, which had a well-known reputation for dangerous conditions until Kerik came to work for them. Likewise, once Mayor Giuliani appointed Kerik as Commissioner, he cleaned house and boosted morale and performance in the entire department.
Of course this book is very one-sided and biased, but as I said, I felt it to be believable despite the troubles Kerik eventually encountered when he assumed a position in the federal government.

[Lisa Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usually biographies are big on either ego or way too much family detail, but this book was super easy to read and interesting. I did have to skip most of the description of 9/11 at the end because it still makes me cry.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dear Bernard,
To hear you tell it you were obviously a great cop. I was bummed when you failed to cover all of the stuff you did that landed you in prison. My friend Jess loves books so much I believe that she's probably made love to them.

[Will Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kerik recalls his personal history, from his prostitute mother, awful family history, through his personal delinquency and ultimate triumph over his background, owing much to his passion for martial arts, early days in the military, as security consultant to Saudi Arabia, then as Corrections Officer and Warden in New Jersey to fulfilling his dream, to be a NYC cop. Once there, he rose through aggressive work to positions of increasing authority to the point where he was named Commissioner of Corrections and ultimately Police Commissioner. This is paralleled by a lifetime desire to find out what had really happened to his mother, who was killed when he was little. There are heart-rending accounts here. He is certainly capable of sensitivity. A useful read, particularly given his nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security in late 2004. There is one section in which he talks about a need to be much more diligent about securing our borders, north and south. How sad that he turned out to be such a total creep.

[Susan M Wells, Bookmark Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernard Kerik tells all about his mysterious mother and his life growing up in New York City, his work as an under cover policeman, warden of one of the worse penitentiarys in the nation, his friendship with Mayor Rudy Gulianni and his appointment as commissioner of police which was consider shocking because appointments like this were only given to 'blue-blood' officers. There is a lot of foul language. If you can get past it, it's a great read.

[Joshua Embrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kerik is, was, and always will be an ego maniacal prick. I hope he goes down on the Federal charges he is facing. He's a hypocrite & a world-class bum! I had no clue that humans were capable of kissing their own asses, but Kerik spends the entire book doing so.

[Ligita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought I had a man I could respect and sympathize with until he proved me wrong. The book was a good read, however.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great autobiography about a real life person who had the tenacity to overcome great adversity and become a true hero!

[Gary Power · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. About a man who has led a few lives, a body guard in Saudi Arabia, prison service in New Jersey and Police in New York.

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book. I loved every page. You need to read a physical book. The pictures add an additional depth to the book.
Memoir of Bernard B. Kerik, the police Commissioner of New York City during the 9/11 attack.
This book was gripping from the first page.
A child abandoned by his alcoholic mother. Bernard dropped out of high school. Joined the military. Returned to his education. Became a police officer. Worked his way up the ladder from working as a foot patrol officer to becoming the police commissioner.
You talk about someone who pulled themselves up by their boot straps and didn't let his parents life choices define him or stop him from fulfilling his life goal and dream.
It is a book I will remember the rest of my life.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read about a really great man.....but make sure you read his second book, From Jailer to Jailed: My Journey from Correction and Police Commissioner to Inmate. I didn't know there was a second book. I was looking up to see what Bernie has been doing over the years, and boy did I get an eyeful! Can't say it's a spoiler due to the title. His second book should prove to be as interesting as the first.

[K.T. Raine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this true story of NYC's 40th police commissioner. Kerik's story of rising from a troubled teen and a difficult upbringing to such a high rank was very absorbing and inspiring. He was the one at the helm during 9/11 and the book contains some very realistic and poignant scenes of what it was really like to be in the city when it happened.

[Patrick Clancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good. Kerik has some interesting perspectives from his job and life which were interesting, but I got lost at a few points between how he went from one job to another.
Kerik was later arrested for charges himself, which might make the book feel a bit like a downer.

[Wayne Kreiensieck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good story of a man’s life in law enforcement. I really enjoyed reading about his rise through the ranks to become commissioner of the NYPD. An inspirational story with plenty of interesting cop and robber tales. I got to the end and still wanted to read more about his life.

[Merlene Neville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book. I found the chapters on his involvement on 9/11 especially interesting.

[Melissa]

Was going to read it then read others reviews... I might skip this one.

[Alex Bonis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent book! Enjoyed it

[ElizabethD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book about the police commissioner for NYC and his life. He also was there when 9-11 happened

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being very subjective, it was still a very enjoyable read.

[Jim Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good autobiography of the police commissioner of New York City on 9/11. When he describes that day in the afterword, I became very emotional. Very powerful book.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the life and career of Bernard Kerik, who went through several jobs in the NYPD before landing a job as the police commissioner. He was commissioner during the attacks on September 11th. I thought that it was motivational in that he set goals for himself that he wanted to accomplish with his career and he did. I felt for him about his questions regarding his mother and his determination to uncover the truth. At some point while I was reading this book, I googled him. I discovered he wound up serving jail time. This book covers the period of time before those events, so I do not feel that it was very clouded, though I would have liked to read what he had to say about that.

[Andrianto SS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book.

I would say this is a superhero story because it talks about the life of imperfect man with his gloomy childhood but turned to be a strong and tough personality which then required by the citizen to restore the people trust to the police institution and bring up justice amid corrupt and dirty society.

Bernie and Rudi together shows their endeavor to the New Yorker. Some even says: NYC is the safest city on earth.

Read it and you see what's on tv becoming real. This is a story of a hero.

[sadly, recently i heard the news said Bernie suspected for various crimes in taxation and giving some projects to his crony]

[Aiko · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea of this book intrigued me from the start, but I was disappointed to find that what should have been a powerful story of redemption and triumph was marred by the disjointed timeline of Kerik's writing. Anyone interested in policework or in Bernard Kerik's story should read this book but those who don't typically enjoy autobiography or who have short attention spans should definitely avoid it.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author was forced to withdraw his name for the post of Homeland Security Chief for some reason or other after this book was published. Or before . . . . . Not to sure what to make of the book after finding that out.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that Jess Walter (The Zero) ghost wrote this book; it's interesting to read Kerik's description of heroic cops alongside Walter's fictional description of one cop on and after 9/11. I really liked how Kerik had finished the book on 9/10/01 and then had to add an afterword about 9/11.

[Joe Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book very informative of the criminal justice system

[T.R. Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding autobiography of a man who dedicated his life to law enforcement.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting tale from the man who was once the Police Chief in the greatest city in the world. Lots of action and adventure and some behind the scenes of 9/11

[Highland Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I was familiar with Bernard Kerik when he was the Police Commisioner of New York City. It was interesting to learn some information about his life before NYPD.

[Cheryl Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of an at-risk youth written off by his school teacher rising to become police commissioner of New York City. I didn't want to put it down.