After Life audiobook

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Harper Books) in exchange for an honest review. Going into this book, I didn’t know that much about Alice. All I knew was that she was serving a life sentence for a non-violent drug offense and that Kim Kardashian helped her get commuted. When I saw this was available to review I immediately jumped on it because I wanted to learn more about her. Alice’s story is incredible. She truly is an amazing woman and a force to be reckoned with. Her attitude towards life is so admirable. I loved that she told her whole story, starting from when she was a kid. It was fascinating learning about her upbringing, her not-so-great choices that lead her to commit the crime, her trial (which had so many things wrong with it), and her life after her conviction. The writing style of the book was wonderful. It felt very conversational. It was like Alice was sitting down with you telling her story. When I got to the end, I felt like I was friends with Alice. She was so open about her experiences without being melodramatic. The subject matter of the book is so timely. America is in dire need of criminal justice reform and I hope this book can help inspire change by putting a face to the problem. There are so many people like Alice currently sitting in our system. Overall, this is a powerful book. It touches upon many themes such as family, faith, and life behind bars. Thank you Alice for sharing your story with the world and inspiring others. Also, kudos to Kim Kardashian West for her role in helping free Alice. Kim gets a lot of hate for various things but you can’t deny her role in this.

This is a fantastic book- probably the best I have read this year by a long shot, maybe the last several years. Autobiography/biography books are hit or miss for me, mostly because they seem unbalanced or not compelling- too much childhood/too much ‘extra’ stuff that is not relevant (it’s not clear what is important, what will stand the test of time, or appeasing someone and not contributing to the story, etc.). It was very well-written, progressed naturally, and was suspenseful enough it was hard to put down (even though it was clear what would happen from the very beginning). What was most compelling about this story was how it seems like it could happen to anyone- especially starting with teen pregnancy. Then followed by financial ruin, misdirection in life. These are incredibly timeless and relevant themes in addition to the very prominent need for prison reform. But much like the argument about abortion, I think the most important point is how to stop the mistake that landed the person in financial ruin in the first place. Alice clearly had tremendous potential from the beginning, but lack of direction and life circumstances derailed her entire life. And then there was the serious flaws in the justice system- so heartbreaking! To be at the mercy of a terrible lawyer, witnesses trying to cut their own deals, and an unsympathetic judge- it was just awful. It was refreshing to see Kim Kardashian’s tireless efforts to free Alice- what a great example of a celebrity using her spotlight to do great things for others. I even felt a little pride in President Trump, and that is really saying something. I hope even people who don’t think highly of those two will consider this book, because it is so much more than two polarizing celebrities.

wow! what a story. Alice Johnson was sentenced to life imprisonment for a non violent drug related crime after an appalling trial. After serving more than 20 years, Kim Kardashian campaigned to have her released by asking Donald Trump to agree to clemency. This story is so much more than a Kardashian publicity stunt. I was truly engrossed in the story of Alice and had to keep reminding myself it was true. I highly recommend this book.

Alice Marie Johnson was a manager at FedEx, a wife, and a mother. Then after a financially difficult time, she became involved in a Memphis cocaine trafficking organization by making phone calls. She received a life sentence for a nonviolent crime.I worked at a federal prison for twelve years during the time Alice would have been spending her time in prison. After listening to many inmates, and doing research myself, I learned that the "war on drugs" was not right. Mandatory minimums took common sense out of the justice department and tied the hands of judges. I saw a lot of men, especially black men, come into the system with nonviolence offenses and wondered why.I shed tears throughout many parts of the book, especially when Alice was released. She should have never been given a life sentence. It was wrong. I'm happy that President Trump is beginning to correct the wrongs of our past. Politicians wanting to get elected chose the campaign of war on drugs, tough on crime. It sounds good but when one looks at what was really happening, they'd see the injustice.

I enjoyed Alice's book but would have enjoyed it more if Eric and Barack had been her saviors instead of Kim, Jared, Ivanka, and Donald. Actually, I like Kim K and her family (in fact, I like them more than I do husband Kanye), who are compassionate narcissists instead of sadistic, narcissistic bigots like Trump. Even Jared and Ivanka might have genuinely been supportive of Alice and the cause of saving Americans who have been buried alive in our prisons after committing nonviolent crimes. But racist, narcissistic, sadistic Trump was at best responding to Kanye and Kim because they are celebrities and at worst trolling his equally racist and almost as despicable former attorney general Jeff Sessions, who wanted to lock up more people, especially black ones, when he pardoned a black woman in November, 2018. This book not only shows how easily a black woman can lose her way and her life even when she's charismatic, talented, ambitious, and a born leader but also how charismatic, ambitious, talented leaders will find a way to lead no matter what their circumstances and where they are. Alice Johnson is more admirable than any of the people who saved her. She's about 10,000 times more admirable than the man who was given the power to determine her fate. What an absurd world we live in where a racist maniac like Donald John Trump can determine the fate of an extraordinary woman like Alice Marie Johnson just because she was born black, female, and poor, and he was born white, male, and rich !

I know one of her sisters. I've met others. I heard her voice telling her life story and the joy of freedom she has had...so far! Thank you for sharing. Thank you for showing the example, of no matter where you are, God has a plan. His plan may not be yours. Follow His word and good will be shown. Hopefully, it will not take 20+ years. Alice, again thank you for sharing. I read this in about a day...had to find out what was next and how you made it through. Whew! and Yeah, your free! Know your blessings to others have been and will be a lesson to all. May God continue to show you life and light as a beacon to His Word.

HeartwarmingThis is an inspirational novel. Faith without work is death and you put your Faith to work. Your trial became a testimony and thank you for sharing it. May God continue to bless you!

This women faith just blew me away!

Great Book The book was a great reading. She had hardships but she pressed on. Thanks for telling your story . Yes

Incredible!

What a phenomenal lady Miss Alice is! The injustice that she faced was inconceivable but the faith she had and the urge to keep on living and empowering not only herself but others blew me away. I cried with her in heartbreak and again in joy at the end. What a moving book; both emotionally and the shift in the justice system

Great book!

First hand account of the harshness of mandatory sentencing. Alice's story shines a light on life behind bars and how her life sentence didn't extinguish hope or her compassion for others.

This was a heart wrenching story and shows just how messed up our judicial system is.

In 1992, because of mandatory sentencing guidelines in Memphis, Alice Marie Johnson was sentenced to life plus twenty-five years for her role in a cocaine trafficking operation. Alice was the go between via phone for buying/selling this drug. Alice never claimed innocence and apologized for her role. Alice had a clean record prior to this event. Alice decided that she could either let her prison sentence define her or she could use it to help herself and others. She became an ordained minister and put on plays and other activities that won her numerous commendations while incarcerated. When President Barack Obama was leaving office Alice heard that he was granting clemency to non-violent offenders who fit a certain criteria. Alice checked every box on the list and sent in her application. She watched as, over the next few months, prisoners were granted clemency, some who didn't fit every point as she did. She didn't give up hope and she and her family worked hard to bring her story to Obama's attention. On the day Obama left office Alice was shattered when her name never came up. Little did she know that one of her videos had been sent to Kim Kardashian, of all people, and that Kim had been deeply touched by Alice's story and began work to get Alice released. Kardashian reached out to Jared Kushner, who was working on the 'First Step Act, and to Ivanka Trump, an advocate for women's rights. Through their work Alice's story was brought to the attention of President Trump. Alice was worried when she had heard that Trump had won the election because she remembered him stating that he was going to be tough on crime and she thought this meant he would have little sympathy for her. Kardashian met with Trump and it didn't take long before he called her back and told her that he would be granting clemency for Alice. On June 6, 2018 Alice walked out of prison. Alice promised Trump that he would not be sorry for granting her the freedom she had sought for so long and she has been working hard to help those who are still in prison for crimes like hers. No one can give Alice back the time she spent in prison but perhaps comfort can be found in that had she not spent those twenty years locked away then she and her very unlikely partner, President Trump, would not have joined forces to work on prison reform and to change history. Good read.