Waiting to Be Heard

A Memoir

By: Amanda Knox

Narrated by: Amanda Knox

Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Amanda Knox spent four years in a foreign prison for a crime she did not commit. In the fall of 2007, the 20-year-old college coed left Seattle to study abroad in Italy, but her life was shattered when her roommate was murdered in their apartment. After a controversial trial, Amanda was convicted and imprisoned. But in 2011, an appeals court overturned the decision and vacated the murder charge. Free at last, she returned home to the U.S., where she has remained silent, until now.

Filled with details first recorded in the journals Knox kept while in Italy, Waiting to Be Heard is a remarkable story of innocence, resilience, and courage, and of one young woman’s hard-fought battle to overcome injustice and win the freedom she deserved. With intelligence, grace, and candor, Amanda Knox tells the full story of her harrowing ordeal in Italy - a labyrinthine nightmare of crime and punishment, innocence and vindication - and of the unwavering support of family and friends who tirelessly worked to help her win her freedom.

©2013 Amanda Knox (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Absolutely Phenomenal

I could not stop listening! This is such a page-turner. I loved every minute of this book. I highly recommend it!

Horrible Circumstances and Exceptional Writing

What did you love best about Waiting to Be Heard?

I have been waiting to hear Amanda's story. I couldn't listen to the media coverage because it was so obviously twisted.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Amanda, of course. Anyone who has gone to a foreign country alone as a young person can easily see how this very situation could have unfolded. It is a cautionary tale that I will remember when my own children are ready to study abroad.

What does Amanda Knox bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The raw emotion of it all is brought to life through Amanda's telling of the story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

Amanda's obvious development into a serious and solemn woman in prison is both extraordinary and sad. She was entitled to live a few more years in that frivolous bubble before the real world stepped in. I don't know if my children will even know who Amanda Knox is when they get ready to study abroad themselves, but after listening to this book, I will bet that they will say, "Oh yes, Amanda Knox-- she's that writer."

In her own words and voice

Would you listen to Waiting to Be Heard again? Why?

Yes and I have, it is a very sad event that took the life of an innocent young women from the UK and sent 2 what I believe are innocent people to prison for years well allowing the person that seems to have had done this or took part in it have a reduced sentence.

What other book might you compare Waiting to Be Heard to and why?

Sad true Crime stories

Which character – as performed by Amanda Knox – was your favorite?

Amanda Know just telling her story in her words and her voice of these very tragic events which left a young women murdered

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I just can't understand how the Italian legal authorities seem to have made so many mistakes and fixated on two people that so many other experts say they could not have done what the Italian legal authorities claim and how they seem to have mislead the courts and the public with the lack of real hard evidence according to FBI and crime scene experts.

Any additional comments?

There are many things that will make you scratch your head on how Amanda and her then BF acted. But keep in mind she was a 20 year old from America in another country and she acted like a 20 year old. I think that alone made the Italian legal authorities look at her
with blinders on and they forgot to allow the evidence to speak to them and not them to
what they wanted the evidence to be. Yes Amanda should have acted different, but everyone acts different when events rock there world when there so young. I wish the Italian legal authorities would have or would focus on the real victim the young women from the UK that was Murdered as that is the most tragic event of this story a family lost a daughter, sister and a friend and I do not think they have had justice for that loss. That's where my thoughts and Prayers are with them and may God Be with them and Bless them.

This story is important.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Meredith's murder was horrific. The police's actions were despicable. Amanda was put through hell. I think it's important to hear the story from her point of view.

What other book might you compare Waiting to Be Heard to and why?

I guess I would compare it to the memoirs written by other characters in this case- Raffaele Sollecito, as well as Meredith Kercher's father. I haven't read either of those yet but I am eager to do so.

What aspect of Amanda Knox’s performance would you have changed?

Amanda is not the most well-spoken person, but I appreciate her courage to tell her story and to narrate the audiobook.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me feel dismay for the total lack of justice served in the case of Meredith Kercher's brutal murder.

Informative and detailed

It is very hard to give an unbiased review of a book that had so much hype and press surrounding the story. However, I did not listen to the book to have my mind changed about the verdict or the guilt/innocence of Amanda. In my opinion, the reasonable doubt was clear and the police and forensic practices were flawed, so, therefore, the verdict was correct in the end.

I was more interested in hearing about Amanda's worldview and decision making throughout the process, which is exactly what this book provides. The book provides an immense amount of detail about Amanda's interactions and headspace before, during, and after the trail. Additionally, the book provides details about the trails and life in jail in Italy.

In the end, the book provides a long and detailed history of what occurred to her throughout her entire time in Italy, her relationship with Rafael and Meredeth, her treatment by the police (from her perspective), her trails, and final release. One item I wish she would have discussed further is how her Italian language skills at the time of questioning probably really didn't help her credibility. There were times when there was too much detail about the trails and there were times it was hard to believe her naivete and blind privilege. However, she is a flawed person, as we all are and the book leaves the reader asking, "do you really know for a fact that you would have made better choices in a similar situation."

This book was truly enlightening and easy to connect with emotionally

The author does a wonderful job of sharing her experiences without being overly frantic or emotional, then narration is clear and pleasant to listen to abs give lots of insight and detail into Amanda thoughts, her living conditions during and prior to her false imprisonment , as well as a very open look at the Italian judicial system and the flaws and blatant disregard towards forensic and scientific proof.

An inspirational tragedy

Wow, I was riveted! This book is a fascinating and disturbing perspective on the Italian legal system, and shows us why forensic science has such specific and rigorous rules for how to process a crime scene and handle evidence. It was frustrating to hear how Ms. Knox was mistreated. Ms. Knox does a great job of reading the book, too.

Amanda, you have been heard🫶

I loved it. What an inspiration to those that are wrongly accused but also to those that are overcoming the trauma of sort and need hope. 👏😌

amazing story and narration

amazing narration of a story I followed as a fellow exchange student in Europe in 2007. it was incredible to hear the story from Amanda's perspective of her strength and resilience.

How naive can one 'girl' be?

I was engrossed by this listen and finished it in two days. It brought various feelings up to the surface for me. Initially, when I saw this story in the newspapers, I believed Amanda was guilty. However, after listening to her self-narrated story, I do not believe she nor her boyfriend were guilty of the murder of her roommate, Meredith. I do wonder if she knows more than she was ever willing to tell and perhaps we will never know the answer to this this.

I felt unable to dredge up any sympathy for Amanda throughout her telling of her story. She did nothing to help her case. Actually, I believe she never took this entire event seriously until the outcome of her trial, when she received a very long sentence, much to her surprise.

Amanda refused to listen to anyone's advice consistently. Her aunt advised her to call the US embassy, to get an attorney (as her roommates did), she was advised by her attorneys not to discuss her case, but she knew better than anyone how to behave. Some of her behaviors included not shedding a tear when her roommate's body was found, being seen in an interrogation room making out with her boyfriend (of about 6 days), putting her bunny vibrator in her purse, being seen with a hickey while under scrutiny, being observed in an interrogation room doing gymnastic splits for a policeman, giving her family big smiles in the court room, wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt which read, "love is all you need" at her trial, and most egregious of all, making up a story of witnessing the murder and incriminating a totally innocent man of the murder.

Amanda spends a great part of her story making up excuses for all her childish behaviors. I don't think she has a clue about how her behaviors hurt her case and almost took away her freedom for the duration of her life. She takes no responsibility for her incredibly glib and naive actions. Additionally, I don't believe a word of her concern for the deceased roommate's family. Toward the end of her story, she voices all the right words but to me, they are not at all believable. I don't think Amanda is capable of empathy.

That said, I also think the Italian police's investigation of this crime was deplorable and I cannot believe what went on at the trial. Please let me never be arrested in Italy! However, if you think this could never happen in the good old US, please rent the dvd of The Central Park Five and then know that it could happen here, too. Our own criminal justice system can be very corrupt, too.