Goat

A Memoir

By: Brad Land

Narrated by: Nick Landrum

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

At turns shockingly fierce and surprisingly tender, Goat is a shattering memoir that graphically portrays the scarred emotional landscape of young men. Brad is driving two strangers home from a party when he realizes they are leading him to the middle of nowhere. Viciously beaten and left in the middle of the road, Brad survives. But as his physical injuries heal, his psychological wounds worsen. Desperate to belong, he pledges his brother's fraternity. What he finds is not brotherhood and support, but alienation and more violence.

©2004 Brad Land (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"A uniquely hip narrative style, gritty with plenty of heart....Immensely readable, Land's tough yet tender book speaks to the fears and isolation of young alienated adults with compelling power, candor, and compassion." (Publishers Weekly)
"An incredible memoir: riveting and relentless, shocking, brutal, just savagely good. And yet. Beautiful and brave." (Augusten Burroughs)
"This is a breathtaking book....Land's voice is distinct, melancholic, and original; the book is a wonderful debut." (Susan Orlean)

if you're perversely curious about frat culture-

then this is the book for you.
"Why" was the pervading question I asked myself as I listened to this torturous journey through a beer and vomit soaked hell.
The book does a great job of revealing the more scatological side of the hazing ritual. Brad sounds a little overly dramatic at times, and not self effacing enough...but then again, he did write this book, which is basically about how he wanted to be "part of the crowd" so badly that he let a bunch of stupid jocks humiliate him to the point where he has a mental breakdown.
it's a rare glimpse into a world in which introspection is almost non-existent, and I highly reccommend it.

well written, lacks drama

goat is easy to listen to because it is well written and read, but the story never really goes anywhere after the first half of the book. The hazing isnt that out of the ordinary violent, and other then the begining, which kind of just rested there in the background, not really being used to drive the story, the rest of it is about a priviliged boys life complaing about how bad life sucks. read ruinning with scissors if you are looking for drama.

Just o.k.

Many times I just wanted to stop listening because I find it difficult to read about ignorance and cruelty to others especially during these time. I perservered though and was happy to reach the end. I have never understood why sororities and fraternities put people through what they do. I suppose I never will....

well written and very well read

I'm 60 years old and have been through hazings and the cruel ways of men more than once. This man writes from the heart and I could feel this and, as a result, relate to his tales. Not for rednecks or macho types.....

Very real, very brutal, and very worth your while

The voice is the most astonishingly real and true rendering I've encountered in a long time, and the reader brings that voice alive. This is not an easy book to listen to, but the dialog rings so true that it demands that respect be paid to the story being told. The cruelty is horrifying. Its impact on Brad, the main character, is profound. That he can survive it, much less emerge from under its pall, is a triumph--as is this work of modern literature. Pervasive profanity, extreme violence, but this is a memoir, and I don't see how else it could be honestly related.

Eye Opening!

What a fantastic piece of work! Makes you feel like you are right inside the mind of the characters. Felt like I was there.