In the Sanctuary of Outcasts Unabridged

A Memoir

By: Neil White

Narrated by: Taber Burns

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Daddy is going to camp. That's what I told my children. A child psychologist suggested it. "Words like prison and jail conjure up dangerous images for children," she explained. But it wasn't camp....

Neil White, a journalist and magazine publisher, wanted the best for those he loved - nice cars, beautiful homes, luxurious clothes. He loaned money to family and friends, gave generously to his church, and invested in his community - but his bank account couldn't keep up. Soon White began moving money from one account to another to avoid bouncing checks. His world fell apart when the FBI discovered his scheme and a judge sentenced him to serve 18 months in a federal prison.

But it was no ordinary prison. The beautiful, isolated colony in Carville, Louisiana, was also home to the last people in the continental United States disfigured by leprosy. Hidden away for decades, this small circle of outcasts had forged a tenacious, clandestine community, a fortress to repel the cruelty of the outside world. It is here, in a place rich with history, where the Mississippi River briefly runs north, amid an unlikely mix of leprosy patients, nuns, and criminals, that White's strange and compelling journey begins. He finds a new best friend in Ella Bounds, an 80-year-old African American double amputee who had contracted leprosy as a child. She and the other secret people, along with a wacky troop of inmates, help White rediscover the value of simplicity, friendship, and gratitude.

Funny and poignant, In the Sanctuary of Outcasts is an uplifting memoir that reminds us all what matters most.

©2009 Neil White (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Superb memoir

What made the experience of listening to In the Sanctuary of Outcasts Unabridged the most enjoyable?

What most people know of Leprosy could fit in a thimble, and most of that would be wrong. That was what was most interesting, but the book is also about an unlikely cast of characters and their odd interactions. I was sorry when it ended, as I would miss the setting and some fascinating people, including the author.

What did you like best about this story?

A glimpse into a world I will never experience.

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

Great voices for that cast of characters.

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

I listened as I did a walk through some backroads of Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound in Washington state.

A very interesting and warm story

Any additional comments?

The characters in this book are great. I laughed quite often but the basis of the story line was never lost. Very good book.

Excellent storytelling

It was well written and the stories were easy to follow. I highly recommend this book

Great great book

Just such a sweet kind story. The author did a great job telling it and especially bring the characters to life!

Timely and very thought provoking

I listened to this book post covid Jan 2023. To learn of public and government’s response to Hansen’s patients builds understanding of basic human nature across the spectrum. No matter AIDS, Covid, Yellow Fever, or whatever the threat, character is tested and revealed. We all have a chance to reflect repent relearn refocus and live anew.🐟

Terrific, heartwarming book.

If you could sum up In the Sanctuary of Outcasts Unabridged in three words, what would they be?

Great, heartwarming, interesting

What other book might you compare In the Sanctuary of Outcasts Unabridged to and why?

None

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

He was very good.

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

No

Any additional comments?

This was truly an eye opener! I had no idea a place like this would exist in America in the 90's. It's an excellent book!

Enjoyable and enlightening

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started it. But I'm really glad I happened upon this book. I learned some history and enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters.

outstanding

This story grabbed my heart from the beginning. Character description was awesome, so much so, that , while listening to the narrator, I felt as if I was there.

Change and healing in an unlikely place

Start to finish, this book is great. Neil White displays a lack of self awareness followed by a moving and tremendous existential shift in a State prison in Louisiana. Loved this book!

Great! Touched my heart.

I loved this book! The author opened his heart and revealed his innermost feelings about this most unusual experience. he used his personal struggle to become a better man. this is what our journey on Earth should be about, righting or wrongs, helping others, loving others and learning how to make the most of our humanity. P.S. I appreciate the humor shared.