Mean Streets, Kind Heart
The Father Chris Riley Story
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Mean Streets, Kind Heart
Buy for $19.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kate Hood
-
By:
-
Sue Williams
About this listen
Australian street kids are the forgotten underclass of society, an ever-increasing pool of children who are often abused, frequently in the clutches of drug dealers, and usually engaged in crime just to make enough money to stay alive. Their childhood dreams of a happy, loving future are lost forever.
This audiobook tells of Father Riley's faltering first steps towards helping such children, and his determination to pledge the rest of his life to giving them back their dreams. It tells of the heartbreaking situations he's witnessed, the touching tales of kids with nothing left but their own will to survive and the way he's been able to touch so many of their lives. Throughout the triumphs and the tears is Father Riley's inimitable humour, his sense of fun and the indomitable spirit that has entranced so many of the kids he's helped.
©2003 Sue Williams (P)2003 Bolinda PublishingListeners also enjoyed...
-
Your Passport to Parenting
- Wisdom from Around the World to Help Build Happy Families
- By: Joanne Holbrook
- Narrated by: Joanne Holbrook
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18
Your Passport to Parenting explores parenting ideas from around the world, providing stories and lessons that demonstrate how values-based parenting can help create meaningful bonds between you and your child, while teaching them to be kind, secure, and empathetic.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Incredible book, incredible lessons
- By Heather on 12-31-21
By: Joanne Holbrook
-
The Light We Carry
- Overcoming in Uncertain Times
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 11,312
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,181
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10,138
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with listeners, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Very Disappointing—Too Ego-filled
- By Patricia Webb on 11-29-22
By: Michelle Obama
-
Walk Through Fire
- A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph
- By: Sheila Johnson
- Narrated by: Sheila Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,240
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,189
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,189
Filled with sharply drawn, emotionally powerful senses, Walk Through Fire traces the hardships Sheila faced in her marriage and her professional life. Despite her skills as a violinist and music teacher, as well as her obvious entrepreneurial talent, she had to fight to overcome self-doubt and fears of failure. Sheila vividly details her struggles, including battling institutional racism, losing a child, suffering emotional abuse in her thirty-three-year marriage, and plunging into a deep depression with her divorce. And yet, out of that pain came renewed purpose and meaning.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I am The Salamander
- By Dee Burton on 09-27-23
By: Sheila Johnson
-
Think You'll Be Happy
- Moving Through Grief with Grit, Grace, and Gratitude
- By: Nicole Avant
- Narrated by: Nicole Avant
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 118
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 112
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 112
Nicole Avant—diplomat, philanthropist, filmmaker—grew up surrounded by some of the most extraordinary artists of our time: Bill Withers, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier. Her parents—entertainment mogul, Clarence Avant, and legendary philanthropist, Jacqueline Avant—turned their home into a place of refuge and inspiration for a generation of geniuses. Nicole drew on that magical upbringing to create a stellar career in the music business, become the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, and produce critically acclaimed award-winning films and documentaries.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Religious
- By Shannon M. Holt on 11-18-23
By: Nicole Avant
-
How Far to the Promised Land
- One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South
- By: Esau McCaulley
- Narrated by: Esau McCaulley
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 173
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 165
For much of his life, Esau McCaulley was taught to see himself as an exception: someone who, through hard work, faith, and determination, overcame childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father to earn a job as a university professor and a life in the middle class.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An excellent story of Redemption
- By James Carmichael on 09-23-23
By: Esau McCaulley
-
Hillbilly Elegy
- A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
- By: J. D. Vance
- Narrated by: J. D. Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 62,325
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55,741
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55,641
Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis - that of white working-class Americans. The decline of this group, a demographic of our country that has been slowly disintegrating over 40 years, has been reported on with growing frequency and alarm but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
In Mamaw's Contradictions Lay Great Wisdom
- By Cynthia on 11-20-16
By: J. D. Vance
-
Your Passport to Parenting
- Wisdom from Around the World to Help Build Happy Families
- By: Joanne Holbrook
- Narrated by: Joanne Holbrook
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 18
Your Passport to Parenting explores parenting ideas from around the world, providing stories and lessons that demonstrate how values-based parenting can help create meaningful bonds between you and your child, while teaching them to be kind, secure, and empathetic.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Incredible book, incredible lessons
- By Heather on 12-31-21
By: Joanne Holbrook
-
The Light We Carry
- Overcoming in Uncertain Times
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 11,312
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,181
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10,138
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with listeners, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Very Disappointing—Too Ego-filled
- By Patricia Webb on 11-29-22
By: Michelle Obama
-
Walk Through Fire
- A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph
- By: Sheila Johnson
- Narrated by: Sheila Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,240
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,189
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1,189
Filled with sharply drawn, emotionally powerful senses, Walk Through Fire traces the hardships Sheila faced in her marriage and her professional life. Despite her skills as a violinist and music teacher, as well as her obvious entrepreneurial talent, she had to fight to overcome self-doubt and fears of failure. Sheila vividly details her struggles, including battling institutional racism, losing a child, suffering emotional abuse in her thirty-three-year marriage, and plunging into a deep depression with her divorce. And yet, out of that pain came renewed purpose and meaning.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I am The Salamander
- By Dee Burton on 09-27-23
By: Sheila Johnson
-
Think You'll Be Happy
- Moving Through Grief with Grit, Grace, and Gratitude
- By: Nicole Avant
- Narrated by: Nicole Avant
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 118
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 112
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 112
Nicole Avant—diplomat, philanthropist, filmmaker—grew up surrounded by some of the most extraordinary artists of our time: Bill Withers, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier. Her parents—entertainment mogul, Clarence Avant, and legendary philanthropist, Jacqueline Avant—turned their home into a place of refuge and inspiration for a generation of geniuses. Nicole drew on that magical upbringing to create a stellar career in the music business, become the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, and produce critically acclaimed award-winning films and documentaries.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Religious
- By Shannon M. Holt on 11-18-23
By: Nicole Avant
-
How Far to the Promised Land
- One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South
- By: Esau McCaulley
- Narrated by: Esau McCaulley
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 173
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 165
For much of his life, Esau McCaulley was taught to see himself as an exception: someone who, through hard work, faith, and determination, overcame childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father to earn a job as a university professor and a life in the middle class.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An excellent story of Redemption
- By James Carmichael on 09-23-23
By: Esau McCaulley
-
Hillbilly Elegy
- A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
- By: J. D. Vance
- Narrated by: J. D. Vance
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 62,325
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55,741
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55,641
Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis - that of white working-class Americans. The decline of this group, a demographic of our country that has been slowly disintegrating over 40 years, has been reported on with growing frequency and alarm but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
In Mamaw's Contradictions Lay Great Wisdom
- By Cynthia on 11-20-16
By: J. D. Vance
-
Good Morning, Monster
- A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery
- By: Catherine Gildiner
- Narrated by: Deborah Burgess
- Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,414
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,973
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,961
In this fascinating narrative, therapist Catherine Gildiner presents five of what she calls her most heroic and memorable patients. Among them: A successful, first-generation Chinese immigrant musician suffering sexual dysfunction; a young woman whose father abandoned her at age nine with her younger siblings in an isolated cottage in the depth of winter; and a glamorous workaholic whose narcissistic, negligent mother greeted her each morning of her childhood with "Good morning, Monster". Each patient presents a mystery, one that will only be unpacked over years.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
some things shouldn't be consumed
- By Jess on 12-28-22
-
Trust First
- A True Story About the Power of Giving People Second Chances
- By: Bruce Deel, Sara Grace
- Narrated by: Bruce Deel, Simon Sinek
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 128
When Pastor Bruce Deel took over the Mission Church in the 30314 zip code of Atlanta, he had orders to shut it down. The church was old and decrepit, and its neighborhood - known as "Better Leave, You Effing Fool", or "the Bluff", for short - had the highest rates of crime, homelessness, and incarceration in Georgia. Expecting his time there to only last six months, Deel was not prepared for what happened next. One Sunday, he was approached by a woman he didn't know. "I've been hooking and stripping for fourteen years," she said. "Can you help me?"
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Listen. To. This. Book. "TRUST" me!
- By THix. on 04-13-22
By: Bruce Deel, and others
-
Love Lives Here
- A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family
- By: Rowan Jetté Knox
- Narrated by: Rowan Jetté Knox
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 224
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 221
All Amanda Jetté Knox ever wanted was to enjoy a stable life. She never knew her biological father, and while her mother and stepfather were loving parents, the situation was sometimes chaotic. At school, she was bullied mercilessly, and at the age of 14, she entered a counselling program for alcohol addiction and was successful.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love Grows
- By Elizabeth Pitts on 07-31-19
By: Rowan Jetté Knox
-
Living Louder
- A Compassionate Journey Through Federal Prison
- By: Portia Louder
- Narrated by: Portia Louder
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 72
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 67
A deeply moving account of compassion, faith, and enduring friendships discovered in federal prison. The author weaves a fascinating biographical tale as she opens our eyes and hearts to the real challenges and struggles that people in prison face. A story told with the passion and insight of one who lived it!
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Portia's honesty
- By J. Lee on 03-01-25
By: Portia Louder
-
“Why, Gary, Why?”
- The Jody Plauché Story
- By: Jody Plauché
- Narrated by: Toby Tomplay
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 67
Through his own incredible story of using his past for good by helping others, he shares how any listener who has suffered great trauma can move on and not let the past define him or her. You have the potential to overcome negativity and redefine your own story.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Essential Reading for Parents and Everyone Else
- By Book Buddy on 08-17-24
By: Jody Plauché
-
Unleashing Your Hero
- Rise Above Any Challenge, Expand Your Impact, and Be the Hero the World Needs
- By: Kevin D. Brown
- Narrated by: Kevin Brown
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 96
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 88
In Unleashing Your Hero, renowned speaker Kevin Brown shares how the heroes who transformed his life are people just like you. People who stepped up and used their talents to make a positive difference within the hectic moments of everyday life. The same person your employees are looking to and trusting in for guidance and support.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Must read for anyone who wants to be a hero or to be reminded who their hero is
- By David M Cohen on 09-07-22
By: Kevin D. Brown
-
Cack-Handed
- A Memoir
- By: Gina Yashere
- Narrated by: Gina Yashere
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 430
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 373
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 370
The British comedian of Nigerian heritage and co-executive producer and writer of the CBS hit series Bob Hearts Abishola chronicles her odyssey to get to America and break into Hollywood in this lively and humorous memoir.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Be prepared to: Laugh. Learn. Get angry. Cry. Research/Fact-Check.
- By Omokhaye Ekhaese on 07-08-21
By: Gina Yashere
-
Pops
- Learning to Be a Son and a Father
- By: Craig Melvin
- Narrated by: Craig Melvin
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 131
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 116
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 114
For Craig Melvin this book is more an investigation than a memoir. It's an opportunity to better understand his father; to interrogate his family's legacy of addiction and despair but also transformation and redemption; and to explore the challenges facing all dads - including Craig himself, a father of two young children.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Close to Home
- By Michael HS on 06-22-21
By: Craig Melvin
-
Stop Surviving Start Fighting
- By: Jazz Thornton
- Narrated by: Jazz Thornton
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 237
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 215
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 213
Jazz Thornton first attempted to take her own life at the age of 12. Multiple attempts followed and she spent time in psychiatric wards and under medical supervision as she rode the rollercoaster of depression and anxiety through her teenage years - yet the attempts continued. Find out what Jazz learned about how her negative thought patterns came to be and how she turned those thoughts - and her life - around.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing
- By Amazon Customer on 07-19-21
By: Jazz Thornton
-
Fire in the Ashes
- Twenty-Five Years Among the Poorest Children in America
- By: Jonathan Kozol
- Narrated by: Keythe Farley
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55
In this powerful and culminating work about a group of inner-city children he has known for many years, Jonathan Kozol returns to the scene of his prize-winning books Rachel and Her Children and Amazing Grace, and to the children he has vividly portrayed, to share with us their fascinating journeys and unexpected victories as they grow into adulthood. For nearly 50 years Jonathan has pricked the conscience of his readers by laying bare the savage inequalities inflicted upon children for no reason but the accident of being born to poverty within a wealthy nation.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A hauting but beautiful book
- By LAM X LUU on 10-01-14
By: Jonathan Kozol
-
The PDA Paradox
- The Highs and Lows of My Life on a Little-Known Part of the Autism Spectrum
- By: Harry Thompson, Felicity Evans - foreword
- Narrated by: Elliot Chapman
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 74
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 67
Diagnosed with pathological demand avoidance (PDA) in his teenage years, Harry Thompson looks back with wit and humour at the ups and downs of family and romantic relationships, school, work and mental health, as well as his teenage struggle with drugs and alcohol. By embracing neurodiversity and emphasising that autistic people are not flawed human beings, Thompson demonstrates that some merely need to take the 'scenic route' in order to flourish and reach their full potential.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A great resource for PDAers & their loved ones
- By Rochelle Esser on 12-18-21
By: Harry Thompson, and others
-
Walking with My Angels
- A True Story
- By: Keith Leon S.
- Narrated by: Keith Leon S.
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
Thirty years ago, Keith Leon S. received a message from angels. He was told that he would write a book that would change lives. Anyone who held this book in their hands would be raised to their next level of vibration. Finally, here it is. This is the true story of a man whose life was spared over and over again with the help of his angels. He has witnessed miracles. He has witnessed time reverse. The stories of his adventures with his angels are thrilling, as well as being full of humor and wonder. Now, Keith is on a mission to introduce you to your heavenly helpers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Highly recommended!
- By B.Dova on 10-17-21
By: Keith Leon S.
Critic reviews
"Father Chris Riley is an uncanonised saint. Harrowing tales told without emotion. Gripping." (The Daily Telegraph)
"This story is hugely impressive. It takes an exceptional person to withstand the long hours, emotional demands and bureaucratic red tape that can exhaust even the most well-meaning in welfare work." (The Sydney Morning Herald)
"The story of Father Chris Riley, radical Salesian priest and the man behind the Youth Off The Streets charity, is genuinely remarkable." (Saturday Age)
What listeners say about Mean Streets, Kind Heart
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- J.Brock
- 01-14-23
Amazing Man Who’s all heart
Father Chris Riley is one of a kind. His whole life is about saving the lost, rejected, and most troubled kids of Australia. The head of Youth off the Streets is unconventional and tough. And the kids, from the abused to abusers themselves, adore him. What a story of caring and perseverance.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!