Hard Time

Life with Sheriff Joe Arpaio in America's Toughest Jail

By: Shaun Attwood

Narrated by: Peter Batchelor

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Shaun Attwood was a millionaire day trader in Phoenix, Arizona, but his hedonistic lifestyle of drugs and parties came to an abrupt end in 2002 when a SWAT team broke down his door. Attwood found himself on remand in Maricopa Jail with a $750,000 cash bond and all of his assets seized. The nightmare was only just beginning as he was submerged in a jail in which rival gangs vied for control, crystal meth was freely available, and where breaking rules could result in beatings or death.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s jails have the highest death rate in the U.S. Hard Time is the harrowing yet darkly humorous account of the time Attwood spent submerged in a nightmarish world of gang violence and insect-infested cells, eating food unfit for animals. His remarkable story provides a revealing glimpse into the tragedy, brutality, comedy, and eccentricity of prison life.

©2011 Shaun Attwood. Foreword copyright 2011 Tony Papa. Introduction copyright 2011 Anne Mini (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Narration ruined it

It’s a great book, but the narration ruined it. This narrator had the Hispanics sounding like the Count from Sesame Street.

Doing time with him

The narrator and his expressions and character voices really makes you feel as if you're right there in jail with him.

Good story so far but audio narration is terrible

Would you be willing to try another one of Peter Batchelor’s performances?

The English accent of course is fine but the Mexican accents are spoken like Count Dracula

a great listen!

Well done! Highly reccomend, i listened while at work and in car,had to force myself to not listen at home so it wouldn't go so fast! Narration was great, the accents he gives to the cast of characters is great!

If you're English, accents are intolerable

I want to enjoy the story but the terrible accents by the narrator detract from it.

I'm a southerner but the accent that moves between Welsh, Indian and South West is distracting. it'd never a Runcorn accent!

Richard Burton says “Dawg” x 2000!?!?

One of those, hmm what’s this about then? While perusing the many titles in the true crime genre. Dawg!! A how to on how to survive while incarcerated and an even better deterrent to being a criminal in Arizona Dawg!! Very well written and detailed accounts by young English Shawn Dawg!! However, the chap narrating sounds to be a grizzled 65 year old. Perhaps a younger lad/hooligan would have been in order. Enjoy…. DAWG!!

poor choice for narrator

good book but a poor choice for a narrator. the narrator is not bad but his accent is inappropriate for the characters in the book. I had to stop listening at chapter 7 because I could not get past the narrator's accents.

Horrible Narration

The book is good, I just wished it was a different narrator. He is horrible

Smooth storyline

This was a smoothly-told story, no real loose-ends, and not just a chronological listing either. Not really a bashing-session against Arpaio; more thought-provoking than disgruntled-attack. Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.

Eye Opener!

Shaun is a Brit day trader who comes to the USA to seek his fortune. He ends up dealing drugs in the Arizona rave scene landing him in one of the worst jails - Maricopa run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

I had seen Shaun's story on 20/20 and read about it in People magazine which peaked my interest. I had also done some research on Maricopa inhumane conditions several years ago so getting the insight on what it was really like from an inmate intrigued me.

The book provides real insight to life behind bars. I thought Shaun's story was honest and forthcoming. Intimates have to deal with beyond horrific conditions at this jail. I cannot imagine having to live off green bolonga for years (that alone would of kept me on the right side of the law).

I was not a fan of Peter Batchelor the narrator. His voice was very scratchy & rough. I found it a bit hard to stay tuned in because of it. I feel like this is one of those times I wished I had bought the book and read it myself then going with the Audio book.

It's a decent prison story, not a favorite but a good one.

Ps...if my review helps you could you click the helpful key? I am starting to wonder if my time and efforts are worth it. Thank you