Picking Cotton, Erin Torneo
Picking Cotton, Erin Torneo
11 Rating(s)
List: $16.99 | Sale: $11.89
Club: $8.49

Picking Cotton
Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption

Author: Erin Torneo, Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, Ronald Cotton

Narrator: Richard Allen, Karen White

Unabridged: 7 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 03/17/2009


Synopsis

Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape and eventually identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. Ronald insisted that she was mistaken—but Jennifer's positive identification was the compelling evidence that put him behind bars. After eleven years, Ronald was allowed to take a DNA test that proved his innocence. He was released after serving more than a decade in prison for a crime he never committed. Two years later, Jennifer and Ronald met face to face—and forged an unlikely friendship that changed both of their lives.

In their own words, Jennifer and Ronald unfold the harrowing details of their tragedy, and challenge our ideas of memory and judgment while demonstrating the profound nature of human grace and the healing power of forgiveness.

About Erin Torneo

Erin Torneo, a writer based in Los Angeles, is coauthor of The Bridal Wave: A Survival Guide to the Everyone-I-Know-Is-Getting-Married Years. She was a 2007 New York Foundation for the Arts Nonfiction Fellow.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mariah Roze on April 03, 2020

Such a good story! I highly recommend! "Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape, and eventually positively identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. Ronald insisted that she was mistaken-- but Jennifer's positive identif......more

Goodreads review by Dana on April 01, 2009

Jennifer Thompson was a senior in college planning to get married when the unthinkable happened. One evening a man broke into her apartment and raped her at knifepoint. Jennifer memorized his face and her quick thinking allowed her to escape. She was able to come up with a composite drawing with the......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on May 05, 2011

2.5 stars. I first saw this compelling story on 60 Minutes: A victim of a horrible crime mistakenly identifies her attacker, and wrongfully accuses a man who ultimately spends 11 years of his life in prison for a rape he did not commit. A very personal story, from both victims, told with much earnes......more

Goodreads review by Marjorie on January 17, 2011

Read this book as a possible choice for a "UCLA Common Book" selection for all incoming students. I was disappointed. The story is framed as being about the unreliability of memory and the power of forgiveness. A woman is raped and picks a man out of a lineup and is convinced throughout his trial tha......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on January 10, 2018

Quick, easy read. What I like about this book is the authors made this book informative but also appealing to read for a broad audience. The accounts in the book are their personal stories, written by them, and not over technical where it would scare people off. Jennifer Thompson is raped in her apart......more