Strange Piece of Paradise by Terri Jentz (2006, Hardcover)

Author Terri Jentz takes the reader through a horrific experience but more importantly it shares with the reader her journey in pursuing a legal as well as a personal closure to it. In 1977, Jentz and a fellow Yale graduate embark on a bicycling adventure heading across the country and while camped at a state park in Oregon a stranger drives over their tent and attacks them with an axe. Both women sustain life-threatening injuries but Jentz is able to reach help and is able to get herself and her friend medical help. The attacker is never found, the crime never solved. 15 years later, Jentz returns to the town where the attack took place only to find that the statute of limitations has expired and that the townspeople as well as the police knew who did it but for numerous reasons, did little if anything to pursue the individual ! Through hundreds of interviews Jentz brings the reader through this journey without "poor me" sentiment but with admirable determination.

I highly recommend the book.

In 1980, my friend Curtis and I (both males, then aged 22 & 23) rode bicycles from Tucson to the east coast. I finished in Boston; Curtis rode to Bangor, Maine. 'The Trip' as we call it, was a highlight of our lives.
Last month I read a review of Terri Jentz' "Strange Piece of Paradise" and then immediately bought the book. I was struck numb to think that three years before our bike ride, Terri and her female friend started their own cross-country bike ride but only got as far as a park in Oregon when they were attacked in their sleep by some man who drove over Terri with his truck and then hacked both women with a hatchet. That both women survived is an amazing story in itself; a wild combination of adrenaline, a fierce will to live, freakish luck and Samaritans' good timing.
Even more remarkable and heroic is Ms. Jentz' decision to return to central Oregon to search for her attacker and to tell us the story.
I cannot even imagine the courage it took to do what she has done.
Anyone who enjoys the outdoors, anyone interested in the criminal justice system, any woman, any man who cares for a woman and any person who cares about justice should read this book.
I hope to have a chance to hear Ms. Jentz speak. I'm sure we'll hear from her again...may the next time be under happier and safer circumstance.

Book Club Selection. Interesting read. Makes you lock your doors at night as it was a true story. Author lived it before she wrote it. Makes you question our justice system. Enjoyed her description of the ex-girlfriends of this guy.

I initially was referred to this book by someone in a book club that I go to every now and then. I was apprehensive at first because the book seemed so large that I was afraid there was going to be a lot of boring drawn out uneccesary descriptions in it, but I was wrong.

This is an excellent book. Terri Jentz is a colorful & prolific writer. She shared her astounding experience of being run over by a truck in the middle of nowhere and nearly hacked to death with an axe. Years later after trying to live a normal life and only refer to the accident in non-chalant, indifferent ways she realizes she needs to face it. And that is where the book takes off.

She goes out trying to find her attempted murderer and it truly is an incredible story. It is written almost like a mystery novel told through the victims perspective. Expcept this time, it is in fact a real flesh and blood womans recount of events.

Whenever I read any book it has some kind of effect on my daily life. I'll relate things to the book and vice versa. Well, this book had me kind of spooked. Wondering where the psycho's are. Perhaps it was a little paranoid, but as a direct result of that I changed habbits and patterns to make sure I wasn't leaving myself vulnerable and started taking mixed martial arts classes...just in case.

So even though this book is about a terrible experience it is written in a fresh way with some dark humor. "Survivor Humor". It's not heavy, she doesn't act like a victim, she's a strong woman. Fearless. It was refreshing and inspiring to read her book.

I am so very grateful to her for sharing it and I recommend this book highly.

I bought it out of curiosity, after seeing the author on TV, talking about her book and her experience. I liked the genuine honesty and forthright of authorship. I liked her ability to write visually. The pace was good, events, people and places were described well, and I liked how she wrote of her thoughts, although some went on and on a bit more than really necessary. However,that is obviously Terri. Terri, coming from a nice family, nice part of the U.S., far away from the evil that lurks, only one who has been there and had this happen to her, in her prime of life, with her whole life ahead of her, attempting to make her body strong and fit - yes, hard to fathom such evil. I liked that the book is a sore reminder of the evil that lurks and how it brings to light several other lurking evils amongs us. It also describes how inadequate the laws are, police investigation, how well known families have influence over anything, dysfunctional pathetic excuses for human beings, not just the creeps who do evil but the parents and other who choose to look the other way and cover it up. Considering the loathsome creep who did it was adopted, it was no slight on the parents. He was bred of evil, had lifetimes of evil before him, no doubt. The parents were sorry excuses for human beings too, paying off all his dirty deeds. Rather disappointing ending, however. I was hoping for justice. I guess I ought to have known better. Also disappointing, no photographs of the damage. A few of the scars, the arm, the chest would have been nice, giving a better idea of the lasting damage. It was described well but photos tell a lot, too. Knowing how painful broken ribs are, for life, I was surprised that Terri didn't go into her continued pain. No doubt she has some, but she presents as humble in that way, descriptive talk, but not a whole lot of pain in the following years. My heart goes out to both ladies. And to the reviewer who criticized for naming Yale, did you forget that Shayna encouraged Terri to write the book. She was all for it. Her identity was concealed well enough for the general population. Yale students already know who she is, doctors, friends, neighbors, family - I disagree with that reviewer's criticism, and to the reviewers who talk about Terri being a (sexually - likes same sex), we're reviewing a book here, not your wild and stupid thoughts and how you would like to see her. What's your problem? Lastly, Terri was courageous where many might have given up, same for Shayna. I liked the book, horrifying - yes, but courageous beyond belief. /Suzanne