The Prison Angel: Mother Antonia's Journey from Beverly Hills to a Life of Service in a Mexican Jail

by Mary Jordan, Kevin Sullivan, Mary C. Jordan

Book Overview

The winners of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting tell the astonishing story of Mary Clarke. At the age of fifty, Clarke left her comfortable life in suburban Los Angeles to follow a spiritual calling to care for the prisoners in one of Mexico's most notorious jails. She actually moved into a cell to live among drug king pins and petty thieves. She has led many of them through profound spiritual transformations in which they turned...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 014303717X
• ISBN13: 9780143037170
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Extraordinary book about forgiveness, altruism and compassion

First of all, I knew who Madre Antonia was because I live in Tijuana and almost everybody here knows her or has heard of her. So when I heard there was a book about her I got really excited and tried to get a hold of a copy. This book is very inspirational. Mother Antonia is my friend's godmother and when M. Jordan talked to her about writing a book about her life, Mother Antonia went to talk to my friend's dad (who had been the prison director before)and asked him what he thought about the idea of having a book about her work, she thought it wasn't right to tell everybody "Oh look all the things I've done", she just didn't want to feel like she was bragging about her actions, but my friend's dad told her that she didn't need to see it that way, she could see it as an inspiration for others to follow her steps. And I think it is exactly what this book is. Mother Antonia gave up alot of things and decided to move into "La Peny" how people from Tijuana refer to La Mesa Prison. And like she said it's not self-sacrifice because what she does she does it with love and she enjoys it. This American nun is very sweet, she is always smiling, when you talk to her she always smiles. She bring help and warmth to prisioners, poor people and just anyone who looks for her and finds her. This book definetely makes us think about how selfish we can be, sometimes we just live in our world thinking we have it all and don't even think about help the ones the have nothing. I'm going to be honest and say that this book made me feel really selfish. In fact, I already chose some stuff I'm going to take to Madre Antonia, you can just give her things and she will find people that need it. I felt bad because I told her I was going to bring her some things about a year ago and I didn't (being 10 minutes away from her ~_~) so now I'm definetely going to do it. There were a lot of sentences that caught my attention, but right now I'm going to share only one: "Look up into the sky and see a billion planets, and you'll see what power is. It doesn't come from a wallet or a weapon" Madre Antonia p.179 I recommended this book so so so much. It's tough to put down. The authors did an excellent job. You'll see that it will make you think about ways to help others. It's an incredible story. I promise you'll find yourself smiling at the fact that people like Madre Antonia still exists on this world. ^_^ vgxoxo@hotmail.com

Forgiveness

It is difficult to review this book without sounding trite. It truly is inspirational. Mother Antonia is remarkable in that she has chosen to live in a prison in Mexico, but that is just the beginning. When you read this book you encounter a woman that embodies goodness. You will never view forgiveness in the same way after experiencing her philosophy. And you really do experience Mother Antonia. Sullivan and Jordan have done a remarkable job of not only telling her story, but allowing the reader to learn the story from Mother Antonia. I can't help but feel that I know the woman after reading this account of her life. Highly recommended.

Will lift you up!!

All I can say is this great book will lift up anyone's spirits. And if you were ever thinking of helping out at a soup kitchen or hospital, you may find yourself finally making the call ! Mother Antonia is that inspiring! God bless her!!

Prison Angel

Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan have written a rare and intimate book, one that traces the densely complex life of an american housewife from the glades of beverly hills to the cold and violent cells of a mexican prison; rare because journalists seldom plumb inner lives, and intimate because they lived with mother antonia in the prison where she works. this volume is rare as well because as much as it chronicles a life of consumate goodness, it does so within the harsh and often deadly atmosphere of mexican criminal life, the drug wars, vendettas, vengeance and betrayals. i read this book in one sitting; it cannot be put down.

Can't put this book down!

Mother Antonia is the essence of love, and yet she makes you laugh, makes you feel cherished, and makes you feel like a better person. She is so spunky and exudes life, and despite her small and short frame, she has stories that are so intense that it scares you, yet amazes you at how someone can love the unlovable so sincerely. This book captures her spirit and her overflowing love so well, and it also shows the other side of her, which is so courageous that she even stands up to some of Mexico's most notorious druglords. I wish that everyone could meet her, and that is why I am so excited that this book exists, so that everyone can have a chance to get to know what she is like. I read this book in a day because I could not put it down. There are so many on-the-edge-of-your-seat stories that it captures you. It made me think, laugh, cry, made me want to make more of my life, made me want to give, and helped me to love more. Mother Antonia is a gift and a blessing to everyone that meets her or reads her story.