The Rising
Murder, Heartbreak, and the Power of Human Resilience in an American Town
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4.2 • 15 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
The astonishing story of one man’s recovery in the face of traumatic loss—and a powerful meditation on the resilience of the soul
On July 23, 2007, Dr. William Petit suffered an unimaginable horror: Armed strangers broke into his suburban Connecticut home in the middle of the night, bludgeoned him nearly to death, tortured and killed his wife and two daughters, and set their house on fire. He miraculously survived, and yet living through those horrific hours was only the beginning of his ordeal. Broken and defeated, Bill was forced to confront a question of ultimate consequence: How does a person find the strength to start over and live again after confronting the darkest of nightmares?
In The Rising, acclaimed journalist Ryan D’Agostino takes us into Bill Petit’s world, using unprecedented access to Bill and his family and friends to craft a startling, inspiring portrait of human strength and endurance. To understand what produces a man capable of surviving the worst, D’Agostino digs deep into Bill’s all-American upbringing, and in the process tells a remarkable story of not just a man’s life, but of a community’s power to shape that life through its embrace of loyalty and self-sacrifice as its most important values. Following Bill through the hardest days—through the desperate times in the aftermath of the attack and the harrowing trials of the two men responsible for it—The Rising offers hope that we can find a way back to ourselves, even when all seems lost.
Today, Bill Petit has remarried. He and his wife have a baby boy. The very existence of this new family defies rational expectation, and yet it confirms our persistent, if often unspoken, belief that we are greater than what befalls us, and that if we know where to look for strength in trying times, we will always find it. Bill’s story, told as never before in The Rising, is by turns compelling and uplifting, an affirmation of the inexhaustible power of the human spirit.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On July 23, 2007, Dr. William Petit s wife and two daughters were senselessly murdered when two armed strangers broke into their home in Cheshire, Conn. Brutally beaten and tied to a metal pole in the basement, Dr. Petit was helpless as his family was sexually assaulted and senselessly murdered. Amazingly, he managed to escape and alert a neighbor to call 911, but by then it was too late. Instead of dwelling on the salacious details of the assault or the family's assailants (the author offers little more than a rough sketch of the men), D'Agostino, who first wrote about the Petit family murders for Esquire in 2011, chooses to focus on the attack's aftermath and the tremendous swell of positivity and support Petit received as he attempted to recreate a life in this amazing and inspiring account. Wracked with guilt and grief, Petit was near catatonic for some time until the spontaneous creation of a foundation engineered by his friends roused him and helped him find new purpose as he slowly rebuilds his life. D'Agostino's tender approach to his subject and story is impressive as he artfully charts Petit's emotional thawing without resorting to cloying prose or melodrama. D'Agostino's three-dimensional portrait of Dr. Petit and the family members he lost gives the book an additional emotional punch. Though a horrific crime provides the backdrop, this book is a remarkable account of hope, fellowship, and love in the face of tragedy.
Customer Reviews
A Bit Disappointed
I am a true crime reader and did enjoy reading this book. However, the book was more of a story about Dr. Petit and his overcoming his horrific crime committed against he family. A book that is about a sensational murder should have more about the actual crime. For example, why did the two murders single out that family? What actually happened during the seige of their home? The book touched on but was light on the background of these two defendants. Overall, although I did enjoy reading the book was came away a bit disappointed in the details that were omitted from the book.
Meh
I was eager to read this. As a little girl (years before this happened) I lived in the neighborhood where this happened. I no longer live in the area, but my link to this area made this incident really stick out to me. My heart broke for Bill Petit. I have followed the case and the foundation since and was so happy when Bill remarried and had a son. However, this book was disappointing. It jumped around a lot, especially at the beginning, and the writing was atrocious. I’m still glad I read it, but it was a bit of a disappointment.
The Rising
Totally inspiring and well researched....just as I have come to expect from someone with experience meeting the writing standards of Esquire. Dr. Petit's courage in the face of unbelievable tragedy, along with the lessons in support he received from so many people remind that there still is some good in "small town America", despite the evil demonstrated by two brutal animals. An excellent, but difficult, story to read, and, I imagine, to write....but very well done. I recommend it highly.