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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated I Have Life: Alison's Journey in Books

May 13, 2021  
I Have Life: Alison's Journey
I Have Life: Alison's Journey
Marianne Thamm, Alison Botha | 2016 | Biography, Crime
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I first heard about Alison Botha on a true crime podcast. What happened to Alison and her will to survive really piqued my interest. When I discovered her biography, I Have Life, I knew I had to read it right away. While what happened to Alison was beyond horrific, her will to survive and her outlook on life afterwards were inspirational.

Reading about Alison's abduction, rape, and attempted murder will definitely leave you with your jaw on the floor. Alison holds nothing back about anything throughout her biography whether it is the horrific events that happened to her or her will to survive emotionally after her wounds have healed. Marianne Thamm, the journalist that Alison told her story to in order to write her biography does a wonderful job of tying everything together for the most part. About halfway through though, I felt like I Have Life stopped being a biography and started becoming a self-help book with Alison writing (speaking to Thamm) about how to become a happier person. Luckily, this only lasts for a few chapters, but I felt like maybe the chapters about being happier and such should be in a self-help book. (Alison gives talks around the world about her ordeal, so perhaps that's why these chapters were included?) Otherwise Marianne Thamm's writing of Alison Botha's biography was flawless. I was immersed the whole time. I felt like I was right besides Alison the whole time. I kept wanting there to be a different outcome when Alison was abducted by Frans even though I knew there wouldn't be. I felt like Alison really wants the stigma for rape survivors to be no more (and she's right as there shouldn't be any stigma attached). I felt like everything I wanted to know about Alison was answered in I Have Life - from what happened to Alison at the point of her abduction, the rape, the brutal attempted to murder, to the trial of her rapists and attacker to how her life was like at the writing of the book. Like I said, Thamm and Alison don't really leave anything to the imagination of which I was grateful.

All in all, I Have Life is a deeply disturbing book to read, but it does have a great outcome. It is well put together, and Alison Botha comes across as such a strong inspirational woman. Alison's story is full of hope and wisdom throughout. I would definitely recommend I Have Life: Alison's Journey as told to Marianne Thamm for those ages 18+ who are into true crime or for those that just want to see how strong the human will is to survive.
  
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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Abducted in Plain Sight (2017) in Movies

Apr 8, 2021  
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017)
2017 | Biography, Crime, Documentary
7
7.2 (11 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Now this one has to be seen to be believed! It is a short documentary film of about 90 minutes, not a series, but it plays like a longer episode of a series – except by the end there is no more to tell. In and out, thankfully! It is the story of Jan Broberg, a relatively successful Hollywood supporting actress, who wrote a book about her abduction by a close family friend when she was a child in the 70s. As the story unfolds, especially if you are a parent yourself, you will be screaming at the screen in total disbelief and indignation every ten minutes, and twice as loud at the end!

I can’t go into the details without ruining it, but suffice to say that the series of events is one of the strangest stories, fact or fiction, that I have ever heard! The audacity and total manipulation of the offender, in conjunction with the insane naivety of Jan and her parents is mind-blowing! How he got away with it in any way for longer than a day is unfathomable enough, but this was abuse that went on unpunished for years. Is it the bible belt attitude to blame? I am… still… scratching my head on this one! How did these events and crimes ever happen? Just, wow! Do yourself a favour if you want to be shocked and have a good rant at the TV, watch this and see for yourself.