Hardcover, 336 pages
English language
Published Oct. 30, 2014 by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House.
The founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama recounts his experiences as a lawyer working to assist those desperately in need, reflecting on his pursuit of the ideal of compassion in American justice.
This is such an important read. I think I’ll bring up this book every time somebody in my fb book club touts To Kill A Mockingbird.
[a:Bryan Stevenson|4396806|Bryan Stevenson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1416790038p2/4396806.jpg]'s memoir is a beautiful account of his work aiding condemned inmates on Alabama's death row, and a chilling illustration of all the work that is left to do to repair a corrupt and broken system of (in)justice and mass incarceration. Would highly recommend.
This was a heart wrenching, powerful look at the horrors and injustices of the death penalty. Very powerful, a must read.
As hard as this book was to read – it is, after all, a searing indictment of modern America's treatment of our Black citizens and our poor citizens – I am immensely grateful to have read it. Bryan Stevenson is a treasure – his passion for justice and commitment to those who have no means to defend themselves are an inspiration.
While the book is ostensibly about one man's wrongful conviction and time spent on death row before his exoneration, it's also a survey of the many flaws in today's criminal justice system in America. We are the only country in the developed world to sentence juveniles to life sentences (thanks to Stevenson's work, juveniles can no longer be sentenced to life without parole). We criminalize behavior that is more appropriate for the healthcare system or for aid programs. And we've created a cycle that repeats itself with each new …
As hard as this book was to read – it is, after all, a searing indictment of modern America's treatment of our Black citizens and our poor citizens – I am immensely grateful to have read it. Bryan Stevenson is a treasure – his passion for justice and commitment to those who have no means to defend themselves are an inspiration.
While the book is ostensibly about one man's wrongful conviction and time spent on death row before his exoneration, it's also a survey of the many flaws in today's criminal justice system in America. We are the only country in the developed world to sentence juveniles to life sentences (thanks to Stevenson's work, juveniles can no longer be sentenced to life without parole). We criminalize behavior that is more appropriate for the healthcare system or for aid programs. And we've created a cycle that repeats itself with each new generation as children grow up with one or both parents incarcerated.
It's hard to imagine reading this book and not being changed, not being motivated to improving such a broken system, not being ashamed that our country has failed so many of its citizens for so long.
Just Mercy is the saddest book I have ever read. It tells the true stories of an innocent man on the death row for 5 years, a traumatized girl who accidentally sets a house on fire and kills people sentenced a life in prison in which she is abused by prison guards, and many other horrific scenarios. Bryan Stevenson is one of the bravest people I can think of. He and his partners defend these people and many more. He continues to defend them even when he receives bomb threats, loses trials and has to watch his clients be executed, and has to present in front of disrespectful and unfair judges. Stevenson has succeeded many times as well. He has saved many innocent people from execution and ended life imprisonment for many teenagers that have mental disabilities and do not deserve their punishment.
Just Mercy has opened my eyes to …
Just Mercy is the saddest book I have ever read. It tells the true stories of an innocent man on the death row for 5 years, a traumatized girl who accidentally sets a house on fire and kills people sentenced a life in prison in which she is abused by prison guards, and many other horrific scenarios. Bryan Stevenson is one of the bravest people I can think of. He and his partners defend these people and many more. He continues to defend them even when he receives bomb threats, loses trials and has to watch his clients be executed, and has to present in front of disrespectful and unfair judges. Stevenson has succeeded many times as well. He has saved many innocent people from execution and ended life imprisonment for many teenagers that have mental disabilities and do not deserve their punishment.
Just Mercy has opened my eyes to the unfairness of our criminal justice system. I used to always think that if a person is innocent (s)he should not and will not go to jail. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. The conditions in our jails our terrible because they are overfilled. Although there are plenty of people that are guilty in jail, there are also innocent people in jail and many excess punishments.
I did not enjoy reading Just Mercy. It made me feel frustrated, scared, and sad. However, I am glad that I read it. I learned a lot from it.
Full review on: cggbooks.wordpress.com
