Scott Turow is known to millions as the author of peerless novels about the troubling regions of experience where law and reality intersect. In real life, as a respected criminal lawyer, he has been involved with the death penalty for more than a decade, including successfully representing two different men convicted in death-penalty prosecutions. In this vivid account of how his views on the death penalty have evolved, Turow describes his own experiences with capital punishment from his days as an impassioned young prosecutor to his recent service on the Illinois commission which investigated the administration of the death penalty and influenced Governor George Ryan's unprecedented commutation of the sentences of 164 death row inmates on his last day in office. Along the way, he provides a brief history of America's ambivalent relationship with the ultimate punishment, analyzes the potent reasons for and against it, including the role of the victims' survivors, and tells the powerful stories behind the statistics, as he moves from the Governor's Mansion to Illinois' state-of-the art 'super-max' prison and the execution chamber.
This gripping, clear-sighted, necessary examination of the principles, the personalities, and the politics of a fundamental dilemma of our democracy has all the drama and intellectual substance of Turow's celebrated fiction.
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"Really interesting stuff. I listened to the audio version. One point that Turow makes is that our founding fathers recognized slavery and capital punishment. While we no longer agree with slavery, has our opinion on capital punishment changed as well? " — SueAnn (4 out of 5 stars)
"Really interesting stuff. I listened to the audio version. One point that Turow makes is that our founding fathers recognized slavery and capital punishment. While we no longer agree with slavery, has our opinion on capital punishment changed as well? "
" A good general discussion of the major issues surrounding the death penalty. The author weighs heavily on his personal experience, and most examples and specific policies are taken from Illinois (to the exclusion of other states with different issues). "
" Even if you are not a lawyer this is a great book about the death penalty if you have ever been interested in the costs and effect and why it's so controversial. "
" I felt that this argument could have been summed up much quicker than the author presented. "
" This book didn't change my mind because I was already firmly opposed to the death penalty, but I did appreciate the close examination of the issues by a lawyer who has examined them closely and thoughtfully. "
" Interesting, but I already knew a lot of what happened with the commission Gov. Ryan appointed from watching "Deadline." "
" its greatest weakness is that it is too short "
" I read this book because I received a free copy when I worked at the same firm as Mr. Turow. It's not as dry as I thought it would have been. "
" Previous to this book, I hadn't given the death penalty much thought. Now I know where I stand. "
" A compassionate and logical book of essays about the death penalty, one which examines the issue from many, perhaps all, sides. "
" Read it if you want to have an informed opinion about the death penalty. "
" Thoughtful, fair, profound. Read this. "
" 1st edition, signed by author "
" Very thought provoking and informative. "
" Interesting look on the problems of capital punishment in Illinois. "
" Really interesting stuff. I listened to the audio version. One point that Turow makes is that our founding fathers recognized slavery and capital punishment. While we no longer agree with slavery, has our opinion on capital punishment changed as well? "
" Considerably better than I thought it would be. I didn't expect it to change my views on the subject but it did slightly. "
" This book forced me to challenge all preconceptions I had about the death penalty and ask myself if I could pull the lever. I could not. "
" Whatever reasons one might have for supporting the death penalty in the US, Turow ably explains why it has to go. "
" Concise discussion of the death penalty. "
" If you wanted someone to shed light on the complexities and debate on capital punishment, read this. "
" A book that helped me clarify and articulate my own vague beliefs about the death penalty. "
" This book definitely opened my eyes to many issues surrounding the death penalty. "
" Kind of interesting how it is decided who gets life in prison & who gets a death sentence. This was research done for a report & recommendation by over 20 lawyers & others for the state of Illinois when their death penalty was put on hold. "
Scott Turow is the author of nonfiction and bestselling works of fiction, including Presumed Innocent and The Burden of Proof, which reached the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. His books have been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide and have been adapted into movies and television projects. He has frequently contributed essays and op-ed pieces to publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, New Yorker, and The Atlantic.
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