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4.72 AVERAGE
4.72 AVERAGE
This book was an amazing read! Bryan Stevenson does a wonderful job of addressing issues in our criminal justice system and I feel connected to the people in the book and their stories.
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Powerful look at injustice in criminal justice system that is stacked against the poor, mentally disabled, and most vulnerable. Yet, the work of the author and the Equal Justice Initiative also leaves you feeling hopeful. Beautifully written, with mercy for all involved.
I wish I could give this book more stars. It made me cry, think hard, re-evaluate my own stand-points and seriously consider how I could take action. It was a book that was compelling by it's own narrative and by the progression of events that made it. No matter where you land on the death penalty and mass incarceration, you need to read this book. It really exposes the major flaws with the American judicial system with simple narratives and facts. 5/5, 10/10, 100/100 and all the kudos.
Exceptional yet disturbing true story about racial inequality
"Just Mercy" was a fantastic account of the amazing work done by Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative. It is a must read for any person committed to the work of anti-racism and justice. Told from the perspective of Stevenson, a black lawyer who, after graduating from Harvard School of Law, began practicing law in Alabama, specifically for those on death row, those wrongfully convicted of crimes, and juveniles tried as adults and sentenced to capital punishment or life in prison without parole. The work detailed in this book is heartbreaking, beautiful, and so important. The journey that Stevenson takes you on not only exposes the criminal justice (or injustice) system for what it is, but also advocates for life, restorative and rehabilitative justice, and mercy for those that need it the most.
While the main story of "Just Mercy" covers Bryan Stevenson's work with a wrongfully convicted black man named Walter McMillian, who was placed on death row for a murder he did not commit, the book veers in many different directions, encompassing the entirety of the work that the Equal Justice Initiative does. The statistics and realities shared by Stevenson in these pages are appalling and hard to read, but they are necessary for showing simply how unjust our justice system can be; one can see from Stevenson's first-hand retellings how the "system of criminal justice ... continues to treat people better if they are rich and guilty than if they are poor and innocent" (313). Decrying mandatory sentence requirements, racial profiling and racial disparities within the criminal justice system, the age of mass incarceration, and the death penalty, Stevenson ultimately shows that the "The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned” (18), and that all of us are far more than simply the worst thing we have ever done.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I also encourage anyone thinking about reading this book to also watch the movie based on the book, also titled "Just Mercy," which was released at the end of 2019. Also, check out all the amazing work that Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative are currently doing at their website: eji.org.
While the main story of "Just Mercy" covers Bryan Stevenson's work with a wrongfully convicted black man named Walter McMillian, who was placed on death row for a murder he did not commit, the book veers in many different directions, encompassing the entirety of the work that the Equal Justice Initiative does. The statistics and realities shared by Stevenson in these pages are appalling and hard to read, but they are necessary for showing simply how unjust our justice system can be; one can see from Stevenson's first-hand retellings how the "system of criminal justice ... continues to treat people better if they are rich and guilty than if they are poor and innocent" (313). Decrying mandatory sentence requirements, racial profiling and racial disparities within the criminal justice system, the age of mass incarceration, and the death penalty, Stevenson ultimately shows that the "The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned” (18), and that all of us are far more than simply the worst thing we have ever done.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I also encourage anyone thinking about reading this book to also watch the movie based on the book, also titled "Just Mercy," which was released at the end of 2019. Also, check out all the amazing work that Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative are currently doing at their website: eji.org.
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
What a hard, great read. Highly recommend. Will reread.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced