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purplepierogi's review
4.0
this book was well researched, very well written, and though I think the title could have better indicated just how focused we would be on Texas, Chammah brought to the forefront the real cogs and wheels of the death penalty, highlighting both a prosecutor-turned-judge and a death penalty abolitionist / defense advocate, situating their career trajectories among decades of broader policy change and shifting perceptions of capital punishment. other reviewers have noted that each chapter brings in (and sometimes abruptly drops) individual cases to punctuate the broader rise and fall of the death penalty, but what bothered me more was that the explanation of the 'fall' of the death penalty seemed to develop mostly in the epilogue. while I enjoyed the book and its nuanced portrait, somehow I do think the details shined brighter than an overarching thesis.
personally, this was a really well-timed pick as I literally was just introduced to the title of 'mitigation specialist' on linkedin, lol, and here is a book explaining the conception of the role, a quasi-profile of its creator, and the evolving expectation mitigation specialists be required in defense. I guess for me a major takeaway is nothing exists in a vacuum; the rights the accused and the convicted have now to jury selection, appeal, mitigation, as well as any mainstream acknowledgment of the racial roots in lynching, they were all hard-won battles, sometimes fought by random people who gave up their work-life balances and their marriages and were also just people in an office.
personally, this was a really well-timed pick as I literally was just introduced to the title of 'mitigation specialist' on linkedin, lol, and here is a book explaining the conception of the role, a quasi-profile of its creator, and the evolving expectation mitigation specialists be required in defense. I guess for me a major takeaway is nothing exists in a vacuum; the rights the accused and the convicted have now to jury selection, appeal, mitigation, as well as any mainstream acknowledgment of the racial roots in lynching, they were all hard-won battles, sometimes fought by random people who gave up their work-life balances and their marriages and were also just people in an office.
annalisenak97's review
5.0
The death penalty is not an easy topic to think, write, or talk about, but this book is an excellent place to start learning about it. Chammah moves through the history of the death penalty in the U. S., particularly in Texas, with tact and compassion. He produces a balanced report that offers both the atrocities committed and the injustices of the death penalty. The legal jargon is made easy to understand, and his explanation of the crimes committed are never sensationalized. I learned so much from this book, and I was so grieved by much of it. I am so glad I read it. This topic is vitally important.
gjones19's review
5.0
A fantastic account of the death penalty in America through the eyes of Texas. I learned a lot about the Supreme Court decisions in 1973 and 1976 and how about how all the different constituencies reacted to them (state politicians, prosecutors, defense attorneys, victims’ families, death row inmates, anti-death penalty activists). I appreciated the many different topics highlighted and the nuanced portrait of people. It was a great book!
marleerusl's review
5.0
An important and well presented look into the death penalty in Texas. As a third year law student who has heavily researched and written about execution, I can find myself removed from the data, focusing on procedure, numbers, and arguments instead of the people. This book showed me the people behind the data. Chammah told their stories well, bringing me alongside the attorneys as well as the accused. I cannot recommend this book enough.
zarco_j's review against another edition
3.0
Thought provoking and compelling. The language is accessible but the chapters jump around a lot and even though they all feel like standalones, sometimes they connected but not in a logical way.
thatweirdbookgirlie's review
4.0
Overall I thought this was a great read. It gives a good overview of the death penalty, particularly in the state of Texas, but it does branch out a bit beyond that. It really only covers the last 50 years or so, and again mainly focuses on Texas, but it paints a good picture of the system as a whole.
canadajanes's review
5.0
A must read for anyone interested in abolishing the death penalty or just learning more about it.
jayfr's review
3.0
Thought provoking and compelling. The language is accessible but the chapters jump around a lot and even though they all feel like standalones, sometimes they connected but not in a logical way.