#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JAMIE FOXX • A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. “[Bryan Stevenson’s] dedication to fighting for justice and equality has inspired me and many others and … me and many others and made a lasting impact on our country.”—John Legend
NAMED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS OF THE DECADE BY CNN • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times • The Washington Post • The Boston Globe • The Seattle Times • Esquire • Time
Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.
Winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Nonfiction • Winner of a Books for a Better Life Award • Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • Finalist for the Kirkus Reviews Prize • An American Library Association Notable Book
“Every bit as moving as To Kill a Mockingbird, and in some ways more so . . . a searing indictment of American criminal justice and a stirring testament to the salvation that fighting for the vulnerable sometimes yields.”—David Cole, The New York Review of Books
“Searing, moving . . . Bryan Stevenson may, indeed, be America’s Mandela.”—Nicholas Kristof, The New York Times
“You don’t have to read too long to start cheering for this man. . . . The message of this book . . . is that evil can be overcome, a difference can be made. Just Mercy will make you upset and it will make you hopeful.”—Ted Conover, The New York Times Book Review
“Inspiring . . . a work of style, substance and clarity . . . Stevenson is not only a great lawyer, he’s also a gifted writer and storyteller.”—The Washington Post
“As deeply moving, poignant and powerful a book as has been, and maybe ever can be, written about the death penalty.”—The Financial Times
“Brilliant.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
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I read this months ago, and it had such an impact on my thinking about the justice system that I still recommend it on a regular basis. I wish more people would listen to what Bryan Stevenson has to say. He is the brightest voice in criminal reform.
It opened a world unknown to me. It enabled me to better understand the ugliness of racism in my lifetime
Bryan Stevenson started his career as an attorney working with death row inmates. This sound utterly depressing, but Bryan Stevenson was gifted with a special quality by his family: hope. This is a non-fiction page turner, and the mercy exhibited by Stevenson to all concerned in this tragic saga is uplifting and inspiring. I highly recommend the book, and then the movie
Reveals how powerful the efforts of one person and then a small group can be! I feel more informed about our judicial system, and how underrepresented some of our accused are. The agendas and personal prejudices of local officials and prejudices of a particular populace certainly affect whether justice is served. We as a people need to do better.
Stevenson’s work goes beyond the unjustly convicted to include the young and disabled. No self-deprecation included.
I enjoyed this book, the writing style was just the right mix is personal and legalese. While it was eye opening to read about these miscarriages of justice. The stories came alive as we came to see this people as humans with families and normal fears. Although I have had mixed feelings about the death penalty for many years this book made me realize that it may never be the right solution. I liked the humanity of the author. Expressing his feelings of fear, frustration, happiness, satisfaction all with equal candor. I highly recommend this book.
Bryan Stevenson did a tremendous job creating the story and then telling it. He illustrates really well how distorted our criminal justice system is, particularly in the south. Innocent people were put on death row just to keep a bunch of sicko white members of society out of jail. He manages to get several of these men new trials. It exposes how corrupt and racist our criminal justice system is.
A 2019 movie based on this work of non-fiction aroused my interest in the book, which was published in 2014. It is engaging, enlightening, and educational in a very practical way. Stevenson’s sobering revelation of facts and events describe the horrible miscarriage of justice that often happens in the U.S. Mostly happening to people of color and the poor, this tragedy is often unknown, ignored, or flat-out denied.
Through his work with the Equal Justice Initiative, the Delaware native worked tirelessly in Alabama and the South in an effort to obtain justice for people who were wrongfully convicted and spending their innocent lives on death row. His work highlighted countless other misplaced peoples like mentally ill persons serving sentences for misdeeds they could not understand and children sentenced as adults and spending their lives on death row. EJI has also worked with women imprisoned for life for giving birth to dead infants and for defending themselves against domestic attackers.
This book focuses mainly on Walter McMillan, who found himself on Alabama’s death row for a murder he did not commit. Stevenson’s dedication uncovered illegal police activities and sloppy legal work that culminated in McMillan serving six years on death row. The story follows McMillan’s trial, imprisonment, release, and life after death row.
It is a touching testament to all the hard work that has been done to right the countless wrongs of America’s justice system and all the work that has yet to be done. Stevenson continues today to champion the rights of this segment of society that has suffered from tactics to keep human beings in a subservient position.
I listened to the audio version, performed by the author himself. Although slightly clinical at times, his voice expresses urgency, passion, and compassion in a wholly soothing manner.
This topic is complex and I think the author handled it with sincerity and tenderness. My long-held beliefs regarding death penalty and life sentences was challenged and I finished this text feeling shaken. There were some moments of joy and glimmers of hope. However, even though I expected unpleasant stories, I did not expect to be so overcome with emotion. The perspective of this man who has been a social justice warrior before such work was popular in mainstream is haunting. I now have a better idea of why his eyes are so sad in interviews I’ve seen. I highly recommend this book. It should be required reading
What an incredible man – everyone needs to know about his great work.
This is a tragic story of injustice . Every law school student should be required to read it.
Everyone should read Just Mercy. The book reads like a novel – what a wonderful writer Bryan Stevenson is – while telling some tragically inspirational true stories of people convicted of murder, sentenced to death, and with no real evidence other than being of the wrong race or class. This is a must-read.
Hard to believe this kind of injustice is so widespread in the US.
This book should be required reading in middle school or high school. A real eye opener on the inequities of our justice/judicial system. Will we ever get it right, I hope so. Hope may spring eternal but some things we have to work on continually till we get it right.
Everyone should read this book
Bryan Stevenson has written a riveting narrative of how society has failed to help its most vulnerable members.The author contends We are all broken by something We have all hurt someone and been hurt.We all share the condition of brokenness even if our brokenness is not equivalent.The writer shares his role as a lawyer to help the poor ,uneducated and most abused of our society We are reminded when we help our brother heal we heal ourselves as well . To understand the plight of the less fortunate we elevate ourselves and our nation to a place that is just and merciful. What can be more important than saving our fellow man .
A must read for anyone living in the United States. A few into the way the world works
What an outstanding book! A must read for every high school student and every American that thinks America is Great. Just Mercy is historically informative, heart breaking, and teaches more about redemption that any religious institutions. Bryan Stevenson is an inspiration to all who desire equality and justice in our nation. It sickens me to know racism and systematic killing has prospered private business to this very day. And we call ourselves a civilized nation!!! Shame on our judicial system and those that support racism in any way shape or form. Bryan Stevenson is not only an awarding winning author, he’s an American hero!
A very readable book about an amazing project led by a very admirable person. I read this when it first came out and am still moved by it and Bryan Stevenson
Though provoking