Just Mercy A Story of Justice and Redemption

Apowerfultruestoryaboutthepotentialformercytoredeemus，andaclarioncalltofixourbrokensystemofjustice—fromoneofthemostbrilliantandinfluentiallawyersofourtimeBryanStevensonwasayounglawyerwhenhefoundedtheEqualJusticeInitiative，alegalpracticededicatedtodefendingthosemostdesperateandinneed：thepoor，thewronglycondemned，andwomenandchildrentrappedinthefarthestreachesofourcriminaljusticesystem.OneofhisfirstcaseswasthatofWalterMcMillian，ayoungmanwhowassentencedtodieforanotoriousmurderheinsistedhedidn’tcommit.ThecasedrewBryanintoatangleofconspiracy，politicalmachination，andlegalbrinksmanship—andtransformedhisunderstandingofmercyandjusticeforever.JustMercyisatonceanunforgettableaccountofanidealistic，giftedyounglawyer’scomingofage，amovingwindowintothelivesofthosehehasdefended，andaninspiringargumentforcompassioninthepursuitoftruejustice.PraiseforJustMercy“Asearing，movingandinfuriatingmemoir...BryanStevensonmay，indeed，beAmerica’sMandela.Fordecadeshehasfoughtjudges，prosecutorsandpoliceonbehalfofthosewhoareimpoverished，blackorboth....Injusticeiseasynottonoticewhenitaffectspeopledifferentfromourselves;thathelpsexplaintheobliviousnessofourowngenerationtoinequitytoday.Weneedtowakeup.AndthatiswhyweneedaMandelainthiscountry.”—NicholasKristof，TheNewYorkTimes“Unfairnessinthejusticesystemisamajorthemeofourage....Thisbookbringsnewlifetothestorybyplacingitintwoaffectingcontexts：[Bryan]Stevenson’slifeworkandthedeepstrainofracialinjusticeinAmericanlife....Thebookextolsnothisnobilitybutthatofthecause，andreadslikeacalltoactionforallthatremainstobedone....Themessageofthebook，hammeredhomebydramaticexamplesofoneman’srefusaltositquietlyandcountenancehorror，isthatevilcanbeovercome，adifferencecanbemade.JustMercywillmakeyouupsetanditwillmakeyouhopeful.”—TedConover，TheNewYorkTimesBookReview“Emotionallyprofound，necessaryreading.”—KirkusReviews(starredreview，KirkusPrizeFinalist)“Apassionateaccountofthewaysournationthwartsjusticeandinhumanelypunishesthepooranddisadvantaged.”—Booklist(starredreview)“NotsinceAtticusFinchhasafearlessandcommittedlawyermadesuchadifferenceintheAmericanSouth.Thoughlargerthanlife，Atticusexistsonlyinfiction.BryanStevenson，however，isverymuchaliveanddoingGod’sworkfightingforthepoor，theoppressed，thevoiceless，thevulnerable，theoutcast，andthosewithnohope.JustMercyishisinspiringandpowerfulstory.”—JohnGrisham“Fromthefrontlinesofsocialjusticecomesoneofthemosturgentvoicesofourera.BryanStevensonisareal-life，modern-dayAtticusFinchwho，throughhisworkinredeeminginnocentpeoplecondemnedtodeath，hassoughttoredeemthecountryitself.Thisisabookofgreatpowerandcourage.Itisinspiringandsuspenseful—arevelation.”—IsabelWilkerson，authorofTheWarmthofOtherSuns“BryanStevensonisoneofmypersonalheroes，perhapsthemostinspiringandinfluentialcrusaderforjusticealivetoday，andJustMercyisextraordinary.”—MichelleAlexander，authorofTheNewJimCrow