Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

This was my school’s summer reading book this year. I probably wouldn’t have read Just Mercy on my own based on the title and cover, but I did like it and do plan to teach from it. Bryan Stevenson is a lawyer who is working to get people off death row. He’s also generally cool like he’d give out his number and card to everyone and he’d take on 100 cases (free of charge–he started a non-profit in Alabama) if they’re all relevant. So he’s a good guy and a good thinker and writer, and I just wish he was talking about abolition instead of reform. Like all of his logic and all of his examples and stuff are all evidence for the need to abolish the system but he still only uses the word “reform.” Saying that’s what we need. And his story is a story about reforming existing policies–stopping DEATH or LONG sentences, advocating against CRUEL AND UNUSUAL punishment. Like don’t be TOO mean. Don’t do it to KIDS. But in my eyes, also don’t do it to adults…….. Don’t do it at all……. The book (and he