You can know, intellectually, a lot of the information that Bryan Stevenson wants to convey in this book and still be knocked down by the force of this book. In his time representing people on death row, Stevenson has amassed many stories and any one of them could shake you to the core, but, cumulatively, they will bore into your soul. 

 

Not everyone Bryan Stevenson has represented or discusses here is innocent of the crimes they ended up on death row, but all of them needed someone to fight for them. Some were children at the times of their crimes. Some had severe mental disabilities. Some committed crimes that did not fit the statue for the death penalty. The stories can be quite harrowing, especially not all of them result in Stevenson’s success in court. While these were not always easy to read, I’m very grateful that he shared his experiences of meeting and advocating for these people. It’s an intensely compelling work of empathy and commitment.