Dead Man Walking: The Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty That Sparked a National Debate

by Helen Prejean

Book Overview

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER - A profoundly moving spiritual journey through our system of capital punishment and an unprecedented look at the human consequences of the death penalty - "Stunning moral clarity." --The Washington Post Book World - Basis for the award-winning major motion picture starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn

"Sister Prejean is an excellent writer, direct and honest and unsentimental. ...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679751319
• ISBN13: 9780679751311
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Exactly like the movie

I liked this book with one caveat: the nun who authored the book seems to think that all people are worth redeeming, regardless of how heinous or evil their crimes were. And time and again she is confronted by the victim's families who take her to task about why she is comforting the person who caused such anguish in their lives. The movie that was made from this book follows it almost exactly, so if you have seen the movie you will find no surprises in the book. Overall, the book was just ok for me. I am probably a harsher critic of people who commit horrendous crimes and therefore my viewpoint may be slanted.

Inspiring book & Film

This is both a book and a movie that you need to interact with. Particularly in a day and age when there is a movement here in Canada to try to bring the death penalty back. The book is much more in depth than the movie. The book profiles the first three men that Sr. Prejean goes to the death chamber with as Spiritual Director. It profiles her mistakes as she journeys down this path for the first few times. She witnessed her first execution on April 5th, 1984 and she has been advocating against the death penalty since then. The book does a great job of showing the disparity in how the death penalty is applied. It goes through the studies on its lack of effectiveness, and how for the most part, it is the poor and the African-American who are on death row. Even if you only read the appendices, the book will challenge you to view the death penalty in a different way. The movie was the inspiration and starred Susan Sarandon. Sarandon was given the book while on a personal retreat at a monastery; she came home and gave the book to her partner, Tim Robbins, who directed the film. Together they approached Sr. Prejean, who went out and rented Bull Durham. She was a little leery of having them do the film, but after meeting with them went ahead with the project. The film co-stars Sean Penn as Matthew Poncelet, a compilation of the 3 men in the book. The movie, while slow moving, is incredibly intense and draws you into the drama of waiting for a death when you know the date and time of that approaching death. As an interesting aside, another good book is Forgiving the Dead Man Walking by Debbie Morris, who was one of the victims of Robert Lee Willie from the book. Debbie always said if they ever made a movie, Penn would have to play Willie because they looked so much alike. So read the book and watch the movie, and if you want yet another challenging book, give Forgiving the Dead Man Walking a read also.

Dead Man Walking -- One of the best books ever written about death row

As a former investigator on behalf of Florida death sentenced persons from 1986 - 1992, I can vouch for this book as an excellently written and informative about the testing of wills and struggles with God and the consequences of one's actions. Definitely beyond any shadow of a doubt a five star book and film.

Much more powerful than the movie

I started reading this book one night, and couldn't put it down for hours. It's full of information, and really makes you think, no matter what your point of view. It's also very moving; some parts brought me to tears. Although I saw the movie a couple of years ago, it had much less effect on me than the book did. Highly recommended!

An Awakening of the Conscience

When I started reading this book some years ago, I was staunchly for the death penalty. On the other side, I was staunchly opposed. Such is the power and vibrancy of Helen Prejean's writing. She takes you inside the prison walls, inside the mind of the men who commit these desperate acts, the lives they've destroyed by these acts, and the long trek out of the dark night of evil. For some, the journey ends in forgiveness, for others in a hatred and an emptiness. This book will make this sort of crime and punishment real to anyone that reads it, and whatever opinion formed afterwards will be a better-informed one.

One of the most inspiring books I have ever read!

I am currently attending theological seminary, and the film "Dead Man Walking" inspired me to look into prison ministry. Helen Prejean's personal account of her work at Angola State Prison was even more inspiring than the film. I agree wholeheartedly with her theology that we must love even those who have done evil things, for every human being is a CHILD OF GOD. Jesus Christ called us to love one another, and Prejean firmly practices Christian love in what I believe to be its true sense: loving ALL human beings, regardless of their deeds. Prejean brought to light the corruption of our criminal justice system, and I was shocked but trustworthy of her data. As a first-year seminary student, I identified with her initial fear and uneasiness at entering a project about which she knew little, and I applaud her ability to befriend convicted rapists and murderers honestly, yet without condoning their crimes. I am a Protestant woman studying to become a minister, so in some ways my life will differ from Sister Helen's, but I can only pray for the strength to emulate her, and I thank her for her great inspiration.