Just Mercy is a memoir that was written by Bryan Stevenson. The book describes his career as a lawyer and showcases the defense of marginalized clients. In the center of the narrative is a story about Walter McMillian – an African-American who was accused of murder, convicted, and then received a death sentence. The book also features several other cases where Stevenson helps disadvantaged people, including children who received life sentences. Showing the most vivid examples and providing a highly detailed account of his actions, Stevenson manages to draw the public’s attention to the matters of racism, inequality, and law enforcement in the context of criminal justice.
The book’s central theme can be emphasized as one lawyer’s struggle against the intimidating system. It might be of great interest to the criminal justice specialists and the people who are invested in the topic of crime investigation and law processes. The book’s primary purpose is to share the author’s experience in his field of operation. In addition, the book aims to invoke empathy and compassion by utilizing the shock the readers might have from the scale of events described. Stevenson himself mentions that his job changed his perception of life and justice. He states that people’s character can be measured only in how they treat those in need.
The author’s achievement list leaves no place for doubt about his credibility. Years of jurisprudence, social activism, a professorship at New York University School of Law, and the founding of the Equal Justice Initiative prove his devotion to the cause. In his memoir, he claims that “each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done” and then supports his claim with evidence from his practice. In the example of McMillian, Stevenson shows the difference between a real man and the picture of him from the perspective of law representatives and mass media. By doing so, he also pictures the issues of the criminal justice system. In the end, Stevenson’s desire to help others only became stronger.
The author successfully proves his thesis with comparison and contrast – convicts turn out to be better people than those who condemn them. The story is a memoir and thus profoundly personal, which adds to its convincing power. Despite its subjectivity, the book does not seem biased; there is a transparent and thoroughly explained connotation in every case that author mentions. Not only does it allow readers to see the author’s perspective, but they are also able to develop a vision of their own. Book does not focus solely on one matter, and the back and forth switching of McMillian’s case and other events provide a healthy reading dynamic. Nevertheless, the book has its flows in the form of a narrow focus on social injustice and harsh realism – it might not be the best choice for those who seek to escape reality.
Thorough exemplification featured in Just Mercy immerses the readers into the issues of the criminal justice field with all their counterparts, such as prejudices, discrimination, corruption, and law enforcement. In this dire environment, Stevenson uses contrast to show the most valuable character traits and moral qualities in the seemingly least appropriate people. The book corresponds to the author’s firm conviction to his righteous cause, but it leaves room for the reader’s personal opinion nonetheless. Overall, skillfully written and organized, this book does not try to be more than it is – a straightforward and clear story of a single man’s war against the imperfect justice apparatus.