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Just Mercy
By Bryan Stevenson
Spiegel & Grau, 9780812984965, August 2015, 368pp.

The Short of It:

Haven’t seen the movie yet but the book will be one that I remember for a long, long time.

The Rest of It:

A long time ago, I was listening to a podcast and one of the people being interviewed mentioned Just Mercy as a book she would never forget. I immediately made a note to read it and then decided to pitch it for my book club to discuss. But then there was a school shooting and the meeting had to be rescheduled. Sad, but true.

So it should come as no surprise that Just Mercy is scheduled for this month’s discussion, right smack in the middle of a pandemic. I knew enough about the book to know that the topic is a heavy one. Bryan Stevenson’s fight to address Capital Punishment and how it affects minorities, the poverty stricken, and even young children, did not seem like a topic I could handle during quarantine but I didn’t want to postpone the discussion again so I dug in.

Very glad I did.

This is a book that everyone needs to read. Young, old, in school, out of school. I was expecting a very depressing read but this memoir, to my surprise, was not depressing at all. I found it to be full of hope. Stevenson’s passion for his clients and the way he often went above and beyond what is expected of a lawyer lifted me up in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Honestly, Stevenson is a form of superhero I can get behind. He is the Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative and even that sounds formidable and it is.

His memoir covers many cases and challenges but centers around one particular client, Walter McMillan. McMillian had a solid alibi for his whereabouts the day a young woman was killed but it didn’t matter because the town needed a suspect and so the accusations stacked against Walter. How? Corruption, racism, people not wanting to be wrong.

When they say some people wear capes, I agree. Some do. Checkout Stevenson’s TED Talk and you’ll see what I mean.

Source: Borrowed
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Sunday Matters

Like all of you, I am still here trying to maintain a sense of routine. The routine part hasn’t been all that difficult. Work takes up most of my day, then there’s the meal prepping. I have gotten really good at not wasting anything but my creative spark is fading now.

It’s Easter! Maybe not an Easter you’ve ever celebrated before but it’s kind of special, really. All of the commercial stuff has been left by the wayside and we are left to focus on the actual day. I’ve spent more time in the Bible the past 45 days that I ever have. It feels good.

Easter 2020

Right Now:

Our church has their Easter service online at the top of each hour, all day long. Our youth group is not formally meeting online so we can spend time with our families. However, I am very excited that Andrea Bocelli is streaming a concert from Italy on his YouTube channel at 10am PT. I can’t wait to tune in.

Later, a ham dinner courtesy of Honeybaked Ham. I tried to order online and all the meals were sold out so I visited the webpage for the closest store to me and they shipped me a meal!

This Week:

Work and book club (Zoom). I may attack a closet this week. My closet is just full of stuff I never wear. If it would stop raining, I’d tackle the outside sitting areas but it just keeps raining.

Reading:

I am reading Just Mercy for a discussion. I should have read it last week to prepare but I was having a hard time getting into the mood to read it.

After that, who knows what I’ll read. I want fast, riveting, suspenseful reads. Maybe, The Lying Game by Ruth Ware.

Watching:

For those who loved Tiger King, a new episode is being added soon. I have to say it was rather dull. I know a lot of people have been chatting it up and it’s a strange show for strange times. For sure. I was so bored by half of it though.

My husband has me watching car shows. Shows like Rust to Riches. It’s SO not me but I enjoy them. The craftsmanship that goes into each car, how they come to find the frames, and the business aspect of up-trading.

New Things I’ve Tried:

I can’t say I’ve tried any new products but I have tried every combination of food this past week that you can imagine. Getting creative with meals is a must in this new world we live in.

Grateful for:

Friends I’ve made through blogging and how they continue to reach out to me during this time.
As weird as some of our meals have been, we are eating. This pandemic has really bought to light how many in this country go without food daily.
As dreary as the rain is, it’s keeping people inside so that’s the silver lining there.

I’ve had a few friends this week share that they have loved ones who have been hit with the virus. I pray for them daily. I pray that their symptoms are mild. And even if you don’t believe in prayer, please let me know if you have anyone you are concerned about and I will still pray on my end. It can’t hurt, right?

I love you all and I hope you all stay healthy. Try not to let this get to you too much and if you need to talk, let me know.

Chatting with friends about books and life…