The Vanishing Valazquez - A Review

THE VANISHING VALAZQUEZ by Laura Cumming

John Snare purchases a portrait of Prince Charles with the suspicion that the artist is Diego Valazquez.  As the subtitle of this book suggests that painting became his lifelong obsession and ultimately his ruin. 

This book has three main themes; John Snare’s obsession with the painting and the impact it has on his life, art history featuring the times and works of Valazquez and the history between England and Spain.  All of them interesting in their own right and the research Ms. Cumming did is obviously extensive.  She goes into great detail for all three of the themes.  I found each interesting and enjoyed Ms. Cumming’s writing. 

The flow of this book is where I had some issues.  It jumped around a little too much.  I understand wanting to intersperse the history of the painting with Snare’s story but often the information didn’t quite mesh coherently.

That aside it was an interesting read and anyone interested in Diego Valazquez and his works will enjoy this book.  I would highly recommend purchasing a physical copy of the book because it does include photographic reproductions of the paintings that an eReader does not do justice.  (I ending up reading the book and googling the paintings)

I received this book at no charge from the publisher, Scribner 

via Netgalley in the hopes of an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (her Simon and Schuster author page)

Laura Cumming has been the art critic of the Observer since 1999. Previously, she was arts editor of the New Statesman magazine, literary editor of the Listener, and deputy editor of Literary Review. She is a former columnist for the Herald and has contributed to the London Evening Standard, the Guardian, L’Express and Vogue. Her book A Face to the World: On Self-Portraits was widely reviewed to critical acclaim.

29/30

Optimal You - A Review

OPTIMAL YOU by Christine Gingerich

Ms. Gingerich was the keynote speaker at an event that I was attending.  Hearing her speak about her personal journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle ensured that I wanted to pick up this book.  Ms. Gingerich grew up on a farm where the table was laden with fresh produce from their garden and meat they raised.  Sounds perfect.  The downside was that they also enjoyed sweets, particularly pies.  Her first job at a chocolate factory didn’t help her battle her sweet tooth.  While in high school she was athletic so was able to burn off the calories but come university she went way past the “freshman fifteen”.  Having tried “every diet on the market” without significant, long lasting results she looked at herself in the mirror one day and decided that she had to get her life and eating habits under control.

The result?

Years of studying nutrition, obtaining a degree in physical education and coaching others to cope with their own need for lifestyle changes. 

Yes, technically this is a cook book but it is also so much more.  “Optimal You” is chock full of information, both motivational and educational.  It is broken down into easy to follow sections which are helpful in starting your own personal journey towards a better lifestyle.  I thought the “Overcoming Hurdles” and “The Optimal Kitchen” sections were especially helpful.  Often we know what needs to be done but seeing it in writing explaining the “why” is the extra little push one needs to actually make the changes. 

So, on to the recipes. 

All the recipes in the book are made with fresh, natural ingredients that are not difficult to find, something that is important to me.  They are written in an easy to follow manner and accompanied by beautiful full color pictures.  Also important to me as a reader is that the recipes were food items that I would prepare anyway – just healthier versions. These include wonderful appetizers and main dishes as well as (I would be remiss not to mention them) soups and salads.  Appropriately, the luncheon at the event featured items from “Optimal You” and feedback later was unanimous that everyone had enjoyed their meal with her Squash Soup getting special kudos.  There is an “Apple Fritter Pancake” recipe that I want to try for our next special family Sunday Brunch.

All the recipes are easily distinguishable as “gluten free”, “egg free”, “wheat free” and “dairy free” with small colorful icons.

At the risk of repeating myself there is so much more included than the recipes.  Ms. Gingerich includes health saving tips, time saving tips and I particularly enjoyed the “Notable Quotes” that she interspersed throughout the book.  I have to admit to getting home and flipping through the book just to read those first.  The first notable quote belongs to Ms. Gingerich:

“Every moment of every day you make choices.

These choices help to form habits that collectively create your own lifestyle.

Your lifestyle ultimately determines the quality of your life.”

When I purchased her book she graciously signed it for me.  Meeting her in person, I can honestly say that she is the best advertisement for this book.  Not to embarrass her but – her hair was shiny, her skin was glowing and she was slim and fit … if that’s what Optimal You can do for a person count me in!

A few sample recipes and a meal planner can be found on her website www.optimalyou.ca.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her website)

Christine was raised on a farm outside of Stratford, Ontario where she grew to appreciate country living, natural wholesome foods and hard work. Even at a young age she had an insatiable desire for alternative medicine and preventative natural healing. Sadly, at a young age, she also developed a “sweet tooth,” and in her late teen years, found herself struggling with weight issues.

Having received her degree in Physical Education from Wilfrid Laurier University, in Waterloo, ON, Christine understood the basic essentials for good health. She began to change her diet and started a walking program. Her extra weight started to slowly melt away. She then began working in the health industry as a personal trainer and aerobics instructor, training in a variety of facilities and coaching a large clientele. After completing her Bachelor of Education in 1995 Christine joined the Waterloo District School Board as an elementary teacher.

In 2004 she conjoined her teaching and coaching skills from the classroom with her passion for natural healing, launching her personal coaching business, Optimal YOU. 

Christine was a writer for the former Open Magazine and has recently published her first book, Optimal YOU: Great-Tasting Recipes & Powerful Lifestyle Strategies to Achieve Optimal Health. Her two-part "LifeStyle Coaching" episode aired on Grand River Living, a magazine-style show on Roger's cable television.

08/30

Shop Cats of New York - A Review

Before I start my review ...

I feel like I've been ignoring this blog for too long.  Sadly, I have been woefully neglectful about posting my book reviews.  Things just got busy … there was a great trip to go on and now I’m trying to get a small business off the ground and ready to go for January 2017.

But, last year I participated in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) which spurred me on to posting every day for the month of November.  I managed to succeed in doing it last year so hopefully I can be equally motivated this year.  If you like a challenge you can find out more about NaBloPoMo and/or sign up at Blogher.com, whom I'd like to thank for hosting it again.

So here I go …

SHOP CATS OF NEW YORK by Tamar Arslanian

If you’ve ever been pleasantly surprised (or slightly startled) by a kitty face peering at you from the shelves while you’re shopping then you are personally familiar with the premise of this book.

The first time I came across cats in a store was while shopping in Watson’s Chelsea Bazaar in Stratford, Ontario.  I was quite surprised to see a kitty face peering at me from a shelf while I was browsing their very eclectic merchandise.  I haven’t been in the store for quite some time so I don’t know if it still has cats, but I hope so.  Then Dewey, the library cat, came to my attention.  Lately I have befriended a cat that lives in a centre for seniors in my home town, which kindly allows my TOPS group to hold our meetings in their board room.  I learned there is a cat living on each floor and they are enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.  Bumper, often comes to visit during our meetings so we have adopted him as out group mascot.

Despite the fear of allergies or people just not enjoying the company of cats – shrug – a concept I just can’t fathom, cats have taken up residence in any number of unusual places.  Some places just seem to go hand in hand with cats, book stores (especially used books stores), antique shops and of course pet stores.  These are all represented as is the Cat Café (obviously!) and veterinary offices.  Some of the cat friendly shops that surprised me?  Jewellery stores – I’ve worked in a jewellery store and paw prints on the display cases sounds like a nightmare … pass me the Windex.  Flower Shops – I know my kitties love to chew flowers and plants and some foliage is dangerous to kitties.  A few others included (there are so many in the book) are a copy shop, a hotel, a shoe store, a record store and a distillery.

The idea for this book was born out of the popularity of the author’s blog which tries to dispel the the stigma of a 30+, single woman living with a cat in NYC being a "crazy cat lady".

The photographs in the book are lovely and each venue tells the story of how the cat(s) came to be living there.  Some welcome customers with a meow or a soft purr while others do it with a swipe, some lounge gracefully and others earn their keep by catching a mouse or two, but they all bring smiles.  So, if you ever see a cat on a store shelf, relax - they probably belong there.

If you are a cat lover or know someone who is, this book would make a beautiful addition to the bookshelf.

I found this interesting piece of "shop cat" trivia online:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her blog)

Tamar Arslanian started her blog I HAVE CAT, Single in the City (New York City) with Cats in her late 30s desperate to change the perception of the “crazy cat lady” stereotype. She knew there must be other stylish cat parents out there who didn’t wear “Hang In There” t-shirts, have 6” tall cat towers in their living rooms and still knew how to carry on a normal conversation. As these things happen, one cat became two, then came the fosters, and finally her third cat – a foster fail!

Raised pet-less, she only discovered her love of felines as an adult thanks to an ex-boyfriend.  Guys came and went but the cat(s) remained and with them spurred new thinking about life, food and even men of the 2-legged variety.

Tamar’s blog reads like “Sex and the Kitty” and has brought together thousands of like-minded people from around the globe. If you want to pitch a guest post, have a story idea or just want to say “hi,” Tamar can be reached at www.ihaveacat.com.

1/30

Visions of Genius - A Review

HIERONYMUS BOSCH: VISIONS OF GENIUS by Matthijs Ilsink and Jos Koldeqeij

If you find yourself fortunate enough to be in a gallery standing in front of a Hieronymus Bosch painting I think it would be safe to wager that you would be bent at the waist with your nose as close as possible – without attracting the ire of the security guards – to the painting, quite possibly scratching your head in either wonderment or bewilderment.  Bosch is well known for adding whimsical items to even his most serious works of art.  He randomly adds machinery, wild imaginary and mythical creatures, and hybrids of both man and animals.  Lavish landscapes are dotted with fanciful items and, more often than not, owls.  Even his human figures sport exaggerated features and are frequently participating in lewd behavior.

“The Garden of Earthly Delights” is quite probably his most well-known painting (triptych) and I’ve often wondered if Bosch was “having one over” on his potential audience?

When I saw this book offered on Netgalley I knew I wanted to learn more about the why behind the paintings.  The authors attempted to explain that elusive “why”, and they did an admirable job – unfortunately not much is known about Bosch.  Unlike other historical figures Bosch left behind no diaries or correspondence.  Everything gleaned about his personal life has been learned through municipal records in his birthplace of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.  Born Jeroen Anthonissen van Akeniwas; his actual date of birth is merely speculation, estimated to be around 1450.   Public records indicate that he was married while children are also a question mark.  He died in 1516 and was buried on August 9^th.  Really, it’s not much to go by when one is writing a book about his life, so kudos to Ilsink and Koldeqeij for undertaking this task to mark the 500^th anniversary of his death.  A retrospective exhibition was held in his home town of ‘s-Hertogenbosch bringing together more that fifty works of art that are held in 25 collections spread across 10 countries.  This book is a result of extensive research, scientific testing and scholarly discussion that took place during the exhibition. 

After I read the forward by the authors I was a little intimidated to start this book and must admit to looking at the illustrations and pictures and then putting it aside for a little while.  When I finally delved in clear writing pleasantly rewarded me, there was none of the “art-babble” sometimes included in such books.  Each section of the book is accompanied by the work of art it describes and then smaller detailed pictures of specific sections of the work are on the following pages.  It was an easy book to follow and I now have a slightly better understanding and significantly more appreciation for Bosch’s art.  Could it be possible that I am finally creeping out of my “impressionist fan” box?  Maybe not too far though – I think Bosch was a bit of a rebel in his time too.

So while not so much as a self-portrait remains of this painter (only a pencil sketch speculated to be Bosch) and the fact that he very rarely dated or signed his paintings (resulting in mere 25 works definitively attributed to him) he remains a baffling artist.  My only regret is that I had a digital copy of this book rather than a beautiful hard cover as I think the electronic version did not due the pictures justice.  Despite that this book did what I wanted it to do – it made sense of some of the bafflement.  For that, I give it 5 stars.

I would like to thank the publishers, Yale University Press & Mercatorfonds,

for providing me with a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange

 for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Matthijs Ilsink is project coordinator of the Bosch Research and Conservation Project and teaches at Radboud University, Nijmegen. Jos Koldeweij is professor in art history of the Middle Ages at the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands. 

Jos Koldeweij is Professor of Art History at Radboud University Nijmegen, an expert in the work of Jeroen Bosch and initiator of the Bosch Research and Conservation Project (BRCP). He is in charge of the research project and, together with Matthijs Ilsink, curator of the Jheronimus Bosch – Visions of Genius exhibition.

My Mad Fat Diary - A Review

MY MAD FAT DIARY by Rae Earl

Most people would be mortified if someone read their diary – especially their teenage years diary.

Rae Earl has published hers.

Granted, at one point in her life she wanted to burn it on the barbecue and they are now 25+ years old, but some of the issues are still relevant today.  Give this book to teenagers and hope it becomes a jumping point for some important conversation.

When Ms. Earl began writing in her diary she was 17 years old, attending a private secondary school on a “scholarship scheme” tuition grant and recently released from a psychiatric ward.  Even she admits that some of the aspects of her life would make people call “bullsh**” but with the exception of some editing (to protect the innocent) this is her diary.

Rae had three pretty basic goals as a teenager; complete her A-levels, lose weight and find someone who would love her (translate that into “lose her virginity”), not necessarily in that order.  The two strongest desires were to lose weight and stop being a “cow” and to acquire a boyfriend.  Even Rae admitted that neither of these was likely to happen.  In Rae’s own words “Frankly, to use late 1980’s terminology, I was gagging for it.  Like most teenagers, I was desperate to lose my virginity.  However, I already had a lover that made me look pregnant but actually ensured that I would never, ever become a teenage pregnancy statistic; Food.”

Rae Earl circa 1989

In many ways this was a difficult book to read.  Obvious from her “forward” in the book, Ms. Earl has a sense of humor now and after reading “My Mad Fat Diary” it’s also clear she had one then … some of the things she writes are very funny.  However, overall I found the diary very sad, what might be typical teenage issues made worse by budding OCD and obvious issues with food that were often difficult to read about.  As each page turned I also had a growing concern about the monumental consumption of alcohol that seemed very commonplace amongst her group of friends.  Even her “Mum” did not have issues with her heading out to the pub every night.  (I did!)  I also wish teenaged Rae had been able to step outside herself long enough to give “Ryan, the RAF groper” a second look.  I hate to make the comparison, but My Mad Fat Diary could be described as a non-fiction “Duff”.

As I am formulating this review I find it difficult to type the words “I enjoyed this book” because it seems wrong.  I am glad I read it and I understand that the next year of her journal has also been published as “My Madder Fatter Diary”.  I came to care enough about Rae and her friends to want to pick it up.

This book was originally published in 2007 and I was unaware that in 2013 became a hit television series starring Sharon Rooney.  As I reached the halfway point in the book I kept thinking that it should be made into a movie.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from The Telegraph)

Rae Earl is an English writer and broadcaster.  Born in Stamford, United Kingdom she now resides in Hobart Australia with her husband, Kevin and their children.

“Digging out nine battered old red school exercise books, and some scrawled Filofax pages, Earl shows me her actual diaries, started in 1989 and continuing into the 1990s. There’s disturbing stuff in here about bullying, obesity and mental illness. But there’s also a typical teenage girl’s lust for love, life and boys, and the sharp writing and spirited attitude make for an uplifting read. ‘Black humour was my saviour. I was very aware I had to find a way to cope with my head,’ says Earl. The diaries proved the perfect strategy.”

Women Who Read are Dangerous

WOMEN WHO READ ARE DANGEROUS by Stefan Bollman

This book was first published in German in 2005 under the title “Frauen, die Lesen, Sind Gefaerlich” and then in English in 2006 titled “Women Reading”.  This 2016 incarnation translates the German title and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have a look buy it … art and reading … and, with such a title – how could I resist?

The forward, written by Karen Joy Fowler, gives the reader an overview of attitudes through the ages on the though of women reading.

“Should women be permitted to have secret lives?  Should they be permitted, even within the confines of their own imaginations, to be unchaste?  Can they be allowed to imagine themselves as men?  Is reading, in its inextricable essence, a combative act; the woman so engaged being temporarily self-interested and independent rather than other-directed in an appropriately womanly way?

In 1523 the Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives proposed careful male surveillance – ‘The woman ought not to follow her own judgment’ he said, as she has so little of it.  She should read only what men deemed proper and wholesome’.” 

Fifty years later, Edward Hake proclaimed that the woman who loved frivolous books would “smell of naughtiness even all her life after”.  If that’s true then that is my cross to bear – I guess I smell of books and naughtiness!

Ms. Fowler has her own image of the modern female reader.  A young girl in her own bed all too soon being told by her parents to turn off the light and go to sleep – this she dutifully does until she hears her parents occupied in another room – at which point she “will make a cave under the blankets and open her book inside the cave.  This girl knows the value of a good flashlight; she learned that from Nancy Drew”.

If paintings are any indication reading for women began to take firm hold in the 17^th century and then took root more strongly in the eighteenth.  The introduction gives the reader a little more historical background to reading (for women) and takes us through subjects such as where we read, how we read and, why we read. 

Then the book moved on to my favorite part – the art depicting the act of women reading.  Divided in seven sections with subtitles such as “Blessed Readers” (religious paintings), “Enchanted Readers” (depicting quiet time spent reading in solitude), “Self Confident Readers” (reading as a pleasure of the mind), “Sentimental Readers” (identifying with emotions set out in books), “Passionate Readers” (searching for oneself and the dangers of equating what we read to real life) and, lastly “Solitary Readers” … “once a passion, reading now offers women the possibility of escape”.  Each painting depicted is accompanied by a brief explanation of the artwork as well as its present location. 

The text in each section was as interesting as it was informative, most well known artists were well represented as were some lesser known (and some, to me, unknown) painters.  The art ranged from 17^th century paintings to 20^th century sketching and photography.  The book itself is beautiful with glossy pages that do the reproductions justice.  It was a pleasure just to flip through the pages and look at the art.

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed going through this book, but if I’ve left you with the impression that I enjoyed it very much then this review met its objective – I loved it – and it has a deserving home on my shelf along with some of my other art books.

“Reading is a free dream”

          Jean Paul Satre

Of course, how could I resist sharing some of my favorite examples from the book?

 An Old Woman Reading

Rembrandt

A Young Girl Reading

Fragonard

Girl Reading

Ebyl

Goodnight Story

Ebert

 

The Magic Grammar

Jessie Marion King

Rose Garden

Kroyer

Hollywood Cafe - A Review

HOLLYWOOD CAFÉ: COFFEE WITH THE STARS by Steven Rea

Coffee …

… it’s the lifeblood of conversations, the black elixir that gets most of us moving in the morning, the pick-me-up in the middle of a hectic day and the finish to a fine meal.

But it’s not just the everyday person who depends on this magical beverage; the stars of the silver screen enjoyed it too. 

“Hollywood Café” is a collection of high quality photographs of actors, some very well know and some not so much, enjoying their coffee.  It is more than that.  What I particularly enjoyed about this book is the fact that every picture was accompanied by a short synopsis explaining, of course, who was in the photo but also the circumstances.  Some were stills from films so a short recap of the film was provided, some were publicity stills and, some were advertising promotions – yes, even back then they had stars endorsing products.

My favorite pictures by far were the candid shots, coffee in the cafeteria, during make-up sessions and sitting waiting for shooting to resume.  This book covers Hollywood from the 1980’s back to the silent film era and some of the coffee service items were interesting to see.  No styrofoam cups for these folks; they used china pots with matching cups and saucers or mugs filled from elaborate samovars.

If you are interested in coffee, the glamour days of the silver screen or just some star gazing this is an interesting book to pick up.  It would assuredly make a welcome addition to the coffee table book collection for any movie-phile.

I received a digital copy of this book at no charge from the publisher, Schiffer Publishing Limited, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Rea was born in London, England, and was raised in New York City.  He is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School in New York City. Rea earned an undergraduate degree in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. He attended the Writers Workshop graduate program at the University of Iowa.

Rea has written for multiple publications, as well as working for major record labels such as Island Records. His feature film reviews have been syndicated.  Rea is an adjunct professor in the Cinema and Television program at the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design at Drexel University

Although at the beginning of his career he was based in Los Angeles, California, he now resides on the East Coast. Rea and his wife reside in Center City in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Letters to a Lifer - A Review

LETTERS TO A LIFER “The Boy Never to be Released” by Cindy Sanford

“There is an invisible thread that connects those destined to meet.”

Cindy Sanford owned a gift shop/art co-op.  One fateful day the co-op’s woodcarver, John, approached Cindy with a unique piece of wildlife art painted on a leaf.  Cindy, and the other artists, were astounded not only by the beautiful art but by the artist’s story as well – the artist, Ken, was serving a life sentence with no hope of parole for his involvement in a double homicide.  Ken did not pull the trigger.  Ken was 15 years old.

Cindy had the same thoughts any other person would have by imagining “a bitter, aging convict, with missing teeth, tattoos, and cold soulless eyes”.  She asked herself “How could an evil soul paint something so beautiful?”  Nevertheless, she agreed to sell his art in her store.  When the leaf art began selling better than John’s he stormed out.  Now Cindy had a new problem … how to get the money owed Ken to him in prison.  When she found the contact information Cindy was shocked to realize that Ken was housed in State Correctional Institution Bradford “where they housed the worst of the worst”.  How could anyone there paint these beautiful, intricate works of art?

That was the first of the contradictions Cindy was to face, in what turns out to be long term relationship with this convicted murderer.  “Letters to a Lifer” is Cindy’s journey to understanding, befriending and then unofficially adopting this young man with the painfully troubled past and absolutely no hope for the future.  Starting with reluctant written correspondence, then even more reluctant telephone calls and finally personal visits the reader follows the relationship that she (and her family and friends) develop with Ken.  Her writing interspersed with journal entries in Ken’s words let the reader understand her compassion and eventual maternal love for this young man.  It is not however an easy journey.  Cindy shares with her readers the personal conflict about her feelings for Ken weighed against the pain and loss of the families of the murder victims.  In many ways this book is a journey of questioning and reaffirming her personal faith.

“But he was a lifer convicted of homicide!  I couldn’t escape that.  Every time I felt a shred of warmth toward him, my brain waged war with my heart.  Some innocent person died as a result of his actions.  Was it right for me to care about someone like him?”

Yes, there are a lot of Christian values in this book, but it in no way comes across as preaching nor does it in any way attempt to convert the reader – it is simply a part of Cindy’s morals and how she lives her life.

Ken is a remarkable young man who paints incredible pictures but also exhibits real remorse, shows humanity to fellow prisoners and never asks anyone for special treatment – this is his journey as well as Cindy’s.  Even Cindy admits that Ken may be one of the few exceptions to the rule yet “Letters to a Lifer” did make me ponder – would I want to be defined for the rest of my life by some of the ridiculously stupid things I did when I was 15?  Granted, I never committed murder but I am no longer the person I was so many years ago and neither is Ken.  Therein lies the crux of this book; is justice truly being served by sentencing children, across the board, to life imprisonment with no chance of parole?

The work of organizations such as the “National Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth” is making strides and many states do not mandate automatic terms in the sentencing of juveniles for capital offences (unfortunately Philadelphia does).  As I was reading this book President Obama rescinded mandatory sentencing of juveniles on a national level, but individual states still control their own courts.  The question also remains as to whether the changes, as they occur, will be retroactive? 

This was an excellent book that made me think, sometimes brought me close to tears yet also made me laugh.  I highly recommend this book to anyone as an enjoyable and eye opening read about one woman’s personal journey.  It is so worth reading to get to know Ken.  It is also insightful in understanding some of what goes on inside of the prison system.

I feel this book would appeal to anyone interested in criminal justice, rehabilitation and juvenile offenders.  It is not only the wrongfully convicted/incarcerated that need a voice but also the children growing up behind bars.  It would also be of interest to those who are inspired to find about more about the man who paints such intricate depictions of wildlife onto leaves.

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the author, Cindy Sanford, for sending me a digital copy of her book to read and review.

Some further notes:

You can read more about Ken’s story on the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange website.

More examples of Ken’s artwork can be found on his Etsy site. 

All proceeds and royalties from the sale of this book are being donated to MIMIC, a charity sponsoring at risk children, a foundation started by ex-offenders.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her Goodreads author profile)

Cindy Sanford is a "self proclaimed" tough-on-crime advocate whose chance encounter with a juvenile lifer prompted a re-examination of long-held values and beliefs.
She is a registered nurse, mother of 3 sons, and the wife of a retired wildlife conservation officer. 

Hear her story in her own words in this short YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hyxW85pmX8) video

Just Mercy - A Review

Well, we are two weeks into January and I am already woefully behind on posting reviews

This is my first review this year and it was my transitional book ... started in 2015 and finished in 2016.  And, may I say it was a hell of a way to start off the new year of reading!

JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson

After reading this book it occurred to me that had someone recommended “Just Mercy” to me as a riveting legal thriller I would have believed them … it is THAT well written.  It is a compelling; page turning read yet sadly, every story in this book was true - lived by those unfairly sentenced and by the author trying to rectify the miscarriages of justice.

“Justice is for those who can afford to pay for it”

In 1986 Walter McMillian was accused of killing 16-year-old Rhonda Morrison in the back of a dry-cleaning store in Munroeville, Alabama.  Three witnesses testified against him at trial, while six black witnesses testified that he was at a church fish-fry at the time of the murder.  Walter McMillian was found guilty and sentenced to death.  He was on death row for six years before Bryan Stevenson took on his case and discovered that Mr. McMillian was indeed at the fish-fry and could in no way have committed the crime.

“One of the really bizarre parts of this whole case for me was this whole episode took place in Monroeville, Ala., where Harper Lee grew up and wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. If you go to Monroeville, you'll see a community that's completely enchanted by that story. ... They have all of this To Kill a Mockingbird memorabilia. The leading citizens enact a play about the book. You can't go anywhere without encountering some aspect of that story made real in that community.

And yet, when we were trying to get the community to do something about an innocent African-American man wrongly convicted, there was this indifference —

and, in some quarters, hostility.”

Walter McMillian’s story is the main focus of “Just Mercy”, however in his role as the founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Mr. Stevenson has sought to overturn not only wrongful convictions but unjust convictions as well.  These stories comprise most of the rest of the book. 

Trina was a fourteen-year-old girl when she was accused of and tried for murder.  Trina’s lawyer, at the time, never challenged the decision to try Trina as an adult.  He was subsequently disbarred and jailed for unrelated criminal misconduct.  Trina was forced to stand trial for second-degree murder as an adult.  Francis Newsome, also involved in the crime, testified against Trina in exchange for the charges against her being dropped, and the 14-year-old was convicted of second-degree murder.

“Delaware County Circuit Judge Howard Reed found that Trina had no intent to kill.  But under Pennsylvania law, the judge could not take the absence of intent into account during sentencing.  He could not consider Trina’s age, mental illness, poverty, the abuse she had suffered, or the tragic circumstance surrounding the fire.  Pennsylvania sentencing law was inflexible: For those convicted of second-degree murder, mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole was the only sentence.  Judge Reed expressed serious misgivings about the sentence he was forced to impose.  ‘This is the saddest case I’ve ever seen,’ he wrote.  For a tragic crime committed at fourteen Trina was condemned to die in prison.

Not long after she arrived at prison a male correctional officer pulled her into a secluded 
area and raped her.

The crime was discovered when Trina became pregnant.  As is often the case, the correctional officer was fired but not criminally prosecuted.

In 2014, Trina turned fifty-two.  She had been in prison for thirty-eight years.”

Trina’s story is not the only one.  Mr. Stevenson also recounts the story of a young man, convicted at 13 years of age and held in solitary confinement for more than fourteen years, allegedly for his own protection fearing he would be abused in general population.  Mr. Stevenson arranged to have photographs taken of the young man.  He was so moved because it was the first time since being sent to prison he had any human contact other than having meals passed to him.  In a letter to Mr. Stevenson he wrote, “As you know, I’ve been in solitary confinement approx. 14.5 years.  It’s like the system has buried me alive and I’m dead to the outside world … but today, just the simple handshakes we shared was a welcome addition to my sensory deprived life.”

In 2005, the Court recognized the difference between children and adults and required that children be exempt from the death penalty under the Eighth Amendment.  Does it go far enough to ensure that children are not lost in the prison system?

Interspersed with these stories are some staggering statistics about incarceration in America.  Again, the book explains far better than I could ever paraphrase …

“Between 1990 and 2005, a new prison opened in the United States every ten days.  Prison growth and the resulting ‘prison-industrial complex’ – the business interests that capitalize on prison construction – made imprisonment so profitable that millions of dollars were spent lobbying state legislators to keep expanding the use of incarceration to respond to just about any problem.  Incarceration became the answer to everything – health care problems like drug addiction, poverty that had led someone to write a bad check, child behavioral disorders, managing the mentally disabled poor, even immigration issues generated responses from legislators that involved sending people to prison.  Never before had so much lobbying money been spent to expand America’s prison population, block sentencing reforms, create new crime categories, and sustain the fear and anger that fuel mass incarceration than during the last twenty-five years in the United States.

Prison for profit.  Frightening on so many levels.

While I have read several books on the subject of wrongful convictions and unjust sentencing practices (most recently the excellent book “Unfair” by Adam Benforado) this is the first I have read that so clearly and succinctly gives the statistics behind the prison system.  A heart breaking, and admittedly tear inducing, as the people’s stories were – the bare statistics were shocking.

I’m not of the mind that no one deserves to be punished.  Of course they do.  Because I live in Canada capital punishment is not on the table for sentencing at capital trials – I waver in my personal belief in some cases such as that of Paul Bernardo.

Mr. Stevenson, near the end of his very well-written and educational book poses an important question …

“Why do we want to kill all the broken people?”

“I worked in a broken system of justice.  My clients were broken by mental illness, poverty, and racism.  They were torn apart by disease, drugs and alcohol, pride, fear, and anger.  I thought of Joe Sullivan and of Trina, Antonia, Ian, and dozens of other broken

children we worked with, struggling to survive in prison.  I though of people broken by war, like Herbert Richardson; people broken by poverty, like Marsha Colbey;

people broken by disability, like Avery Jenkins.  In their broken state, they were

 judged and condemned by people whose commitment to fairness had been

broken by cynicism, hopelessness and prejudice.”

“Enjoy” seems like the wrong word to describe a book like this, but I am very glad I read it.  It is important to know that no system of justice in infallible and that there are people like Bryan Stevenson out there who think it important enough to try and correct that … who go and do just that … and then take the time to make sure that the rest of understand it as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from his website)

BRYAN STEVENSON is the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, and a professor of law at New York University School of Law. He has won relief for dozens of condemned prisoners, argued five times before the Supreme Court, and won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color. He has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant.

For more information on child imprisonment, excessive punishment or any other topics discussed in this book visit www.eji.org and Mr. Stevenson also has a TED TALK and a video about “Sentencing Children to Die in Prison” posted on his website at   http://bryanstevenson.com/video/