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#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. . . . She almost palpably extends a hand to her readers.” —The New York Times Book Review
In 1982, Sister Helen Prejean became the spiritual advisor to Patrick Sonnier, the convicted killer of two teenagers who was sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana’s Angola State Prison. In the months before Sonnier’s death, the Roman Catholic nun came to know a man who was as terrified as he had once been terrifying. She also came to know the families of the victims and the men whose job it was to execute—men who often harbored doubts about the rightness of what they were doing.
Out of that dreadful intimacy comes a profoundly moving spiritual journey through our system of capital punishment. Here Sister Helen confronts both the plight of the condemned and the rage of the bereaved, the fears of a society shattered by violence and the Christian imperative of love.
On its original publication in 1993, Dead Man Walking emerged as an unprecedented look at the human consequences of the death penalty. Now, some two decades later, this story—which has inspired a film, a stage play, an opera and a musical album—is more gut-wrenching than ever, stirring deep and life-changing reflection in all who encounter it.
"Sister Prejean is an excellent writer, direct and honest and unsentimental. . . . She almost palpably extends a hand to her readers.” —The New York Times Book Review
In 1982, Sister Helen Prejean became the spiritual advisor to Patrick Sonnier, the convicted killer of two teenagers who was sentenced to die in the electric chair of Louisiana’s Angola State Prison. In the months before Sonnier’s death, the Roman Catholic nun came to know a man who was as terrified as he had once been terrifying. She also came to know the families of the victims and the men whose job it was to execute—men who often harbored doubts about the rightness of what they were doing.
Out of that dreadful intimacy comes a profoundly moving spiritual journey through our system of capital punishment. Here Sister Helen confronts both the plight of the condemned and the rage of the bereaved, the fears of a society shattered by violence and the Christian imperative of love.
On its original publication in 1993, Dead Man Walking emerged as an unprecedented look at the human consequences of the death penalty. Now, some two decades later, this story—which has inspired a film, a stage play, an opera and a musical album—is more gut-wrenching than ever, stirring deep and life-changing reflection in all who encounter it.
161 Reviews
4.0

Bella
Created 26 days agoShare
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“Dead Man Walking is a memoir by Sister Helen Prejean, a Roman Catholic nun, who served as a spiritual advisor to multiple death row inmates. She advocated against executions and brought up questions on the ethics of this act. Not only questioning the morals of the people who execute inmates but also the people behind the scenes who let it happen. Sister Helen Prejean brought light to this complex, emotional, and hot social issue in a way that was direct and to the point, with no sugar coating. She showed both sides of this debate in great fashion, she was factual and inclusive of all perspectives. Her language was precise and she described the people and experiences she encountered in great detail. The strategy she used and the word choices she made got her specific point across in a way that you could feel the importance of the issue in each sentence she wrote. Her goal was to express her unique ideas on a hot topic and show others that you can challenge capital punishment, and other strong ideas, no matter who you are or your place in society. She did achieve this goal, and in a section of her book titled, "Afterword By Sister Helen Prejean" she says this, "Since Dead Man Walking's original publication twenty years ago, through its transformation into a film, an opera, and a stage play, I have seen a dramatic change in the American death penalty debate" (pg. 248). If you are looking for a memoir covering a controversial issue that maybe you're deciding what side you want to be on or maybe you are just intrigued by the whole idea of capital punishment. This is the book for you. I gave this book 3 stars because I am not too into criminal justice, but if you are, this book is great. This book also has a sort of religious aspect, because she is a Roman Catholic nun. So once again, if you are looking for that this book is for you. I did enjoy the author's preciseness and sharing both sides of this debate, and that is why I gave it 3 stars.”

Myoshi
Created about 1 month agoShare
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Rachel Miller
Created about 2 months agoShare
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“Dead Man Walking is a profound and deeply unsettling exploration of capital punishment, told through Sister Helen Prejean’s powerful firsthand experiences as a spiritual advisor to death row inmates.
While the book grapples with themes of justice, morality, and forgiveness, it also raises difficult questions about faith—questions I found myself wrestling with throughout.
As someone who holds suspicions and doubts concerning faith and Christianity, I approached Sister Helen’s unwavering belief with skepticism at times. Yet, her compassion and unrelenting commitment to both the condemned and the victims of their crimes struck a deep chord.
Sister Helen does not shy away from the complexities of her mission. She humanizes those society deems unredeemable while honoring the immense pain of victims’ families, creating a narrative that challenges our sense of judgment and mercy.
By the end of the book, I couldn’t help but greatly admire her dogged determination to bring comfort to all those affected by these tragedies—regardless of where they stood. Her courage, empathy, and unwavering presence make Dead Man Walking not just a powerful critique of the death penalty, but a testament to the strength of human compassion.
I have never done this with any other author, but I did send an email to her, thanking her for taking the time to share her experiences so freely with all of us.”
Vitalia Strait
Created 2 months agoShare
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“This should be required reading for every human. I saw the movie adaptation two years ago and it's probably the most impactful movie I've ever seen; it made me do a sharp turn from passively endorsing the death penalty to being vehemently against it. The book only solidified this conviction. While there is a lot of Christianity placed as the basis for her beliefs (and mine), I think that Sister Prejean also is able to speak to non-believers in just as effective of a way. Sister Prejean is an amazing and strong woman who has influenced, and will continue to influence, so many lives. I hope that one day I will be able to do the same.”
About Helen Prejean
Helen Prejean, C. S. J., is a writer, lecturer, and community organizer who was born in Baton Rouge and has lived and worked in Louisiana all her life. Her groundbreaking firsthand account of the death penalty, Dead Man Walking, has been adapted into a movie, an opera, and a play for high schools and colleges. She is also the author of The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions. She has lectured extensively on the subject of capital punishment and has appeared on 60 Minutes, NBC’s Today Show, NPR’s Weekend Edition and Fresh Air, PBS’s Frontline, BBC World Service radio, and an NBC special series on the death penalty. She has received honorary degrees from colleges and universities across the United States. She is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph.
www.sisterhelen.org
www.sisterhelen.org
Other books by Helen Prejean
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