2022 GoodRead Challenge – Book 15 of 50
Just Mercy written by Bryan Stevenson. My best friend also spends a lot of her time reading multiple books. We typically don’t read the same things and rarely do we ask each other to read a book. I don’t think I have ever asked her to read a book or suggested one. I can think of three books she has asked me to consider reading. I started two of the three books but never finished them. She asked me recently to read this book and since it was available on Libby I was open to listening to the book. I would not of chose it on my own and I think this was a suggestion on one of the vlogs I watch and had no interest. I am learning that this topic has become near and dear to my best friend. We have not connect yet about this book but I know at some point we will discuss it the next time we talk on the phone.
I can understand the important and need for men and women like Bryan Stevenson. Bryan is a lawyer and this book was written by him to share his story of how he began to fight for people who are placed in incarceration. Primarily those who were put on death row. We need people who is passionate about this topic and who are willing to fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. I won’t give anything away just in case you want to read the book and there is a movie. I am not sure if the movie is about the whole book or about one of the key cases he talks about in the book. I watched the trailer just to see and I can tell the first interaction was dramatize for the movie. I personally am not passionate about this topic but I can appreciate those who are passionate. I can honestly say I do not know what I’m passionate about but it’s books like these that I need to expose myself to from time to time. You never know what might draw you in and spark a desire to learn more.
There were a few stories that got my blood boiling but then again if it involves a child then I am going to react. I’m a mother of six kids and there are certain things that make me angry when I read/listen/watch. There are certain movies and episodes I can’t watch without having some kind of reaction to it because I now see life through the lens of a mother. I remember watching an episode of In Plain Sight where a woman gave birth to a son and the Marshell’s found the baby in the hotel room alone. The mother was planning on selling the baby and I just given birth to my first son. Needless to say I was crying and snuggling my child. It is easy to ignore these issues but I think we should educate ourselves in multiple things. I may of not wanted to read this book but I appreciate having some information about the injustice that has happened over the years and still happening. I was sharing some of the book with my husband and I said something about the system is broken but he pointed out that the system is run by people. We often fail to remember that and if we can change the people who are running it then we will see real change.
One last thing – I do believe we should NEVER put children in the same prison with grown men. I am surprise how often this happens and that was one of the things that made me angry.
Thriving in Chaos 
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