Title: The Autobiography of an Execution
Author: David R. Dow
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir

This was a heartbreaking book. It took a long time for me to firmly decide what my position is on the death penalty. The opinion I held as a young woman is very different than the opinion I hold now. That’s to be expected because I most certainly am not the same person now that I was then. Reading this book made me recommit to my position and it pushed me to better verbalize and explain my position.

I’m not sure if this book would change the mind of someone who is a strong supporter of the death penalty but I think it should be required reading for just about everyone. A couple reviews I read of this book didn’t like the author’s style and his choice to jump back and forth between the horrible reality of death row and the happy family life he tries to maintain but I found it to be a perfect balance.

Strongly recommended.