No Choirboy by Susan KuklinIn an Booklist interview (9/15/08), Susan Kuklin said she originally planned that the book would be about capital punishment. However, "As I began writing, violence became the thread that held the book together. All three inmates grew up witnessing or being the direct recipients of acts of violence. Then they themselves committed their own violent acts. Now they will spend the rest of their lives in a very, very violent place."
Kuklin devoted 5 years to researching this book. She interviewed three prisoners who were given death-row sentences when they were teenagers. Most of the book consists of the prisoner's own words from the interview transcripts. She said it was very difficult to write because she had promised their attorneys not to discuss the crimes (their cases were still under appeal) and she promised her publisher not to use too much "legalese". She also interviewed the family of a man who was executed in 2002 for a murder he committed when he was 17 years old. The final chapters are interviews with the family of a murdered teen and a capital appellate lawyer who was the attorney of two of the interviewed inmates.
This book demonstrates the power of quality nonfiction. It is not a balanced overview of capital punishment in the Opposing Viewpoints series mode. It is not a website where a student gathers information and spits it back in a report. It is a book that gives insight and provokes thinking.
Note: The inmates interviewed are off death-row today because the Supreme Court ruling in 2002 (Atkins v. Virginia) that juveniles cannot be given the death penalty.
7 comments:
I'm reading the same book although I'm only half way through. Hopefully I'll finish it today and have something to add to your comments. It's well-written, very informative and heart-breaking.
Sounds like a very powerful title. I mentioned on Amber's blog that the information here and the content that pushes you toward introspection makes this seem like a very necessary title for high school students. An eye-opener.
This sounds like a very hard book to read, but I often find those the most life-changing. I think this could be an important read for teenagers to help them examine their beliefs on important topics.
This sounds like a necessary book for school libraries and a real eye opener. I mentioned on Amber's blog about the son of a lady I work with. He did something stupid, coerced by a younger boy, and had to spend several months in jail. Who got in big trouble? The boy who just turned 18. I wish they would have a book like this before.
I think that this book could encourage some powerful discussions at book talks. Everything from taking responsibility for a crime committed to the death penalty. I think that teens would find this book very interesting.
This book does sound like an important look into an important subject. I like books that let the reader come to their own opinion and relate real human stories and not just facts.
As I commented on Amber's page, I think this book sounds great. I think it is good when teenagers begin to develop strong opinions of their own about controversial issues like this one. This book would be one for teens to read to help them develop an opinion.
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