REQUIRED READING
Dale with Sister Helen Prejean, 2019
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"Closing the slaughterhouse" is a brilliantly written look at how Virginia became the epicentre for executions in America, and how the death penalty eventually came to be abolished. Brumfeld's humanity shines through on every page, as he documents a story that has been written in the blood of far too many people.
How a society best deals with those it views as having committed the most heinous of acts, is never straightforward. There are always plenty of votes for politicians who are "tough on crime." Yet as Brumfeld puts it "Capital punishment epitomizes the tragic inefficiency of a final, reactive resort to violence after proactive solutions to complex social problems have failed or, worse, were never attempted."
Brumfeld documents the stories of many who were sentenced to death. He highlights the role that race and inequality have played throughout the history of the death penalty, as well as the numerous miscarriages of justice.
Through his detailed expose of the flawed nature of the death penalty, "Closing the Slaughterhouse" is a terrific read, on a thought-provoking subject, penned by an inspirational author."
-Ben G. Verified purchaser, Amazon
"[Railroaded] is an important part of Virginia’s history. I think it’s difficult for many people to understand how unarmed Black people can be killed with impunity and no one held accountable. It is hardwired into our culture and carried forward generation after generation. The history of law enforcement, the judicial process, mass incarceration and capital punishment present the blueprint to how we got here in 2020. More books like Railroaded need to be researched, written and widely read so that the next generation perhaps makes the intentional choice not to carry these terrible precedents forward."
-Catherine Read, host of "Read Think Act" Radio
"Dale takes you behind the scenes, where our hapless protagonist experiences his first day on the job at a local theme park. Here we meet bumbling 'mechanics' who check off safety inspection charts on rides they don't even look at, who peep into women's locker rooms while chowing down on stolen carnival candy, who prank each other in a manner equal parts hilarious and dangerous, and on and on. This book had me laughing and crying out loud."
-David Patteson, author of "The Cult: A True Story" and "After the Cult."
"while the Virginia State Penitentiary was probably no better or worse than any number of other 19th-century American penitentiaries that should never have survived into the 20th century, it certainly demonstrates in the most compelling terms how misguided the whole penitentiary concept was as an effective means of rehabilitating offenders. Its only redeeming quality is that it did bring an end to the eye-for-eye era of corporal and capital punishments, when stealing a loaf of bread could be a capital offense.Anyone interested in these issues should read this book.
-E. C. Morris
"The story follows Jake Lotts and his trials in a collapsing world brought on by the newly risen dead. But all they do is stand. And wiggle their eyes. If you think about it, that scenario doesn't sound all that scary. What makes this book horrifying is the living and their reactions to the new state of 'dead.' If you like apocalyptic fiction, it's worth a read. If you like conspiracy theories, it's right up your alley. If you just like books, it's for you as well. And you'll never hear someone say "How You?" the same again. Cringe cringe cringe.
-Rebecca Snow, author of "Lighting a Small Fire."