Synopsis
EISNER AWARD NOMINEE • In this graphic adaptation of Sister Helen Prejean’s bestselling memoir, acclaimed artist Catherine Anyango Grünewald and writer Rose Vines bring to striking visual life the story of a nun who becomes a fierce advocate against the death penalty.
“The now legendary story of Dead Man Walking has been heard and seen by millions. This updated, graphic presentation is yet another way for others, hopefully a new generation, to witness the inhumane treatment of those in our prisons.”—John Grisham
Growing up in a middle-class Roman Catholic family in the Jim Crow South, Sister Helen Prejean had resisted the idea that religious faith could be harnessed into social justice until dramatic changes sweeping the Catholic Church in the 1960s and ’70s landed her in the heart of the New Orleans housing projects.
There, she was asked to write a letter to Patrick Sonnier—a man sentenced to die in Louisiana’s electric chair for the murder of two teenagers. When Sonnier wrote back, Prejean’s life irrevocably altered course. She came to know a man who was as terrified as he had once been terrifying, as well as the victims’ families and the men who were charged with putting Sonnier to death.
For more than four decades, Prejean has worked alongside the convicted, as well as the families of victims, to abolish the death penalty, a sentence often determined by race, economic status, and geography.
This graphic adaptation of Prejean’s memoir offers an accessible way to engage with one of the most complex moral and emotional issues facing our country. Rose Vines skillfully interlaces recent developments with the original account, amplifying its relevance for today’s readers. Catherine Anyango Grünewald’s illustrations urge us to grapple with the humanity of this story, drawing an evocative, unforgettable portrait of mercy and justice.
About the Author
Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, is known worldwide for sparking a dialogue on the death penalty. She uses storytelling to bring citizens close to the hard realities of government killings. Her book, Dead Man Walking, has been turned into a film, a play, and an opera.
Catherine Anyango Grünewald is an internationally exhibited artist and lecturer. She was awarded the Navigator Art on Paper Prize, the largest award for work on paper in the world. She taught at the Royal College of Art in London for ten years and is now a senior lecturer in illustration at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm.
Rose Vines is an award-winning writer, editor, and technology expert who has worked alongside Sister Helen Prejean at the Ministry Against the Death Penalty for more than two decades. She has also created a companion website for this book.
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