Redemption

“. . . Compelling, even, dare I say, uplifting. . . . What elevates “Redemption,” a quiet tale of the bad and good things you didn’t think people were capable of, is the nuance behind the notoriety of those waiting to be executed by the State of Texas. To accomplish this, Wright tracks the efforts of a handful of contemplative nuns, the Sisters of Mary Morning Star, to bring life to death row. . . . The nuns are intelligent and creative. And yet they lead lives that are spartan in the extreme. But they are not without power, and, as Wright shows in “Redemption,” it’s a power that may elude people with far more money and influence.” —Timothy Egan, The New York Times Book Review

“A veteran journalist who has covered everything from terrorism to Scientology, Wright here dives into a story of quiet revolution: the mission, by an order of solitary nuns, to save the souls of women facing execution by the state of Texas. . . . Wright finds drama of the deepest kind, and examines his own thorny relationship with Christianity along the way. It may be Wright’s most personal work of journalism, a truly moving and thoughtful book that will challenge readers’ assumptions about guilt, justice, and transformation.” —Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe

“Lawrence Wright is one of the most celebrated nonfiction writers working today. . . . Redemption faces the same thorny questions that other books about death row navigate. . . . Thanks to his crackling style and reporting chops, Wright faces those challenges head-on.” —Stephen Elliott, BookPage

“Redemption gripped me like the best crime novel and left me fundamentally changed. Regardless of how you feel about capital punishment, you won’t forget these women’s stories: the horror of their crimes, the events that led them there, and what it means to live in the shadow of an impending execution. But it’s the relationship between two groups of isolated women — the condemned and the cloistered nuns who visit them — that teaches us the most elusive of values: true empathy.”—Belle Burden, author of Strangers

“Lawrence Wright never surprises. Every book or New Yorker profile he writes contains an extraordinary narrative (story) containing characters and ideas that linger. Inside this latest masterclass in reporting and writing, you will discover women on death row in Texas who forge a community with Catholic nuns and priests, each opening themselves to the other. But with Wright things are never simple, for he also explores the limits and benefits of faith, the often bestial nature of many of the murders these women committed, and the failures of a criminal justice system that falsely condemns some of these women to death. There are no cardboard cut-out figures in this book, no needless tears. Readers are in the hands of a master.” —Ken Auletta, New Yorker writer and bestselling author

“Redemption is a story deep and powerful, told with Larry Wright’s usual excellence. This book reminds us anew that Wright is one of America’s most important writers.” —Dan Rather

“One of the best narrative journalists in the business takes on the death penalty in his home state. . . . A deftly told story of crime, punishment, and hope.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This unlikely story of a group of nuns in rural Texas ministering to seven women on death row is both captivating and inspiring. Two disparate groups—contemplative nuns and condemned inmates—set aside their pasts, slowly learn to trust one another, and ultimately bond as friends.” —John Grisham