Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and RedemptionJust Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Score Modern
What it's about
As a young lawyer, Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, to defend people on death row, children sentenced to die in prison, and others failed by the justice system. At the center of the book is Walter McMillian, a Black man sentenced to death for a murder he clearly didn't commit, in the same Alabama town that inspired To Kill a Mockingbird. Stevenson tells McMillian's story alongside the cases of many others he fought for.
Why it's worth reading
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and became a film starring Michael B. Jordan. It's one of the most powerful books about American justice, written with compassion and without bitterness.
You'll love it if you liked
Devil in the Grove
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Between the World and MeGood to know
It's heartbreaking in places, but Stevenson's hope runs through it. The chapters alternate between McMillian's case and others, so it's easy to read in pieces.
By the numbers
- Readers100 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller73 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #29 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #82 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #152 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption worth reading?
Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and became a film starring Michael B. It ranks #152 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption about?
As a young lawyer, Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, to defend people on death row, children sentenced to die in prison, and others failed by the justice system. At the center of the book is Walter McMillian, a Black man sentenced to death for a murder he clearly didn't commit, in the same Alabama town that inspired To Kill a Mockingbird. Stevenson tells McMillian's story alongside the cases of many others he fought for.
How long does it take to read Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption?
About 9 hours (349 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption?
If you liked it, try Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander or Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.