Living Next Door to the Death House

In Living Next Door to the Death House, the Owenses have taken on a difficult and potentially painful subject with great sensitivity and compassion. After talking to everyone from victims to prosecutors, guards to abolitionists, they present a balanced portrait of a system that can not be viewed in black and white. Along the way, they challenge the reader to think about capital punishment's relationship to justice and community, and what it means for someone to be executed in your name. A fair and balanced book, I recommend it to anyone seeking a greater understanding of capital punishment in this country.

I have just finished Living Next Door to the Death House and really appreciated the good writing. The book was excellent! It has been very helpful to me in my work as a Methodist pastor; during Advent I did a series of lectures on "tough issues" and thought that Homosexuality or separation of Church and State/Prayer in our schools would be the most passionate subjects, but I was amazed in that the Death Penalty was, by far, the most passionate and difficult for many. I have learned that I can talk about why I am against the Death Penalty, but I have not had a loved one murdered...... the stories I have heard from my members have humbled me and I continue to learn that this whole subject is very complex. This book takes so many of the sides and I found it to be very helpful. I will suggest it to my people here that are struggling. Again, I commend the Owenses for their excellent book.