The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton

Do you ever read a book plot or even just read the cover title and know you will cry at some point while reading that book? That is exactly how I felt when I read just the title of this book and then further settled those beliefs when I read the description. But Meghan, why would you willingly read a book that you know will make you upset and possibly cry? Because it takes an incredible writer to be able to invoke such strong emotions in their audience. To share what he went through and captivate the readers so much that they can’t help but cry or feel angered or joy for all that he went through is truly a gift.

The Sun Does Shine follows the true story of Anthony Ray Hinton and his 30 years on death row for a crime he did not do. He was nowhere near the site of the crime but was mistakenly picked out by a witness and with a corrupt judicial system in Alabama, he found himself being found guilty and sentenced to death row. Ray shares his story from the time he was placed into the back of the police cruiser to thirty years later when in 2015 he was finally taking his first steps as a free man.

He was a poor man in criminal justice system that treats you better if you are rich and guilty than if you are poor and innocent.

Bryan Stevenson, attorney

There aren’t many people like Ray, who despite facing some of the hardest life situations, and that many of us could not even imagine, was able to find the joy in life not only for himself but for the other inmates in death row. He made sure to always be a voice when needed for the other inmates and worked hard on finding different ways for them to be able to “escape” death row even for just 1 hour each week. Creating friendships with these guys and never seeing them as guilty. They were all human and none of them deserved to be here. He never lost faith and knew that someone out there would be sent to him to help shine the truth and prove that he was an innocent man. That man was attorney, Bryan Stevenson.

I don’t feel like this description is giving this book as much kudos as it deserves. I think I am still trying to process the emotional roller coaster I was just on and can’t figure out how to relay that to writing. No matter who you are, what you believe in, what you look like, there is a lot to be learned and admired from someone like Ray. How you can take a man’s freedom but can’t take away his hope, imagination and joy. A truly amazing book.

Until Next Time, The Library Abroad

Photo Credit: https://medium.com/park-recommendations/the-sun-does-shine-how-i-found-life-and-freedom-on-death-row-anthony-ray-hinton-a2789b445bcc