The Fact of a Body HC Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich Flatiron Books 2017

Description: The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir Hardcover by Alex Marzano-Lesnevich "Complex and challenging... push[es] the boundaries of writing about trauma." -NY Times Before Alex Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer job at a law firm in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, they think their position is clear. The child of two lawyers, they are staunchly anti-death penalty. But the moment convicted murderer Ricky Langley�s face flashes on the screen as they review old tapes-the moment they hear him speak of his crimes -- they are overcome with the feeling of wanting him to die. Shocked by their reaction, they dig deeper and deeper into the case. Despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar. Crime, even the darkest and most unsayable acts, can happen to any one of us. As Alex pores over the facts of the murder, they find themself thrust into the complicated narrative of Ricky�s childhood. And by examining the details of Ricky�s case, they are forced to face their own story, to unearth long-buried family secrets, and reckon with a past that colors their view of Ricky's crime. But another surprise awaits: They weren�t the only one who saw their life in Ricky�s. An intellectual and emotional thriller that is also a different kind of murder mystery, THE FACT OF A BODY is a book not only about how the story of one crime was constructed -- but about how we grapple with our own personal histories. Along the way it tackles questions about the nature of forgiveness, and if a single narrative can ever really contain something as definitive as the truth. This groundbreaking, heart-stopping work, ten years in the making, shows how the law is more personal than we would like to believe -- and the truth more complicated, and powerful, than we could ever imagine. Publisher Flatiron Books; 1st Edition (May 16, 2017) Hardcover 336 pages ISBN-13 978-1250080547 Weight 1.15 pounds Dimensions 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches The writing is exceptional and slowly, as I got really into the book, I discovered that the subject was one in which I, as I am sure many others do, have a very difficult time reading. The author has woven her own story about having been molested as a child, by a family member, alongside a true crime story that she researched as a young law student, about a man, who was a pedophile, involved in a murder. The two stories are so intense, that although, both hard to read, I became engrossed in the reactions of her family as well as the town�s, to this criminal, his family�s as well as the length that the trials went on, and on. The book is beyond a memoir. It combines true crime, with the author�s imagined scenarios of what went on in various courtroom settings during the trials and how she follows this man�s crime as well as the victim to understand what was done to her, and ultimately to free herself of her haunting past. It is brave, scary, revealing, and a look into a world that you would otherwise not know. I commend her for her diligence, for confronting her family, for writing this book, for having the courage to explore such a difficult subject that must have been painful with every single piece of research that she did and every single word that she wrote. This book will leave you thinking about hard issues about our legal system, mental health treatment, the death penalty, and familial responsibility. To read about other people�s situations that you might otherwise never know, despite their outward appearance, their present success, is eye-opening. To know what they have overcome and how they have done so, is remarkable. Book and dust jacket in near mint condition. More pictures in description. 978-1250080547

Price: 74.99 USD

Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2025-01-19T20:27:59.000Z

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