The Executioner’s Song

I finished reading this book by the late Norman Mailer a few days ago. It’s a hefty read; 1000 pages in hard copy. The book covers the story of Gary Gilmore who was executed by firing squad in Utah shortly after the US Supreme Court lifted its moratorium on the death penalty. At times I found the book hard going but its mixture of the banality of Gilmore’s life, a petty criminal who stepped up to murder, and the official and legal discussions kept me reading. It would certainly inform anyone interested in the death penalty debate. Just as an aside; how an execution was carried out British style can be found in my book Hezbollah Wishes You A Safe And Peaceful Journey.