ANU/Canberra Times meet the author event with Bryan Stevenson

THIS EVENT IS NOW BOOKED OUT

Bryan Stevenson will be in conversation with Dr Andrew Leigh on Stevenson’s critically acclaimed book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.

Just Mercy, is the story of young American lawyer Bryan Stevenson whose efforts have reversed death penalties for dozens of condemned prisoners in America. It is an inspiring story of unbreakable humanity in the most desperate circumstances, and a powerful indictment of America’s broken justice system. Stevenson’s work on individual cases has generated national attention. Bryan Stevenson’s TED Talk on the subject of injustice has been viewed 1.25 million times on the TED website.

Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu has called Bryan Stevenson “America’s young Nelson Mandela” and Just Mercy has been compared to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Although Just Mercy is non-fiction, John Grisham has said, “not since Atticus Finch has a fearless and committed lawyer made such a difference in the American South”. 

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted lawyer’s coming of age, a moving portrait of the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of justice.

Stevenson who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1985, is the recipient of numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant, and is a tenured law professor at New York University School of Law. Stevenson is also the Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama.

This will be a rare occasion, in Stevenson’s short visit to Australia en route to the Festival Of Perth, to hear one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.

Dr Andrew Leigh is the Federal Member for Fraser and the Shadow Assistant Treasurer.