Literary Fiction · DarkGary Gilmore, from his release from prison in 1976 to his execution
The Executioner's Song
The story of Gary Gilmore, from prison release to execution
The book follows Gary Gilmore after his 1976 release from prison, through the events that led to his crimes in Utah and his trial. It documents his court proceedings and his decision to pursue his own execution instead of continuing appeals. It also covers the media attention and the debate over capital punishment that followed.
More about this book
Who
Gary Gilmore, along with his family, his friends and the families of his victims.
World
Utah and Indiana, mainly in 1976 and 1977.
What makes it different
It is a true-crime narrative written like a novel, based almost entirely on interviews with the families and friends of Gilmore and his victims. It won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was adapted as a 1982 television film with Tommy Lee Jones.
Feel
Long, flat-voiced and absorbing, with a heavy subject.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- The Executioner's SongWikipedia