With the pacing of a thriller, this memoir, by a defense attorney for those on death row, is a provocative exploration of justice.

From the Judges
"A brilliantly powerful book. This memoir reads like dark poetry, allowing the reader to interpret Dow's inner voice, and judge his inner demons as if they reside inside the reader him or herself.... This book should be required reading for anybody with an opinion about the death penalty. Regardless of where you stand, you'll walk away both disturbed and enlightened -- as if you've witnessed an execution firsthand." -- Eric Blehm

"I've never read a book quite like this. To be honest, the story of a lawyer on death row in Texas didn't sound that promising, but from the very first sentence, it was absolutely compelling; and by the end, it had me in tears.... How on earth do you go home to your wife and 9-year-old son after witnessing the execution of a client you think innocent? Dow has represented more than 100 of these individuals. I flinched at the line when he phones home and his son cheerfully asks, 'Hi Dada, did you have a good day at the death row?' I would challenge anyone to read this book and not question a system where trial lawyers snooze through most of a capital murder case, or appeals courts abruptly close at 5:00 p.m. so judges can get home for tea." -- Christina Lamb

"No matter how you feel about capital punishment -- and especially if you support it, whether staunchly or uneasily -- this book will bring you face to face with the arbitrary, often capricious way in which the death penalty really works. It's the most sobering book that I read in 2010." -- Terry Teachout

This stellar debut is a stunning hybrid – a science book painted on a social canvas – that probes deep moral issues.

From the Judges
"The shocking story of how Henrietta's cells were harvested -- without her knowledge -- and became the first human cells to be successfully grown and used all round the world, was an incredible find. I thought this was an absolutely remarkable piece of investigative reportage that skillfully wove in science, race, sociology, and history." -- Christina Lamb

"Not only is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a splendidly vivid piece of storytelling, but it's one of the most impressive pieces of journalism to be published in recent years--a reportorial achievement of the highest quality." -- Terry Teachout

"Rebecca Skloot drew me in with the title, hooked me with the subtitle, yanked me into the story from page one, and didn't let me go until the end -- which says a lot considering the left side of my brain had cobwebs all over it before I picked up her book. The 'science' in her prose flows gracefully, while the emotions she conjures up hit hard and keep you doubled over like a solidly connected gut punch. This book took my breath away, and has lingered in my subconscious ever since. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next." -- Eric Blehm

In this hugely ambitious and informative work, Mukherjee deconstructs the "big C" -- its history, its treatment, and its future.

From the Judges
"The definitive history of cancer -- this is a truly important book written with passion and clarity by a doctor with a real turn of phrase. But it's much more than that, weaving personal stories, medicine, and history. When I started reading this book, one of my closest friends had just been diagnosed with cancer, and had his leg amputated, which made it all the more potent. With cancer affecting one in three women and one in two men in the U.S., I suspect many readers will have similar connections." -- Christina Lamb

"Terrifying. Mukherjee has painstakingly outlined the evil personality of this disease with an unmatched authority and compassion. Having watched my own mother die after a four-year battle with cancer, I can attest that he has nailed the varying bedside manners of those who care for the terminally ill as well as the more hopeful victims of the disease. Indeed, he brought cancer to life." -- Eric Blehm

"I can scarcely believe that this wonderfully assured, stylishly written chronicle is Siddhartha Mukherjee's first book. If he should ever decide to give up medicine, he'll have no trouble launching a second career as a full-time writer." -- Terry Teachout