In 1985 Anthony Ray Hinton was arrested and charged with the death of two men in Birmingham, Alabama. Hinton was certain that because of his rock-solid alibi, everything would be cleared up and he would soon be released. But due to an ineffective and unmotivated defense attorney and a criminal justice system indifferent to the plight of a poor, black man, Hinton was wrongly convicted of murder and spent 30 years behind bars.

Written by Hinton with the help of Lara Love Hardin, The Sun Does Shine is an extraordinary testament to power of rising above hate and enduring hardship with dignity. Hinton stoically served as a source of hope to those around him on death row, even befriending and changing the beliefs of Henry Hays, a KKK member on death row for lynching a black man in Mobile.

As we read of Hinton’s ordeal we are left infuriated with a system that consistently turned a deaf ear to his appeals. But with the help of a relentless civil rights attorney, Hinton was eventually freed in 2015.

The are usually two or three books each year that I would recommend as must reads. And this inspiring memoir will certainly be among them. The Sun Does Shine (St. Martin’s Press, digital galley) is a powerful story that will serve as inspiration to anyone looking to live a life filled with grace and love.

5 inspirational and unforgettable stars to The Sun Does Shine! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 

Anthony Ray Hinton was convicted of murder and spent 30 years on Death Row in Alabama. His cell was close enough to the execution block that all his senses knew when someone’s time had come. 

Hinton’s public defender was incompetent and so was the star witness in ballistics who happened to be blind in one eye and asked for help in doing his job. Add to that a district attorney with an axe to grind, an all white jury and judge, and racial tensions in Alabama, and Hinton was convicted of a crime he did not commit. 

While each day and year ticked by, Hinton never lost hope, and he was able to convince well-known attorney, Bryan Stevenson, to represent him. After jumping through all the hoops of our justice system, and several years later in doing so, the Supreme Court overturned the false conviction. 

At the very heart of this book is Hinton’s merciful, steadfast spirit. In prison, he was known for his kindness and ability to make others laugh. Outside of prison, he spends his time advocating so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else. 

If you need to feel uplifted, Hinton indomitably delivers. 

Thank you to Anthony Ray Hinton, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ARC for this inspiring book. The Sun Does Shine is available now!

Imprisoned for almost 27 years on death row, Anthony Ray Hinton was incarcerated at age 27 for a crime that he was innocent of. Released in 2015, Mr. Hinton gives us a powerful book revealing the power of belief and an amazing sense of humor and joy in life. Recommended reading.

Such a tragic read- I felt so terrible to read how this man suffered such an injustice in our flawed judicial system.  To be imprisoned for so many years for something you had nothing to do with is appalling.  The fact that he was able to maintain his sanity and dignity speaks volumes about his character.  I sincerely hope that our country wakes up and really looks at racism with honesty and a desire for real change.  NO ONE should every have to be treated like this.

This book is heartbreaking, frustrating and inspirational.  It's beyond comprehension what it would be like to be in prison - on death row - for something you didn't do.  The fact that Ray Hinton was able to survive thirty years with this injustice is remarkable.  The truth of his story is evident in every word of this book and is a testimony to faith and perseverance.  This is a story that will stay with the reader for a long time.

Bryan Stevenson should be sainted, knighted, and given the Presidential Medal of Freedom (by a president other than Trump). I couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day. Mr. Hinton's story is not just about a monstrous miscarriage of justice (although many failings of the criminal system are on display). It is about extraordinary friendships, optimism, compassion, and rehabilitation. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the copy.

Inspirational story of remaining hopeful when there appears no end to a desperate situation. Quick read, makes me want to pick up Brian stevenson's just mercy now.

Can I give 6 stars, please?
Everybody who believes in death sentence as just punishment needs to read this book.
Everybody who belives that justice is blind and always just needs to read this book.

Can you imagine what it feels like to be convited for a crime you did not commit? How it feels like to live on death row always expecting your execution? How can you cope with a situaton like that without loosing hope, faith and love - and ultimately your mind?

This book touches your heart. Desperation, anger, hope, faith and even forgiveness. 

Nobody has the right to take anybody's life.

The Sun Does Shine is a eye opening memoir about a guy who was falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to die. You know you are in for a deep read when you read the synopsis. However, you should not let that stop you from reading this book. While reading this, I felt a deep sorrow for Anthony while learning about his family history, his upbringing and lack of opportunities. You feel the gravity of the injustice that Anthony suffered through by reading about his experience and his lost time and suffering. If you want a book to stay with you, I'd recommend picking this one up. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review The Sun Does Shine.

I received a free e-copy of this book and have chosen to write an honest and unbiased review. I have no personal affiliation with the author.  The story of a man who spent 30 years on death row in an Alabama state prison convicted of crimes he didn’t commit mostly because his skin was black and he was poor.  Prejudice and discrimination are both a huge black mark against the human race and still exist in this country.  This is a story that needs to be told and is extremely important for all of us to read.  Anthony Ray Hinton is a great storyteller.  Because of Bryan Stevenson’s years of working with the courts in the justice system Anthony Ray Hinton is a free man today.  This was a terrible injustice and this is a book that everyone should read.  ‘The Sun Does Shine’ doesn’t pull any punches and is an extremely well-written account of a man’s life on death row as he works to prove that he is unjustly imprisoned for crimes that he didn’t commit.

This gritty yet triumphant memoir bears witness to the rewards inherent in “loving mercy” in one of the world’s most seemingly forsaken places: prison.  

The Sun Does Shine is the gripping memoir by Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongfully convicted of killing two men and sentenced to death in 1985 in Alabama. The case against Hinton, a 29-year-old black man, was clearly shaped by racism and rooted in insufficient evidence. He spent nearly 30 years in prison, until he was finally freed in 2015, after 16 years of working with Equal Justice Initiative.

Surrounded by sights and sounds of death and despair, Hinton finds strength in his faith in God and the love of his family and friends. He also relies on the liberating force of his vivid, playful imagination.

Wow, this was such a heartbreaking read.

It also had my blood boiling. Who are these people elected in to play God? The State of Alabama should be so embarrassed.

This was such an interesting and touching story. I read a lot of it with (I'm sure) a shocked look on my face when I could not believe all the imbecile moves being played behind the scenes with Hinton's life.

I really found the part about Henry very interesting, as well.

Good luck on any and all future endeavors Mr. Hinton. You deserve it.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

The Sun Does Shine is an important complement to Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy and Michele Alexander's The New Jim Crow. Hinton's firsthand account of wrongful imprisonment which landed him on Death Row in spite of his innocence is an important read for us all.

While the book can be an uneven reading experience due to the inclusion of legal documents and transcripts, I believe Hinton's story to be incredibly important and I'm so glad I was able to read it.

Anthony Ray Hinton is one of the longest-serving condemned prisoners facing execution in America who was proven innocent and eventually released. He was arrested in 1985 and finally released from prison on April 3, 2015. He proclaimed his innocence the entire time and when you read about the case, there can be no dispute to that fact.

Lieutenant Acker: "I don't care whether you did or didn't do it. In fact, I believe you didn't do it. But it doesn't matter. If you didn't do it, one of your brothers did. And you're going to take the rap." p. 60 

Hinton's only crime was being born black and in Alabama. The people who sentenced Hinton to Death Row, from the witnesses who lied to the cops who arrested him without concrete proof to the DA and judge who decided his guilt before the trial even began, even his pro bono lawyer who kept asking for money, made me furious. This was racism in action and downright evil.

Time and again the state repeatedly denied his petitions and blocked evidence. It didn't seem to care that he was innocent or that there were real issues with the case. Or that, you know, they'd essentially let a murderer go free. 

Can you imagine how Hinton felt that whole time?

Reading Hinton's experience gave me a much better understanding of what Death Row prisoners face and the reality was horrifying.

During his time in prison, he watched 54 men walk past his door on the way to their execution. The execution chamber was 30 feet from his cell. Hinton describes the smells, the sounds, the visceral experience of watching guards leading someone to their death knowing you might be next. Every time someone is taken to execution chamber, they bang on the bars and scream to let the person know they're not alone. 

Hinton understandably feels a variety of emotions over his injustice. He spent the first three years in silence but eventually starts reaching out to fellow prisoners and realizes he can't let the state of AL steal his soul or humanity. He eventually was able to start a book club and that led to all prisoners being allowed to have two books.

Hinton shows us the humanity of his  fellow prisoners, who are "so much more than what we had been reduced to" p. 133. When a prisoner's parent died, Ray passed him a cup of coffee and prisoners passed down candy and whatever food they had from the commissary. It was their way of expressing condolences. He doesn't deny there were men there who had done terrible things but he also has a lot of wisdom to share regarding how we view our fellow human beings regardless of what they've said and done.

"Until we have a way of ensuring that innocent men are never executed—until we account for the racism in our courts, in our prisons, and in our sentencing—the death penalty should be abolished." p. 202

The Anthony Ray Hinton who went into prison is not the same man who emerges. My heart broke as he candidly discussed his fears about something like this happening again and the way he grappled with the men who did this to him. He forgives McGregor, Perhacs, Acker, Judge Garrett and every attorney general who fought to keep the truth from being revealed, which is more than I would be capable of, especially because I'm sure Hinton was not the only person of color they did this to.

If not for Bryan Stevenson's involvement, Hinton would either still be on Death Row or dead and all for a crime he never could have committed. If this does not convince you our criminal justice system needs a serious overhaul, I don't know what will.

The Afterword includes a list of the men and women who sit on death row as of March 2017. He invites us to read each name and know statistically one out of every ten of them is innocent. I urge you not to skip this. I urge you to read Hinton's story and take his words to heart.

"The death penalty is broken, and you are either part of the death squad or you are banging on the bars. Choose." p. 231

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This book had me in tears. I do not believe in the death penalty, but I think it would have moved me even if I agreed with the penalty.  The story of Anthony Ray Hinton is a tale an incredible miscarriage of justice that it seems to come right out of a fairy tale book. But it was real. And not just for him.  There are many men and women in the same situation. However, Ray turned this time of horror into a time of love and finding himself. He spent 30 years on Death Row trying to live his life with compassion for others, understanding and love. And he succeeded.

He is an exceptional man with an exceptional story, living an exceptional life. It is a heartbreaking tale of justice deliberately withheld. An uncaring system, lawyer and judge came together to send an innocent man to death row. Convicted of crimes he did not commit, Ray spends the next 30 years trying to get the State of Alabama to admit it made a mistake. A gargantuan task with no one willing or able to help him.

Until Bryan Stevenson stepped in. With Ray’s testimony and more perseverance than a salmon going home to spawn he fought for the next 15 years to get Ray released.

I have read a few prison memoirs. And with each one, I do not base my review on the person's lived experiences, but rather on the book's overall message and storytelling ability. When I first heard about the book, I assumed that it was going be solely about the structural violences that allowed for Hinton's injustices. Like a lot of other texts regarding the death penalty, I assumed there was not going to be any discussion about epistemic violences (e.g., employing the innocent/guilty dichotomy in determining whether capital murder is acceptable), so I decided not to read it for a while. However, as more people wrote ARC reviews, the book kept popping up in my suggestions on various sites, so I finally decided to give it a read (although Netgalley only gave me two days to finish it before the archival date). And I was glad that I did. My assumptions about the book were wrong. Hinton touches upon both structural and epistemic violences. He also writes in a puzzling way at times that makes you wonder why he is discussing certain things. However, Hinton is intentional; all of his metaphors and anecdotes come full circle and are explained, as well as tied to moral and/or political principles. Overall, The Sun Does Shine is a powerful read, and I highly recommend it to anyone [interested in restorative justice and criminal and civil rights law].

I have been a proponent of the death penalty my entire liberal Democrat life. I just feel some crimes are so heinous that there is no coming back from them and the criminal has no right to be on this earth with us. I still feel that to be true. But after reading Ray's story (Mr. Hinton requests that all his friends call him Ray. After reading his story, I feel like he is a friend.), my feelings about the use of the death penalty are a bit different. This is the true, very true, story of a young man who was completely innocent of a crime. He should never ever have even gone to trial. But as a result of inherent racism and economic bigotry, Ray was sentenced to death. I'd love to scream "not in America" but the only person who doesn't know by now that this country isn't equal and fair is someone who hasn't heard of the USA. "What does capital punishment mean?" "It means a guy without capital gets punished." And if I didn't know it before, recent incidents have made it all the more clearer. When I read that 10% of all people on death row are innocent, and I know that a greater proportion of men in our prisons are minorities and are receiving heavier penalties for the same crimes than white people, I can not support the death penalty in its current form. Until equality is brought into the justice system and racism is removed, no man should be put to death. (getting off my soapbox) BUT, even more than an inside look at death row in our prisons was the story of a man who would rather die than admit to a crime he didn't do. It was the story of a man who went through the darkness of going to prison but then turned around and became a light that brightened the world of those around him, guilty or innocent. So while the message is strong, Ray's spirit was stronger!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher/author for a copy of THE SUN DOES SHINE in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such an emotional read for me. It was raw and real and dug deep into my heart, pulling out feelings that I didn't know I had. It follows Ray Hinton, a black man who was convicted of robbery and murder, and sent to death row, but the catch is, he was innocent. The court system failed him and he spent nearly three decades in a tiny cell watching one prisoner after another walk to their death. 

While this sounds like a fictional story, it is all too real. This factual account of his struggle with the court system, lawyers, bailiffs, and adjusting to prison life is all based on a real man's experience. How someone goes through this unfair turn of events and comes out on the other side with a smile on his face is so painfully bitter sweet. 

Regardless of your take on the death penalty, regardless of your race, regardless of your career, this book is a must read. It was a very honest look at the corrupt court system. I tried to put myself in Mr. Hinton's shoes, and imagined going through the experiences he had to endure and it literally turned my stomach. To think about how it would feel to be arrested, tried, and convicted as an innocent person, all the while, no one listening to you, or believing you, is a terrifying feeling. How alone and afraid he must have been.

This was not an easy read, but it was an impactful one. This book will be one that remains with me always. Poignant and candid, this book will leave a lasting impression on all who read it.

A powerful story that will stay with me for some time.  I cannot even begin to put to words how i feel about this innocent man who spent 30 yrs on death row for a crime he did not commit.  It should never have happened, but sadly there's no doubt that there are more innocent people currently behind bars.  Makes you wonder how many.  I am so grateful that here in the UK we have no death penalty.  The Jury system does need to change, even here in the UK.   

I would highly recommend this book, which was very well written.  This is a book that i shall read again one day.  

My thanks to Netgalley and the Pubishers for my copy.  This is my honest review.

• THE SUN DOES SHINE •
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“He was a poor man in a criminal justice system that treats you better if you are rich and guilty than if you are poor and innocent” - Bryan Stevenson.
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Ray’s story is going to stay with me for a very long time. Anthony Ray Hinton spent half of his life on death row for a crime he didn’t commit and the only thing saving him from an execution date was fighting through a legal system that was against him from the very start.
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His afterword “Pray for Them by Name” is a pages upon pages list of the names of those sitting on death row where one in ten is innocent. It is a confronting illustration of a broken system.
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The Sun Does Shine is to be released in the coming days - a true must read.

To read this book is to understand more about what you don’t understand, about crime and punishment in the US, than can be written about in a book review. It’s time to let the death penalty pass into history. It’s been time for decades now. Words fail me.  The book is moving and painful to read.  I encourage everyone to do so.  I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.