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In 1993, teenagers Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, Jr.—who have come to be known as the West Memphis Three—were arrested for the murders of three eight-year-old boys in Arkansas. The ensuing trial was marked by tampered evidence, false testimony, and public hysteria. Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison; while eighteen-year-old Echols, deemed the “ringleader,” was sentenced to death. Over the next two decades, the WM3 became known worldwide as a symbol of wrongful conviction and imprisonment, with thousands of supporters and many notable celebrities who called for a new trial. In a shocking turn of events, all three men were released in August 2011.
Now Echols shares his story in full—from abuse by prison guards and wardens, to portraits of fellow inmates and deplorable living conditions, to the incredible reserves of patience, spirituality, and perseverance that kept him alive and sane while incarcerated for nearly two decades.
In these pages, Echols reveals himself a brilliant writer, infusing his narrative with tragedy and irony in equal measure: he describes the terrors he experienced every day and his outrage toward the American justice system, and offers a firsthand account of living on Death Row in heartbreaking, agonizing detail. Life After Death is destined to be a riveting, explosive classic of prison literature.
Damien Echols was born in 1974 and grew up in Mississippi, Tennessee, Maryland, Oregon, Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. At age eighteen he was wrongfully convicted of murder, along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelley, Jr. Echols received a death sentence and spent almost eighteen years on Death Row, until he, Baldwin, and Misskelley were released in 2011. The West Memphis Three have been the subject of Paradise Lost, a three-part documentary series produced by HBO, and West of Memphis, a documentary produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. Echols is the author of a self-published memoir, Almost Home. He and his wife, Lorri Davis, live in New York City.
Anonymous
Posted Wed Sep 19 00:00:00 EDT 2012
This book tells the story from Damien's perspective, which until now was only available through pieces of interviews. If you have been following the West Memphis Three case or have any interest in the case at all, then this book is a must read.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012
I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I could feel Damien's pain in his words. My favorite part is the way he talks about his wife. You can tell he loves her with all of his heart and soul just by the way he talks about her. His story is very moving and I felt very emotional reading about his experiences on death row. How he wrote about the other inmates is very powerful. I am so happy that Damien, Jessie and Jason are out of prison but they are not truely free until their names are cleared. God bless Lorii Davis' kind heart for never giving up fighting for their freedom. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Keep writing Damien!!!!!
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2012
My heart was broken to read the inexcusible treatment of this sensitive, loving, intelligent boy then man who was failed by society. I cried when he described his arrrest, coonviction, and treatment in prison. How this could happen is beyond my comprehension as an American citizen. The book is beautifully written and descriptive prose reveals the inner goodness of the author and the strength of his character. I pray that he experiences healing , love, and true joy for the rest of his life.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2012
18 years..it's hard to get past the time the WM3 had to survive before finally being released. Damien Echols writes a poetic description of his life before prison and the equal time spent inside his cell. His fight and will are inspiring. The non chalant writing of outrageous prisoners he encountered is humorous at times and profoundly disturbing. It makes you think time and time again how people/Arkansas can live w themselves knowing they were ironically killing 3 innocent teens of their freedom as the real killer did to the 3 boys.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2012
This book is terrible and a waste of money. Only fans of Echols will be able to get through this horribly written story. I did my research and I am certain that many prison details are out and out lies.
8 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2012
I rarely write a review but this book is so badly written and ridiculous that people who are thinking about buying this book and spending $12.99 need to know. This man is on the pity pot from birth til the present and no one should spend money to listen to this nonsense. I keep thinking that the book will get better but unfortunately it doesn't. It is just one "poor me" scenario after another. Pure rubbish!!!
6 out of 23 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Sat Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2013
You obviously didn't read the Author's Note. If you had you would have seen Damien Echols said it was snippets of writing that survived the cell raids. This book was not meant to be contiguous. Before you write a review that is so idiotic and easy to show where you missed your vital piece of information, make sure you're right or can make a good arguement over aspects of the book.
Sincerely,
You jusr got told by a fifteen year old.
5 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 2012
for a man who didn't finish high school and spent 18 years in prison, echols sure has a way with words. he writes beautifully, yet with no fluff. raw, emotional honesty. if you know everything about the west memphis 3, you should read this. if you know nothing about the west memphis 3, you should read this.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2012
Sub-average writing and feels like a hodge-podge of individual snippets akwardly stitched together to make a longer book. The overall attitude of self-pity throughout is also very off-putting.
Felt like this was a total waste of my money.
4 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2012
I loved this book. This is one of the most poingant books I've ever read. I felt like I was with Damien throughout his childhood, having those experiences with him - some I sympathized with, some I empathized with, and some I could have never imagined. Beyond the night of his arrest I was horrified at the unfolding of events as they happened through Damien's youthfully naive eyes, and his time on death row left me feeling empty and desperate. The hope in the story came to me through a letter from a woan who didn't want to pry, a bird on a window ledge, and a simple container of water infused with moonglow.
I am inspired by Damien's writing, angered by the injustice of a corrupt system, grieving for a lost youth, and yearning to read more of Damien future.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Written by a murderer that got away with it because of celebrities screaming for his release. Sad thing is he will probably kill again. I pity his next victim.
4 out of 38 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Oct 22 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Beautifully haunting, Echols captures each moment in a way only a true poet could. The truth about our justice system exposed, a life of poverty, and overcoming true obstacles in life really sums up "Life After Death". He is a true inspiration in this book. A must read!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Oct 22 00:00:00 EDT 2012
This book was good but the title is Life after Death and it was more pre death and during death. I love reading biographies and I would say it's worth a peek.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I have followed this case for many years. From a rough unbringing, to being convicted of a crime he didn't commit, Damien managed to come through a horrendous ordeal with a positve attitude and not anger or bitterness which he would have every right to feel.He tells his life story in such a public way with honesty and candor. It's eloquently written and a must read for anyone who has followed the case or even just has a passing interest in learning more from someone who lived through it.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Fri Oct 05 00:00:00 EDT 2012
Please read this and be grateful that this good man is now free. I am proud to say that I went to school with Steve Braga, the incredibly brilliant and gifted attorney who freed this young man.
3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Mar 18 00:00:00 EDT 2013
This book is amzing. Well written. The descriptions of his childhood homes made you feel like you were actually there with him. On the outside looking in. the way he described the winter seasons made me long for the winter. The whole story is an emotional roller coaster of anger, hate, devestation, lonliness, heartbreak, tradgedy and the glimmers of hope and the finally happiness. I highly reccommend this book to everyone.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Feb 06 00:00:00 EST 2013
There's no better way to get a sense of what these boys went through than to hear it straight from one of them. It's a nice mix of Damien's history (his life through the years) as well as his experiences in prison. He also includes journal entries leading up to his release. If you are unfamiliar with the case, it's probably not the first book you want to read on the subject as the author doesn't delve into specifics of the case (the only reason I don't give it 5 stars). I would suggest reading something like "Devil's Knot" to get the specifics of the case, the "evidence" against the WM3, and how they were convicted. Once you are familiar with the case, this is a wonderful follow-up. I think everyone should read about how these 3 boys became 3 more victims in a horrible crime. The author's risilience is inspiring. A compelling read that I tore through in about a day.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sun Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2013
I knew I would like this book but I loved it. Damien is so articulate but writes with an economy of words. It was so sad but Damien told his story without whining about his lot in life.
I have been a believer almost since day one. I lived in Memphis at the time of the murders and told everyone "these boys are innocent".
I have recommended this book to everyone.
My 91 year old mother is going to read it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2012
I would love to meet Damien. What a story what a guy!
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Wed Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2012
I am so moved by this man and his story. This is a must read! I would give it more stars if i could!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
In 1993, teenagers Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, Jr.—who have come to be known as the West Memphis Three—were arrested for the murders of three eight-year-old boys in Arkansas. The ensuing trial was marked by tampered evidence, false testimony, and public hysteria. Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison; while eighteen-year-old Echols, deemed the “ringleader,” was sentenced to death. Over the next two decades, the WM3 became known worldwide as a symbol of wrongful ...