Barry Siegel

Really good, actually -- Siegel writes about law in a way that doesn't make me immediately think, "Oh, this guy isn't a laywer," which is rare. How many newspaper stories or books have you read where the writer just doesn't seem to know how to put legal words together in the same way that a lawyer does? Siegel avoids that.

More importantly, though, Siegel tells a story that draws clear parallels between the dawning of the Cold War and the post-9/11 era without beating us over the head with it. He makes the story much more personal, a sad tale of the government lying to three widows and largely getting away with it. But he doesn't ignore the larger ramifications, either -- he weaves them in skillfully, pointing us in the right direction without making the book his own crusade for truth and justice.… (meer)

Bill Macomber was convicted for the murders of two teenagers in the Arizona desert and served 38 years in prison always maintaining his innocence. His conviction was based on his estranged wife's account of his confession to her 12 years earlier. This is the same wife who works at the sheriff's office where the evidence of the murders were stored in an unlocked drawer.

This account of Bill's life and the Arizona Justice Project is fascinating and thought provoking. It makes your stomach turn to know that people can be convicted and locked up when innocent. This book was a little wordy but was a good read.… (meer)