Jan. 13
TEXAS—-book review
Roger McGowen International Support Group
Contact: Ronald Radford, 734 Henry Ave., Ballwin, MO 63011
800-291-7050 o Ron@RonaldRadford.com
January, 2010
Messages of Life from Death Row by Pierre Pradervand
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Messages of Life from Death Row has profoundly touched and transformed the
lives of thousands of readers of the French and Dutch editions. This book,
now published in English, focuses on Pierre Pradervand’s extraordinary
correspondence with Roger McGowen, a death row inmate unjustly convicted,
who found his way to inner freedom. The book reveals the often deeply
flawed functioning of the American criminal justice system and its
arbitrary application of the death penalty. A unique juxtaposition of
carefully selected texts next to the heartfelt and memorable letters
written by McGowen from his cell on death row gives readers a historical,
ethical and pragmatic overview of American criminal justice as well as an
inside view of death row in Texas. It reminds us yet again that an
imperfect system which takes the lives of innocent men and women must be
changed. Roger McGowen helps to awaken us all through his powerful message
of unconditional love, faith, dignity and forgiveness.
In the foreword Christiane Singer writes, “In a cell of 6 by 9 feet, where
light trickles through a 6-inch opening, Roger McGowen, Black American,
incarcerated for murder, sentenced to death – and innocent – teaches us
freedom.” These pages reveal a man who, after over 20 years on death row,
sees love as the most powerful force in the world and forgiveness as a
basic component of sanity. “Love is only one thought away,” Roger writes,
“remember to use it often. It can never be depleted.”
Dr. Pierre Pradervand’s career as a sociologist, writer, and activist for
social change has taken him to more than 40 countries on 5 continents. He
conducts personal development workshops in his home country of
Switzerland, where he also writes and volunteers at a prison in Geneva.
Dr. Pradervand has published 15 books in a dozen languages including The
Gentle Art of Blessing. The author’s wife is founder and director of the
Women’s World Summit Foundation and together they work to create a world
free from the type of injustice he so clearly exposes in this new English
edition of Messages of Life from death row published by BookSurge and now
available at www.amazon.com.
“I cannot too warmly recommend this book.” – Helen Prejean (author, Dead
Man Walking)
For more information please see: www.rogermcgowen.org
Contact the author, Pierre Pradervand at: Pierre@vivreautrement.ch
Phone in Geneva: 011-41-22-731-8839