On Human Slaughter: Evil, Justice, Mercy

by Elizabeth Bruenig

Incisive, compassionate, and revelatory reporting from America’s death row, named a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist for feature writing.

Elizabeth Bruenig’s sensitive reporting pulls back the curtain on a routine crisis in America’s death state executioners’ inability to kill the condemned humanely. She takes readers to the torturous final moments of death row inmates while considering the often heinous crimes that led to their sentences. Thoughtful and profound, Bruenig’s writing negotiates the culture of violence in America, asking what’s at stake when we refuse to see the humanity in those who have done the inhumane.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Essays, Philosophy, True Crime, Social Justice, Death

136 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2023

Reviews

[emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am a big fan of liz bruenig's writing and a huge opposer of the death penalty, so the existence of this book is enough to make me read nonfiction—and adore it.

the entire system of punishment in this country is intended to dehumanize those that reside within it, and numb the emotions of those that witness it.

this book is the antidote to that.

it is incredibly painful and consuming. i felt such deep sorrow while reading this, and such helplessness, and such disgust for the world that we live within. i felt grief.

but i also felt incredible gratitude, that bruenig continues to bring these topics that so many would see buried to light. and i felt love for the people depicted here. and i felt forgiveness.

it was a beautiful thing. it's a beautiful book.

bottom line: i wholeheartedly recommend.

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The death penalty has been carried out in the US for as long as the US has been around—just over half the states still allow it, and some of those states are doing their damndest to carry it out. But state-sanctioned killing has gotten more difficult to, uh, execute successfully—companies that produce the drugs that are used in lethal injection are loathe to sell them for those purposes, other methods (firing squad, electric chair) have fallen out of favor, largely due to the optics, and...well. Even when the state has lethal drugs on hand, as Bruenig chronicles, things do not always go to plan.

Bruenig is a journalist who has written extensively about the death penalty, and On Human Slaughter is a compilation of articles she wrote on the topic in 2022. As you can guess from the title, she does not pretend neutrality—she's clear in her stance that, separate from whether the death penalty is humane (I'm going to go with no), the way in which it is carried out in the US is often, in direct defiance of the 8th Amendment, inhumane: workers fumbling for hours to insert needles into veins; workers performing cutdowns, probably without anaesthetic, when that fails; prisoners convulsing as drugs flow into their bodies; shrouds of secrecy and lack of accountability because nobody in the system wants to admit that what they consider "standard procedure" is either not standard at all or, if it is standard procedure, making a mockery of basic ethics and humanity. And then there are the things less talked about: that the family of the accused is often treated as guilty by association; that when somebody is put to death, chances are that other innocent people are losing a father or brother or son (it's almost always men on death row) as well; that many of the people sentenced to death have backgrounds that indicate that they never really had a chance in life to begin with.

I'll note that I prefer that Bruenig is clear in her stance—while I'm willing to read a well-researched, well-thought-out take in favor of the death penalty (if someone can explain how the death penalty in the US can ever be ethical when it is so unevenly applied across race and class, I'll read it, but I'm not going to hold my breath), the last book I read on the death penalty was not nearly as impartial as the author seemed to think, and I'd rather know where the author is coming in. I don't think her writing will change any fervently pro-death-penalty minds, but if it's something you've never really thought about, it's likely to be an eye-opening read.

There is a caveat, though: On Human Slaughter is outdated even before its publication date. The articles are, as far as I can tell, presented exactly as they were published in the first place, with no updates of language or information. Sometimes this is little things ("Last year", "Last Thursday", "In April of this year"), but sometimes it's bigger things: The trial [Glossip v. Gross] wrapped up earlier this month; a decision is expected as soon as mid-May, and the defense attorneys are hopeful (loc. 284); When, as I expect, the jury in Florida decides to put Cruz to death (loc. 371)...these are two of several instances where we're left hanging because something that has since been decided had not been decided at the time of writing. In the latter case, Bruenig comes back to it in a later article, but in the former, that's the end of Glossip and the constitutionality of midazolam. I can (and did) look up the results of these things, and I got over the cognitive disconnect eventually (call me slow, but it took a while); still, I found myself wishing that slight revisions had been made (e.g., instead of "Last year", we might have "In 2021"; "In April of this year" could be "In April of 2022") and/or that bracketed notes or endnotes had been included in chapters where there have been updates since the writing. I'd also hope (not sure how realistic this is) for a foreword and/or afterword from the author—something that speaks more generally of this, outside the time-sensitive context of these articles.

Overall, not a read for the faint of heart (and time sensitivity is frustrating), but I'm very glad we have writers as incisive as Bruenig willing to tackle the subject in so much depth.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley. Quotes are taken from an ARC and may not be final.

[betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this collection of work on capital punishment. As an attorney, I appreciated some of the more in depth dives into the legal system and processes surrounding capital sentencing while also recognizing the Bruenig made it as accessible as possible to non-legalase speakers. The work as a whole did an excellent job of showing offenders’ humanity without discounting the harm they caused; the very point in the discomfort caused through reading is to consider how we as a society treat those most vulnerable and how we allow state-sanctioned killings. Incredible piece that I’ll be thinking about for awhile.

Thanks to the author and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC.

[Birta Birgisdóttir · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAHA helt að eg væri að lesa On Grief en var að lesa þessa 😭😭 var svo confused við lesturinn en ANYWAYS goð bok en mjög alvarleg, soldið eins og fræðigrein

[Jenna Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A disturbing and informative read on the state of executions in the United States and the illusions/reality surrounding lethal injection as a method of killing. I appreciate that this author made clear she is not interested in focusing on the innocent people on death row - but actually grappling with ‘seeing the humanity owed to people who have done the inhumane’. Really great reporting too.

[Tedi Beemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

states are buying lethal injection drugs in parking lots and keeping them on ice while checking their expiration dates like they’re yogurts :/

[eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

edit: reread dec 2025 - all my love to this amazing piece of reporting !!! truly think about it all the time and excited to be writing about it for class and making other people read it (i hope)

"One can blame the right of the condemned to defend themselves in this nation's courts, or one can blame them for their unwillingness to die. But the most proximate cause of America's cruel-and-unusual-punishment problem is the fact that this country still countenances judicial killings, which, while carried out in the name of the American people, dissolve our rights little by little."

(110)

I picked this text up from the library while aimlessly perusing the 'New Nonfiction' shelves. I spotted the spine, pulled it out from the shelf, and quickly knew I would be taking the book home with me and reading it that very day. Needless to say, it struck me from its beginning, and captured me until the end.

This is a 2023 Pulitzer Prize Finalist collection of Elizabeth Bruenig - a reporter for The Atlantic -'s articles written about capital punishment, how it is improperly and oftentimes horrifically performed, and how this judicial failure impacts victims, incarcerated people, the significant overlap between those two populations, and the larger American base of residents & citizens. It paints an intimate and disturbing portrait of the incompetence of the Alabama Department of Corrections in particular, following closely the executions (and quite a few attempted and failed executions) of death row inmates across 2022. These articles also thoughtfully explore the 8th amendment and its demand that we as a nation expand our understanding of "cruel-and-unusual punishment" as time passes and society changes/matures, while acknowledging the harsh reality that the State is certainly prone to regression.

Bruenig's writing here is stunning, gripping, and emotionally evocative. She empathizes deeply and works exhaustively to communicate with incarcerated people, employees within prisons and the judicial system, victims and their families, as well as the loved ones of those on death row. It is abundantly clear the level of thought, care, and burning desire for justice that went into this collection of work.

I have seen some of the (currently 17) other written reviews of this collection criticizing its limited scope. I would argue that a.) this is a collection of journalistic feature articles, not a dissertation or traditional essay collection, and b.) that On Human Slaughter's intimacy only serves its larger goal. The flashes of injustice captured remind that the cruelty of the State is common and exacting, and many of us are merely lucky or otherwise privileged to not have experienced the dehumanizing force that is the carceral state.

Obviously, I absolutely loved this, and I cannot recommend it enough. I feel so lucky that I happened upon this spectacular feat of journalism and cannot believe how little recognition and viewership a Pulitzer Prize finalist from 2023 has received.

Please give this a shot, if you happen to see this review :)

"We live in spectacularly violent times, not in the sense that our era is more violent than any other before, but rather, that our episodes of especially atrocious violence tend also to become spectacles that play out in the press and culture long after the carnage is over. Part of our fascination is grim curiosity, and part is based, I think, in the sense that some moral work must be left undone, some central mystery left unresolved, if no species of detailed explanation or court action can ever really answer the limitlessness of the void they create in our shared lives. Still, we look into the emptiness. One draws closer and closer, but never comes nearer to anything."

(91)

[Isaure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars because it was excellent but I am left wanting more. On the one hand, I hope she builds and adds to these essays over time, creating a survey of developments over the next years - decades, perhaps. On the other, I am left wanting to know, perhaps selfishly, what Liz' incredible reporting is built on. She writes from such a perspective of profound compassion and love for humanity. It is touching and emotional and the reason I have kept on reading her pieces over the course of the past years. I want to know where she got it from, who she is inspired by. I have heard her mention Augustine so frequently in podcasts. I feel him underlying her essays - he's there, he's hidden, but he deserves the spotlight. How have we viewed Human Slaughter - Evil, Justice, and Mercy - over the course of human history? How did we get to where we are today? I know Liz could write about this in a way no other journalist can.

Anyhow. Just my ideas here. All of this to say I eagerly await her next publication, and am in awe of this very fine collection of essays on a difficult topic only she could write about with such immense sensitivity and care.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 bc i think she should write a full book on this

[Alex Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of essays from The Atlantic explores capital punishment — taking aim at the death penalty not just as a concept, but also as a technical process that governments continually fail at.

Is it cruel and unusual to stick someone a hundred times in search of a vein? To cut down their skin in further search of a vein? To leave someone strapped to a gurney for hours when they’ve actually had their execution stayed? Though graphic at times, it is never gratuitous, and really — what would you expect from a collection titled On Human Slaughter?

These works are all very current and spend much time in Alabama. While the time and state have certainly earned examination, I believe the collection as a whole would be better served with a wider view and more context. It’s quick, insightful, and thought-provoking. For fans of true crime and moral debates, but not for the faint of heart.

[Amanda Maregente · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 words to summarize this book: Exploratory. Atrocious. Unfair.

In comparison, the book cover’s 3 words are Evil, Justice, Mercy.

I’ve never been highly interested in death penalty culture but Bruenig did well in capturing the good, bad, and in between of current processes. And did an even better job debating if there actually is a “goodness” to human killing procedures for those we deem guilty.

The most interesting part was reading about execution staff admitting the lights were too dim - in effort to protect their identities - and so they had no clue what drugs they were actually grabbing to do the lethal injection. The second most interesting was when the correction facilities admitted they bought unmarked black market drugs because big pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t supply them.

Just wow. 😮

[Joseph Copp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and quite sad. The unexpected part (perhaps unfortunately) is all of the moments Bruenig captures outside of the execution room, be it with family members of victims or prisoners, in review of the death penalty, or with (and at times, importantly without) the reactions and responses is the DOC. Ultimately my primary disappointment comes from my own understanding that this would be more of an adaptation of previous works, rather than a reprinted collection, so it had more repetition and less flow than I had expected, but it was still a worthwhile read and a sad reminder of one of the ways in which people face injustice in America.

[David Elsheimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The topic of capital punishment is one that I (as well as I'm sure many others) am morbidly intrigued by. Bruenig handles the topic with grace, shedding light on one of the absolute darkest parts of the American justice system. This book was at once horrifying and depressing, but also impossible to put down. Her raw reporting is striking; she is strongest in her writing about the death penalty in relation to the Eighth Amendment. My favorite pieces were "Can America Kill Its Prisoners Kindly," "Dead to Rights," and "A History of Violence."

Personally, I do wish that the book had come with some sort of afterward; I guess you can say that the articles speak for themselves but I think it could stand stronger as a piece with a little more to tie them up. Also definitely a read that inspires more research.

[KaWoodtiereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays written for The Atlantic on the subject of capital punishment in America. Bruenig delivers captivating discourse on the philosophy, efficacy, and morality of the death penalty and how it is carried out. The author's attention is primarily focused on Alabama and its three botched executions in 2022, as well as the future of the practice in that state and beyond. I found several of these essays to be thought-provoking and profound. The subject of executions is a passionate one, yet shrouded in a lot of secrecy and avoidance. By providing firsthand accounts of witnessing executions, Bruenig explores the sketchy line between justice and retribution. This book is not about forgiveness or to glorify the sins of man. It asks questions that challenge our understanding of humanity and how we seek to "improve" life through death.

[Clark Shellhorse · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In the end, the monster of North Mississippi was a wizened, miserable old man, alone in the world and hounded by guilt and shame and ceaseless pain. Cox had never wanted to be himself - hardly anyone had ever seemed to want him for any reason at all - and the American criminal justice system had only confirmed what he had perhaps always known: that he was worthless, his life was worthless, there was nothing in him of any value to anyone, and the only good he could do, even for his own children, was to die. Much of his personal hell was of his own making, and he had no fixed presumption as to whether the next life would hold more or less of the same.”

This book has a lot of really great reporting and excellent writing. It’s a good one.

[jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

— that the United States still supports capital punishment speaks to some seeming national depravity.

There is a difference between justice and revenge and as Coretta King said, the former is never advanced by taking a life.

Excellent work by Bruenig.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

On human slaughter is a book of essays done by Elizabeth Brunic on her anti-death penalty stance. In the book we here from a man who depending on the day you catch him believes and wants the death penalty the government promised and let me just say this man went to jail for raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter and was released from jail after promising to kill Kim his wife who put them there and then Swickley going to her house kicking down the door and holding his son his wife who was shot from the bullet wound he put in her stomach and then raped his daughter in front of his son and dying wife been during negotiations taunted his father-in-law about all that he had done. So yes I can see why she is anti-death penalty because why would we as humans want to lose such a stellar guy. She also brings up botched attempts at pudding these guys to death and I totally get it this may be an antiquated way to deal with people who cannot live in our society because they cannot follow the rules but the only other option is to support these people and give them what they didn’t get their victims in that’s more years to laugh live watch TV make memories and all funded by the government. I know when trying to build a case you always parade the worst consequence of the one thing you’re trying to stop and although I may not be against the death penalty still can honestly say miss brunic State Tur case playing late and shows the good the bad and the ugly I really love the way she does her due diligence and tells a well-rounded respectful story and I don’t have to agree with her to totally recommend this book it is interesting and well thought out and well put together it is a solid four-star read i’m sure the worst botched State sanctioned death
Was probably still a walk in the park compared to what the things these guys put their victims through no one is given the death penalty for jaywalking. I still really enjoyed this book and found it as I said very interesting I want to think the author and net galley for my free art copy please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew that the US sometimes sentenced people to death. Similarly, I know China does it too. Yet when I watched a Chinese crime drama the other day, I was shocked when the villain was led to his execution at the end. This book, too, forces me to grapple with the fact that death sentences sometimes lead to actual executions, and often horrible ones.

I think I needed this reminder but also what the actual fuck, America. You can't keep one-upping your dystopianness. Where will it end?

This is basically a collection of news articles about the methods behind executions in the US and the awful things those convicted to death are put through awaiting their deaths, compiled neatly in a book to get rid of that "ugh it's an article" feeling that makes it impossible to read anything, no matter how interesting the topic. Articles are too long but books aren't in the same way that movies are too long but tv shows with 12 seasons and hour-long episodes are not.

I don't know who this book is for other than this niche I've described to you so if you recognise yourself in this review, this book might be worth picking up.

It is a difficult, harrowing read so take care!

Excellent last sentence! 4,25 stars

[Emily Fu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruenig's essays shed light on state executioner's inability to kill the condemned without resorting to "cruel and unusual punishment". As Bruenig reports, the entire system behind capital punishment in America, its inner mechanisms and workings, lacks transparency. "We are in fact living through lethal injection's heyday," Bruenig says, "Witnessing it the way capital states would always like to carry it out- no oversight, no accountability, no survivors." Bruenig's stance is remarkably even-handed. She writes about the inhumane treatment suffered by those sentenced to death alongside sharing with readers the horrifying crimes committed by these same inmates. She also implicates readers, reminding us why we should care about this issue affecting those who are truly at the bottom of the social ladder (most often from their own doing). "The most proximate cause of America's cruel and unusual punishment problem is the fact that this country still countenances judicial killings, which, while carried out in the name of the American people, dissolve our rights little by little." This book, in my view, is an example of how impactful journalism can be- the essays are clearly written, sympathetic, and highly persuasive.

[Sydney Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 — Attempting to provide more color to my reviews and go beyond a few simple statements. Sitting right under 150 pages, On Human Slaughter provides very thought provoking commentary on the current state of the death penalty in the United States. Liz Bruenig primarily focuses on recent issues within the Alabama prison system but frames them within a larger narrative that is applicable to the entire nation. Despite the length, broader discussions about the Eighth Amendment, the history of the death penalty in the United States, and both the legality and morality of the death penalty are addressed remarkably well. She made a strong emotional case without relying solely on feelings to move the reader. To be fair, I have been a fan of Liz for a while and knew we both held similar opinions on the topic so I figured I would like this and largely agree with the thesis. I did not expect to walk away feeling as well informed and more knowledgeable on the legal qualms facing this matter. The book reads quickly and clearly and can easily be read in a single sitting.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always opposed the death penalty, but I never had a clear argument as to why. I could never defend the heinous crimes of the people put on death row, but I also couldn’t condone their punishment. If asked why I’m against it, my response would be something like: “because it just feels icky.”

After reading this, I know my feelings were warranted.

I’m thankful for Elizabeth Bruenig, who does the hard work and then writes about it so well.
She sheds light on how our justice system continuously dehumanizes people to the point where the collective population is desensitized to murder. She shows us how unprepared, unethical, and unqualified state executioners are. She follows real life prisoners, she shares their stories, and gives humanity to those who have had it stripped away.

She never tries to convince you that these are good people; she just reminds you that they are, in fact, people.

[Craig Williford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly unique reporting on death row, a peek behind the curtain separating the world from the condemned. Bruenig is a sharp writer who blends paradox & harmony into all her work. Every piece left me silent & reflective for a minute or two.
One of her best insights is that there is something wrong if a state’s democracy can’t guarantee the rights of its lowest members; The stories of expired chemicals or hapless medical staff are harrowing. Another insight is that death - maybe even particularly here - is a sobering teacher, a sure & steady force that orders our lives & our relationship to community if we have the courage to look it in the eye.

[Adrienne Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite having read all of these articles individually when they were first published in The Atlantic, I found this compilation of them all together to be profoundly moving. I have been a fan of Elizabeth Bruenig's work for a long time and consider her to be both a personal and political role model of the Christian left. Her work demonstrates the ability of journalism to illuminate the humanity of an issue often ignored or only relevant for "others" in our country and society. Highly recommend; her writing will compel you to think differently about how we forgive others and find our own grace and salvation in the eyes of God.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read a few of these essays as they were published in The Atlantic. To read them all at once, and at the same time Alabama killed someone (Kennett Smith) with nitrogen gas for the first time, was one fucked up emotional journey. While Bryan Stevenson asks us, somewhat rhetorically, "Does the state deserve to kill?", Elizabeth Bruenig emphatically tells us: there is no humane way for the state to kill. Capital punishment violates the 8th amendment. Abolish the death penalty.

(Liz is a treasure. An annoying paradox of a person at times (also see: me). Both of those things are true. She's a lot, but worth it. This nation needs her and her work.)

[Drac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of articles exploring the more nuanced arguments against the death penalty — beyond just “it’s wrong to kill a killer.” The only reason I gave it 4 stars, instead of 5, is that the articles are unedited. What served as helpful recaps when they were originally published months apart from each other in the Atlantic becomes frustrating repetition of information we just read five minutes ago. However, this only really becomes a problem in the last 3 articles, so it doesn’t impact your reading very much.

[Crew · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

Bruenig’s Catholicism notwithstanding, her understanding of the deep issues with American punitive justice is fascinating. She’s got a rich empathy for all parties, and her journalistic approach is a fresh one that doesn’t necessarily discount emotion, but does go to great lengths to maintain a neutral stance - in spite of the subject’s grisly nature. At times, the work feels a little exploitative, but Bruenig acknowledges this in a wonderfully thoughtful aside on the nature of true crime. A fundamental look into one of America’s great moral issues.

[Courtney Sark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great essays concerning the death penalty and how common botched executions are. Seems once someone is sentenced to death those in charge don’t care if they’re tortured through the process ie trying to set a line for lethal injection and the executioners not being trained so central lines are attempted and botched painfully. I am against death sentences, and this is another wild reality that adds to my disgust of capital punishment.

[Ian Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an eye-opening, informative look into how terrible the U.S. is at killing bad people. To be put to death - given a date by the court of justice on when your life will end, the psychology of that is something I don't think anyone could understand until you're strapped to the chair. And with that I think the least we could provide is respect their life on their way out with a painless death. Yet getting the injection drugs from unknown sources, the anonymity and secrecy behind the death prep leaving families in the dark, and failure to deliver promises is nothing but sickening.

[Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

really useful intro to arguments about capital punishment via a few select death row inmates’ cases, all or most of which are Alabama cases. didnt realize till the end that all the essays were actually Atlantic articles….oops. thats why its so repetitive lol. the essays do get a little true crimey in a way i hate but since this book is short and readable i think its a great addition to my abolition library and taught me a lot very quickly about the various problems w the death penalty.