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The Life of David Gale
David Gale, a professor at the University of Texas and an ardent anti-death penalty activist, sits on death row, having been convicted of rape and murder of a fellow activist. A persistent investigative journalist Bitsey Bloom gains access to Gale for an exclusive interview before he is put to death, and learns there is much more to the story than meets the eye. Gale provides Bloom with information that may lead to more than just his innocence. As Bloom investigates the leads, she begins to believe they really did arrest the wrong man - but can she actually prove it before Gale's date with destiny arrives?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 28, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 22, 2017
Wow, Just watched this movie and got my goosebumps!!
quotes below:
David Gale: Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment, the second that you get what you seek, you don't, you can't want it anymore. In order to continue to exist, desire must have its objects perpetually absent. It's not the "it" that you want, it's the fantasy of "it." So, desire supports crazy fantasies. This is what Pascal means when he says that we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness. Or why we say the hunt is sweeter than the kill. Or be careful what you wish for. Not because you'll get it, but because you're doomed not to want it once you do. So the lesson of Lacan is, living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you've attained in terms of your desires but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.
David Gale: We spend our whole life trying to stop death. Eating, inventing, loving, praying, fighting, killing. But what do we really know about death? Just that nobody comes back. Then there comes a point - a moment - in life when your mind outlives its desires, its obsessions, when your habits survive your dreams, and when your losses... Maybe death is a gift. You wonder. All I can tell you is that by this time tomorrow I'll be dead. I know when. I just cannot say why. You have 24 hours to find out.
Bitsey Bloom: You know you are in the bible belt when there are more churches than Starbucks.
Zack: When there are more prisons than Starbucks.
Constance Harraway: [giving an anti-death penalty speech] When you kill someone, you rob their family - not just of a loved one, but of their humanity. You harden their hearts with hate, you take away their capacity for civilized dispassion, you condemn them to bloodlust. It's a cruel and horrible thing, but indulging that hate will *never* help. The damage is done, and once we've had our pound of flesh, we're still hungry. We leave the death house muttering that lethal injection was just too good for them. In the end, a civilized society must live with a hard truth: he who seeks revenge digs two graves.
quotes below:
David Gale: Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment, the second that you get what you seek, you don't, you can't want it anymore. In order to continue to exist, desire must have its objects perpetually absent. It's not the "it" that you want, it's the fantasy of "it." So, desire supports crazy fantasies. This is what Pascal means when he says that we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness. Or why we say the hunt is sweeter than the kill. Or be careful what you wish for. Not because you'll get it, but because you're doomed not to want it once you do. So the lesson of Lacan is, living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you've attained in terms of your desires but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.
David Gale: We spend our whole life trying to stop death. Eating, inventing, loving, praying, fighting, killing. But what do we really know about death? Just that nobody comes back. Then there comes a point - a moment - in life when your mind outlives its desires, its obsessions, when your habits survive your dreams, and when your losses... Maybe death is a gift. You wonder. All I can tell you is that by this time tomorrow I'll be dead. I know when. I just cannot say why. You have 24 hours to find out.
Bitsey Bloom: You know you are in the bible belt when there are more churches than Starbucks.
Zack: When there are more prisons than Starbucks.
Constance Harraway: [giving an anti-death penalty speech] When you kill someone, you rob their family - not just of a loved one, but of their humanity. You harden their hearts with hate, you take away their capacity for civilized dispassion, you condemn them to bloodlust. It's a cruel and horrible thing, but indulging that hate will *never* help. The damage is done, and once we've had our pound of flesh, we're still hungry. We leave the death house muttering that lethal injection was just too good for them. In the end, a civilized society must live with a hard truth: he who seeks revenge digs two graves.
December 26, 2019
pure TRASH
Read
August 7, 2008در صورت تمایل، جهت مشخصات فیلمی که بر اساس این کتاب ساخته شده است؛ میتوانید از لینک زیر استفاده بفرمایید
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289992
December 21, 2014
the worst movie ever made! Insulting to people on both sides
May 2, 2023
I was not expecting to enjoy this book. Not only is it outside of my usual interests, but it was in a genre I'm not crazy about, and covered uncomfortable themes in quite a raw way. I only started reading it for a guest episode of a podcast.
However, having read it in a single day (I really didn't want to read it, so put it off for way too long), I... well "enjoyed" isn't really the right word for the emotional rolllecroaster I endured. I appreciated it. And though I never would have read it (nor watched the film it's based on) given the choice, I am very glad I did. Though I wouldn' advise reading it all in one day, or reading it whilst stressed, because it absolutely will not help...
However, having read it in a single day (I really didn't want to read it, so put it off for way too long), I... well "enjoyed" isn't really the right word for the emotional rolllecroaster I endured. I appreciated it. And though I never would have read it (nor watched the film it's based on) given the choice, I am very glad I did. Though I wouldn' advise reading it all in one day, or reading it whilst stressed, because it absolutely will not help...
August 20, 2021
A man is against the death penalty and finds himself accused and convicted. He is on death row. The book takes the reader through the entire process. I was amazed by the story.
November 22, 2021
To make a political point about the death penalty a woman makes a tape of her death. A man is convicted of the crime and this story is about whether he dies for this crime.
September 30, 2014
As far as storytelling goes it starts very fascinating but as it continues further it becomes an awful liberal slant on the death penalty and on our system of government.
Before watching the movie I was very lukewarm on the death penalty. Afterwards it only makes me enthusiastic for the death penalty. Reading this book makes me just as enthusiastic as the book is even worse. The author probably was encouraged to gather the thoughts of the director or screenwriters to life with their hatred over conservative institutions and it makes me sick. I only visited Texas once as a child and I'd love to visit the great state once again.
God Bless America, Texas and its great people. This book was a waste of time. F
Before watching the movie I was very lukewarm on the death penalty. Afterwards it only makes me enthusiastic for the death penalty. Reading this book makes me just as enthusiastic as the book is even worse. The author probably was encouraged to gather the thoughts of the director or screenwriters to life with their hatred over conservative institutions and it makes me sick. I only visited Texas once as a child and I'd love to visit the great state once again.
God Bless America, Texas and its great people. This book was a waste of time. F
May 12, 2016
This book gave me the chills. Very well done, trying to portrait both sides of the medallion and shocking people on both sides. It was scary and truly makes you question many things about the justice system today. Very powerful book!
August 23, 2008
Interesting story and movie starring Kevin Spacey
March 30, 2016
I first read this over 10 years ago-still very powerful!
February 6, 2017
So super good!!! I didn't see the end coming at all!!! Read in under 6 hours. A real page- turning, can't put down book! It cost me $1 at the dollar store. WOW!!!
June 23, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, great characterisations and plenty of suspense...plus a whammy!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews