Overview

Reflections on Hanging is a searing indictment of capital punishment, inspired by its author’s own time in the shadow of a firing squad. During the Spanish Civil War, Arthur Koestler was held by the Franco regime as a political prisoner, and condemned to death. He was freed, but only after months of witnessing the fates of less-fortunate inmates. That experience informs every page of the book, which was first published in England in 1956, and followed in 1957 by this American edition. As Koestler ranges across the history of capital punishment in Britain (with a focus on hanging), he looks at notable cases and rulings, and portrays politicians, judges, lawyers, scholars, clergymen, doctors, police, jailers, prisoners, and others involved in the long debate over the justness and effectiveness of the death penalty. In Britain, Reflections on Hanging was part of a concerted, ultimately successful effort to abolish the death penalty. At that time, in the forty-eight United States, capital punishment was sanctioned in forty-two of them, with hanging still practiced in five. This edition includes a preface and afterword written especially for the 1957 American edition. The preface makes the book relevant to readers in the U.S.; the afterword overviews the modern-day history of abolitionist legislation in the British Parliament. Reflections on Hanging is relentless, biting, and unsparing in its details of botched and unjust executions. It is a classic work of advocacy for some of society’s most defenseless members, a critique of capital punishment that is still widely cited, and an enduring work that presaged such contemporary problems as the sensationalism of crime, the wrongful condemnation of the innocent and mentally ill, the callousness of penal systems, and the use of fear to control a citizenry.

Full Product Details

9780820355351

Table of Contents

Reviews

The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion [A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America

The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion [A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America

[A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution

Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion [A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America

It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion [A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America

The motivation for the book is compellingly personal, but the writing is objective, clear, and persuasive.--Frank Tannenbaum New York Times Book Review Koestler with his usual clarity presents the arguments for capital punishment and then destroys them.--Kirkus Reviews Perhaps the most disquieting part of this story of judicial conservatism is the treatment of the insane, guilty of capital crimes. . . . [An] exhaustive analysis of the whole problem of capital punishment.--Reinhold Niebuhr New Republic A notable work of the humane intelligence . . . Koestler pleads his case, which would be as pertinent in our states that allow capital penalties as it is in England, with force and fervor.--Richard H. Rovere New Yorker [A] brilliant polemic.--Anthony Daniels New Criterion [A] brilliant contribution to the campaign for the abolition of hanging in Britain.--Time Powerfully marshals the evidence to prove the error and the stupidity of the arguments that have been advanced to support capital punishment.--Henry Weihofen Saturday Review Impassioned, eloquent appeals for the removal of an immoral, inhuman, and ineffective form of punishment.--Lothar Kahn Books Abroad It is bound to influence the thinking of the American reader who believes in the worth of human life and the dignity of the animal called Man.--Eva Johnson San Francisco Chronicle The arguments against hanging put forward by Koestler are not new. . . . These points have been made before, but can seldom have been advanced with more conviction or a heavier supply of confirming evidence. . . . Even a hangman could hardly fail to admire this impassioned ingenuity.--Phoebe Adams Atlantic Monthly Koestler writes with all his well-known novelistic skill when he is giving us case studies of murderers. He also has a nice turn for irony.--John Chamberlain The Freeman Reflections on Hanging stands as a bitter indictment of society's demand that the old biblical precept 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' should be interpreted literally to the extent of capital punishment.--Sam F. Lucchese Atlanta Constitution His criticisms are always caustic, sometimes bitter. His opposition to 'legal homicide' is unwavering and his logic often devastating. . . . Reflections on Hanging deserves wide attention and careful examination.--Donald R. Campion America

Author Information

Born in Budapest in 1905, educated in Vienna, Arthur Koestler immersed himself in the major ideological and social conflicts of his time. A communist during the 1930s, and visitor for a time in the Soviet Union, he became disillusioned with the Party and left it in 1938. Later that year in Spain, he was captured by the Fascist forces under Franco, and sentenced to death. Released through the last-minute intervention of the British government, he went to France where, the following year, he again was arrested for his political views. Released in 1940, he went to England, where he made his home. His novels, reportage, autobiographical works, and political and cultural writings established him as an important commentator on the dilemmas of the 20th century. He died in 1983

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available