Few words are more important than our last, and for convicted criminals on death row, their last utterances are particularly profound. They can be remorseful, humorous, or angry, but the last words of the executed chill us in part because of the shared humanity we can’t ignore: they remind us we all come to the same end, regardless of how we arrive there.
Robert K. Elder spent the last seven years compiling these final statements in order to explore their cultural value and ask what we can learn from them. His book, Last Words of the Executed was published in May and has been praised by the Chicago Tribune, Time Out Chicago, and the Economist, among others.
The author is in the midst of a busy week of appearances in support of the book. He appeared today on WHYY’s program Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane. On Thursday, June 8, he will talk with the Chicago Tribune‘s Rick Kogan (who also happens to be a University of Chicago Press author) at the STOP SMILING Storefront at 1371 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622. (For more information, go here and here.) On Saturday, Elder will take part in the Printers Row Lit Fest, appearing with Adam Cohen at 4 p.m. at Digitally Lit, Room 2 (on Federal St. just off Polk). And finally, on June 24, Elder will appear at Quimby’s Bookstore, 1854 West North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622.
Come out and hear the author discuss the book!
Update: Robert K. Elder also made an appearance this morning on Chicago Public Radio’s Eight Forty-Eight. Listen to the archived audio.