The Last Gasp: The Rise and Fall of the American Gas Chamber [Hardcover]

Scott Christianson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520255623 | ISBN-13: 978-0520255623 | Publication Date: July 12, 2010 | Edition: 1

The Last Gasp takes us to the dark side of human history in the first full chronicle of the gas chamber in the United States. In page-turning detail, award-winning writer Scott Christianson tells a dreadful story that is full of surprising and provocative new findings. First constructed in Nevada in 1924, the gas chamber, a method of killing sealed off and removed from the sight and hearing of witnesses, was originally touted as a "humane" method of execution. Delving into science, war, industry, medicine, law, and politics, Christianson overturns this mythology for good. He exposes the sinister links between corporations looking for profit, the military, and the first uses of the gas chamber after World War I. He explores little-known connections between the gas chamber and the eugenics movement. Perhaps most controversially, he has unearthed new evidence about American and German collaboration in the production and lethal use of hydrogen cyanide and about Hitler's adoption of gas chamber technology developed in the United States. More than a book about the death penalty, this compelling history ultimately reveals much about America's values and power structures in the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Investigative journalist Christianson, author of the award-winning With Liberty for Some, charts the 75-year history of gas chamber execution as well as its intersection with eugenics, the Holocaust, and America's ongoing capital punishment debate. Christianson is clear that his focus is the United States, underscoring that the chamber's operation can hardly be described as painless or kind. After the Germans launched the first gas attack during WWI, American scientists and chemical companies—particularly DuPont, which had ties to the German manufacturers that later supplied concentration camps—scrambled to produce their own lethal concoctions. From their earliest incarnations, gas chambers employed various forms of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) pumped into a sealed room where the condemned was strapped to a chair. Despite being developed as a swifter and more painless alternative to death than hanging or electrocution, Christianson describes in graphic detail the numerous botched executions during which death took over 10 agonizing minutes. Though the gas chamber hasn't been used in America since 1999, Christianson makes a chilling argument for its—and the death penalty's—abolition. 8 b&w photos. (July)
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Review

"Christianson makes a chilling argument for its [the gas chamber's]--and the death penalty's--abolition." STARRED REVIEW--Publishers Weekly

"An excellent history."--Maclean's

"Christianson has written the definitive (actually, the only) history of the gas chamber. It is a history so complicated and convoluted that it reads almost like something out of Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow."--California Lawyer

"First full-scale history of gas chamber connects murky (and sure-to-be controversial) dots, including Hitler's adoption of American technology and joint American-German research and development."--American History

"This sobering work is recommended to all readers interested in exploring the topic."--Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (July 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520255623
• ISBN-13: 978-0520255623
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,109 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable accomplishment, May 17, 2010

By 

R. Jacoby (Santa Monica, CA.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Gasp: The Rise and Fall of the American Gas Chamber (Hardcover)

In this great work, Scott Christianson carefully, and with full scholarship, presents brilliant narratives detailing the sad history of the gas chamber, as well as the death penalty in America.

As in all his previous works, Scott Christianson has brought humanity and understanding to an otherwise horrific reality. Remaining untouched is not an option for anyone reading this great work.

Blending facts and anecdotal situations, what emerges is an understated passion that is the mark of a master historian and storyteller, both rare, but when blended together, a remarkable accomplishment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Three Stars, August 9, 2010

By 

C. W. Emblom "Bill Emblom" (Ishpeming, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Last Gasp: The Rise and Fall of the American Gas Chamber (Hardcover)

I found this book to be okay, but not one that I would want to keep in my library. The actual text of the book is 230 pages with another ninety pages of notes and index in addition to diagrams of a gas chamber with the United States Patent Office and a complete listing (sixteen pages) of every individual ever executed in a gas chamber in the United States. The notes and index is fine, but I feel the rest is all added as filler for the book.

You will also read of the execution of Jews in Nazi Germany, much of which has been written in other books. I found an error on pages 180 and 181 where the name of Bonnie Brown Heady is listed as "Headley". Heady, along with Carl Austin Hall, went to the gas chamber in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1953 for the murder of Bobby Greenlease. Heady's name is also listed as "Headley" in the index. In parts of the book I felt the author got overly technical in explaining to a lay audience the chemical mixture used in various executions.

The book does contain some interesting information regarding the death penalty in the United States. The gas chamber began to be used because it was believed to be a more humane method of execution instead of hanging, electrocution, or firing squad. When this proved to be a fallacy use of the gas chamber gradually diminished. Author Scott Christianson provides examples of several botched executions in addition to mentioning the classic 1958 movie "I Want to Live" starring Susan Hayward for her memorable portrayal of Barbara Graham who met death in San Quentin's gas chamber. The memorable case of Caryl Chessman is mentioned as well. In 1960 after several years of appeals Chessman also went to San Quentin's death house even though he hadn't murdered anyone. When the death penalty was abolished in the United States during the 1970s Governor Ronald Reagan of California wondered if putting criminals to death with a shot as was done with animals might be a more humane method of execution. As I've said the book contains some interesting stories regarding the history of the gas chamber, but I feel too much time was spent on Nazi Germany in addition to getting technical with chemistry and filler pages to round out the book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting book, but tainted by bias, September 27, 2010

By 

Justice - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Gasp: The Rise and Fall of the American Gas Chamber (Hardcover)

Overall, the book was interesting and readable. It presented a general overview of the history of the gas chamber as interpreted by the author. Regrettably, he lets his own bias overcome any honest intellectual debate on the subject.
He attempts to equate the use of the gas chamber on convicted criminals to the Nazi's gassing of Jews in Europe during WWII.
Somewhat disingenuously he states his case linking the gassing of convicted criminals to that of the Jews and then quietly points out that no historical record exists linking German thought and action to support his thesis. He discusses eugenics in detail, but then quietly admits no "cleansing" executions occured in the US gas chambers.
To call him a historian is probably an exaggeration. To call him an advocate of his story is probably appropriate. If a reader approaches the book understanding that it is fine. If a reader expects an honest discussion and representation of the facts, he will be dissappointed.
It is a pity that he worries about the few minutes of pain and stress possibly felt by the criminal, but seems to give no thought to the pain they caused their victims.