The Life of David Gale [Mass Market Paperback]

Dewey Gram (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2003

David Gale (Spacey), 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 (Linney). A persistent investigative journalist Bitsey Bloom (Winslet) 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?

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (January 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451410718
• ISBN-13: 978-0451410719
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,461,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating read that had me hooked from page one!, March 17, 2004

By 

Hilde Bygdevoll (Stavanger, Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Life of David Gale (Mass Market Paperback)

I buy books as souvenirs. On our holiday in Barcelona earlier this year, my daughter stumbled over this book in a bookstore. She is against the death penalty and found the summary on the cover interesting so she asked if we could buy this book as our souvenir. As it turned out, I finished the book I was reading and needed something to read so I asked if I could read her "souvenir".

I was completely hooked from the first page. I read it in two long sittings at a Starbuck's in Barcelona.

Our protagonist is David Gale, a well-known professor at the University of Texas. A passionate anti death-penalty activist whose world is turned upside down when he is charged with raping and murdering a fellow professor and anti death-penalty activist.

We enter the story as he sits on death row, having been convicted of rape and murder. With only one week away from the execution date, he agrees to give the journalist Bitsey Bloom an exclusive interview. Before meeting with David Gale, Bitsey is convinced that he is guilty as charged. However, during the interview David present Bitsey with new information. As she look into what he has given her, Bitsey start to believe they arrested the wrong man.

The big question in this plot is - will she be able to clear his name before execution? The chosen subject matter was a stunning idea, and one of the best plots I've read in a long time. I was caught off guard when I came to the ending. I did not see that coming at all. Fascinating!

Great read!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Worthwhile Read, February 21, 2003

By 

Adrienne Franklin (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life of David Gale (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a wonderfully written thriller that explores the political fracas over the death penalty. Each character entraps interest in the midst of chaos, all while coaxing the reader to a shocking conclusion that remains elusive until the very end. I found this novel to be effectually stimulating, noteworthy, and highly recommendable.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life of David Gale, January 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life of David Gale (Mass Market Paperback)

I finally saw this brilliant movie last night. First of all, the cast was well picked and the acting was superb. The plot itself was one of the best plots I have ever seen; not only is it realistic, but realistically portrayed. The chosen subject matter was a stunning idea, seeing controvery surrounding this issue touches each and every one of us. Nothing was far fetched in any of the portrayals. As we have seen many times in our country's history, people will go beyond the normal limits to stand up for a cause they believe in, as did David Gale, the cowboy and the character portrayed by Laura Linley.
I've read some of the negative critc reviews and cannot, for the life of me, understand what these people think is entertaining and of public interest. Seems to me, these negative critics must be living in a shell....perhaps they even voted for Bush.