Maw Books

Maw Books – book reviews, book recommendations, book lists, author interviews and more!

Picking Cotton, Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson- Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo is an unusual powerful story that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.  In her early twenties, Jennifer Thompson was victim to a terrible crime.  Her outside lights were smashed, her phone lines cut and while she slept a man broke into her apartment and held a knife to her throat as he raped her.  Jennifer, although going through the worst moment of her life, studied her attackers face intently swearing that if she came out of it alive then she would do whatever it takes to put him away forever.

She did survive.  And later while given a line-up of potential attackers, she identified twenty-two year-old Ronald Cotton as the one who did it.  After facing him in trial and giving her eye-witness account, it only took the jury 40 minutes to deliberate and sentence him to life and 50 years in prison.

But there was only one problem.  Ronald Cotton was completely innocent.  She pointed the finger at the wrong man.

And even in a re-trial three years later, where Cotton named the real rapist (a discovery he made while in prison) and Jennifer was face-to-face with the real attacker, she still pointed the finger at Cotton.  He served his sentence for eleven years.  Eleven years stolen from him.  The prime years of his life.  DNA testing at this time was just beginning and Cotton was certain that if he could get his case tested he would be exonerated, which he was.

What do you do when you find out that you have forever altered the course of somebody else’s life solely on your word alone?  That it was your eyewitness account that sent an innocent man to prison.  That you stole those eleven years?  Jennifer, naturally, was shocked.  She felt extremely guilty and sorrowful.  What can you do besides saying, I’m sorry?  And when Jennifer  Thompson and Ronald Cotton met and Jennifer said those two little words, “I’m sorry.” In return she heard three little words that lifted her burden of guilt:  “I forgive you.”

Unlikely friends, Jennifer and Ronald and their families have now become very close.  They also get a good laugh when they are traveling together and people ask how they met.  I love their friendship today.  I can’t imagine being able to put so much of the past behind you to be able to not only function but to thrive together  the present. 

Picking Cotton is a story about the failings of the justice system, the unreliability of memory, and the power of forgiveness and redemption.  It’s told in alternating chapters with Jennifer and Ronald each narrating the story and then coming together in the end.

The writing does leave a lot to be desired.  It’s very factual and not as emotional one would expect a story like this to be.  The book was just missing that extra little bit of oomph that would make me sit back and say, “Wow, that was an amazing read.”  Right now I would say that was “an amazing story.” The story was powerful and very memorable.  I wish that I could say the same of the writing style.  It felt flat in a lot of places for me.  But this is one of those books that story triumphs over writing and it can be overlooked in order to experience the greater message.  I just wish that it had both story and writing going for it.

The following video is a book trailer that will give a brief introduction to the book.  The following two videos after that are a 60-Minutes special about the Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton case.  It is really fascinating and I’d recommend that you watch it.  My husband and I just finished watching it together and he was totally into it and asked me if he should read the book.  Upon some reflection, I must admit that while the book does delve deeper into the story, the video really does seem to get the point across.  So now I’m not sure if I should tell you to read the book or just watch the videos?  How about both?

Do you have it in you to own your mistakes?  Do you think that you’d be able to forgive someone who stole so much from you?  Picking Cotton explores that and much more.

Links of interest:  More blogger reviews.  Picking Cotton book website.
Genre:  Memoir
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press.  March 3, 2009.
Hardcover, 304 pages. ISBN:  0312376537
Picking Cotton is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s and Amazon.

Hey you! Yes. You! I've noticed that you've stopped by to visit a few times! But I don't know who you are. Why don't you take a moment and introduce yourself. Don't be scared. I try not to bite. I know you're a lurker but I'd love to hear your thoughts about what's been bringing you here. And if you haven't done so already, don't forget to never miss a post by subscribing to my feed or receiving updates by email. Thanks for visiting!