May 2026: Memoir

The Sun Does Shine Cover

"The sun does shine, even when you can't see it."

so what did we think???

maymeetup

HalleBerryBrides

HalleBerryBrides

HalleBerryBrides

HalleBerryBrides

HalleBerryBrides

overall we really liked this book -- critiques were generally minor, and aimed at weaknesses in the writing. Those that disagreed felt that the style was perfectly conversational and personal. Additionally there were some critiques that the book did get a little repetitive, but others thought it was well paced -- balancing the monotony and injustice of life on death row in a very disgestible yet impactful way. However, overwhelmingly we talked about his incredible story and the fortitude of his character and identity. We spent a lot of time discussing the moments that we felt most affected by the story, as well as spent a lot of time talking about the injustices he and others on death row are subjected to. We overall are also extremely pro-Lester and hope the two of them are really getting their bag considering he was offered no restitution or settlement of any kind after his DECADES of wrongful imprisonment.
On average we gave "The Sun Does Shine" 4.5/5 Halle Berry Brides

A bit about the book:

"There’s no sadder place to be in this world than a place where there’s no hope. For over 30 years, Anthony Ray Hinton sat in Alabama prison on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. When the world seemed lost to and no one seemed to hear his words of truth, he turned to the only thing that couldn’t be unfairly stripped away fro him: hope. Hope that he would be heard, hope that he would be respected, hope that he might once again be free.

So many inmates see their situations as an insurmountable wall that stand in their way towards living a life of meaning. With years slipping by at an ever quicker pace, the hope of a possible better future might seem as something that is out of their grasp. When the odds are stacked against them, where do we ask them to turn to?

Convicted of robbery and murder, Anthony Ray Hinton saw his life torn apart. With mountains of evidence showing that Mr. Hinton could not have possibly committed these crimes, he still found himself behind bars. Convicted largely based on race and old prejudices, Mr. Hinton learned that his freedom depended on him not ever giving up. Year after year, he sat on death row, watching men he knew and cared for be put to death. All the while wondering if his execution would come before he could prove his innocence. In these years, Anthony Ray Hinton spent his life working and reflecting on the world he now found himself in. What he learned help change his life ever behind bars for the better. He abandoned hate, anger and judgement and decided to fill those left voids with love and hope. He saw that all men regardless of their crimes have souls of hope and the potential of growth.

Mr. Hinton earned his freedom long before he was released from prison. He teaches readers in his book that as long as you breath you keep fighting for something more. Hope cannot be ever stripped. All men have a soul for a potential of good, it just matters if you keep a hold of faith that you can reach your dreams."

-- written by Blackbird, current inmate and co-founder of the Jailhouse Book Club