Oprah Noodlemantra’s Book Club begins its discussion of Damien Echols’ LIFE AFTER DEATH today!

Oprah Noodlemantra’s Book Club begins a discussion today of a book very dear to Johnny Depp’s heart — his friend Damien Echols’ gripping memoir Life after Death. Johnny has promoted Damien’s book enthusiastically; the ONBC poster at left shows the two men as they kicked off Damien’s book tour at Barnes & Noble in New York City in September. About this “brilliant memoir,” Johnny Depp has written, “Damien Echols suffered a shocking miscarriage of justice. A nightmare few could endure. An innocent man on death row for more than eighteen years, abused by the very system we all fund. His story will appall, fascinate, and render you feeble with tears and laughter.”

Johnny’s opinion is shared by the publishing industry. Publishers Weekly calls Life after Death a “searing, finely wrought memoir [. . .] a heart-wrenching and simple commentary on American prison life.” Kirkus Reviews writes: “Exceptional memoir by the most famous of the West Memphis Three — bare facts alone would make for an interesting story. However, Echols is at heart a poet and mystic, and he has written not just a quickie one-off book to capitalize on a lurid news story, but rather a work of art that occasionally bears a resemblance to the work of Jean Genet. [. . .] Essential reading.”

Join Liz, DeppintheHeartofTexas, and fireflydances on the ONBC forum HERE for the Life after Death discussion — it’s sure to be passionate and thought-provoking! A larger version of the ONBC Life after Death poster is available HERE; many thanks to Liz for sharing her work.