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Join author Alex Mar as she talks about her research and work in writing "Seventy Time Seven: A True Story of Murder and Mercy" about a Gary, IN homicide in the 1980s. Books available for purchase.
Join author Alex Mar as she talks about her research and work in writing "Seventy Time Seven: A True Story of Murder and Mercy" about a Gary, Indiana homicide in the 1980s. Books available for purchase at the event.
"A thought-provoking, masterfully told work of literary journalism about a shocking crime committed by a teenager-and its even more shocking aftermath In 1985 in Gary, Indiana, a black teenaged girl kills an elderly white woman in a robbery gone wrong. The shock and awe of the case captivates the state, whose citizens cry out for vengeance. Soon after, Paula Cooper, the fifteen-year-old killer, is sentenced to death. Indiana's minimum age for the death penalty is, at that time, ten years old. In Seventy Times Seven, Alex Mar tells the unforgettable story of this single act of violence and its stunning aftermath. The image of a teenaged girl on death row will reverberate miles from Gary and link a varied cast of characters: a female public defender from the northeast, two enterprising Italian journalists, a Franciscan friar with the ear of the Pope, and, in an unlikely twist, the grandson of the victim, who dedicates himself to saving Paula's life. As a girl waits on death row, her fate sparks a debate that not only animates legal circles but also raises universal questions about the value of human life: What is the purpose of criminal justice, especially its harshest penalties? Is forgiveness an act of desperation or of profound bravery? What extreme degrees of empathy might humans be capable of, if given the chance? Seventy Times Seven opens with a murder and a death sentence, but it is above all about the will to live-to survive, to grow, to change-against the steepest odds. Tirelessly researched and told with intimacy and precision, it brings a haunting chapter in the history of our criminal justice system to astonishing life."
AGE GROUP: | Adults (19-99) |
TAGS: | Special Events |
The Merrillville branch library encompasses over 114,000 sq ft of electronic and print resources, and visual and musical collections. The library offers free WIFI, public internet computers, rooms for quiet study or small groups, and public meeting rooms. Our vast collections of Lake County history and genealogy sources make the Merrillville branch a popular destination for research by visitors from all around the country.
Merrillville branch has three fantastic floors of informational and recreational materials. The main floor contains our popular collection of new books, large-print material, magazines and newspapers, teen, anime, and an enormous selection of music and DVDs. Our Genealogy Room has numerous resources including microfilm of local newspapers, obituary indexes, and many other historical resources. Our Book Sale room, open during select hours Monday-Saturday, is full of unique finds.
The Upper Level includes tables for quiet study, a tremendous reference collection, our “Indiana Room” for specialized Hoosier historical research, and our locally known statue “The Reader” by artist Hermann Gurfinkel.
The entire lower level houses our bright and airy Children's Department where children will find fun games, books, music and magazines to fulfill their reading pleasure as well as attend engaging kids’ programs. This is also where our public meeting rooms are located, where our library events and programs are held.
