Old Sparky

The Electric Chair and the History of the Death Penalty

By: Anthony Galvin

Narrated by: Jack Reynolds

In early 2013, Robert Gleason became the latest victim of the electric chair, a peculiarly American execution method. Shouting "pog mo thin" ("kiss my ass" in Gaelic), he grinned as electricity shot through his system. When the current was switched off, his body slumped against the leather restraints. And Gleeson, who had strangled two fellow inmates to ensure his execution was not postponed, was dead. The execution had gone flawlessly - not a guaranteed result with the electric chair, which has gone horrifically wrong on many occasions.

Old Sparky covers the history of capital punishment in America and the "current wars" between Edison and Westinghouse, which led to the development of the electric chair. It examines how the electric chair became the most popular method of execution in America before being superseded by lethal injection. Famous executions are explored alongside quirky last meals and poignant last words.

The death penalty remains a hot topic of debate in America, and Old Sparky does not shy away from that controversy. Executions have gone spectacularly wrong, with convicts being set alight or needing up to five jolts of electricity before dying. There have been terrible miscarriages of justice, and the death penalty has not been applied evenhandedly. Historically, African Americans, the mentally challenged, and poor defendants have been likely to get the chair, an anomaly that led the Supreme Court to briefly suspend the death penalty. Since the resumption of capital punishment in 1976, Texas alone has executed more than 500 prisoners, and death row is full.

©2015 Anthony Galvin (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Interesting Book

A little gory in places, but I do think they thought death by electric current would be instant. It’s not always. But neither is the lethal injection. I do still think some crimes are so bad they deserve death. But I think it should be quick.

Necessary read

Very informative with the facts laid out for one to form their own opinion. I liked the narrators accent a lot.

Excellent

This was possibly the best impulse buy I’ve ever made. I got this book on a whim while browsing Audible without ever having heard of it. It is a fascinating deep dive into capital punishment in America, using specific cases to discuss the various methods used over the course of US history.

The book doesn’t take a position on capital punishment- it seeks to inform rather than persuade and I’m confident that regardless of your personal stance on capital punishment, you’ll find this an enjoyable and informative listen.

I wasn’t a fan of the narrator, who has an odd cadence that sounds like text-to-voice software. Still, I found myself so engaged by this book, I finished it over the course of 2 days. Highly recommended to anyone interested in true crime or capital punishment.

Riveting

A very fascinating history of the electric chair told in a manner which allows for a much broader view to be taken of not only old sparky, but the controversial and terrifying fact of the ultimate penalty.

Awesome!

This book was such a good read to truly understand what the electric chair is, where it came from, and it’s purpose. There is also good information on the death penalty. No political sides whatsoever (which is awesome) and nothing but good information. The narrator does a great job keeping the audience intrigued.