Love & justice :

Title :

Love & justice : a story of triumph on two different courts / Maya Moore Irons and Jonathan Irons with Travis Thrasher ; foreword by Bryan Stevenson.

Title:

Love & justice :

Varying Form of Title:

Love and justice

Author:

Moore, Maya

Format:

Books

Physical Description:

xv, 332 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

ISBN:

9781368081177

Production / Publication Information:

Los Angeles : Andscape, 2023.

Summary:

"A journey for justice turned into a love story when Maya Moore, one of the WNBA's brightest stars, married the man she helped free from prison, Jonathan Irons. Jonathan was only sixteen when he was arrested for a crime he did not commit. Maya Moore's family met Jonathan through a prison ministry program in 1999 and over time developed a close bond with him. Maya met Jonathan in 2007, shortly before her freshman year at the University of Connecticut, where she became one of the most heralded women's basketball players in collegiate history. She visited him often throughout the years, as well as sending him letters and books as he fought for his freedom; ultimately, she became a strong voice for prosecutorial changes. She stunned the sports world when she announced in February 2019 that she would step away from her career in women's basketball, in part so she could help Jonathan in what they hoped would be his final appeal. In March 2020, his conviction was overturned by a state judge in Jefferson City, Mo. In this inspiring memoir, the couple will explore their unwavering faith, their deep connection, and how Maya stepped away from basketball to pursue justice both to prove Jonathan's innocence and inspire activism in others"--

Bibliography note:

Includes bibliographical references.

Language:

English

Added Author:

Thrasher, Travis, 1971-

Genre:

Personal Subject:

Subject Term:

African American women basketball players -- Biography.

Women basketball players -- United States -- Biography.

Social reformers -- United States -- Biography.

Judicial error -- United States.

Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States.

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Material Type	Library	Call Number	Item Barcode	Location
Book	Searching... Andover - Memorial Hall Library	BIOGRAPHY MOORE, MA.	31330009301916	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Billerica Public Library	B/IRONS	33934004604808	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Boxford Town Library	B MOORE	32115002199451	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Chelmsford Public Library	BIOG/IRONS	31480011636591	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Hamilton-Wenham Public Library	B MOORE, MAYA	30470002068715	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Haverhill Public Library	BIOG/IRONS M	31479007594053	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Lawrence Public Library	BIO IRO	31549004967443	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Lowell - Pollard Memorial Library	B MOORE, M.	31481005659243	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Merrimac Public Library	92 MOO	32125001335667	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	B IRONS	31990005245134	Searching... Unknown
Book	Searching... Westford - J.V. Fletcher Library	B IRONS	31990005245126	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

In the tradition of Just Mercy , an inspirational memoir by WNBA star Maya Moore Irons and her husband, Jonathan Irons, who she helped free from a wrongful conviction.

A journey for justice turned into a love story when Maya Moore, one of the WNBA's brightest stars, married the man she helped free from prison, Jonathan Irons.
Jonathan was only 16 when he was arrested for a crime he did not commit. Maya Moore's family met Jonathan through a prison ministry program in 1999 and over time developed a close bond with him. Maya met Jonathan in 2007, shortly before her freshman year at the University of Connecticut, where she became one of the most heralded women's basketball players in collegiate history. She visited him often throughout the years, as well as sending him letters and books as he fought for his freedom; ultimately, she became a strong voice for prosecutorial changes. She stunned the sports world when she announced in February 2019 that she would step away from her career in women's basketball, in part so she could help Jonathan in what they hoped would be his final appeal. In March 2020, his conviction was overturned by a state judge in Jefferson City, Mo. In this inspiring memoir, the couple will explore their unwavering faith, their deep connection, and how Maya stepped away from basketball to pursue justice both to prove Jonathan's innocence and inspire activism in others. Just like Maya and Jonathan asked themselves, readers will ask themselves one of the most important questions they can after reading this book: "Am I living out my purpose?"

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

Inspirational account of a WNBA star and a wrongfully convicted prisoner striving for freedom and falling in love along the way. This unique synthesis of sports memoir, romance, and social reporting affectingly captures the journeys of the authors. In their succinct conclusion, they write, "Twenty-three isn't just a number on a basketball jersey but it is also the number of years it took to free a blameless juvenile." The alternating narrative structure captures both of their voices as their young lives sharply digress. Raised by a loving but overwhelmed grandmother, Jonathan had drifted into small-time drug dealing as a teenager when, out of nowhere, he was charged in a violent home invasion and convicted at a trial where his alibi witnesses didn't testify and exculpatory evidence was withheld. Upon arriving at Missouri State Prison in 1999, he notes, "I held out hope that someone would realize they had made a big mistake sending me to this hellhole." Meanwhile, Maya grew up with the encouragement of her single mother ("We were a team") and extended family as her athletic prowess became apparent. "Basketball," she writes, "was perfect for me because there is never a down moment: You're either on offense or defense." While being recruited by top college teams, she also met Jonathan through her godparents, and she "grew to realize just how real and tragic Jonathan's situation was." Maya thoughtfully reflects on her meteoric career, starting with the University of Connecticut Huskies' 90-game winning streak, through being the No. 1 pick in the 2011 WNBA draft, the first female Jordan brand ambassador, playing internationally, and other triumphs. As the authors recount, their romance blossomed organically, as touchingly revealed by letters and poems, even as Johnathan's legal appeal gathered momentum, leading to the bittersweet triumph of his release, followed by marriage and parenthood. The book, often moving yet occasionally hampered by slow, repetitive writing, features a foreword by Bryan Stevenson. A largely engaging tale of love, faith, and dedication. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

This double-stranded memoir and love story is deftly described by its title. Maya Moore grew up with a mother who showed up every single day. Jonathan Irons grew up believing that his mother had given birth and abandoned him, although his great aunt, called Granny, loved him. As a teenager, Jonathan was picked up by police after his shift at McDonald's. He was jailed and wrongly sentenced as an adult to a state penitentiary for a violent crime he did not commit. Experiencing decades of incarceration, he found solace in Psalms and mercy from visitors. Meanwhile, Maya's life was on a different trajectory: one of opportunity and success in collegiate and professional basketball. Introduced by relatives, a relationship blossomed, defying prison walls. Both of them believed God to be a breaker of chains. When Jonathan was granted library privileges and access to his own case files, he discovered a latent fingerprint, jump-starting his bid for freedom. Bryan Stevenson's passionate foreword urges the repair of racism and America's broken criminal justice system.