David Garland's provocative book has garnered more plaudits

David Garland's well-reviewed book Peculiar Institution: America's Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition was awarded two prizes at the annual American Sociological Association in August: the Barrington Moore Book Award, from the Comparative and Historical Sociology Section of the ASA, and a Mary Douglas Book Award given by the Culture Section of the ASA.

"In its combination of narrative elegance, empirical depth and theoretical sophistication," wrote the Barrington Moore award committee, "the book stands out as a model of what comparative historical sociology can accomplish."

Earlier this year, the book received the PROSE Award for Excellence in Law and Legal Studies by the Association of American Publishers.

For more information about Peculiar Institution, watch the video below for an overview.