By Caryl Chessman. Chessman's appeal to public sentiment, basically, as the only prisoner on death row for crimes "less than" murder. Subsequent books aren't as compelling, and in the end, Chessman did go to the gas chamber, but prior to his execution, this book was a sensation.
This particular hardcover, a first Greenwood printing from 1969, is in nice shape: no dust jacket, a bit of a warp to the boards, and some mild edgewear (plus a previous owner's name on the inside front cover, and a "bookmark" midway through). Boards are bright, though, and the pages crisp and barely toned. A nice vintage pickup.