BACKGROUND What is it like to be deemed Deathworthy? This book, a mental health perspective of the death penalty, aims to understand precisely that. The culmination of a years-long research project, the book dives deep into the experiences of prisoners on death row in India, to understand the unique trauma suffered by those considered beyond redemption by society. It aims to bring nuance to the national conversation on capital punishment. DESIGN This unique perspective—that of the condemned—is what the design seeks to highlight. With 'Deathworthy' stamped in the centre, the cover of the book is instantly iconic, asking the reader to engage with the horror of being deemed 'deathworthy' by one's country. The 'signature' of the stamp continues to the edge of the cover, down the side of the book, and over to the back cover, to end with the 'nib' of the signing pen being 'broken'. This is a nod to a tradition of the justice system wherein the pen used to sign a death sentence is broken— a symbolic gesture meant to highlight the gravity of this punishment. PRINT & PRODUCTION Textured artilibris paperstock was used for the hardback cover, with a subtle grey background printed to dull the contrast of the stark white sheet. The 'stamped' areas were debossed. The line down the side of the book was achieved by including tiny markings on the inner pages within the trim area.