A botched lethal injection for convicted murderer Christa Pike and the firing-squad execution of army killer Nidan Hasan have reportedly renewed debate over the death penalty in the United States. Although 144 countries have abolished it, executions remain in use in other parts of the world.

The history of executions is examined in A.J. van Loon’s book *Hanging and Stranglen*, which presents an overview of punishments ranging from dismemberment to being buried alive.