Puños fugitive sentenced to read the book by Malcolm Gladwell

AP file

Rebecca Rubin, in a photo of the Act without date, delivered at the Canada-washington border in November 2012 after a decade as a fugitive.

By M. Alex Johnson, writer, NBC News

As part of his sentence to help the Earth Liberation Front burned $40 million value of the property, Rebecca Rubin will also need to do some homework: a federal judge ordered to read two books, including one by famed social sciences author Malcolm Gladwell.

Rubin, 40, who evaded capture for a decade until he surrendered in 2012, was convicted in October of conspiracy and fire caused by her role with the Group extremist Eco-terrorismo between 1996 and 2001.

He was sentenced Monday in Portland, ore., to five years in prison and to pay $13 million in restitution.

It was the minimum sentence available for U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken, who rejected the request of a 7½-year sentence prosecutors.

Aiken was strongly impressed by a heartfelt letter of apology that Rubin submitted to the Court (.pdf), in which it wrote that while "at the time I thought that my only motivation was my deep love for the land, now I understand that they were also involved impatience, anger, selfishness and self-righteousness."

"Dismiss the adverse emotional and psychological impact that may result from my actions," wrote.

Aiken called the letter a "thoughtful, well established, honest, sincere apology/explanation," added: "I understand more than what you know when you work in a democracy that all things seem that are black and white when you're young." And there are many shades of gray.

In addition to lightening judgment of Rubin, the judge ordered Rubin to read "David and Goliath," the latest book by The New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell, describing how the little guy can beat the establishment by alternative means.

Aiken also trust "of nature" by Mary Christina Wood, expert on environmental law in Rubin reading list.

The New York Times called the book by Gladwell "impressive and reflection", but "deeply repetitive and disconcerting disarray."

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