Reviews (56)

Good book hiding behind world's ungainliest title
William Bass, Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab The Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales (Putnam, 2003)
Bass' Anthropological Research Facility (BARF)
lol - I have heard "The Body Farm" referred to this way as well.
Much Better Than I Expected
As the title indicates, this book is so much better than I expected.Iexpected it would be "drier" given the subject matter.Instead it reads more like a technical medical autobiographical novel.The stark reality of the material is very graphic and will probably be uncomfortable to even the hard core readers. This coroner-scientist-professor does not parse when it comes the facts or the details surrounding death - from the ooze and bugs to its causes, his findings, and legal outcomes.I was engrossed in the book almost from its start.The author integrates the history of the infamous Body Farm with the cases he worked on both before and since its inception. But he writes very well about the various investigatory cases he has been involved with over the decades, including some very unusual medical facts arising therefrom. He is honest about his (few) mistakes and is quite vain about his achievements. He seems somewhat of a name dropper, too.The book could have had less of the autobiographical details and more of the legal outcomes.
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Subjects:  1. Crime laboratories    2. Forensic Science    3. Forensic anthropology    4. General    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Tennessee    7. True Crime    8. United States    9. True Crime / General   

Editorial Review

If this story of espionage and survival were a novel, readers might dismiss the Shackleton-like exploits of its hero as too fantastic to be taken seriously. But respected historianDavid Howarth confirmed the details of Jan Baalsrud's riveting tale. It begins in the spring of 1943, with Norway occupied by the Nazis and the Allies desperate to open the northern sea lanes to Russia. Baalsrud and three compatriots plan to smuggle themselves into their homeland by boat, spend the summer recruiting and training resistance fighters, and launch a surprise attack on a German air base. But he's betrayed shortly after landfall, and a quick fight leaves Baalsrud alone and trapped on a freezing island above the Arctic Circle. He's poorly clothed (one foot is entirely bare), has a head start of only a few hundred yards on his Nazi pursuers, and leaves a trail of blood as he crosses the snow. How he avoids capture and ultimately escapes--revealing that much spoils nothing in this white-knuckle narrative--is astonishing stuff. Baalsrud's feats make the travails inJon Krakauer's Mt. Everest classicRead more

Reviews (57)

Amazing
This book is one of the few storys that make you think that anything is possible. The book is wonderfully writen the only downside is that towards the end of the book it feels like the story is a little repetative. A good read about survival in the arctic during WWII.

Rare account of WWII escape to Sweden
This is a wonderful story of extraordinary courage. Most of the reviews say this. I was particularly interested to learn about operations in areas that are not well documented in English. The bulk of the story takes place in Norway and I found that very interesting. I have read many World War II escape stories where the goal was Switzerland and a few to Spain. This is the first chance I have had to learn about escapes to Sweeden. This book is highly recomended.

History -
A great book.Don't miss this one if you enjoy history & stories of survival against all odds.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Baalsrud, Jan    3. Biography    4. Escapes    5. Germany    6. History    7. History - Military / War    8. History: World    9. Military - World War II    10. Norway    11. Polar Regions    12. Prisoners and prisons, German    13. Prisoners of war    14. World War, 1939-1945    15. Europe    16. European history: Second World War    17. History / Military / World War II    18. True Stories   

Subjects:  1. Criminal Psychology    2. Homicide    3. Medical    4. Mental Disorders    5. Mental Illness    6. Mental health    7. Murder    8. Murder - General    9. Murderers    10. Psychiatry - General    11. Psychological aspects    12. Psychology    13. Reference    14. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology    15. Psychiatry    16. Violence in society   

Editorial Review

In 1947, the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand signed a secret treaty in which they agreed to cooperate in matters of signals intelligence. In effect, the governments agreed to pool their geographic and technological assets in order to listen in on the electronic communications of China, the Soviet Union, and other Cold War bad guys--all in the interest of truth, justice, and the American Way, naturally. The thing is, the system apparently catches everything. Government security services, led by the U.S. National Security Agency, screen a large part (and perhaps all) of the voice and data traffic that flows over the global communications network. Fifty years later, the European Union is investigating possible violations of its citizens' privacy rights by the NSA, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public advocacy group, has filed suit against the NSA, alleging that the organization has illegally spied on U.S. citizens. Read more

Reviews (46)

James Bamford's Puzzle Palace
This was an interesting beginning book about the history and background of the National Security Agency, especially in light of the very damaging leak about the secret surveillance program ordered by President George W. Bush. The only problem is that this book is a bit dated, so it's hard to know how similar the early '80s Puzzle Palace compares with that of the early 21st Century NSA. What's clear is the NSA has been a special creature of the government, created by executive order and really not beholden to Congress like other agencies. I recommend people read this and Bamford's other book about the NSA.

Timeless non-fiction
This book was written back in 1982, but the information you get from it is still fresh and very relevant. Especially, after the revelation that President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to spy on Americans and others in the United States making contact with persons in other nations. More recently, "USA Today" reported that the NSA is operating "the largest database ever assembled in the world", containing call detail records of all calls (inbound and outbound) placed through AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth.
Dateline, America, Dec. 19, 2005
The recent revelation that President Bush authorized NSA spying on its own citizens (and the sad fact that the New York Times sat on this for a year, despite being a victim itself in the past) makes this book both incredibly timely and obviously, unfortunately, timeless.
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Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. History - General History    3. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    4. National Security Agency    5. Politics/International Relations    6. United States    7. United States.    8. Central government    9. History / United States / 21st Century    10. USA   

Reviews (2)

Flawed as an instructional text
I have a few, rather large, reservations regarding the efficacy of this anthology as an aid to learning about intelligence, both of which relate to the fact that this is a "cut and paste" anthology that has sought no further update or revision from the articles' original authors. This is problematic for the following reasons:
Instant Best Reference on Intelligence
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Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. General    3. Military intelligence    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. True Crime / Espionage    8. United States    9. Espionage & secret services    10. USA   

Reviews (86)

The very best book on the subject
I have an interest in haunted houses, so I read as many "true" accounts as I can get my hands on. I constantly check amazon for recent publications on the subject. Most of what I read is trash; either it strikes me as completely made-up, or the poor writing detracts from the story, or both. **Elaine Mercado's book is the BEST I've read on the subject of hauntings. Elaine Mercado is a very intelligent, scientific (she is a a nurse), grounded person.At first took the hauntings with a grain of salt, as any of us would. But as the haunting intensified, she had to accept it for what it was, i.e., a supernatural occurence. **This book is beautifully written. The narrator is so grounded in reality that it makes these other-worldly occurences seem all the more creepy. I highly recommend this book. It is definitely the best of its genre. I have read it many times. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

My First Haunted Book
I bought this book with the hope of learning more about hauntings. I'm so glad I chose this book as my first. It's a fantastic book that flows very well. I'd love to find more like this one! You should buy your copy today!

New York Ghosts
I think you have to appreciate what Elaine did with this book.She often told the reader that she wasn't a great writer and therefore all readers should take her non-fiction, true-life saga for what it's worth and leave her and her non-existant editor alone.
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Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Ghosts    3. Gravesend    4. Haunted houses    5. New Age    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. New York (State)    8. Parapsychology - General    9. Spiritualism - General    10. Supernatural    11. Unexplained Phenomena    12. Body, Mind & Spirit / Parapsychology    13. Ghosts & poltergeists    14. Parapsychology, psychic powers, ESP    15. True Stories   

Reviews (37)

Not A Stand Up Guy
The book is wriiten in a matter that Red is bragging about anything.You can tell he was not so close to Whitey if you read all the Southie Books that are out there.All he was to Whitey was a cocaine dealer who paid 'tribute' to him.Nothing more and nothing less.He also seemed to forget people such as Freddy Weichel and Tommy Dixon in his book.I believe he changed those names knowing that there are still people around that are loyal to them that can take care of him.Someone also already stated here that he didn't rat because he was never asked to.The book still had its moments like when he discussed his trips to FLorida and the time that he spent in prison.He lies when he claims he was Whitey's Protege.Whitey only had one Protege and that was Kevin Weeks. I have read Street Soldier, Brutal, Black Mass, The Brother's Bulger, All Souls, and A Criminal and An Irishman.This one ranks last on the list of Southie Books.

There is no honor in this line of work
I gave this book a 5 star because it is a very compellingbook to read. A book that you cnanot put down. But the book's flaw, which the author believes is his strong point is the author's self description of honor used over and over in the book.
Tough growing up Southie
If you read the numerous books about Southie some of the stories change with each author. Knowing Red from home I tend to believe his accounts. Good job Red ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Boston    6. Criminals & Outlaws    7. Gangsters    8. Irish Americans    9. Massachusetts    10. Organized Crime    11. Regional Subjects - New England    12. Social conditions    13. Biography & Autobiography / Criminals & Outlaws    14. Biography: general    15. True crime   

Reviews (23)

Below Average
Plain and simple, this book is terrible. The fact that the author went through the hood of L.A did not make up for how poorly this book was written. I can tell off the bat that this book was written by a white author who knows nothing about gangs. Advice: do alot of research first then the interviews. (She lucky it wasnt after the Rodney King incident when she stroll through the hood).Would you buy a documentry book about the stock market written by a gang banger?

Interesting characters, caring, non-judgemental narrator
The characters that were the voices in this book were very interesting and had great stories. There was everything to wannabes, baby homies, OGs and those on their way up to OG status, ex-homegirls that were blinded by being shot in the neck, a young teenage lil' homie who drove himself to the hospital after being shot in the stomache, and the families that lived with 'em. I really liked hearing their dialogue, a brief history of how gangs may have came about, and a listing of the different sets over the different streets. The narrator was a strange element to the story because she was just a white older lady that obviously had never done anything remotely gangster in her life. However, she was non judgemental, caring, and sincere, so I couldn't be too upset about that. All in all, great book.

Point of reference
Inspite of all the hype and controversy centering mainly on Leon Bings race and sex, this book is an valuable resource for gang research if for no other reason than it was the vehicle which led to the Monster Kody autobiography.There are many holes in the structure of the book in relation to use of slang but that is understandable considering the author was obviously out of her element with this project.Once again I would suggest reading this title for the early account of Monster Kody who was just emerging from one of his many jail stints.The interview with Kody is far and away the highlight of the book even if the cover photo is a pathetic attempt to portray the danger of a murderous gang member as sexy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Crime    3. Criminology    4. Gangs    5. General    6. Juvenile delinquency    7. Los Angeles    8. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    9. Sociology    10. True Crime / Espionage    11. Social Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Freight Transportation    2. Freight and freightage    3. General    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Public Transportation    8. Security measures    9. Transportation    10. Transportation Policy And Planning    11. True Crime    12. United States    13. Crime & criminology    14. Highway & traffic engineering    15. True Crime / General   

Reviews (36)

Just okay...
This book could have been good, but it's too long and too repetitive, the subject matter is very interesting, but the story gets retold a thousand times and it's just not very entertaining or insightful for that matter.
Review of Murakami's "Underground"
Murakami's analysis of the Tokyo Sarin Attack is exactly the kind needed to understand all terrorism occuring in the world today.A great antidote to main-stream media's simplistic "us vs. them" morality tale description of terrorism.For concerned citizens of the post-9/11 world, I strongly recommend this book, together with Erich Fromm's "Fear of Freedom".

And now for something completely different.
What is different about Haruki Murakami's Underground? For one, it is non-fiction. The novelist has put aside his imaginative pen and focused closely on the actual events that unfolded ten years ago when terrorists from the Aum Shinrikyo cult carried poisonous packets of sarin on board the Tokyo subway during the morning rush hour. Readers familiar with Murakami's work will find none of the speculative creation he is so well known for. But they will still find his gift for delving into the lives of ordinary people faced with the unimaginable.
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Subjects:  1. Cults    2. Current Affairs    3. International    4. Japan    5. Oumu Shinrikyo (Religious org    6. Oumu Shinrikyo (Religious orga    7. Oumu ShinrikyÃ¥o (Religious organization)    8. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    9. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    10. Political Terrorism    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Terrorism    14. Contemporary non-Christian cults & sects    15. History / Japan    16. True crime   

Reviews (56)

excellent beginners book
As a beginner going into the subject that involves JFK assassination and the whole lot of theories surrounding the events in Dallas...one must get confused with the great range of books dealing with the subject.
[Three and-a-half out of Five] Not the best but not nearly the worst on the subject...
The following people made singificant
On Point: For The Most Part
Jim Marrs has assembled a good book for JFK beginners, detailing all the basic facts about the killing of Kennedy and the surrounding events of that day.
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Subjects:  1. (John Fitzgerald),    2. 1917-1963    3. Assassination    4. History - General History    5. History - U.S.    6. History: American    7. Kennedy, John F.    8. Kennedy, John F.,    9. President U.S.    10. United States - 20th Century    11. United States - 20th Century/60s    12. True crime    13. USA   

Editorial Review

Jim Schutze combines natural details about the sawgrass marshes and roaring alligators of the area south of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with keen observations about the fantasy lives of teenagers hooked on surfing, steroids, and instant gratification, to paint a harrowing picture of seven suburban kids who slide all too easily into moral depravity. At the heart of his tale is a kind of love triangle: the "bully," his best friend Marty, and Marty's girlfriend, who fiercely desires to rescue Marty from a strangely destructive friendship with strong homosexual undertones. Schutze's account of the aftermath of the murder includes interesting details on how the police skillfully lured confessions from the kids involved. I found the writing to have a few inconsistencies, and I wished the author had provided more background about how he reconstructed the dialogue, but those are small reservations about an excellent book overall. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

True Story? I think not!
This book is by no means a true story! It is totally fabricated and full of lie after lie after lie. The way Jim Shutze objectifies these troubled teens as sex crazed spoiled brat murdering monsters is absurd. I think Jim Shutze is a pedophile who got his rocks off while writing a fabricated pornographic novel about a serious and sad chain events that led to death of a monster. Check out Acceptable Sacrifice: Based on a True Story of Abuse and Murder if you want to hear the real story written by a friend of The main charecter. This book is a better read and more of a true story than this piece of crap smut book will ever be!

Possible Novelizations Ruin Book's Credibility
The author was not present at any of the scenes preceding the crime or at the crime itself. He did not interview these (deeply inarticulate) kids until sometime after they were arrested. But suspiciously, the book recounts all sorts of details and incidents and long conversations that all take place before the murder--details that I fear the author may have novelized. Just a few examples: (1) Back when the character of Allie was 12, the author tells us that she "came home stinking...of adolescent sex." Who was the author's source for that detail? (2) Before Ali recruits Donny for the murder, the two talk, and Donny "nodded at the pleasant tree-lined street of new middle class homes... 'I think she [his mother]'s happy here. She likes it a lot better than Taunton.'"Who would remember this burst of speech months after it had been made? Donnie? Ali? I doubt it. Perhaps the author heard Donnie say it at another time and transferred it to this scene? (3) "His mouth swollen with salami, Donnie said, 'We're gonna go see a Mafia hit man?' (who remembered the salami detail, and who remembered the sentence that was muffled by Donnie's salami-mouth?). (4) The prosecutor is described as alone in a room, but the author says that the prosecutor "stacked the files on the desk in front of him, shaped the pile with the flats of his hands." (Who reported that detail to the author, if no one but the prosecutor was in the room? Surely the prosecutor himself did not report on his own behavior to such a degree of minutiae.)
Is this fiction or nonfiction?
I think I would've liked the book better if the author had said that it was "based on actual events". It read too much like a novel. While I have no problem with an author using creative license at times, some of the dialogue was too far fetched. I also found it impossible that he would know what the characters (for lack of a better term) were thinking, especially the target. There were at least two inconsistencies that I found. Not good. Makes you doubt the veracity of this version of the story. As a novel this would've worked. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Florida    3. Fort Lauderdale    4. Homicide    5. Juvenile homicide    6. Murder    7. Murder - General    8. True Crime / Espionage    9. True Crime / General    10. True crime   

Reviews (568)

So many problems...

Interesting Verdict
Cornwell presents a good case, although not without flaws, for whom she believes the killer to be.This book took a lot of criticism when it was first released, but it is very well researched and documented.Definitely worth the read by any true crime fan.

Case Open
This book is a classic instance of someone wanting the evidence to fit a predetermined "proof". Still, the book is an interesting read. I would recommend that readers interested in Jack the Ripper read Philip Carraher's "The Adventure of the New York Ripper. In that book Jack has gone from London to New York City to kill again. While it's a work of fiction, the underlying "Ripper" facts are accurate and the analysis of the Ripper's London crimes quite good. Also the conclusion seems at least supportable under the facts and circumstances surrounding Jack the Ripper's crimes. It might be that Carraher comes closer to "solving" the Ripper crimes than does Cornwell. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1860-1942    2. 19th century    3. England    4. History    5. Homicide    6. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    7. Jack,    8. London    9. London (England)    10. Murder - General    11. Murder - Serial Killers    12. Serial murders    13. Sickert, Walter,    14. True Crime    15. True Crime / Espionage    16. the Ripper    17. True Crime / General   

Editorial Review

Dr. Thompson made the list of inspirational scribes when I polled in a recent writing workshop, and why not? Back in a spiffy Modern Library edition, replete with additional essays, I find in this iconographic work that HST both invoked--and provoked--an era that was not so much the '60s proper, but rather the mean, shadow-filled death of that time, which is still playing out. Thank God Thompson was there to explode the myth of "objective" journalism and help pave the way for the pens and voices that followed. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Best book I have had an opportunity to read!
This is a oh so truthful book sadly to say. It clearly shows the down fall of the American civilization. A dream long since dead and visible in Las Vegas a cheap town where anything goes. I enjoyed this book very much. The detail of the drug usage is real very real. NOT THAT I WOULD KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. The story also made me sad to realize I live in a long dead dream and the civilization is wa past its prime. Oh what I wouldn't give to be a flower child.
When the bats appeared
I first read this book after finding it on the bargain table at my college bookstore.I have read it several times since then, and have shared it with friends and students.From the first bizarre line to the last, it was hard to stop laughing.It is one of the unusual class of novels that truly enables you too look through another man's eyes, distorted as that vision may be.Admittedly, this is perhaps not for those who have never enjoyed being not sober.Still, if you are open minded, it is an amusing and enjoyable read.

A book written for those who were too afraid to take the drugs themselves
I can't believe they actually made this into a movie.What crap!
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Subjects:  1. American Journalism    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Journalists    6. Literary    7. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    8. Popular Culture - Counter Culture    9. Thompson, Hunter S    10. United States    11. United States - 20th Century/60s    12. American English    13. Current Events / American    14. Modern fiction    15. True Stories    16. USA   

Reviews (1)

Best Book on the Topic
As with most books on organized crime, this is a textbook. It is, in my opinion, the best textbook on this topic available. I have taught organized crime at the university level for a number of years now and have looked at a wide variety of textbooks. This book is superior to the others in a number of ways. First, it is comprehensive. There is a tendency of some authors to become infatuated with the Italian Mafia to the exclusion of all else. That does not happen with Lyman and Potter. Second, it is balanced-the authors differentiate between myths and facts concerning organized crime, something often missing in other books. Finally, the authors include both theoretical explanations of organized crime and linkages between OC, government, and honest citizens. The fact that organized crime cannot exist without the connivance of government and the public is critical to understanding the existence and success of criminal enterprises and is often ignored by authors. This relationship is a major theme of this text; one that sets it above other books. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. General    3. Law    4. Organized Crime    5. Social Science    6. True Crime / Espionage    7. United States    8. Crime & criminology    9. Social Science / Criminology   

Reviews (4)

Drug Lords Scores a Big Hit!
Anyone wanting to read a thrilling yet informative book about organized crime should start with Drug Lords. This is certainly the best book I've read about the international drug trade and how it works. The detail the author provides is amazing and everything is documented, but he still manages to present it in an interesting and riveting way. The story of the hunt for Pablo Escobar is a simple tale compared to what it took to take the godfathers from Cali.
Other Cartel....
it was good to read about the other major cartel in colombia, The cartel allowed Pablo Escobar to cause Havoc and quietly but efficiently went about spreading they're tentacles around the world. A fascinating insight to the inner workings of one of the most successful drug distribution networks ever! Maybe it was me but i knocked stars off the review because of the constant flicking back and forth to the index page to remind myself of each main character of the book. But this should not stop anyone who may be interested in this fascinating subject of one of Forbes top earners!

Thorough, but boring
Too much like reading a police report, actually a thousand police reports.See Killing Pablo if you want a good feel for how interesting this story COULD be if it was told well... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Spain & Portugal    2. General    3. Organized Crime    4. True Crime    5. True Crime / Espionage    6. Colombia    7. True Crime / General   

Subjects:  1. Criminal Law    2. Criminal Law - General    3. Criminology    4. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Victims of crimes    8. Crime & criminology    9. True Crime / General    10. Violence in society   

Reviews (82)

THE 11th COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Beat A Dead Horse."

Morons never learn
Its a fact that more than 60% of americans are uneducated people who cannot reason very well, they make very good followers. People such as
Love it, read it,
Great resource for the whole 9/11 situation.Good history, good resourcing, great for your library to see other connnections to the 'new pearl harbor'. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Current Affairs    2. Espionage    3. Foreign relations    4. History - U.S.    5. Political    6. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    7. Politics/International Relations    8. September 11 Terrorist Attacks    9. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    10. United States    11. United States - 21st Century    12. War on Terrorism, 2001-    13. World politics    14. Defence strategy, planning & research    15. International relations    16. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle    17. True crime    18. USA