5 comments about Tyrants: The World's 20 Worst Living Dictators.

1. This is a good list, not entirely fair but good. Islam Karimazov of Uzbekistan is not a fair contender. Neither is Hue Jintao, but the rest are mostly good picks. It was important that this book include the Saudi government, which gets away with so many terrible things, running a 5th century inquisition like state, ignored by the world for its human rights abuses. It is important also to put Mr. Bashir, the genocidist who runs the SUdan on here, who also seems to be ignored when people condemn the nebulous 'janjaweed' rather than the man at the top, like condemning the Whermacht and not Hitler. Mugabe, Qadaffi, Castro, all good ones. There are undoubtedly a number of small fish that are missed, but that is fine. This book helps to show just how dictatorship is the offspring of terrible utopian ideas such as communism(North Korea, Cuba), African fascism(Mugabe) and Islamism(Saudi) as well as arab nationalism(Syria, Libya).
   
   The inclusion of Bush must be to incite talk or to hype the book because it is obviously a sham, since every leader in the world is clearly conducting policies not different from the American presidents. After all if Bush is on there, where is Putin, Hugo Chavez, Mubarek and Musharref? So while it is funny and for some people self fulfilling to include George Bush, it is disingenous and infantile.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



2. I really enjoyed this book whose author writes the very well done Book of Lists series. He does a very good job at profiling some very obscure dictators whose name rarely appear in any western media but whose unfortunate people are forced to live daily under their oppression. I did have some issue with his naming of George Bush as a 21st century dictator. While not in any way a Bush fan I am reminded of the old remark of judge someone by the company they keep and it seems Wallechinsky wants us to think that Bush is the same level as Bashir in Syria, the head of Sudan or Eriteria? And that Putin, Chavez and the Vietnamese are superior?
   
   I don't buy his argument as it is presented. It lacks context and that hurts the ending of a great book!



3. I always enoyed this authors 10 worst dictators list published annually in PARADE magazine; so when his book came out I picked it up. Very interesting read. With every dictator the author is sure to give a history of the country so we can understand how the political and economic climate of these countries allow people like these to rise to power. This book sheds light on not only the obvious dictators from countries like North Korea and Sudan, but also the less known ones out of countries like Syria and Burma. The addition of Bush is an interesting choice. He is not even close to being as evil as any of the others on the list; but he has instituted policies that take away the rights of his own citizens. The addition of Hugo Chavez would have been a good. Overall, this book is a good read.



4. This book includes a wealth of information not only about well known dictators such as North Korea's Kim Jong-il and Cuba's Fidel Castro. But also lesser known despots in countries like Swaziland and Turkmenistan.
   
   Yet it is not just some simply written "list." Instead each chapter provides an ample historical background that explains the circumstances that led to a dictatorial form of government. In most cases, the current dictator is not just an individual aberration. But rather a continuation of the country's long history of authoritarian rule, as in the cases of China and Saudi Arabia.
   
   George W Bush does receieve his own "special section." But the author makes it very clear that he is not an actual dictator. Instead Wallechinsky makes a compelling case that Bush has taken dangerous steps, such as the so-called "Patriot Act," to take away our cherished American freedoms. Furthemore, the Bush administration lied to the American public in order to justify the war in Iraq, authorized the use of torture against prisoners of war and has threatened America's historically successful system of check and balances by expanding the power of the executive branch at the expense of the judical and legislative branches of government. To me these are all abuses of power that are highly worthy of condemnation.
   
   Wallechinsky comes across more as a champion of civil liberties than a stereotypically "big government" type liberal. His list also includes the Communist dictators of China, Laos, North Korea and elsewhere, so clearly there is no "left wing agenda" in play. Rather Wallechinsky's purpose is to criticize tyranny and the lack of democratic freedoms wherever they exist and this book is worth reading by any person that values freedom and democracy, including both liberals and conservatives.



5. Musharraf holds the dubious distinction of arguably becoming history's first Military Dictator who not once but TWICE crapped all over the constitution of Pakistan. This and the giddy conceit of his self worshipping book surely increases his chances tenfold of making the list in the next edition?

1 comments about The Murderers of Katyn.

1. Iwo Pogonowski has an introduction to this book, in which he briefly describes the events which led to the Katyn Massacre. In the end of the book, Pogonowski also provides a valuable chronology of events leading up to the massacre and the ensuing decades-old coverup.
   
   Abarinov evaluates reports that some of the Polish POWs had been deliberately drowned in the White Sea (pp. 93-96). Other reports indicate that all the Poles had died by shooting.
   
   The reader learns that, as the invading Germans were approaching the Smolensk region in 1941, the NKVD tried to burn the local archives. Failing that, Soviet planes several times dropped incendiary bombs on the relevant building after the Germans had taken Smolensk (p. 187); again to no avail. Later, Soviet propaganda attempted to blame the Germans for the Katyn massacre, in part by pointing to the fact that the ammunition used in the shootings had been German-made. However, the German company, Gustaw Genschow, had been selling ammunition to the Soviet Union on a large scale before WWII (pp. 352-353).
   
   One survivor of the Kozelsk (Kozielsk) camp, Professor Stanislaw Swianiewicz, survived an assassination attempt (p. 286). Another Katyn witness, the American John Van Vliet, had his testimony stolen from the American archives, apparently according to the machinations of Alger Hiss (pp. 287-288).
   
   Abarinov briefly discusses the exhumation of the Polish corpses at Mednoye in 1991. Unlike in other areas, the corpses and other artifacts had been exceptionally well-preserved (p. 329).
   
   There are late-1939 descriptions of Polish deportees near Stavropol, and the gross destitution under which they lived (p. 143). Later, the Poles released and allowed to join General Anders' army lived under horrible conditions. They had to live in tents during the winter of 1941-1942 and, not surprisingly, many of them froze to death (p. 147). Additionally, several former-Soviet witnesses recall that they saw Poles in the USSR after the war. Some of these (p. 132) were undoubtedly Poles who were not released despite the provisions of the Sikorsky-Maisky Pact, while others (p. 148) were victims of the postwar Soviet takeover of Poland.
   
   This book is indeed at times hard to follow, even for someone who knows something about the events described herein. However, the greatest value of this book, in my opinion, is not the information it provides, but the fact of some "ordinary" Russians acknowledging the massacre and the Soviet responsibility for it.

5 comments about The Cops Are Robbers.

1. This book was incredible ! It shows how greed overpowers the will to protect the community. The Author writes how he breaks into the Former Depositors Trust bank in Medford, Massachusetts. The story tells of the secret acts they use to enter the bank's vault and remove the money. I recomend highly and on a scale of 1-10 I give it a 20 !



2. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, couldn't stop until my eyes dropped shut. A great first-hand account of police corruption in Masachusetts during the 1970's. I highly suggest this to anyone that grew-up during the era in Massachusetts.



3. This is a very good recounting of what went on. There was a lot left out...such as witnesses (other cops) being sent out of state until things cooled off and a few other details which showed a wider conspiracy of silence.Medford is not a very large city and the 70's were frought with a high incidence of criminal activity - including an organized crime murder in a benign coffee shop full of witnesses. Overall it is worth the read, showing it doesn't have to be a big city to have big city crime.



4. This book has to be one of my favorites. I enjoyed every aspect of it including the setting, characters, and accuracy of the actual event that took place. Each character has its own personality and diversity of living which brings controversy to the plot. I believe it was very successful and since I live in Tewksbury and near Boston, I have visited many of these places and can relate to the book's setting. I feel as if you pick up this book and start reading you won't be able to put it down.



5. Just finished reading this book and it was a gripping, well told story. The narrative works very well and while you know he gets caught, it's hard not to hope the statute of limitations would run out before he's caught. I had to remind myself that Clemente was one of the perpetrators and not a "good" guy. In spite of the perfect planning of this, a lot of innocent people lost their most prized possessions, never to be returned.
   
   I appreciate the fact Clemente didn't spare himself of blame or problems and seemed to have accepted the punishment for his part in the crime. Reading this book about all the crime and police corruption going on and there isn't a single mention of Whitey Bulger (but there is of the Winter Hill Gang) makes it seem like the Boston area in the 80's was just like the wild west.
   
   It would be great to get an updated on Clemente and the other members of the gang and see how time has changed their attitudes.

4 comments about Jeffery Dahmer: A Bizarre Journey into the Mind of America's Most Tormented Serial Killer.

1. I could not put this book down. I was drawn into his evil acts and shocked by his actions. How could someone be that demented? I know that he wouldn't have stopped. But he was tired of playing his games. He was his own God and he created his own world in which his fantasy would become real. I believe he couldn't have been a happy person. He wanted to be loved so badly but he went about it in the sickest way possible. His fantasy world took over him. As dark as it was but in his mind it wasn't bad. To him he loved to people he murdered. They would live forever inside him.



2. Engulfed by Joel's words more than any other psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist etc ever before, even including Park Dietz and his honest humanity; I can read his book in the minimal of time, because I cannot put the book down. 'Accurate' is an understatement to his definition, understanding and forthrigheousness. Morris' almost matter-of-fact like observancy is obvious of his qualification to talk on such matter - his account of Dahmer is supurlative, the ONLY one. If I may, I could ask you to check the review below........Quotes as such "I was drawn into his evil acts and shocked by his actions" and "He wanted to be loved so badly but he went about it in the sickest way" Copyright permitting from this person's review - this should really be the point of view from anyone, I think; and eventhough a negative and a poitive still equal a negative; I really STRONGLY agree; I do say that Dahmer could have been happy, but recognising anything 'different' in the age of a 6 year old is a nightmare for anyone, if not impossible. Whichever way, Joel Norris make this even more apparent than ANYONE could have thought before. I reccomend this book to anyone interested in Jeff, and serial killers in general - or more to the point.....EVERYBODY.



3. this is a very good book filled with many interesting tid bits. i must have read it about 5 times. it's well illestrated, and really gets you thinking about one of the worlds biggest monsters as a person who only wanted to be loved.



4. I presume this book was written very soon after the Dahmer trial, as the gaping holes in research are most apparent.
   There is no mention of Dahmer's childhood double hernia operation, which according to his father, changed him from a happy bubbly child to a withdrawn loner.
   However, it was interesting to read quotes from former classmates etc.
   I would recommend Brian Master's book for accuracy, although I found at times he was too sympathetic to Dahmer, which made me cringe to say the least.
   There are some major untruths in the book. Dahmer was not an animal abuser, as stated, and his love of his pets was ignored.
   Too much experts ponitificating on their own theories,yawn.
   I would look to other books for a more truthful account.

5 comments about Victim: The Other Side of Murder.

1. This is a "must read" book. I found the book so very well
   written and then some.
   
   Believe me, the book was so hard to put down once I began reading it, I often found myself staying up until early morning
   just to know I completed so many chapters every day.



2. I'm a true crime buff and have read countless books that detailed grisly crimes. None have affected me as much as Victim. Kinder's vivid description of the horror that went on in the Hi-Fi Shop was cringe-inducing enough, but the aftermath of the crime was almost unbearably difficult to read. When it comes to most crimes, we read the initial news coverage, we read or hear about the trial (if the perps are caught), and that's it. Thanks to Kinder, I now always wonder about those that have to go on living after the final gavel bangs in the courtroom. Is there any such thing as "closure" for someone whose esophagus is so scarred from drinking Drano that he can't swallow? For someone who saw his son killed in front of his eyes? For those death penalty apologists who pity the perps, keep in mind that the barbarians who committed this crime had three square meals per day and no difficulty in swallowing them until the date of their execution.



3. I came across this story very by accident on television. I was horrified to realize it was a true story, and had to get the book.
   This book is TRUE CRIME from where the prespectve should be...the victim.
   In society the victim is delegated to just a name. This book has put a human face on crime and the consequences of crime. This book shows life at the very worst and very best. I commend the family for allowing this very painful story to be told. Cortney was very unfortunate to have had experienced such immense tragedy, however he was tremendously blessed to have such a strong and loving family. I felt such inspiration from Cortney's story and was amazed at what a truly special man his father is. This story is haunting and will not be forgotten. This book shows the power of evil and the power of love and all that can come from both sides of what people are capable of. I pray that this family continues to find peace they so deserve



4. I am from ogden, utah where the murderes took place and i have never heard anything this inhuman in my life. Three outraged men going in to a store called the HI-FI shops in downtown ogden and taking the lives of 6 people. This is a disgrace. The book was well written and well worded i enjoyed reading this book. I hope other people get a chance to read it. As i thought before i started reading it couldntn be that bad by the end of the book you will have a tear in your eye guarantee. Very good book by gary kinder



5. This is a hard book to get through because the subject matter, the aftermath of the most grisly crime in Utah history, is so inherently awful. But it's worth the effort, because the story of the Naisbitt family's recovery from an unimaginable tragedy is amazing and inspiring. This book is largely responsible for sparking the development of the victims' rights movement; it is the first true crime book to focus more on the victims of a notorious crime than on the perpetrators. This change in perspective makes an interesting and absorbing read.

2 comments about Hello Charlie: Letters from a Serial Killer.

1. As far as true crime goes, this book was quite a disappointment. It wasn't particularly gripping, it doesn't draw particularly strong portraits of the victims, and even the three self-appointed cold case detectives seem a bit dull.
   
   Among other problems in the text, there is entirely too much background information given for each person working the case. I started skipping many pages of this material because it simply wasn't interesting. The writing style of the book just wasn't gripping, and a great deal of material could have been cut out. The narrative gets quite sidetracked more than once.
   
   And some words on the "serial killer" label on the title page: it's there to sell books. The detectives were unable to locate or identify many of the victims pointed out by Browne (the killer). In fact, the impression I got from this is that Browne, like some other killers before him, was playing with detectives, upping the number of so-called kills in order to get attention and privileges. Browne is an unreliable speaker, and you begin to feel that the narrator is unreliable just for telling you all of this without ever taking a long, long hard look at Browne's credibility.
   
   While it seems likely that Browne killed multiple times, the book makes little effort to apply psychology to why Browne claims all of these kills now. Most true crime readers are probably used to a bit of psychology in their reading, and they should be warned that it is quite absent here. This is much more of the old-fashioned-detective-work, gumshoe, knock-on-doors (no CSI) approach to crime-solving. Such a book could have made for a very intersting departure from the norm, but, again, for the reasons listed above, it does not. A little psychology would help shore up the book's crumbling foundations.
   
   Another warning to true crime fans: you're probably used to seeing pictures of the detectives, snapshots of the victims while alive, perhaps crime scenes. This book has no photos. I'm not trying to be ghoulish; I'm just pointing out a departure from the norm.
   
   All in all, this was not a satisfactory experience. A week after reading the book, I can recall only a few details about the central victim and can say very little about the killer. What I do remember is frustration with the text and annoyance with the detectives' seemingly endless credulity.



2. Books on serial killers are hardly rare, and most of them are written in a novelistic way that causes them to sensationalize the crime. This book is not your average true crime story, and rather than titillate the reader, it provides insights not usually found in most books of the genre.
   
   The book begins by detailing the disappearance of Heather Dawn Church from her home in the suburbs of Colorado Springs. It details the efforts to attempt to find her and the person responsible for her abduction. From that point, it shifts to the lives of the three men who would ultimately come together to work as volunteers on cold cases.
   
   After a relatively brief view into the apprehension and conviction of her killer, as well as his appeals, the book shifts focus again and begins to look at the aftermath of the crime. Robert Browne, who pled guilty to her murder, sent an interesting letter to the DA after he had lost all courtroom battles. The letter suggested that there were more bodies to be found, and that Browne was the responsible party.
   
   The book is a wonderful look at the way a crime is solved; not with bells and whistles, but with long, hard work. It is also a look, in depth, into the game of cat and mouse that is played by the hunted and the hunters. It offers an interesting look into the mind and psyche of a serial killer.
   
   There are no pictures, and this is not a "sensational" true crime story. Rather it is a methodical look at how police work is done in the real world. An excellent read, if you are not looking for the titillation factor.

No comments about Victorian Murderesses, a True History of Thirteen Respectable French and English Women Accused of Unspeakable Crimes.

No comments about Gangsters and Goodfellas: The Mob, Witness Protection, and Life on the Run.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of the Central Intelligence Agency.

1. This is one of the best books on the CIA I've read even though its an encyclopdia form with entries. Particularly fascinating are the unknown operations which W. Thos. Smith Jr. has brought to the forefront of history. What makes this book so good is it's objectivity. CIA has its skeletons. But it also has it courageous heroes and patriots most of which we have never heard of.
   Smith also does justice to the brave men and women of the OSS of second World War fame.
   I highly recommend this to anyone who hopes to have a better understanding of the CIA and its roots. Smith is a journalist from the south, writing articles for USA Today and Wash. Post, proving once again that some of the best American writers continue to come from below Mason-Dixon.



2. This is a very good reference book and helpful to those of us who want to understand our CIA and how it works.
   I also found it interesting that Julia Child was in the CIA.
   This book deserves five stars.



3. The ultimate resource for history buffs who want a quick and ready reference book that details the history of the CIA and allows for a quick look up for forgotten names and facts.....a random trip through this fascinating book brings up incredible historic information you may have forgotten.

   Great resource book to have on hand. W.Thomas Smith, Jr. brings his experience and talent as a jounalist to this much needed reference book.




4. Smith's book is the ultimate resource for those fascinated with history and our countries most conroversial governmental agency - the Central Intelligence Agency .....fascinating and long forgotten tales of intrique - finally there is a source, beautifully organized, with the answers to any questions you may have about the CIA....thanks W. Thomas Smith, Jr. your book is well done.



5. AN EXCELLENT BOOK!!!
   W. THOMAS SMITH JR. EXPLAINS THE CIA IN EASY TO UNDERSTAND TERMS.
   I GIVE IT FIVE STARS BECAUSE AFTER SPENDING SOME TIME WITH THIS ENCYCLOPEDIA I NOW HAVE A VERY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF OUR CIA AND HOW IT FITS IN THE OVERALL DEFENSE AND SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY.
   THOUGH IT SEEMS BRIEF IN CERTAIN SECTIONS, IT IS WELL WRITTEN AND MUCH NEW LIGHT IS SHED ON THE SUBJECT OF THE CIA. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND OTHER INTELLIGENCE GROUPS!!!

5 comments about Cruel Doubt.

1. I thought McGinnis did an incredible job with some very, very touch subject matter. I read "Blood Games" as well, and while both had their advantages, "Cruel Doubt" was far and away the better book. Like other readers, I was shocked that Moog was convicted without physical evidence, and while I'm sure he was involved, I feel confident that others -- including Henderson and Pritchard -- were also involved. Unlike Bledsoe, McGinnis took the time after the trial to gauge those involved on what THEY thought really happened, and that is where the book really gets great. I, too, am hoping for another book on this crime.
   Along those lines, does anyone know of a site or message board that addresses this particular crime? Thanks.



2. I read Joe McGinniss' Fatal Vision on Jan 5, 1985, and found it a well-done account. This book is just as good, and I found that I kept wanting to get back to reading it. It is very well-done, and a lawyer can read it without cringing, since the author handles the legal issues--fascinating ones so far as attorny-client relations go--intelligently. Anyone reading the book will want to read the opinion of the North Carolina Supreme Court which is State v. Upchurch, 421 S.E. 2d 577 (N.C. 1992). The book does not cover the retrial and I have found out how the retrial came out, but to tell you might be in the nature of a spoiler, so I won't.



3. This is one of the best true crime books that I have ever read. I liked it even better than Fatal Vision (McGuiness as well). Mcguiness makes the characters come alive for the reader. It makes you want to go a meet and speak with them all personally. The story is sad and will break your heart, and mcguiness definitely does not try to diminish these feelings. There is no warm fuzzy ending, just the hope that Bonnie Von Stein's life is getting better.



4. I did not think much of this book.

   First, I found it quite interesting that Bonnie Von Stein had very similar injuries as Jeffrey MacDonald, and McGinnis thinks he's guilty and Bonnie isn't. It seems that McGinnis switches "sides" depending on payment. Also, Wade Smith, Bonnie Von Stein's attorney, brought McGinnis into this case. Smith was also involved to some degree with the MacDonald case.

   Secondly, McGinnis tells the tale solely from Bonnie Von Stein's point of view. He did not dig into anything that would point in her direction (and there is a lot!). Yet another change from the way he handled Fatal Vision.

   Lastly, when McGinnis discusses other parties involved, he does so from a stand point where one would believe he had actually spoken with these people. He did not. His book is nearly 100% based on what Bonnie said, what Bonnie did, how Bonnie reacted, ad naseum.

   A final note about some of the other reviews.

   1- Upchurch did not get a retrial. Upchurch's death sentence was vacated on appeal under McKoy due to faulty jury instructions. He was granted a resentencing hearing. At that hearing he was resentenced, this time to life in prison. He will not be eligible for parole for about 40 years (2 life sentences - consecutive).

   2 - There was never evidence that Upchurch was involved. Neither Henderson nor Pritchard could corroborate each others stories. The information they provided varied widely! There was not one single piece of physical evidence. The murderer was right handed. Upchurch is left handed. If this intrigues you, check out www.freejbupchurch.com!

   And also, stick to Bledsoe's Blood Games. A better read, a better understanding of the case and people involved, and a much better writing style!




5. I don't usually comment on others' reviews, but I found a recent one not to be fair, in this case. McGinniss gave his usual, awesome description of this horrible murder, including detailed interviews with the investigators and especially Bonnie Von Stein and Chris Pritchard. A criticism was that it was one-sided. As a true crime author myself, I know that often the "other side" won't talk to the author, and I suspect this was the case here. In Bledsoe's "Blood Games," another excellent depiction of this awful crime, it's obvious Bledsoe had cooperation from the defendants' families -- and it might be looked upon as one-sided since he didn't have too much cooperation, it seems, with Bonnie. The two books together, both dramatically and frighteningly written, give readers a full picture of what went on in that case. I give both books 5 stars. This case has intrigued me since I saw the movie Cruel Doubt, and I was ecstatic that Bledsoe, another great true crime author, also wrote a book on the subject!

   One main reason that makes me think McGinniss wasn't able to get interviews with the defendants is the fact that his book doesn't mention "Bart" as the nickname for James Bartlett Upchurch III. How would anyone know that unless they'd interviewed the family? Sometimes it looks like, when people won't talk to us, that we just didn't bother to try to talk to them, but that's absolutely not true. I'm sure Mr. McGinniss tried and tried to get the defendants' and families' interviews.

   McGinniss is just one of the forefathers, it seems, of terrific true crime with awesome imagery -- which makes the reader picture the crime and people in their heads without a movie being necessary! Mr. Bledsoe also is a top true crime writer. Neither book detracts from the other. Both are sublime depictions of one of the most bloody crimes police have seen.

   My hat's off to both authors!