5 comments about Positively Fifth Street.

1. If you look at the reviews for this book, you'll see a wide range of opinions. From 1-star all the way up to 5-stars. I believe the reason for the wide range is because the book cover and descriptions (including the back) fails to manage the reader's expectations. Similar to many other reviewers, I expected a book 100% about poker and related topics. However, it's really 60% about Ted Binion's murder, and 40% about poker. I did realize that Binion's murder was a topic in the book, but I though it was just a backdrop for the poker story. The murder almost dominates the book. If I had that 60/40 expectation I think I would've enjoyed the book more. So i penalize it 1 star because it didn't meet my expectations. I also subtract 1 more star because the author goes off-topic way too often. Other reviewers rant on how off-topic the book goes, so i don't need to again. 3 stars.



2. For decades, I went to the World Series of Poker as a side-game player and a writer. Like so many, I played mostly and wrote a little. All the writers I met over those years just have to be jealous of James McManus. He played well and made the final table and the big bucks AND he wrote a best-seller about it. I am a poker writer, but I do not pretend to have a fourth of the skills of the eloquent Mr. McManus. He is the Dean of American Poker Writers. England has some fancy wordsmiths. This book is not just for poker players. It would make a great gift for anyone. McManus throws in the saga of Teddy Binion, to boot.
   Johnny HughesTexas Poker Wisdom



3. McManus has taken several plot lines of varying interest and wrapped them into one messy book. The real-time WSOP diary part of the book is outstanding--funny, gripping, and a great way to live out every small-time rounder's dream vicariously. It's well worth the price of the book. The rest of it... I wasn't nearly interested enough in McManus as a personality to enjoy the insights into his poker-playing youth, and the coverage of Ted Binion's weird life could have been cut without me missing it.
   
   At half the length, this would have been a positively five star book.



4. An amazing book. Somehow the author is simply telling the story of how he played in the World Series of Poker but also weaves in all of the following:
   
   - Murder
   - Adultery
   - The history of poker
   - The history of cards
   - The history of Las Vegas
   - The mob
   - What constitutes "cheating" on your wife?
   - High ethics
   - Discussions of game theory
   - His own family tree
   
   And just about everything else. All of it in brilliant prose that makes it fascinating.
   
   At the same time he brings you to the poker table and you feel the tension of re-raising TJ Cloutier with the author. I felt sick a few times as the author described playing pocket jacks aggressively.
   
   If you love poker or gambling or marriage or reading or life, read this book.



5. I still cant' believe the guy made it to the final table. What an incredible feat. He writes really well too. Great story, well written. Ah, the catch is, this is definitely a GUY book, whatever that mean.

5 comments about Unleashed: Of Poltergeists and Murder: The Curious Story of Tina Resch.

1. "Unleashed" by William Roll, Ph.D., and Valerie Storey is a book I couldn't put down. I finished reading it in one day. As someone who reads 5-8 books at a time, this book kept my attention away from all the others.
   
   I live in Georgia, just an hour away from where Tina is incarcerated. This book made me want to get to know Tina and help her in any way I could.
   
   As a life-long student of psychology & human behavior, I found this book fasinating. As a writer, this book was very easy to read and kept me turning pages. I envy the skill of the author, sympathize with Tina and want to ring the necks of her so-called boyfriend, lawyer and the ever famous magician who should keep his mouth shut when he doesn't get the chance to actually witness poltergeist activity. Kudos to Dr. Roll for his continued support of Tina and kudos to Tina, herself, for surviving through her loss.



2. I bought this book because I was interested in the intriguing story of Tina Resch. My knowledge of this individual and her story was very minimal, but I thought this book might be the key to understanding the situation. I must admit, however, that this book was not exactly what I expected it to be.
   
   The title of this book led me to believe that Tina was possessed, or that poltergeists were 'living' among Tina's family. However, the author tells a story of a young lady who, he believes, has some kind of ability to move objects with her mind, sub-conciously. The author explains that he believes Tina has a condition that is similar to Tourette's Syndrome; however instead of acting out physically or verbally, Tina expresses this mentally, which causes objects to break, move, bend, etc. It really isn't a story of poltergeists, at all.
   
   The other part of the title suggests that this book is about murder. Yes, Tina Resch's child was murdered, however, only very few pages are devoted to this horrible crime. The chapter that does focus on this incident, briefly describes the circumstances leading up to the event, and then emphatically denies Tina's involvement, without exploring much of the actual details surrounding the crime.
   
   For the most part, this book focuses on the author's relationship with Tina, and describes the abnormal activity the author witnessed. This book is not about poltergiests. This book is not about murder. This book is about a woman who seems to have lead a difficult life, possessed a sad condition, and ended up in a sad position.



3. I bought this book thinking it had to do with the paranormal, ghost, haunting and possession. When I read the title and it stated the word poltergeist, I was interested. This book was a good read, I will give it that, however, this has NOTHING to do with anything from the paranormal. My personal opinion this book had nothing to do with the occult or the paranormal, in fact this was more of Stephen King' Carrie White type of story. Tina had the ability to move objects. This book is more about the author and his relationship with Tina. I admit I really felt for this girl, she grew up in a foster home, she never knew true love, given up as a child, being abuse phsyically and emotionally by her foster parents, who had other kids and being molested by a foster brother at an early age. Then getting married, running away from her foster home to have a child and then that child being molested by her own mother's (Tina) boyfriend and then they child being murder. It's a very depressing story and unfair to Tina. For now she's in jail for the murder of her child, but her boyfriend who raped this little girl is out free. Like I said before this has nothing to do with the paranormal, but it is a good read. So if anyone thinks this is about hauntings, demons or possession, it's not.



4. From Unleashed's opening paragraph describing the casket of the murdered child to the gripping image of Tina Resch at the surprise ending, the pages seemed to turn themselves. That poltergeist activity has been documented in numerous incidents of 'haunted' houses is commonly known. However, the reasons for it, often associated with young people and powerful emotional energies, and the documented outcomes have never been as grippingly thought-provoking and heart wrenching as Tina's tale.
   
   The Oxford educated parapsychologist, William Roll's depth of knowledge of the poltergeist experience, combined with the writing skills of Valerie Story, plunge us into a provocative journey into Tina's painful emotions and their perilous outcome.
   
   In the book's dramatic quest to understand, explain and fairly represent the bewildered Tina, questions surface that have no answer: What are poltergeists?; What prompts the actions?; How do unleashed emotions manifest in ways that prompt actions beyond the conscious mind?;Should one consumed by such overpoweringly dramatic episodes--seemingly out of the supernatural--be judged by the outcomes they produce--even that of murder?
   
   The story picks the reader up, holding them riveted by the unfolding of Tina's journey through episodes with poltergiests, the media, broken homes, an early marriage and the birth of a child. How all of these experiences could have precipitated the baby's murder--a crime Tina maintains to this day she did not commit--is explained in this remakable book--a story quaranteed to leave the reader forever changed.



5. I am a fan of the supernatural. Ive always been fascinated by it and believed in most things even when common sense should tell me better. Ive been crushed several times when things I had hinged many of those fantasies on were proven to be less than valid. The Bigfoot footage, that famous black and white photo of Nessie, people beleving themselves to have been abducted in their sleep actually having temporary paralysis,gas bubbles in the Bermuda Triangle,Urkel. But I keep on beleiving in the possibility of alot of those things mainly because of events that have occured in my life or just for the fun of it. Having those childhood believes pulled out from under me though has made me more skeptical, wary you could say, so it was with a lot of excitement that while talking to someone at work I found out that he had lived across the street from a girl named Tina Resch and he told me of the occurances that went on at her house and that there was a book about them. Well I ordered it that day! I was especially excited to see the infamous phone pictue with that receiver flying across her lap. I had seen that picture in some old Timelife book about psychic phenomena, and I knew someone who knew her! How cool is that!
   
   Well, I wish he had known her better because after reading this book, I'm pretty firmly in the camp that believs she was full of crap. As much as I want to believe it, I just can't. The thing that makes that even worse is the fact that Mr Roll is obviously a believer, and his staunch defense of Mrs Resch is actually what makes me buy this whole story even less. I don't know if its years of having to defend her or just trying to convince himself,but the book is written in such a pleading manner that I felt every time he recounted one of these psychic occurances, it was the equivalent of saying "really! I saw it! Really I did! Nyah Nyah Nyah!" What further makes me believe that all the "occurences" were merely the desparate cries of a very troubled girl are several. The fact that almost noone outside that house saw anything, the fact that she was caught knocking a lamp of a sidetable and trying to blame it on the "Force",the fact that she's been in prison for murder now for years and the only time any of these things happened was during that one year when she was a teenager. You'd think with someone being watched that closely(and if indeed the events took place under times of great stress for the girl)that someone would have seen something. So disapointingly I have to say that I beleive the events recounted are a con.
   
   The book itself is written very crisp and clearly. Obviously Mr Roll had alot of something invested in these occurances because he writes about them energetically and succintly. It is a very easy read and I had no trouble getting through it. excpet for the fact that about halfway through, I felt like I was in the middle of a conversation with a pathological liar.

5 comments about The Unknown Darkness: Profiling the Predators Among Us.

1. You can learn more in a one hour Discovery Channel special than you will in this book. The writing style is simplistic and tediously "Dragnet cute" which doesn't help. What the book needs is a real writer and someone to help organize the material better. Oh, yes, and an editor to cut out the many self-congratulatory asides that further weaken the project.



2. I've read just about everything by John Douglas and other books on profiling, and am a bit of a Court TV junkie. This book provides new information and insights into criminal profiling and certain cases than previously available, and for that reason, I'd recommend it for a true crime fan. It provides new information on the Paul Bernardo / Karla Homolka husband and wife serial rape "team", the Buddhist Temple Massacre near Phoenix, and the Waco tragedy. The fact that McCary presents fairly convincing evidence that Karla Homolka was hardly the "battered wife" she's usually presented to be in this highly documented case was the most startling to me.
   
   The problem is the writing is tedious to read at several points, and the chapter on the Waco stand-off seems to go on forever. The book could have used some more work by the editor, as some paragraphs don't really fit together and some of the narrative goes along in a herky jerky fashion. For this reason, I would not recommend this book for someone with just a passing interest in the subject.



3. I could not put this book down and have recommended it to so many people! You start to appreciate the work of a profiler and how important it is in an investigation. Gregg McCrary did such an awesome job in keeping you on the edge of your seat.



4. I have a fairly large section in my home library on true crime, which has always interested me. I enjoy the writings of John Douglas and Roy Hazelwood, and so, since this book's cover talked about McCrary's working relationship with Douglas, I picked it up at the library.
   
   The writing is fine, but the problem I found is this: McCrary makes it sound as though he is called in or sent to a crime scene, where he expertly profiles the perpetrator. The problem is that he presents a profile, and then is suddenly called to another case, and then something along the lines of "two or three months later, someone else solved the case." In other words, it doesn't sound as though he ever solves anything, or sticks around a crime scene to see if his guesses pan out.
   
   Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but I'd really have liked to see McCrary head up an investigation and work it through to the end. Seems to me that both Douglas and Hazelwood did that, and, knowing that, Douglas is prominently mentioned on the book's cover to get people to buy the book. I'm glad I picked it up at the library; while reasonably interesting, it's not going to end up at my library at home.



5. Okay, I have read better books but I believe the author's role in the Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo's dispicable crimes in the murders of three innocent young ladies including Karla's sister is worth reading in the first place if you followed the crimes. Now, Karla is a free woman. Paul will be eligible for parole in 2020 according to the book. I understand profiling is not an exact science. The author writes about the miss in the Hindu Mass HOmicide case where nine innocent monks including a nun were killed execution style for literally peanuts of their wealth. They would have probably given them everything they asked for if they were given the opportunity. The author does lose me with the David Koresh and the Waco situation. I don't believe he firmly explained how dangerous Koresh was specifically. As a reader, we know he followed in the footsteps of another monster, Jim Jones, but the author never clarifies the process of Koresh's madness from leader to dictator in his small congregation. The book is really for crime enthusiasts like myself who enjoys reading about crime and what makes people tick. He is accurate in his depiction of Paul and Karla's crimes against young virginal women including Karla's sister, Tammy Lynn. She was a Christmas Present for Paul from his beloved fiance, Karla. Their relationship was twisted and Karla knew of Paul's crime spree as the Scarborough Rapist but supported it as a game. It still angers me that Karla was released and that Paul may have a chance at parole. Write the Canadian parole boards to stop this from happening. As for Karla, she's the most hated woman in Canada. He also writes in detail about Arthur Shawcross's crimes as a serial killer. There is the European serial killer, Jack Untweger, but he doesn't go into detail about his crimes. He is not as clear as he is about Shawcross' crimes.

5 comments about Kill Zone: A Sniper Looks at Dealey Plaza.

1. This book is a sniper's look at the assassination and the scene.
   Mr.Roberts theory of "crossfire" or "triangulation of fire" is excellent,especially considering his military experience.
   I think he may be correct about the location of the hit teams.
   Were the hit teams made up of a Corsican assassin and a member of ZR/Rifle? The author isn't the only writer that has offered that theory.
   Craig Roberts theory about what happened to the President's body aboard Air Force 1 is intriguing! His investigation into the aircraft and strange activity related to the flight was good also.
   
   What is debatable is the identity of those responsible for the murder.
   It seems most likely that the mafia was working with the CIA to committ the crime with J.Edgar Hoover working for the mafia to cover it up.
   
   This book is worth reading for the insight offered by the author considering his experience and knowledge.



2. This book is definitely for the Kennedy addict. It is riveting and spellbinding. I could not put it down. Craig Roberts gives a historical background that expands more than 230 years. His explanations are clear, concise and very believable. He spells out exactly who orchestrated John Kennedy's assassination and the reasons behind it, both of which most people have never heard before. Every American should read this book because the entity responsible for Kennedy's death is alive and well and still operating without impunity within the U.S. government. You will not be disappointed.



3. I have been researching the JFK assassination since it happened and I have to tell you that if I were to compile a book of information pertaining to the assassination this would have been the book I would have written.
   It is absolutely packed with info that we basically knew and then some that we really didn't know.
   It is very well written and answers a multitude of questions that needed to be answered, no wonder the world will never know the truth about this and other things in world history that for the most part just gets brushed aside.
   If you really want or need to know the truth then this is the book for you!



4. I will just quote from the book itself:
   ""How in the world could anyone look at that {Zapruder} film and say that the fatal head strike had come from the rear? The so-called experts who stated that the rearward jerk of Kennedy's head was due to 'muscle reaction,' 'jet force from an erupting bullet' or some other violation of the laws of physics, had obviously never served in combat, where witnessing high-velocity bullet strikes was commonplace..."
   
   "Some of the supporters of the Warren Commission...stated that the bullet came from the rear because the eruption of brain matter and blood came out of the front of the president's skull. I saw something else. In a head shot, the exit wound, due to the buildup of hydrostatic pressure, explodes in a conical formation in the down-range direction of the bullet. Yet in the Zapruder film, I could plainly see that the eruption was not a conical shape to the front of the limo, but instead was an explosion that cast fragments both up and down in a vertical plane, and side to side in a horizontal plane. There was only one explanation for this: an exploding or 'frangible' bullet. Such a round explodes on impact--in exactly the manner depicted in the film."
   
   A seasoned veteran (sniper) of the Vietnam war stood at the `snipers-nest' and released it was all a lie; nuff said.



5. Immediately upon reading this book I knew in my heart that the author had hit upon a highly probable answer to the question that has been lurking in the minds of millions since that dreadful day in Dallas. Now I am not going to go into specifics in this review, rather I am going to relate in my own way why I think the author is right and I would encourage you to get a copy of this book and read it and form your own opinion.
   
   If you look at a magician, his primary purpose is not to entertain you with feats of magic, but more along the lines of deceiving you into believing that which he (the magician) presents to you as the truth and in doing so, makes you believe that which he wants you to believe. Actually I guess a better way of saying it is that the magician presents his deception to you in such a way that your subconscious convinces your consciousness to believe wholeheartedly in that which was presented to you by the magician. Now I know that this seems to be way of course with the subject matter of this review, but trust me, it is actually dead on.
   
   Now we all know that a certain group, or collection, of individuals was responsible for the death of Kennedy. Now do we know for certain who they were and their names? No, but we do know that they did exist and I am sure that some of them may still be alive to this day, although the longer that time passes the greater the probability that they will expire from old age without every being tried for their crimes, at least as we know it.
   
   Now if your ultimate goal is the eradication of a certain person, it really doesn't matter to you how that eradication takes place, or who does it, as long as the goal is accomplished. Of course you wouldn't want any of it traced back to you, which is why you want to have someone else do it. Or better yet, have someone else do it with a motive so far removed from your own that the odds of anyone even remotely suspecting you would be likened to the proverbial needle in a haystack and someone that will kill the person for you without even knowing that they did. All the time thinking that they were killing that person for their own reasons. Now to better enhance your chances of never being suspected, let's multiply that by several times and you now have a smokescreen of epic proportions with the finger pointing at several different organizations or persons with each one having a slightly different motive. None of which are even close to your own. See the beauty of it already?
   
   In law enforcement there is an old saying that goes something like this, "If you want to find out who did it, follow the money." And that is exactly what the author does.
   
   Let's look at the most common theories on who was responsible for killing Kennedy. Please take note that I did not say who killed Kennedy, but who was responsible for killing Kennedy. Remember what I said earlier about getting someone else to do it for you.
   
   1. Lee Harvey Oswald - acting alone RIDICULOUS
   2. The Mafia - NOPE
   3. The CIA - NOPE
   4. The Cubans - NOPE
   5. The Russians - NOPE
   6. Aliens from outer space - I KNOW REALLY RIDICULOUS, BUT AREN'T THE OTHERS JUST AS BAD!
   
   Now I am not implying that some of these didn't have a role in it, I am just saying that they are not responsible for it. Who is? Well purchase this book and read it. I believe that if you do that, this book will more than answer that question.
   
   All of those people and/or groups listed are merely the smoke, and you all know that where there's smoke there's fire, and this book shows you the fire.

5 comments about The Boy Next Door.

1. My own son was 10 years old when Lance Turner was murdered at Water Dog Lake. The event profoundly changed the lives of many Belmont residents ... no more hiking alone into Water Dog Lake for sure. Reading Gretchen Brinck's account of that and Jon's other brutal crimes was completely captivating. I have lent the book to approximately 20 friends and their 20-something sons. If being dog-eared defines a good book, this is it. Jon Dunkel was a neighbor so I thank God every day that my son and his friends, one of whom lived next door to Jon, were not part of his web of insanity ... or maybe his "contrived insanity."



2. I am only 14 years old and when I selected this book to read for my english class assignment I had no idea how scary it would be. I was not born when all of this was happening even though I live right by Belmont. It makes you think about all the people in this world how could anybody be willing to kill children like him. He worked at ToysRus who knows how many kids he could of killed being around them all day. I feel terrible for all the family members and friends of the 3 poor little boys that were killed by this man. I can not believe anybody would be able to do that. This was an excellent book, but I think it is a little to scary for people my age.



3. I bought this book because of it's great reviews by the readers below. And they were right! This was one of those hard to put down books. It is a great book for reference and a good addition
   to a true crime library; But what distinguishes this book is it makes it personal. It speaks of the victims and their families and actually gives them (the victims) a face and a personality.

   It is most refreashing to see that Gretchen Brinck and others like her cover all angles of these horrendous crimes. They make it be known that the victims are whats important here, not the criminal. In this book you will find the struggles both the family and the police go through, and also the twisted mind of a killer. Well written book.




4. I have read many true crime books and found this one rivetting. What was so unbelievable was how this sick young man managed to outwit the police, psychiatrists etc, all the while he continued to kill and hurt. It seemed so unfathomable to me how this kid was not stopped before he killed his 3 young victims. With so many DUI's, attacking a kid with a 2 by 4, running another over - how did he evade capture so long? Did the police truly bungle the situation as much as it seems they did. I also place the blame squarely on Dunkle's family - they were either in deep denial about Dunkle's violence, killing and drinking or just didn't want to face it. Their blindness and apathy lead to the deaths of the 3 boys. No question.
   I have tried to google Dunkle to find out what has become of him. All I found out was that he is still on death row and that he is now believed incompetant. A guardian was appointed to him as he cannot represent his own interests. Is he truly psychotic or is he just a sick, fine actor? It looks like he will never be put to death as he will be deemed too ill. As long as he is in prison forever, where he can't harm others, sounds okay to me.
   
   I highly recommend this book. It is chilling and will leave you wondering about how someone can devolve into a serial killer like Dunkle.



5. I think this is the first book by the author who has a masters degree in social work. JOn Dunkel was the boy next door but you couldn't imagine somebody like him to be accused of doing such horrendous crimes of murdering innocent young boys. I think that's the problem. We're not looking properly for the signs. Yes, the signs were there. Maybe he was signalling for help to stop. Such monsters often appear quite normal so we can't jump to conclusions without all the facts presented. There is no doubt he was guilty. One only wonders why and what would have prevented the murders? I feel sorry for the people of Belmont. I was the boys' age in 1984 when the murders started happening but I live on the east coast. I could say that it would have changed my life if it happened in my neighborhood. i can only imagine the devastation of the victims' families, friends, relatives, and the other children who they played with. May they all rest in peace. I don't know if Dunkle is still on death row. California has about 600 guys on death row but this book was a slow read for me. I felt sorry for the families of the victims. I was glad that the author gave updates about the main characters like Lisa Thomas who was crucial in helping get him. Dunkle is still a very sick character who did everything to avoid getting caught and put in prison for life. His behavior in the courtroom and with the police department was sickening. He was like the Hillside Strangler trying to claim insanity when he wasn't.

1 comments about Froth and Scum: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and the Ax Murder in America's First Mass Medium.

1. "Amreica" is spelled incorrectly (i hope)! (And I haven't read the book, so don't publish this review, please!)

5 comments about Unholy Covenant: A True Story of Murder in North Carolina.

1. I really could not get in to the book. I was ready to stop after the first chapter. Then I saw the entire story on American Justice and it was interesting watching it. There was so much more in the T.V story then the book I felt. After I saw the show I finally finished the book .It is an ok read.I just found it to flat and that made it boring.



2. THE TITLE"The Preacher's Son" should have been The Preacher's SonS. Story was very predictable, so story was sort of boring.



3. This could have been a fascinating book. With a very likeable victim, a devious husband, family secrets and several unanticipated twists and turns, it was a story begging to be told. Unfortunately, a lot was left out of the book I felt. For one thing, I never really got a feel for any of the people involved. I wanted to know more -- a lot more. I also never really understood the motive. There was the insurance angle, but that petered out quickly and left ... what? Nothing. So did he do it for the insurance he thought was there? Did he just get tired of her? If he was after the insurance, what was his reaction upon not getting it? The book also mentioned that Ted dated several women after Patricia's death, but we heard absolutely nothing about that.
   
   It was an okay story, but I felt it left a lot of the human interest stuff out. I've been reading true crime for over 20 years and I like to know what went wrong. What went wrong with that person, that family, that marriage? Did anyone foresee this kind of evil in this person at an early age? Were there any other indications? How long did it take the families to begin suspecting the truth or did they know right off the bat?
   
   Both trials, the escape attempt and the sentencings were covered in a few pages!
   
   Good story with a lot of potential, but I had too many unanswered questions when I was finished.



4. This is the true account of a man who married an innocent woman--who ends up dead not long afterwards--and the story of her failing marriage and the attempt to bring her killer to justice. One wonders how a woman could be so naive, but then love is blind. The book dwells more on Ted's sociopathic personality and the people he uses. It moves very fast-you wont get bored with a long pyschiatric profile and family history like many crime novels. Instead, it follows the frustrated attempts to bring this man to justice.



5. Any book which I feel compelled to read a second time is definitely worth reading, as was the case with this book. It was a very interesting case of how an older, stronger, more intelligent brother manipulates his less-adept brother into killing his wife. However, I've read dozens of true crime cases and never before have I seen one which includes this rather strange editorializing by the author. She includes paragraphs, oftentimes in italics (but not always)which seem to be her attempt to make this writing more like a fictional story rather than a true crime case. Most of these include things that the author couldn't possibly know, such as thoughts the victim had on her wedding day; casual conversation between detectives that wasn't pertinent to the case; and what the murderer was thinking. I really don't think that she actually had a conversation with murderer regarding how he felt irritated that his mother hadn't put his clothes away after she laundered them, etc.

5 comments about Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder.

1. I was aware of the Black Dahlia murder as one of those notorious, super-mediafied events that was big enough to sorta stay in the public conciousness through the years. It's incredible to me that, after all this time, there is still stuff to discover about the murder. And one might be inclined to say why bother dwelling on it? And, for me, the answer is that this book is about something much more interesting than just the murder: it's about the connection between the murder, the murderer, surrealist art, and some of the major artists of the 20th century. The author's arguments are convincing and the connections they surface are -- to me -- amazing. It says a lot about art and the culture of artists. As an artist myself, I find this particularly interesting.
   
   I read some of the other reviews of this book. I think it'd be best if people who review a book have actually READ the book. Nobody would read this book and give it only 1 star. Even if you don't like the subject, you can't deny that the authors have approached the subject soberly, argue their points well, and that the research/images/writing are good. This is no shrill, sensational supermarket pulp product. It's a good read and an *interesting* read on many levels.
   
   I learned some new things about art, artists, culture and the experience was wrapped in a remarkable bit of art-historian sleuthing about one of the most grisly, notorious murders ever. The fact that one of the most horrific murders in US history was actually part of a dialogue with a major movement in 20th century art is, well, amazing...
   
   I recommend the book. Read it and you'll know what i mean.



2. 
   KUDOS TO MARK AND SARAH. As relates to the Nelson/Bayliss EXQUISITE CORPSE: SURREALISM AND THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, I would like to add my heartfelt appreciation and high praise for their outstanding research, dedication and documentation. I believe their independent and academic investigation, adds mountains of evidence to my original lay/foundational thesis that suggested surrealism and its art were the key to the DAHLIA crime signatures. Mark Nelson and Sarah Hudson Bayliss have connected the dots and the people and presented them for all of us to see. They have taken the long silent voices of those who knew (or suspected) and by holding up their works (riddles wrapped in mysteries)--HAVE MADE THEM SPEAK!
   
   Steve Hodel
   Los Angeles



3. This unusual book argues that the killer of Elizabeth Short aka the Black Dahlia was a Surrealist who worked on the Hollywood scene. It does provide a surprisingly convincing case that the killer was a member of a particular artistic school that had a particularly strong influence on the movies of the time.
   
   The book is very well illustrated with ghastly photos from the crime scene and is recommended to all true crime buffs.



4. There's some fairly interesting visual analysis here, but it's all but buried in overstatement and unsupported innuendo. Similarly, one can also see fragments of a fascinating story, though it, like the stronger visual arguments, tends to get lost.
   
   This is not a true-crime book, and anyone who purchases it expecting one will be disappointed. It's a book about the similarities between the Black Dahlia crime scene and works of avant garde and surrealist art that were made both before and after the murder. Some of these suggested commonalities feel like quite a stretch. (Man Ray's reclining nudes are nearly all corpses to the authors; a 1961 William Copely picture of a long-haired female nude, a doctor, and a set of surgical tools is cited as proof that the murder continued to haunt the artist for a decade and a half.) Others, especially those having to do with Marcel Duchamp's late work, are better supported, and genuinely interesting.
   
   With regard to the personal relationships between the book's principals, the arguments are often much weaker. (The authors spend the book's entire first half establishing surrealism as a bloodthirsty aesthetic whose proponents were entralled with violent criminality and the sliced-up forms of women. Then, after claiming Duchamp for the surrealist movement, the authors suggest that his apparent continuing fascination with the Black Dahlia murder would likely have been the result of a "personal connection" with the killing.) They do, however, do a fine and interesting job of documenting involvement between their suspect and Man Ray.
   
   The most compelling parts of the book are the ones that deal directly with their suspect, George Hodel. His life and predilictions recall Anton LaVey in some ways. Hodel's son, Steve, has also written a book about the Black Dahlia killing. That, I'd like to read.



5. One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel
   
   The authors...did an incredible job...Surrealism and The Black Dahlia Murder...it supports Steve Hodel's work...proving his father killed Elizabeth Short...

5 comments about The Yosemite Murders (True Crime (New York, N.Y.).).

1. McDougal digs deep into the heart with his descriptions of the gruesome murders. The beginning of the book fools you into thinking that McDougal will keep descriptions light, while covering all the necessities. However, as you read farther you find insignificant details. While some may find it helpful to know the full background of Cary Stayner's childhood, I failed to make a connection between what the kidnapping of his younger brother had to do with the murders the elder Stayner child committed. It seems as though each time McDougal introduced a new character, an in depth background was required. I feel as though the writer was merely trying to make his book appear longer by adding pointless details. The details did come in handy, however, when he described the murders. Over all I enjoyed the book, but found it tedious. I found myself skipping parts of each characters background in an effort to find the "good" part of the book. I doubt I will choose to read another True Crime book by Mr. McDougal.



2. I used to live 2 doors down from the Stayner family when they lived in Atwater, California. WOW. Del and Kay were very nice people, pretty much kept to themselves. I lived there when Steven was killed, it was SO SAD.
   I found the book to be quite interesting since I lived in that area. It is just too crazy to me that someone could commit such horrific crimes. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and Cary's family. Senseless murder is just something I will never understand. I don't normally read crime stories, but read this one because of who it was about...... I will be following the trial in the newspaper.



3. While This Book Is well wrote,I feel that it consentrated more on the the FBI,and inside the lives of each victim rather then the actual murders themselves.probably 4 chapters out of the entire book focused on cary stayner and the yosemite murders.The rest of it is full of eulogies and talks about the victims families. It just did'nt focus on the crime enough for me.Not exactly a good read if your looking on the subject at hand.



4. Dennis McDougal has not done his homework on this one. This book came out too soon, and all the facts were not known at that time.



5. I find this book an incredible model of premier investigative reporting. How Dennis can write so well without personally knowing his subject I'll never know. I enjoy a well-written novel also, but combining these existing facts with well-crafted writing is genius. This book informs whatever the reader may have heard or read before, bringing to life an individual's aberrent world. The author's comprehension of the antisocial mind is brilliant.

5 comments about Bitter Almonds : The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders.

1. This wasn't the first book by Mr. Olsen that I've read, and it certainly won't be the last. He skillfully weaves together the many intricate details of Stella Nickell's murders and her victims' lives into a fascinating, cohesive tale. The book is extremely well-researched and detailed. It's worth the effort to read through this complicated case. Another fine work, Mr. Olsen!



2. I'm glad that I chose "Bitter Almonds" as my first Gregg Olsen book. I'm amazed at the research & detail that went into this tale of greed, deception, promiscuity & a whole bunch of various adjectives to describe Hot-to-Trot Stella Maudine Nickell.
   
   Without giving too much away, should you read this book, pay particular attention to the difference in relationships Stella had with each of her daughters.
   
   I was amazed at the similarities between Stella & Sue Snow's eldest children and seemingly lost younger girls.
   
   Who is Sue Snow? Read up and find out! You will not be disappointed with this book. The trial was probably the most detailed I have ever read and a bit difficult for me to follow and stay interested, but I made it through and look forward to reading the rest of Gregg Olsen's titles!
   
   I also appreciate the updates Gregg has provided at the end of the story. Any T.C. reader is always wondering what key characters are up to in recent days.



3. Okay, I remember the aspirin scare where people were getting poisoned. When I got this book because it was one of the few crime books sold that [...]I was intrigued. It was set in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, which is really Ann Rule country regarding true crime but Gregg Olsen, the author of Bitter Almonds, does a fabulous job in bringing to life about two victims, an expendable husband by the murderous wife who got her daughter involved in a deadly scheme, and then an innocent woman, Sue Snow, who didn't do anything to Stella, the murderous wife, except prove that there was a problem with aspirin in the Pacific Northwest. What happens is a terrible scare and it led to bottleproofing to pills for our safety. Sadly, Sue Snow's unlikable husband was blamed for killing her at first but slowly the truth unfold that Stella was behind the crimes. She only killed another person to cover her other crime. Regardless, Stella's daughter helps bring her to justice if my memory serves me correctly. The story is quite revealing about two different victims who would have never been connected if it had not been for Stella who brought them together. I think it's unconsciousable to take out your spouse for financial gain and then a completely innocent person just to prove your case. Snow's family also had to deal with blaming her spouse who is usually the first suspect in such a case regardless of whether they liked him or not. To know that somebody, a complete stranger with ulterior motives, was responsible for killing a beloved mother, twin sister, relative, and friend. Both victims are as different as night and day and bought have one thing in common: Stella Nickel. She is in prison now probably for the rest of her life.



4. This is one of the best true crime books I've ever read. It kept my interest because you kept wondering what made Stella tick, was her daughter involved in any way, and how she managed to cover up for so long. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy true crime.



5. Bitter Almonds : The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders
   I have read all of the Ann Rule and Jack Olsen (Give a Boy a Gun; Son, etc.)true crime books and enjoy them very much. Bitter Almonds is as good as any of their books (or anyone elses for that matter). I just finished reading it for the second time, and enjoyed it even more than the first reading. This book is a classic among true crime books.