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Thomas C. Wescott
Inspector
Username: Tom_wescott
Post Number: 316
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 10:15 pm: | 
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REVIEW
I looked all over the books/media threads for one on this book, and am shocked to have not found any. I mean, after all, it's written by Stewart freaking Evans! That's like Michael Jordan writing a book and not getting any discussion on a basketball message board. Oh well, I say it's time to change that.
This book has been out a while, but I've been reading up a storm and am now - finally! - getting around to sharing my thoughts on some of the latest - and greatest - books of interest to Ripperphiles. This one's at the top of the stack.
In 'Executioner' (notice the word 'Skinner' doesn't follow 'Evans' here - this is Stewart's FIRST solo effort!) Stewart examines the life and work of James Berry the famous hangman. As would be expected from Evans, it's the most comprehensive and dependable study of Berry to date. I PROMISE that anyone with an interest in Victoriana, or just a morbid curiosity of the golden age of neck-snapping, will love this book. To be honest, I found it more disturbing than any Ripper book I've read, because it's packed with anecdotes from Berry himself about how he'd travel around to hang people and have to shake their hands first! Also given are brief histories of the hangmen that preceeded Berry, and how their methods differed and improved over time. As with his past works, Stewart's writing and research are top notch, and I'll say again that I can't recommend this book enough to anyone who's enjoyed other books bearing the Evans name. A total page turner. And the good news is that, despite the apparent lack of support the book has received here, it has become a best seller and is slated for a paperback release. I say don't wait! Go add it to your collection now while you can still get the fancy-shmancy hardcover at a good price!
Yours truly,
Tom Wescott |
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