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Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 3221
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, April 17, 2005 - 5:30 pm: | 
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Jack the Ripper: Murder Mystery And Intrigue in London's East End
Susan McNicoll
Altitude Publishing, 2005
The author was kind enough to send an image of the cover. I'm told this is non-fiction.
The book itself has just been published and will be available in Canadian bookstores within 2-3 weeks. Amazon.com and Chapters online retailers are both stocking this book.
More to come soon...
Stephen P. Ryder, Exec. Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper
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George Hutchinson
Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 469
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, April 17, 2005 - 8:36 pm: |
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Ooh I hope it's a good one!
Looking at the cover, who would have thought JTR was Harry Secombe in similar guise to the Beadle in 'Oliver!'?
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Richard Brian Nunweek
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Richardn
Post Number: 1386
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 18, 2005 - 4:31 am: |
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Hi,
One obviously can not judge a publication without reading it, but I can not get to enthused by the cover, as it looks irrelevant to any factual murder location also the man portrayed looks like a certain liverpool cotton merchant.
There is one more personal point.
The majority of books that come on the market in recent times all seem to be repetitive, we have a third of the book discussing Victorian social conditions, political points etc, followed by the murders themselves which everbody who followes True crime is fully aware of, and in the vast amount of cases a list of known suspects which the author discusses and gives a opinion.
Very few actually get down to actually naming a suspect and researching accordingly.
I feel the main exception was Bob Hintons 'From Hell'who produced a original in Hutchinson and the build up was Hitchcock style.
All my own opinion and no wish to degrade any authors obvious talents and hard work.
Regards Richard. |
Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 630
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 18, 2005 - 4:39 pm: |
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This book is smallish in size and page count (roughly the same or smaller then the January issue of Ripper Notes, for those who have that for comparison) and is apparently meant for those people who are interested enough in the case to pick up a small book with a general overview but not enough to wade through a larger, denser book.
Looking at what's out there now, that's probably a good thing. I don't think there's anything else that size that isn't aimed at children or doesn't have some ridiculous suspect to push.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
 Profile  Email  Dissertations  Website
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George Hutchinson
Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 474
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - 1:15 pm: |
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Hi Dan.
Not true. It is not so easy to come by any more, but Philip Sugden wrote THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF JACK THE RIPPER which is a hardback only a few inches in size and is a brief digest of his opus magna. There's at least one copy for sale on eBay right now and it's a little gem.
There is also a Pitkin guide which is newish on the market which I think is just called JACK THE RIPPER. Can't find my copy right now. It is glossy and very photographic but, although it is not error free, it is also a good one for the casual browser.
Bestest
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Dan Norder
Chief Inspector
Username: Dannorder
Post Number: 636
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - 6:40 pm: |
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Hi Philip,
I doubt someone with only casual interest in the case (which is basically the target market for this book) is willing to track down an out of print book or pay to have one imported into the US or Canada.
If the Pitkin guide were readily available for a reasonable price on this side of the pond I would agree that would be a good option. Unfortunately many of the titles released in the UK are not distributed in North America.
Dan Norder, Editor
Ripper Notes: The International Journal for Ripper Studies
Profile Email Dissertations Website
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Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 3229
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 1:12 pm: |
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Don't judge this book by its cover.
From the outside, Jack the Ripper: Murder, Mystery and Intrigue in London's East End looks like the kind of book you'd pick up in the "young adult" section of a bookstore, but don't let that turn you off. Although short (about 120 pages) and printed in a large typeface, this may well be the best short overview of the Ripper crimes yet published. McNicoll covers the basic details of all five canonical murders, as well as those of Tabram, McKenzie and Coles. Illustrative snippets are included from authors such as Jack London, George Bernard Shaw and others who surveyed the social conditions of the Victorian East End. McNicoll also makes extensive use of contemporary press reports to further illustrate the text.
The final chapter (actually the "Epilogue") covers a wide array of suspects including Lewis Carroll, Walter Sickert, the Royal Conspiracy, Montague John Druitt, James Maybrick and Joseph Barnett. The author believes it is "highly unlikely that we will ever know for sure the identity of Jack the Ripper," but suggests that of all the suspects named to date, George Chapman and Francis Tumblety seem to be best of a poor bunch.
Well-written and meticulously researched, Susan McNicoll's Jack the Ripper is an excellent alternative for readers who want to learn more about Jack the Ripper but don't necessarily want to pick up a full-fledged, 300+ page book on the murders. Although experienced Ripperologists would probably not find much new information here, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a basic introduction to the case.
(Message edited by admin on April 25, 2005)
Stephen P. Ryder, Exec. Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper
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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 829
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, April 25, 2005 - 1:57 pm: |
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Sounds like a good book I can recommend to my Sharkey-reading friends!
Ms. McNicoll is a Canadian writer. Federation of BC Writers has a brief biography. Looks like she also has a background in technical writing. The Theatre book sounds cool.
Cheers,
Dave |
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