Books

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction
Provocative, appealing and controversial
pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Provocative, appealing and controversial.......2006-08-02

Fomenko has succeeded to convincingly demonstrate the misconception about what "history" factually is... It is fiction and -like we can read and judge for ourselves- no science. It indeed is "make belief" only. I "discovered" Fomenko while studying the "old" history of Al Andaluz, Spain. Having found too many contradictions in available data, having seen too many forgeries as to pretend the importance of christianity for its decline, I ventured out to find Fomenko, who convinced me that we know little if anything for sure of the epoch before the XI-century. However, the integration of the Arabic-Islamic cultural history into the heavily distorted Western fails... There are some attempts to fit "the budding new religion" (Islam) into Fomenko's scheme, but they are too weak to be taken seriously and too often focussing on Turkey as the region where things started to influence the West, which is untrue at all.
Islam certainly was no "new religion" in the X-century. That the highly cultivated Al Andaluz ruler Mohammed-I could have been "mirrored" down in time into some myth about the "illiterate" founder of Islam itself is highly speculative. Nevertheless, Fomenko convinces me about the processes that were involved in forging a christian history. Intriguing and controversial as his books are, I recommend them as to rethink our current position in time and space and simply verify what was claimed. It is a "good" book, but not for bedtime reading... Mundus vult decipi, the world wants to be cheated. Fomenko's readers will understand why.

pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.......2006-02-16

Traces of white wine were found in Tutankhamen's tomb however there were no record of white wine in Egypt until the 3rd century AD, 1600 years after the young pharaoh died according to the traditional chronology. http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18925395.400
It can be interpreted as a contribution towards New Chronology theory that pharaohs lived in the 3rd century AD.

The Perfect Paragon: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

"There's so much infidelity in the Cotswolds."
Have you heard from Agatha lately?
Going downhill...such a shame
My 2 Cents Worth
The Perfect Paragon

The Perfect Paragon: An Agatha Raisin Mystery (Agatha Raisin Mysteries)
M. C. Beaton
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 031230448X
Release Date: 2005-07-14

Book Description

'Outwardly bossy and vain, inwardly insecure and vulnerable, Agatha grows more endearing with each installment.'-Cleveland Plain Dealer After being nearly killed by both a hired hit man and her former secretary, Agatha Raisin could use some low-key cases. So when Robert Smedley walks through the door, determined to prove that his wife is cheating, Raisin In-vestigations immediately offers to help. Trouble is, Agatha hates divorce cases-especially when she's been hired by a pompous jerk like Smedley-but she has a business to run now and she's not about to turn away a paying client.

Customer Reviews:

"There's so much infidelity in the Cotswolds.".......2007-06-23

"The Perfect Paragon," the 16th novel in the Agatha Raisin mystery series from M.C. Beaton finds our heroine busy with her detective agency. Just as Agatha complains that she needs a really juicy case, one turns up when the very unpleasant businessman, Mr. Robert Smedley arrives and employs the agency to investigate his wife, Mabel. Mr. Smedley is convinced his wife is having an affair, but everyone who knows Mabel swears she's a "perfect paragon"--a devoted wife, an excellent cook and a pillar of the community. Soon after Smedley leaves a fat deposit at the agency, he's murdered in his office. Since Smedley's death moves the case over to the local police, this should end Agatha's involvement, but when the case of a missing teenager turns into a murder investigation, Agatha intuitively feels that the two murders are somehow connected.

"The Perfect Paragon" isn't the best entry in the series, but it's by no means the worst. Agatha seems to have hit her stride, marshalling her detectives, and learning to allow others to take the credit for clever detective work instead of trying to hog the limelight all to herself. Some old favourites are present--Mrs. Bloxby, Charles Fraith, Detective Bill Wong, and Roy Silver all make appearances. The plot contains some inconsistencies (for example, how on earth would Phil Witherspoon know that Smedley suspects his wife is having an affair?). As usual, Beaton's character development is slight, and the action sometimes leaps ahead in incongruous ways. But that said, the author handles the multitude of characters and several subplots quite deftly--displacedhuman

Have you heard from Agatha lately?.......2007-04-03

This latest (16th) entry into the long running Agatha Raisin series opens as Agatha is seeking advice from her friend, the vicar's wife, about her new detective agency. Business is slow and Agatha is having doubts about the whole thing. She is surprised when the advice she is given is not to scale back but rather to hire a new employee. Reluctantly Agatha agrees and soon finds herself with more cases, and staff than she had ever imagined. She is even working with the local police! And being Agatha there is a new romance on the horizon.

Authors of series novels are faced with some difficult choices. Should their main character age as the series progress or stay the same? How many murders can a person just stumble on to? If the author chooses not to age the character then how to keep the series fresh? Criticisms begin about the stories becoming boring, formulistic etc. If the character does age or change in anyway the complaints are that he/she is not the same. In my opinion Beaton has reached a happy compromise with Agatha who ages slightly with each novel and her personality also matures slightly as time goes on. In the later books Agatha is beginning to realize that she must consider other people's feelings, that the traits that brought her success in the London business world are not serving her well in a small village. To solve the problem of how many bodies Agatha could just happen on to, Beaton has had Agatha open a detective agency so the mysteries will be able to present themselves in a more straightforward manner.

These books could be read and enjoyed in any order but due to the on-going story arc of Agatha's personal life it would be better to read them in order.

Going downhill...such a shame.......2007-03-23

Alas, I don't refer to our Agatha's arthritic hip or thickening waist, but to the series. I have delighted in reading Agatha's adventures. Have rolled my eyes at her vanity, shaken my head at her desperation, sympathized with her worries, admired her courage and been completely captivated. The characters, in general, became as familiar and as loved. Roy, Bill, Charles and Mrs. Bloxby, even Miss Simms, all have very human strengths and flaws.

Unfortunately, this latest entry begs comparison with Lilian Braun's "The Cat Who..." series in which the books became carbon copies of each other, progressively blurrier. I must agree wtih the reviewer who commented that the characters were too good to be true and poorly developed, that guesses turned out to be facts and obstacles were too easily overcome. The book was too brief and felt hurried and formulaic, as if Ms. Beaton was under pressure to throw something together quickly.

I'm glad to see Agatha growing, changing and, for that matter, aging. It would simply be too frustrating if she didn't. I'd be content to accompany her on her adventures whether she remains single or enters into marriage. (Although I usually wanted to box James Lacey's ears) What I can't bear is to see is Agatha and the village of Carsely degenerate into the mystery genre's version of fast food, i.e., flavorless, empty and simply there to fill space. I sincerely hope for better things in the next installments.

My 2 Cents Worth.......2007-02-03

I just finished this book, the last of the series (except for the new one in hardback) and am going through withdrawal symptoms. I have read the series straight through and have developed a soft spot for the irrascible Agatha Raisin. While Agatha's going pro is an inevitable progression of the series, I don't like the dissipation caused by too many characters. Other changes are evident in this book. Agatha now cooperates with the police (most of the time) and the police sometimes give her tips. This is the first book where Agatha herself is not in personal danger. Her character has softened somewhat and she's now just understanding the meaning of friendship, which requires giving as well as taking. She's still vain and men obsessed, but doesn't get much satisfaction in this book. Because of that, a melancholy mood has settled over her and she fears loneliness and old age. Speaking of age, the author is going to have to age Agatha a bit. How many years can she spend in her "early 50s"? I love this series and can't wait for the new book to come out in paperback. In the meantime, I'll give the Hamish McBeth series a try.

The Perfect Paragon.......2006-08-05

I have always loved Agatha Raisin. As a matter of fact I got my mother and sister hooked on her also. I was very disappointed in this book. Agatha has lost her spark and fiesty disposition. She needs to drop the detective agency as it makes the story too scattered. Even the love interest fizzled before any fire started. Hope the next one is a gem!

Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?

Average customer rating:

I had fantasies of strangling this man!!!
Brad-the ultimate con man
What a total narcistic monster!
An Intriguing Look into the mind of a Sociopath!
Another solid Rule true crime

Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?
Ann Rule
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684802058

Amazon.com

Another chilling and creepy book from the reigning queen of true-crime, Ann Rule, who also penned the riveting bestseller Small Sacrifices. Here, we encounter a charismatic con-artist accused of brutally bludgeoning his wife and follow his case through to its strangely redemptive end.

Book Description

The shocking tale from true crime queen Ann Rule.

Who is Brad Cunningham?

How could five beautiful, intelligent, and successful women believe he was their dream come true? Ask any women who ever longed for "the perfect man."

Loni Ann, Cynthia, Lauren, Cheryl, and Sara seemed to have it all -- beauty, wealth, children, and a husband who they believed to be this perfect man -- Brad Cunningham. He was handsome, charismatic, and mysterious -- they adored him and tried to give him all he wanted. But he wanted everything -- sex, money, and it seemed, their very lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?

This question haunts Dead by Sunset -- Ann Rule's riveting and impeccably researched study of the destructive relationships, multiple marriages, financial manipulations, and monstrous acts of harassment and revenge that surrounded Brad Cunningham and his wives. It is also a penetrating -- and ultimately shocking -- recreation of Cheryl's murder and the eight years it took to bring her killer to justice.

Dead by Sunset is a chilling look at the evil that lurks behind the most charming of facades, and a fascinating homage to the kind of courage and brilliance it takes to combat it.

Download Description

Dead By Sunset is the extraordinary true story of a charismatic man adored by beautiful and brilliant women who always gave him what he wanted. But he wanted everything--sex, money, and their lives. How long would it take before he finally got what he deserved?

Customer Reviews:

I had fantasies of strangling this man!!!.......2007-04-06

This book is excellent. Ann Rule really develops these characters to the extent you can feel the fear that was instilled in them by this man. Seldom have I ever felt such a rage towards anyone like I did Brad Cunningham when I read this book. Evil is too nice a word to describe Brad Cunningham. This man is nothing short of a monster and Ann Rule is at her best in telling the horrific evil he dispensed on everyone who came into contact with him.

Brad-the ultimate con man.......2007-02-14

I just finished reading 8 of ann rules books i dont know why I just found her - but i am so glad i have!!!! So many of the men/women who commit the crimes she relates are really so fascinating. I think Ann does an incredible job of weaving the history of the people involved, the psychological profiles, and the trials with updates and pictures...it's all good...

The people who perpetrate these crimes are such charming "users" - it is quite overwhelming to read 8 of her books in a row - i am watching neighbors to see if any of them seem psychotic!! Can make you a tad paranoid, but hey, these books are true and we should all be a bit more careful out there.

So I'm a new fan, cannot wait to buy more of her books!!!

What a total narcistic monster!.......2006-10-27

Brad Cunningham destroyed lives wherever he went. Every woman that ever had anything to do with the man was afraid of him. The once charming and delightful man always turned into a controlling, self-absorbed egotistical monster. Ann Rule takes you from the beginning of many lives that intersected with Cunningham, including Cunningham's past, all the way to the night he murdered his soon to be ex-wife Cheryl and then the battle to prove him guilty of same. His 3 young boys were lucky in that the 5th wife, Sara, adopted them and ended up raising them. Once again Ann Rule shows the diverse backgrounds of everyone who got involved with this jerk and how so many who loved Cheryl fought to bring this creep to justice. Excellent book, as are all Ann Rules' true crime stories.

An Intriguing Look into the mind of a Sociopath!.......2006-07-20

Dead by Sunset is my next favorite Ann Rule book after ... And Never Let her Go, the story of demented Tom Capano. The trial [which Brad Cunningham defends himself] was priceless and unbelievable. It cost the taxpayers SO much money and Brad tried endlessly to prolong it as long as he possibly could. Ann Rule is the most interesting and thorough of true-crime authors. It is definitely worth adding to your book collection.

Another solid Rule true crime.......2006-06-15

I've been working my way through Rule's work, having only first read her work in this last year. This is another good story, or should I say, a very sad and tragic story, but well told and explained and expounded upon by Rule.

It is amazing to me what some people (if we can even call them humans) can do to others. It's also amazing what some people will fall for. Sad.

Anyway, check this out, there is a minor sub-plot to this tale of murder and such, and that is this: The criminal here was a man that was able to get a young good looking nanny by advertising in the paper and then get her to move to another state (he drugged her and she woke up in Houston) where he was able to get her to eventually become a semi-famous stripper who handed over her twenty five thousand dollars a month income to her man. Now that's a story. Perhaps a tv movie special just focused on this story would be a hit. Unbelievable.

Anyway, this guy murders one woman and takes advantage of a bunch of others and is a total jerk to his kids. He almost gets away with the murder and that's where the whole story gets it's legs and how the other characters get drawn in. Interesting criminal and civil cases.

If you're new to Rule I'd read the Bundy case first, however this is a good place to start as any.

Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by the D.A. That Prosecuted Her Captor

Average customer rating:

Scary that this could happen in Napa
Could have been better
depressing, yet uplifting
Interesting case! Book? Not so much.
The 'Oh, my God!' factor

Perfect Victim: The True Story of "The Girl in the Box" by the D.A. That Prosecuted Her Captor
Christine Mcguire , and Carla Norton
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440204429
Release Date: 1989-07-01

Amazon.com

Some may find it unbelievable that a 20-year-old Oregon woman could be enslaved by a sexual sadist for seven years--that even after being able to move freely during the day, she would allow him to lock her into a wooden box every night. Perhaps it's a minor failing of this book that the authors do not elaborate on the psychology that made her such a "perfect victim." In other respects, though, the story is well told, with an impressive accumulation of details: the woman's capture, the tortures she endured, the brainwashing techniques, the fiendish contraptions her captor constructed, the slave contract he made her sign, and the increasingly strained relations within the peculiar family that included master, slave, wife, and child, all inside a single-wide trailer. As well-known attorney and author Vincent Bugliosi writes, "A gripping and disturbing story of the secret life of apparently normal people. At once, horrific and engrossing."

Customer Reviews:

Scary that this could happen in Napa.......2007-06-08

This book was great. It went through the whole story and didn't leave anything out. The ending was great although I got really mad at the girl for staying with him. I don't want to give too much away about the ending. It's amazing that this could happen in such a small town as Napa but it did! I live close by but at the time this occured I was living in Florida and didn't hear anything about it. It was recommended by a co-worker and I have passed this one on for many friends to read. If you like true crime then this is a great book!

Could have been better.......2007-05-11

This book was sadly disappointing. I was expecting this elaborate book. What I read was a giant mess. The author skipped back and forth from when she was kidnapped to the court case. It made for a big huge puzzle of confusion and was not as good as it could have potentially been! I actually went through and read all the parts of her being kidnapped and what she went through and then went back and read the court case at the end. Then it seemed to make more sense to me but I still feel like I want my money back so I can buy a good true crime book, by a good author like Ann Rule....then I know I won't be disappointed!

depressing, yet uplifting.......2007-05-01

Four stars for the book, five stars for the story and five stars from my dearest sympathy.

From beginning to end, I experienced only .001% of what the victim must have experienced. It was just a smidgen, but I felt sad and I wanted to reach out to her... as well as beat the snot out of the sadist.

It's heart-breaking at times, but also uplifting with splashes of teeth-bearing disgust. Very notable for a true crime book.

Interesting case! Book? Not so much........2007-03-13

The story of what happened to Colleen Stan really is horrendous, and so therefore this book is automatically pretty interesting. Trying to imagine years - YEARS - spent in darkness and sensory isolation, periodically broken by abuse and rape, is pretty terrifying. It is a wonder that Colleen Stan was able to hold it together in any way and retain some fragment of herself. That head box is pretty horrifying to think about.

The writing is where this book falls short. It was a very bad move, in my opinion, to switch back and forth from Colleen's ordeal to McGuire's life. It was silly; going from this poor girl's trauma to the young prosecutor's new job in a redneck office. I was really, really, PAINFULLY aware that the author WAS the prosecutor. Growing more and more frustrated with updates on her marriage, descriptions of her daughter, and illustrated moments (holding her baby while juxtaposed against a backdrop of hardcore porn is one of them) written in third person, I became a wee bit annoyed with this book.

But, the facts of this case, the details of the "Company", the empathy you feel for Colleen Stan and the urge to understand what happened within her mind, all outweigh the prosecutor/author's fascination with herself, and make for a very interesting book.

The 'Oh, my God!' factor.......2007-01-10

Christine Mcguire did a wonderful job of telling this horrible true story. The crimes committed against these two women are almost unbelievable. I had a hard time putting the book down, because I became so ingrossed into finding out what happened. I needed to know if Colleen was able to move on with her life. Colleen is a remarkable woman. The only thing that I did not feel was necessary was all the information of the writer's life, while prosecuting this case. I felt that it took away some of the attention from the main story, and really wasn't something that the reader would really care about.

Average customer rating:

Slow Start, But Worth It!
The Perfect Shot-Great book
This Author Deserves More Recognition
THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Perfect Shot (Young Adult Fiction)
Elaine Marie Alphin
Manufacturer: Carolrhoda Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1575058626

Customer Reviews:

Slow Start, But Worth It!.......2007-05-18

Like other reviewers, I think this is a great story. There are multiple levels to the plot--a murder mystery, a run at a basketball championship, a school project mirroring real life, a friendship tested. Even with all these elements working together, the story isn't convoluted. The start of the story, though, does drag a bit, especially compared to the fast pace of the rest of the novel. Overall a great read, though--another great one by this author!--and one that boys and girls alike would enjoy.

The Perfect Shot-Great book.......2007-04-17

This is one of the best books I have ever read.I would recommend it to everone.I couldn't put it down.It has a great lesson to it well more then one lesson.You really connect with the charactors and there problems.The guilt,injustice,and unfairness of life.The perfect shot really is a wonderful eye opening book.

This Author Deserves More Recognition.......2006-04-20

I read this book based on a student recommendation. What a welcome surprise. This author deserves much more recognition for her talent. I look at and read Young Adult books all the time, but I knew nothing of this book.

The Perfect Shot is a wonderful look at teen life and the struggles human beings go through when dealing with a loss. This book is also an experienced look at the struggles young adults go through when trying to figure out what their place is in this world.

The book does all of the above and accelerates the plot with a suspenseful ending that will leave the reader wanting to read whatever this author produces.

This book is a gem of a Young Adult book. This is a definite must-read.

I am now going to backtrack and read this author's other books, one of which is an Edgar Award winner.

THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-03-14

I loved this book so much! I dont see how anyone couldn't. i read it for fun and it turned out to teach me a lot about love and about law. I can understand things more clearly by relating experiences to experiences of the characters. their lives are magnificently changing and understandable. i would reccomend this book to people who love teen murder mysteries and amazing pieces of writing that touch your heart. this book made me feel, it made me cry, it made me laugh. this book is about life and understanding the situation. the characters' struggles are real and exciting. this book is amazing.
I couldnt put this book down, but at some parts i had to, this story is very intense and that made it all the more lovely.
the murder of one boy's girlfriend turns into a path to life discovery, a path that leads to the meaning of everything. read this book and follow young Brian, go down the path with him. you will discover too.

The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder

Average customer rating:

Save Your Money
Spice up your writing
Individual chapters cover what a writer most needs to know
What you need to know to write a crime drama
A must have for writers -- essential guide

The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder
Martin Roth
Manufacturer: Michael Wiese Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0941188493

Book Description

Here's the book no writer of murder mysteries, thrillers, action/adventure, true-crime, police procedurals, romantic suspense, and psychological mysteries, whether scripts or novels, should be without.

Customer Reviews:

Save Your Money.......2004-04-24

I'm not sure what the other reviewers found so compelling. I found little here other than pages and pages of lists. Some examples: 6pp. of LAPD police radio codes, 3pp. of FBI case classifications, 16pp. of org charts for the LA County Sherrif's Dept. My favorite, however, is the full page devoted to a listing of "Weapons Used by Criminals" which begins "Acid, Air gun, Ax, Bayonet, Bazooka, Billy Club..." Well, you get the idea. The portions of the book not devoted to lists tend to be laughably superficial (e.g., "Street gangs now battle over who sells the drugs and where." Really, thanks.) Granted, there are suggestions for further reading, but my advice would be to save yourself some money and do your readers a favor -- do your own research.

Spice up your writing.......2004-01-05

I don't usually write crime novels, but when I decided to try my hand at suspence I realized just how much help I needed. I searched through many reference books and found The Crime Writers Reference Guide by Martin Roth to be a savior for me. It gives great tips on investigating, cops, the courts, illegal drugs, the prison system and crime. A handy book to have by your computer when you need to amp up a scene or two or just need to be factual. I found the investigation, crime and prison chapters to be especially helpful. Plus, at the end of each chapter is a "Where to go from here" that gives you extra resources to look up, so you don't have to stop with this book and you have the titles and authors of others to investigate. A great companion to this book is one I found by accident titled "Crime Scene" by Larry Ragle. I wrote a review on that one too, so go there and check that out.

Individual chapters cover what a writer most needs to know.......2003-03-10

The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips For Writing The Perfect Murder by Martin Roth is a detailed resource especially intended for aspiring authors of mysteries, suspense thrillers, action/adventure crime novels, true crime stories, and police procedurals novels. Individual chapters cover what a writer most needs to know in order to avoid common errors and misconceptions when writing about crime, criminals, police, courts, and prisons. A highly recommended basic primer, this edition of The Crime Writer's Reference Guide is enhanced with a new Foreword and updated information supplied by Rey Verdugo, a former police officer, a top criminal investigator, and a technical consultant for film and television projects.

What you need to know to write a crime drama.......2003-02-04

The premise of this book appeals to every screenwriter that is ready to enter the world of crime and investigation, a book written for screenwriters regarding the world of crime. This book is the ultimate starting point for creating a believable world for thrillers, mysteries, and other related crime dramas.

Written by Martin Roth with adaptations from Sargeant Rey Verdugo, this book grabs hold of you at page 1 by offering the 10 most common mistakes writers will make regarding police work. So, Is "taking a suspect down to the precinct for questioning" an appropriate phrase to use in your screenplay?

Then, the Crime Writer Reference Book states the different types of crimes and possible motives for creating such crime. It allows you, the writer, to explore any possible scenario and making that scenario accurate.

A must have for writers -- essential guide.......2003-01-30

As a screenwriter, there's a slew of reference guides available...but I must say this one is really a must-have. Regardless if you are writing an article, novel, non-fiction, TV or film-- if it has any reference to crime in it at all - do yourself a favor and pick up this guide. Because I do not have "Criminal/police" info readily available, this guide allows me (and my characters) to sound more credible and authentic. Another item I'd like to mention is the layout -- very easy to refer to -- lists of crimes, motives, firearms, etc. Saves me time and enhances my stories! Great book -- Highly recommend.

Average customer rating:

Competent but routine crime novel
BEAU NOT UP TO FORM
JUST OK

A More Perfect Union
J.A. Jance
Manufacturer: Avon
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Payment in Kind

ASIN: 0380754134

Book Description

A shocking photo screamed from the front pages of the tabloids—the last moments of a life captured for all the world to see. The look of sheer terror eternally frozen on the face of the doomed woman indicated that her fatal fall from an upper story of an unfinished Seattle skyscraper was no desperate suicide—and that look will forever haunt Homicide Detective J.P. Beaumont. But his hunt for answers and justice is leading to more death, and to dark and terrible secrets scrupulously guarded by men of steel behind the locked doors of a powerful union that extracts its dues payments in blood.

Customer Reviews:

Competent but routine crime novel.......2002-10-24

"J P Beaumont"-known as "Beau"-is a Seattle homicide cop with a private income ,a man whose job fills a need in him more emotional and psychological than monetary.While acting as technical adviser on a movie being shot near Lake Union,he stumbles across a body floating on the lake.Tha case is officially the provenance of the ultra ambitious cop "Paul Kramer"who insisits it is an accidental death;Beau is unpersuaded and continues to delve into the case.
The body is that of an ironworker-one of the people who put up iron girders on skyscrapers-and soon another ironworker is killed,by a fall on the job.
Beau's delving into the vase earns him official displeasure but he is vindicated when the deaths turn out to be murder and related one to the other.The bulk of the book concerns his unravelling of the case and it winds its way to a smooth but predictable climax.
These words sum up my view of the book0it is neat and tidy in execution but ,for me ,it never really took flight and transcended the functional level of being an agreeable time passer.
Beau is a character I have problems with mainly because in many respects he resembles the gifted amateur sleuth beloved of the "golden age "writers,and who just happens to be a cop.I could not swallow porsch driving cop with an apartment in Seattle's more upmarket area.
Polished and professional this will most likely be enjoyed by lovers of the "medium boiled "crime story

BEAU NOT UP TO FORM.......2001-02-10

This J.P. Beaumont novel was not up to the same standards as the others I have read. There was no emotion. I also am seeing the same M.O. Beau tries to do some sleuthing on his own time, gets accused of murder and then goes to jail where the officers are hateful to him. Beau then makes a few phone calls and the officers apologize for their behavior and all is well.

In this novel Beau is investigating the Iron Workers Local after several workers die under mysterious circumstances. In order to work on the case he has to beg Kramer to let him on. How thoroughly sad.

The highlight of this book is that even when J.A. Jance isn't at her best, she is still better than most.

JUST OK.......2000-03-15

If JA Jance is Seattle's Dashiell Hammett, I am moving to San Francisco. This is pretty OK. But keep in mind I read Louis LaMour sometimes too. I am just not proud of it.

Average customer rating:

A page turning thriller!
A Perfect Crime - Excellent
A Page Turner
Heir to Ira Levin
A Novel of Coincidences and Twists

A Perfect Crime
Peter Abrahams
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345426800
Release Date: 1999-09-07

Amazon.com

Though he is a very smart man (his IQ is 181, "on a bad day"), Roger Cullingwood is remarkably unperceptive. It takes months for him to realize that his wife Francie is involved with another man. But once he recognizes the affair, he hatches a plot to kill her--the perfect crime of the title--in less time than it takes him to finish the London Times crossword puzzle. It makes perfect sense that Roger wouldn't dream of doing the dirty deed himself; there's a paroled killer conveniently on hand, an easily manipulated psychotic named Whitey Truax. It's when Anne Franklin, the wife of Francie's lover, blunders into the murder scene Roger has so carefully contrived that the novel begins to get interesting. There are a few diversions to entertain the reader en route to the bloody denouement, including a couple of lively tennis matches. In one of the book's many coincidences, Francie ends up partnered with her lover's wife in a championship tournament. The sex is better than the violence, but what Abrahams excels at is pace; you could start and finish A Perfect Crime on the New York to Los Angeles redeye and still have time for a nap before the plane lands. --Jane Adams

Book Description

Distraught by a failing marriage, Francie Cullingwood enters into a secret affair with charismatic radio psychologist Ned Demarco. But what seems like a refuge takes a decidedly dark turn. For when the liaison is discovered, a seething, enraged genius begins to construct the perfect, flawless murder, manipulating Francie, her lover, and her best friend like chess pieces in a lethal game. But even the most brilliant mind can make mistakes. And soon the intricate plan is spinning wildly out of control--in shocking, fatal directions. . . .

An unfaithful wife. A cheating lover. A loyal friend. A jealous husband. In this stunning thriller, four lives hang in precarious balance--as a cunning killer prepares their roles in A Perfect Crime.

Download Description

The unfaithful wife: Francie is a rising star in the Boston art world. But her personal life is about to take a decidedly dark turn... The cheating lover. Ned, a virile and charismatic radio psychologist, though married and successful, he has one fatal weakness... The jealous husband: Now out of work and falling fast, Roger conceives a violent plan...

Customer Reviews:

A page turning thriller!.......2006-04-16

This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last as I really enjoyed this book. It is true that there are some scenes which are a bit too coincidental, but in this case I didn't even care. Perhaps I would have in the hands of a lesser writer, but I found Abrahams' writing style to be top notch.

It is the story of the affair between Francie and Ned who are both married to other people. Everything gets more and more complicated as their lives become entwined. Deception, jealousy, madness and murder...this one has it all!!

If you are looking for a well-written entertaining thriller,and are not too picky about everything being 100% realistic (it is fiction, after all!) look no further!!

A Perfect Crime - Excellent.......2006-03-04

Very suspenseful, well written and super captivating- hard to put down....

A Page Turner.......2005-08-08

"A Perfect Crime" is not a perfect book. That said, it is still worth the read. Interesting characters, a plot that twists and turns. All in all, a thriller that will keep you turning the pages.

As Robbie Burns pointed out so long out, life has a way of throwing a monkey wrench in the best laid plans of man. The planner in this case is one Roger Cullingwood, a self-proclaimed genius seen by others as a weird loser. When Roger discovers his wife is having an affair, he decides to reward her betrayal with death.

Francie, the wife, seems a little too smart to have fallen so hard for the smooth-talking Ned Demarco, a radio psychologist, who declines leaving his wife for fear of hurting his young daughter. Altruistically, Francie agrees to once a week trysts at a friend's isolated cabin, optimistically holding on to the belief her lover will leave his wife for her once the daughter is old enough.

A minister friend insists there is no such thing as a coincidence. Perhaps he doesn't read as much fiction as me. There are a lot of coincidences in this tale, though I suspect Abrahams may be pulling our chains to a certain extent. This is, after all, fiction, and they didn't detract from the overall impact of the novel.

When Francie learns her new tennis partner is Demarco's wife she is plagued by guilt and decides to end the affair, a plan that is derailed time and again while she builds her courage.

Meanwhile, Roger has found a demented killer who he attempts to use as a pawn in his murderous plot. Whitey, the killer, isn't quite as dumb as Roger thinks he is and there are some amusing encounters between the two. For good measure, Abrahams throws in a rural police chief whose wife was Whitey's first victim.

This was only the second Abrahams I've read. I liked it more than the first and I'm going to have to check out some of his other books.

Heir to Ira Levin.......2004-10-26

Not that Ira Levin is gone or anything, but his output has slowed considerably now that he is in old age. In any case, though he isn't quite as good as Levin, Abrahams is very close to being so, and that's a tall order I wouldn't have believed any other American suspense novelist to be capable of. In Abrahams' case, his plots are a little less organic than Levin's, not quite so high concept, but he is twisty as all get out and his characters are amazingly real. You really get caught up in their dilemmas even if some of them are just plain bad apples.

Francie is having an affair with Ned because, well, just because. Roger, her husband, is so weird and cold that in a way you don't blame her, and yet on the other hand, as she comes to realize, she is hurting an innocent woman by sleeping with her husband. She gets hung up on this infidelity thing, as her natural decency kicks in once she befriends Anne at the local tennis club. I don't even like tennis but Abrahams is great at evoking the kick of it, the primal tensions it releases, how the game can hook you in and take you to a place you've never been taken before.

I didn't really buy the part about Whitey Truax and why Roger thought he could possibly control him, but to be fair Abrahams builds Roger up as kind of a Nietzchean superman who's dumb as a post, so I guess it fits. Whitey makes you squirm he's so vicious and horny, but there's also a lot of class resentment between Whitey and Roger that's perfectly done, worthy of a Henry Roth or a Zora Neale Hurston. Abrahams is a literary artist, and each of his books presents another technical problem he solves with the assurance and inventiveness of Flaubert. Here, in A PERFECT CRIME, he approaches the heights of THE TUTOR, not only his own TUTOR, but that of Henry James.

A Novel of Coincidences and Twists.......2003-09-23

A Perfect Crime is a great psychological thriller that races away at the beginning but becomes slightly derailed at the end. The basic premise is: Francie and Ned are having an affair. Francie's vile husband Roger finds out about it and plans to kill them both. However, the twists and coincidences that occur are startling and exciting and make this thriller into something very original.

I especially loved the backdrop to this thriller. The weather is always cold and icy and the house where Francie and Ned meet in centred on an island and can only be reached by rowing across in a small boat. These elements provide great atmosphere and originality. Roger is diabolical and I enjoyed the contrast between how he viewed himself (clever, self assured) and the way others saw him (strange nutcase!).

Overall A Perfect Crime is a competent thriller with short sections and snappy dialogue. The characters are well developed although certain aspects seemed unlikely such as Roger thinking he'd be able to control Whitey Truax so perfectly that he could commit the perfect murder where he couldn't be implicated. However, this book is filled with suspense and surprises, so you'd be wise to give it a go. I'm glad I did.

Book Description

If you open your house to strangers, who knows who might come in. And what they might be after. Or whom. Now, ponder the unthinkable and surrender to your darkest dread, as sinister storyteller extraordinaire John Saul weaves a heart-stopping tale of lurking terror and twisted intent.

Every parent’s nightmare becomes reality for Kara Marshall when her daughter, Lindsay, vanishes from her bedroom during the night. The police suspect that the girl is just another moody teenage runaway, angry over leaving behind her school and friends because her family is moving. But Lindsay’s recent eerie claim–that someone invaded her room when the house was opened to prospective buyers–drives Kara to fear the worst: a nameless, faceless stalker has walked the halls of her home in search of more than a place to live.

Patrick Shields recognizes Kara’s pain–and carries plenty of his own since he lost his wife and two children in a devastating house fire. But more than grief draws Patrick and Kara together. He, too, senses the hand of a malevolent stranger in this tragedy. And as more people go missing from houses up for sale, Patrick’s suspicion, like Kara’s, blooms into horrified certainty.

Someone is trolling this peaceful community–undetected and undeterred–harvesting victims for a purpose no sane mind can fathom. Someone Kara and Patrick, alone and desperate, are determined to unmask. Someone who is even now watching, plotting, keeping a demented diary of unspeakable deeds . . . and waiting until the time is ripe for another fateful visit.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Some Thrills & Chills, but Not Saul's Best.......2007-04-16

John Saul, the author of Black Creek Crossing, Manhattan Hunt Club, and The Right Hand of Evil brings to us yet another chilling story of a predator stalking the streets of suburbia, sating his twisted desires on the blood of the innocent. The tension is high and the narrative taut, and though A Perfect Nightmare doesn't quite live up to other Saul thrillers, it's suspenseful enough to keep the reader up late at night, wondering what's hiding under the bed or in their closet.

Constructed in a unique manner, the narrative splits, giving a first person look into the mind of a killer as he meticulously hunts his prey. The chills are authentic, the fear palpable as the madman circles closer to his choice prey; young Lindsey Marshall, sixteen year old daughter to Kara and Stephen. Distracted by their stressed marriage and the pressure of finding a new home, they are unaware of the danger circling their family, like a silent, deadly shark...until it's too late.

The wealthy Patrick Shields knows all too much about loss; his wife and daughter's perishing in a fire just a year prior. When Lindsey Marshall is abducted, he is compelled to help Kara in any way he possibly can, even if only to help himself get over the loss of his own family. As he and Kara begin to investigate the darkness swirling around them, however, they are both confronted with an evil hiding much closer to home than originally thought, and whether or not they'll survive will depend greatly upon whether or not they will be able to stand against the darkness in the end.

A Perfect Nightmare is constructed in unique fashion, switching from the third person narrative of the main plot to the frenzied first person rambling of the kidnapper that stalks this Long Island suburb. This part of the novel is handled well; the shifts are smooth, and the first person musings of a madman add suspense to the storyline. This, however, is not one of Straub's better works; overshadowed by much better page turners such as The Right Hand of Evil and The Manhattan Hunt Club, especially.

A plot twist very late in the novel comes abruptly, and I suppose it could be read two different ways - shocking, unexpected, wrenching...everything John Saul stories have become known for. However, for some reason it didn't sit well with me; there are very little clues leading up the twist, which makes it feel a little out in left field, plus the resolution of the narrative was just not fulfilling. In suspense novels like this, emotional highs and lows...especially the lows, because they make us feel and associated with the main characters, producing empathy....are necessary, but in A Perfect Nightmare, the late plot twists leaves a bad taste in the mouth that almost overwhelms the whole story itself.

However, though it doesn't end greatly, A Perfect Nightmare is an engaging enough mystery to keep you figuring it out until that last, fateful plot twist. Just make sure you leave the light on....and make sure those doors are locked at night.

Not bad, but not Saul's usual standard.......2007-02-15

This book seemed to be geared toward a younger reader audience. There's nothing wrong with that, but I think it should be touted as a young-adult genre so that adult expectations aren't so high. I would have loved it a pre-teen. As an adult, it seemed rather mild and even a little hokey, especially for John Saul. What happened to his "Nathaniel" or "Suffer the Children" storylines? Maybe he's getting bored? Teenagers between 12 and 17 years-old would really enjoy this book.

Not worth it........2007-02-02

Saul has always been a dark writer, and I've enjoyed many of his books (Shadows, God Project, Creature)
This one turned my stomach when I read several portions. And when it didn't, it was just plain boring. Don't waste your time or money on this one.

Not JS's best .......2007-01-22

Sometimes the plot is good, sometimes is boring and sometimes is almost unreadable. The main story is very good but the abductor's plans are just a waste of time. Whatever he say could be said in one or two paragraphs not three or four pages. The worst of it is the end. It was just a fairy tale and not the way JS ends his books. I can recommend this this book if you don't have anything else to read.

No chills, only ills.......2007-01-06

When I read the back of the book I really thought this would be an interesting read...but I was wrong. Although I finished it from front to back I still found it repulsive. There are issues in peoples lives that are not worth addressing in fiction and this was one of them. Unfortunately, to a lot of young girls monsters lurk in corners to invade their innocence and rip away the very essence of their self. They do not need to be reminded of the torment in any form. I do not condone reading anything that crosses the line such as this book. The most appauling part was when the author tried to make you feel sympathetic to the monster. I found it sickening to say the least. I still like John Saul, but if any other book is written like this one, I will wave goodbye to my favorite author forever.

Our Guys: The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb (Research on Men and Masculinities Series)

Average customer rating:

Brutal encounter in Glen Ridge.
A condemnation of bullying and playing favoritism
Gripping
Suburban horror
A shocking look at what norming sexism does

Our Guys: The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb (Research on Men and Masculinities Series)
Bernard Lefkowitz
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0520205960

Amazon.com

Leslie, a sweet-natured young woman with the mental age of an 8-year-old, just wanted to be friends with the high school football stars. When they invited her down into the basement rec room of a suburban home, she jumped with joy at being included. The young men raped her--with a baseball bat and a broomstick. In this vividly detailed book, Bernard Lefkowitz brings us into the daily life of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, the hometown of Tom Cruise. It's an affluent white community that values propriety, order, discretion, continuity, and a fantasy of the gentleman-athlete. Lefkowitz writes of the boys who raped Leslie: "'These Glen Ridge kids, they were pure gold, every mother's dream, every father's pride. They were not only Glen Ridge's finest, but in their perfection they belonged to all of us. They were Our Guys." What's ultimately most shocking about this crime is how ordinary it was, how predictable--how in one way or another it's happening now, all across America.

Book Description

It was a crime that captured national attention. In the idyllic suburb of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, four of the town's most popular high school athletes were accused of raping a retarded young woman while nine of their teammates watched. Everyone was riveted by the question: What went wrong in this seemingly flawless American town? In search of the answer, Bernard Lefkowitz takes the reader behind Glen Ridge's manicured facade into the shadowy basement that was the scene of the rape, into the mansions on "Millionaire's Row," into the All-American high school, and finally into the courtroom where justice itself was on trial.
Lefkowitz's sweeping narrative, informed by more than 200 interviews and six years of research, recreates a murky adolescent world that parents didn't--or wouldn't--see: a high school dominated by a band of predatory athletes; a teenage culture where girls were frequently abused and humiliated at sybaritic and destructive parties, and a town that continued to embrace its celebrity athletes--despite the havoc they created--as "our guys." But that was not only true of Glen Ridge; Lefkowitz found that the unqualified adulation the athletes received in their town was echoed in communities throughout the nation. Glen Ridge was not an aberration. The clash of cultures and values that divided Glen Ridge, Lefkowitz writes, still divides the country.
Parents, teachers, and anyone concerned with how children are raised, how their characters are formed, how boys and girls learn to treat each other, will want to read this important book.

Customer Reviews:

Brutal encounter in Glen Ridge........2007-01-27

I live less than a block away from Glen Ridge, NJ, so naturally, I was very interested to read this disturbing account describing high school jocks sexually assaulting, in a brutal manner, a retarded girl in the basement of the house where two of the perpetrators lived. I still recall reading about the incident in the news (at the time I lived in NYC), and wondering how kids could be so cruel.

In "Our Guys," Bernard Lefkowitz does an admirable job at covering some central themes surrounding the harrowing incident: i.e. the so-called alleged "consent" issue of the victim; the culpability of those who witnessed the event but did nothing to try to stop it; the ostracism of the one student who revealed what happened; the "jock culture" encouraged by Glen Ridge; the town's propensity to look the other way, and give every benefit of the doubt (and even support) "our guys," even when it was clear that something very ugly happened in that basement; the breaks that the perpetrators received from police and the Courts; the defense lawyers who attempted to portray the victim as a Lolita who was in control of the circumstances (one lawyer bizarrely repeatedly referred to boys being "magnetized" to her, and visa versa, when she developed breasts) and portray their clients as basically good kids, but "boys will be boys."

The book reads like a train wreck -- ugly and disturbing, but you can't look away. Lefkowitz, who completely convinces the reader that a crime certainly took place, isn't shy about making very definitive conclusions, which, at times, I took issue with. First, I can certainly understand the school's position in waiting until all the facts were known before taking any steps against the students in question. Let's not forget that Duke University recently came under fire for jumping to conclusions in the ongoing case involving the Lacrosse players and a stripper who initially accused three of them of rape. In the Duke case, of course, the "victims" appear to be the accused, and the perpetrator both the stripper and an overzealous, unethical prosecutor (it often just depends on what the facts eventually reveal).

Second, I don't think that Lefkowitz's attack on the "values" of the town of Glen Ridge, or the so-called "jock culture" in general, are entirely fair. The Scherzer twins and Archer Brothers, were, pure and simple, bad kids. You take away this one incident, and you would still say that. The fact that they were decent athletes and good looking may have contributed to their ability to get away what they did, but those qualities certainly don't cause one to be bad.

Third, some of things Lefkowitz describes are questionable in my mind. For instance there's a three day party at a classmate's house, where the drinking is rampant, and the students basically destroy the house. No neighbor calls the police for an entire weekend in a quiet suburb? How is that possible? A boy who repeatedly exposes himself during class and no disciplinary actions are taken? Most of the girls mentioned in the book seem to have weak characters and are completely under the spell of these boys. Where are those girls who despise these guys, as I'm sure their must have been?

Any parent of children of high school or pre-high school children will be frightened and horrified by "Our Guys." However, knowing a number of people in Glen Ridge, I can tell you that when they discuss the high school, they're proud of the academics, and athletics rarely comes up. Maybe things have changed. Or maybe Lefkowitz tended to over-exaggerate one of his central themes: that the Glen Ridge "culture" somehow created these bad kids who committed this, and other terrible acts.

A condemnation of bullying and playing favoritism.......2007-01-03

Horrific tale of the brutal 1989 gang rape of a mentally disabled teen committed by a group of New Jersey high school star athletes and a condemnation of the bullying and jock culture that spawned it.

This true story tells how the local community, the school board and the police sought to cover up and minimize their actions by demonizing the victim.

Read this one and wonder how certain people can ever sleep at night.

Gripping .......2006-11-02

A disturbing journalistic account of a gang rape of a mentally retarded girl by athletes in an upper-class New Jersey town. Bernard Lefkowitz doesn't just report the "facts" of the crime, as in many books in the "true crime" genre. He also analyzes the culture of an upper-class community to illustrate the masculine norms that fuel such crimes and hamper reporting and prosecution. Indeed, one of the most astonishing aspects of this case was that the elite circle of teenagers at the local high school all knew about the crime for many months before it was finally reported - by an African American boy who became a paraiah as a result. The book is incredibly well researched; Lefkowitz (a journalism professor at Columbia University) obviously immersed himself in the case and the community. [...]

Suburban horror.......2006-08-17

Beyond being an utterly gripping read, Bernard Lefkowitz's 'Our Guys' is an incredibly powerful indictment of the perverse cultural values that permeated Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in the late 1980s--and that continue to be America's dominant values. The bored, pampered, arrogant, sociopathic jocks (from affluent families) who gang-raped a mentally retarded schoolgirl for their amusement didn't just fall out of the sky. These evil young men were the pure products of a deranged culture that sanctifies (white) male violence, domination, winning, and hedonistic pleasures as some sort of birthright.

A shocking look at what norming sexism does.......2006-07-13

One of the boys in this case never went to trial because the victim's family and the victim herself were worn out by the process of trial and the community harassment that went with it. You see, the community sided with the good boys in the case, not with the victim---she was 'different' after all. Richie Corcoran went on to join the Army, despite his record, with the full understanding of the military. When he came home from a tour in Afghanistan to his estranged wife, he tried to kill her and her new boyfriend, and then himself. In the latter he succeeded. He was a wife beater and a rapist, and he was the product of his town and his father, who was a cop. Wonder what that guy's view of rape victims was?

"Our Guys" peels back the layers and layers of privilege that enabled these boys to abuse girls with impunity while the town said 'boys will be boys' and girls were given a choice of either submitting or desperately pretending it wasn't happened. The boys got bolder and bolder, and finally they were charged with rape. One has to wonder if there were other victims at other times. Much like the case of Greg Haidl, the sheriff's son who gang-raped an unconscious girl, this case revealed how dangerous privilege really is to women and girls.

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