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Book Club - by Suhaili

This is a book that I got sent to me by a publisher/distributor after they came across this blog quite some time ago. I felt bad because they sent me a free copy to review and then I stopped blogging, so I figured one of the first things I should do now that I'm occasionally posting reviews again is to read this book and review it. So if Ehren is reading this, sorry for the amount of time it took me to get around to doing this!

Anyway, 'The Last To Die' is a recent release by Canadian journalist Robert J. Hoshowsky and it details the executions of Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas, the last two men to be successfully sentenced to death in Canada. It's a largely untold story and Hoshowsky pretty much raced against time to piece it together using first hand accounts and all the relevant minutiae and legal documents in the hope of preserving this episode in Canada's history before all the players involved died and their stories disappeared with them.

Ironically, Canada did away with the death penalty concurrently with the United States' decision to bring it back, which I think speaks volumes about the differences in these superficially similar nations. Howshowsky reconstructs the formative years in the lives of the two last men to be hung - Ronald Turpin, a cocky and weasel-like unfortunate who killed a cop after a burglary, and Arthur Lucas, a pimp and borderline-retard implicated in the brutal gang-related murders of a drug addict and his prostitute girlfriend. Howshowsky has a pleasant and unobstrusive writing style that brings an easy eloquence to what could have been either an incredibly dry text or an over-flowery tale of sensationalism. The events that sealed the fates of these two men are expertly reconstructed from various sources, as are their final days in gaol and the machinations of the courts that sentenced them. It's said that the devil is in the details, and never has it felt more true to me than here, and the author does a very good job at presenting a balanced account.

Having said all that though, I have to admit to being a little puzzled as to why I was sent the book in the first place. As an account of Canada's death penalty it is an incredibly valuable piece of work, but to an Australian reader it borders on being completely irrelevant. I found it incredibly hard to motivate myself to read it in the first place, and I can't think of a single reason to reccomend this to another Australian who isn't already a true crime buff. This isn't to say I didn't like the book, it's a tragic story told well and I found several things of interest in it, but I don't think I would have ever read it if it wasn't sent to me for reviewing. Not really a criticism, but I felt the context of my review was worth mentioning nonetheless. I also felt that more photos could have been included, but perhaps there weren't that many available or allowed for use. Anyway, if you like true crime or are interested in the death penalty in particular, you'll find this book an informative and easy read.

For more information on this book, check out the Dundern Group.

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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The Holy Thief

January 23rd 2007 06:45

'The Holy Thief' is the true crime tale of Mark Borovitz. Borovitz started life as your average Jewish kid (who was, no doubt, destined for greatness), who went down that path of easy vice and easy money. In short, he became a con man. It was a long journey for him, but eventually he came out the other side as a Rabbi. He now helps those trying to reform. This is his story.

'Holy Thief' starts with a heartfelt depiction of Borotvitz's confirmation as a Rabbi. He is compared to a holy thief of the Old Testament - a sinner who uses his sins as a weapon against the Devil. His experience makes him a valuable commodity to American-judaism - he can help bring back young wayward Jews to their faith, he is shining a light on an aspect of Jewish society that is often shunned and ignored, and he has become a hero to his people.

Or so this book tells us.

Borovitz, in his own words, describes his evolution into a petty conman and thief. He was an alcoholic who lived in the moment, and ended up in gaol twice before having an epiphany and reforming. His reformation eventually led to his search for a new path, a path that would lead him to become a Rabbi. The Rabbi-part of the book takes up the last third or quarter. The bulk of the text deals with his misadventures as a self-alleged tough guy. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's tragic. Sometimes it's a complex web of fate and faith.

My main problems with this book was that it just seemed too good to be true. I'm hesitant to call it a work of exaggeration, as I have no proof to this effect. What I will say though, is that it seems altogether hyperbolic and very much in the vein of 'blowing one's trumpet'. Over and over Borovitz paints a picture of himself as a real tough guy not to be messed with, but not once are we told an example or anecdote that truly illustrates this. His holy calling colours the text self-importantly at times, and he writes without humility - which is hardly an endearing trait for reformed con. What makes this book particularly hard to take is Borovitz's thinly veiled implication that he is some kind of modern day prophet... and his attempts to illustrate this through the quotes of his friends and family (in the hopes that it will look unbiased) are, on the whole, fairly transparent.

It's a shame that the book is so seriously marred by Borovitz's character faults. The text itself is very easy to read and manages to be quite funny when he isn't trying too hard to amuse or impress. A wasted opportunity.

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Mr Blue

November 3rd 2006 10:28

'Mr Blue' is the memoir (or autobiography) of Edward Bunker. Bunker was a criminal for the first forty years of his life before getting his breakthrough as a writer. Now, when I say criminal, I don't mean someone who just committed the occasional crime, I mean someone who saw themselves as a professional thief. A man who would spend roughly 18 years in and out of prison. This book details these years, and those in between, giving us a fascinating an in-depth view of 'a life of crime'.

The book is titled 'Mr. Blue' after the character Bunker played in 'Resorvoir Dogs', a film that brought him to the attention of a lot of people who probably otherwise wouldn't know who he was (like me). Bunker wrote four fiction books (ten if you count his earlier unpublished efforts) and two memoirs since he turned his back on crime and became a writer, and he has also appeared in, and been involved with, several films other than 'Resorvoir Dogs' - including the film version of his book 'Animal Factory', the latest version of 'The Longest Yard', 'The Long Riders', 'Tango and Cash', 'Straight Time' (based on one of Bunker's books), 'The Running Man' and 'Heat' (as 'technical advisor'!) Sadly Bunker died just last year, but he had a good innings, he was about 82 and he never expected to live as long as he did.

'Mr Blue' follows Bunker from his early years as juvenile delinquent, living on the streets as early as the age of 9, and gives us a great amount of detail on his years as a convict and felon. Bunker charts his journey from these early days, the various run ins with the law and other nefarious adventures, up to his vindication as a published and acclaimed writer. He remains unrepentent about his life as a criminal, offering an even-handed view of the underworld... he doesn't sensationalise nor does he ignore certain aspects of his life. He is very honest, and his writing goes a long way to endearing him to the reader - at least to a point where we can empathise with him - if not sympathise - and he brings us into his confidence with all kinds of amazing stories.

Bunker was shown to have an IQ of 151 when he was a child, and his intelligence went a long way to keeping him from doing the silly things that get a lot of people in his line of work killed. He worked mostly as a thief, and in his later days he organised and orchestrated crimes from behind the scenes. He also robbed a few banks when circumstances limited his range of choices, and he was often put in solitary whilst in prison or gaol thanks to what he calls 'Sunday punches' (where you punch someone before they can punch you) and attacks on prison officers. At times, it's harrowing - you can feel the fear that permeates the prison world, and at other times, it's quite funny.

This book is chock full of little details like the mechanics of prison poker, how one survives in prison, the moral codes that a criminal like Bunker adheres to, and various other amusing anecdotes (at one point Bunker switches some name tags at a court hearing so he will be issued with a nice suit when he leaves prison, rather than the regulation threads one is usually given). Bunker also provides the reader with a personal view of the history of Californian prisons like San Quentin and Folsom from 1950 to 1970. His unique combination of incarceration and self-education allows for the kind of inside psychological observance that one rarely has of institutions like prison. Bunker has a gift for writing and observance, and the books final chapters about the 'race wars' inside San Quentin are an indelible chronicle of the changing face of American criminal life.

A good book. A mix of true crime and behind-the-scenes Hollywood (Bunker made friends with the wife of well-known director in the 50s) and a more intelligent than usual crime autobiography. Highly recommended.

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Schapelle Corby writes a book?

October 23rd 2006 09:45

It appears that a biography of some sort is due for release on November the 10th. I've seen signs in two Angus and Robertson stores now, both proclaiming that they will have this book in stock in the near future.

I know very little about it but here's what I do know...

1. It appears to be some kind of Angus and Robertson exclusive.
2. It hasn't been reported on anywhere else in the media as far as I'm aware (it's not even mentioned on her official website - Free Schapelle)
3. It may even be an autobiography (! - I suppose she has plenty of time to write such a thing)

That's all I know.

Some musings...

- On the above listed website there is information pertaining to a newly-released single by Jason Stan called 'My Name is Schapelle' - "The only song officially endorsed by Schapelle Corby & family". I don't even know where to begin in remarking on the existence of such a thing, so I'll just leave that as it is.

- As for for a biography or autobiography... what is going to be in it? Will it cover Schapelle's formative years? Her work as a shop assistant and her time as a beauty student? Will it be a travel piece about the sights to see and things to do in Indonesia as a tourist? Or will it be a 'Marching Orders'-esque tale of drug smuggling in third world countries?

Is Schapelle guilty or not? Well, the book will hardly help her case either way... if she is guilty she's hardly going to admit it whilst her family campaigns to get her out of an indonesian gaol cell. And if she's innocent, well, the book isn't really going to be all that interesting is it?

I predict this book will be a smash hit. Woman's Day may even have a sample chapter in their magazine that week.

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Marching Powder

July 31st 2006 06:40

San Pedro prison in La Paz, Bolivia, would have to go down as one of the strangest and most interesting real life places I have ever read about. There's something about true crime fiction like this that ups the ante in the intrigue-stakes - because it's real, it becomes more amazing. Never have I read a book that begs to be turned into a film as much as this one does.

Marching Powder, by Rusty Young

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Conspiracy Files

June 17th 2006 08:36

For good value, there's nothing more entertaining on this planet than conspiracy theories. So when I picked up this book for about $7 I was thrilled. Thrilled and amused. Thriled, amused and knocked out even! There's something about that mix of paranoia and the extraordinary that really hits on a certain nerve... I love it.

Conspiracy Files, by David Southwell & Sean Twist

This is a slightly tongue-in-cheek guide to the what's what of the conspiracy world. Every conspiracy is broken down into a rundown of what happened, what was strange about it, who might've perpetrated it (including a list of the normal suspects, and then some more left-of-field suspects), the most convincing evidence that supports the theory, the most mysterious fact, and then to cap it off - what sceptics say to debunk the theory. It's pretty even-handed when it comes to these elaborate and mind-boggling theories... it even pokes fun at some of the stranger theories

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Odd Man Out

May 26th 2006 12:20

Odd Man Out, the autobiography of Ronald Biggs

Ahhhh... Ronnie Biggs. Who doesn't have a little room in their heart for the ultimate 'man who got away'? You know, whenever my geography teacher was giving me the shits a little more than usual (and he often gave me the shits, he was a very irritating character) I would question his well-worn phrases. One of these phrases was 'Crime doesn't pay'. I used to always shoot back at him with 'What about Ronnie Biggs?' Of course, being in Year 8, I knew very little about Ronnie Biggs back then. All I knew was that he was a part of the 'Great Train Robbery' and got away with it, and it was enough to drive my geography teacher mad whenever I said it.

So I grabbed this book from one of those bargain book piles I often like to talk about. This one was about $5. It was written by the man himself and it looked like an interesting-enough read to pass my time on the train

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Posted By: Luke - Category: True Crime

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Casino craziness

May 15th 2006 04:10

I'm not much of a true-crime fan but I picked up this book because I had nothing else to read at the time and I was a big fan of the movie (who isn't?) 'Casino' is Nicholes Pileggi's follow-up to his much-acclaimed 'Wiseguys' (the story of Mafia-informer Henry Hill, which was made into the film 'Goodfellas' by Martin Scorcese). 'Casino' follows the story of three gangster-types who came to Las Vegas in search of a fortune and brought it all crashing down around them via their own weaknesses.