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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Many Faces of Jack the Ripper, The (Trow)
Casebook Message Boards: Ripper Media: Specific Titles:
Non-Fiction:
Many Faces of Jack the Ripper, The (Trow)
Author: Michael Rogers
Thursday, 19 November 1998 - 01:02 am |        | | Originally published in England in 1997, this is the most heavily illustrated title on the Whitechapel murders and features both vintage and contemporary photos. Rather than unfurl the case chronologically from first murder to last, Trow instead presents a more sociological analysis of the infamous events of 1888, quoting repeatedly from Jack London¢s People of the Abyss and other works that shattered the story-book image of London and revealed it to be an open sewer, festering with poverty, alcoholism, disease, and hate. As compared to previous volumes such as Paul Begg¢s Jack the Ripper: The Uncensored Facts and Donald Rumbelow¢s The Complete Jack the Ripper, Trow¢s is a tad light on detail but gains points for boldly insisting that the murder of Liz Stride was a coincidental killing not committed by Saucy Jack. Another plus is the inclusion of a modern forensic profile of some noted serial killers that is helpful to armchair investigators. Trow, however, goofs when drawing the illogical conclusion that the killer was a local Irish cockney and not a foreigner because *There is nothing in the behavior of the immigrants of the 1880s to suggest violence of this type,* which implies that any cockney was capable of these singularly horrific acts. No matter what the killer¢s nationality and religion, his insanity and the ferociousness of his crimes set him apart from others sharing his identical background, making these aspects of his character unimportant except for the purposes of matching them against witness descriptions. Trow also asserts that *As far as intelligence goes, Jack was likely to have been fairly stupid** despite the fact the killer was able to elude 1500 policeman and who knows how many private citizens who were hunting for him. These, however, are minor blunders that do not seriously mar an otherwise acceptable volume. Recommended. |
Author: Joe Tynan
Sunday, 25 April 1999 - 03:33 pm | | | Hey Michael: I completely agree with your review of this book. I bought it (here in New York) because I felt like stepping back, clearing my head, and reviewing the Ripper case afresh. With so many atmospheric illustrations and photos this book let me again enjoy the setting, characters, and mystery that first drew me to the case in the first place. I think it would be a good gift for someone just learning about the case. You're right, though, that the author goofs in his lame conclusions as to why the Ripper had to have been a local cockney, rather than of the other groups that suspects come from. For instance, he tells us how the Jewish suspect John Pizer was "known to have threatened and assaulted women", and how Aaron Cohen "attacked other inmates", but in his own conclusion states that Jack "was not a Jew. There is nothing in the behaviour of the immigrants of the 1880s to suggests violence of this type." So, as far as I can see it, he contradicts himself, as well as, like you said, ignoring the fact that Jack would have been a lunatic completely apart from whatever group he was, in his non-murdering life, a part of. |
Author: Porritt
Thursday, 28 June 2001 - 01:47 am | | He was completely apart from the group that he was part of? Then he couldn't have been a part of that group, right? What is a rabbit when it spins? When one of its legs is the same length.
Anyway! I know this is an old link but I just read a 2nd hand copy of Trow's "Many Faces" and it's rekindled my interest - specially the Maybrick diary stuff.
Porritt |
Author: Marie S
Thursday, 28 June 2001 - 10:26 pm | | "Many Faces" is an excellent read.
I'm not a butcher nor a Yid;
Nor yet a foreign skipper;
I'm just your own lighthearted friend;
Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper
:-) Marie |
Author: TS Simmons
Thursday, 14 February 2002 - 10:49 pm | | | Worthwhile for the photographic collection, and a good overview of the murders! I enjoyed it! |
Author: jennifer pegg
Friday, 15 February 2002 - 02:07 pm | | | does this book have a section on the policemen? |
Author: TS Simmons
Friday, 15 February 2002 - 03:06 pm | | | Yes! It does! Called "The Defective Force" |
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