Sarah responds: OMG so many great books on this list. But to add! "Helter Skelter" is a 1974 true-crime classic about the Charles Manson murders, written by the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (with Curt Gentry). If you were a Stephen King-addled adolescent with a yen for celebrity, this was a must-read, about the warping power of drugs, moral collapse among the counterculture, and the dissolution of the late 60s. The crime is ghastly, I can still remember details, but what also stands out is the trial, an absolute circus before such things were televised. And the opening scene, where bodies are found by police at Roman Polanski's place, and one is described as looking like a mannequin dipped in red paint, remains one of the most vivid descriptions I've ever read.
Thank you? for adding to my already toppling must-read list. I loved The Adversary,too. Maybe Devil in the White City, too. I wish the documentary The Keepers were a book. I'm binging it as I write. It would be a helluva good read.
This lovely article has me thinking about the reasons we are drawn, if we are to read about true crime. I started trying analyze what it is in a true crime story that draws me in. One thing I am always curious about is the moment of the first murder. At least when it comes to serial killers. How does the murderer come to that place in the arc of his or her life where they decide to cross that line of no going back? Where along the way do they transform from a “normal” human being to someone capable of horrific crimes? Was there some moment or event in their life that made their ultimate fate inevitable? Were they born psychopaths? It does seem as though the myths of the “monster”, the super intelligent, witty, evil embodied villains are just that. Myths. The real serial killers turn out to be banal. Ordinary. And that’s maybe the most disturbing and fascinating thing of all.
Perhaps it’s something that will always fascinate us.
Perhaps also the dispassionate looking on and analyzing these horrors is away to disarm our nightmares.
So...I listened to "The Journalist and the Murderer" while travelling to CT last weekend. Fantastic listen. Just as you mentioned here, an interesting meditation on where the line in is when a journalist is trying to gain the trust of someone they are writing about. I agree that it feels like McGinnis betrayed MacDonald.
I also noticed in one of your Tweets about authors works you have the most of that you mentioned Joan Didion. Of course since I enjoy your writing and this podcast so much I had to investigate. As I was heading down that rabbit hole I ended up downloading her Collected Essays. In the introduction to Slouching Towards Bethlehem, I came across her line "“Writers are always selling somebody out” and I thought "wow I just read about that whole idea in "The Journalist and the Murderer". I got to feeling very clever and learned and sat down to comment to that effect here. Then I re-read your blurb about "The Journalist and the Murderer" and saw that you actual mentioned that same line in it. Of course you did! Apparently I am not half as clever as I think I am. hahahaha
Have been listening to "Shot in the Heart" this week. Wonderful book. I didn't grow up in the States so so much of this is new to me. I didn't realize there was so much tie in with the Mormons and their history. It amazes me how many parallels there are in the religious experiences and behaviors among seemingly different faiths. But then again.....it is really the human story I guess....at any rate fascinating reading.
Keep up the good work. This podcast is a treasure trove! Love the book club idea! Have a great weekend!
couldn't a perp have DNA placed in/on his/her/their person, report an assault, and cause their own DNA from implicating themselves in a previous crime?
any books or stories fiction or true crime on that premise?
I came back to re-read this post since Nancy tweeted about it this morning. Interesting list of which I've read only "Helter Skelter" and "In Cold Blood", several decades ago.
I'd like to add "The Man from the Train" by Bill James and his daughter Rachel McCarthy James, about a serial killer from more than a century ago. And his book "Popular Crime", from 2011, a collection of short tidbits to longer essays about a very wide range of crimes.
I’ve been reading “To The Bridge”… damn Nancy… you are a hell of a writer… finished “Destination Gacy”….you lay it out for the reader… no frills… Let the reader marinate in their reactions to what they’ve read… which probably tells us a lot about ourselves as much as about what we are reading… more please… might sound weird for such dark material… but there is beauty here… humanity laid bare…
Sarah responds: OMG so many great books on this list. But to add! "Helter Skelter" is a 1974 true-crime classic about the Charles Manson murders, written by the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi (with Curt Gentry). If you were a Stephen King-addled adolescent with a yen for celebrity, this was a must-read, about the warping power of drugs, moral collapse among the counterculture, and the dissolution of the late 60s. The crime is ghastly, I can still remember details, but what also stands out is the trial, an absolute circus before such things were televised. And the opening scene, where bodies are found by police at Roman Polanski's place, and one is described as looking like a mannequin dipped in red paint, remains one of the most vivid descriptions I've ever read.
I read “Say Nothing” based only on Moynihan’s recommendation on the podcast. It’s great!
Thank you? for adding to my already toppling must-read list. I loved The Adversary,too. Maybe Devil in the White City, too. I wish the documentary The Keepers were a book. I'm binging it as I write. It would be a helluva good read.
You should really add Terri Jentz’ wonderful book/memoir “Strange Piece of Paradise” published first in 2006, but rumored for a TV adaptation.
This lovely article has me thinking about the reasons we are drawn, if we are to read about true crime. I started trying analyze what it is in a true crime story that draws me in. One thing I am always curious about is the moment of the first murder. At least when it comes to serial killers. How does the murderer come to that place in the arc of his or her life where they decide to cross that line of no going back? Where along the way do they transform from a “normal” human being to someone capable of horrific crimes? Was there some moment or event in their life that made their ultimate fate inevitable? Were they born psychopaths? It does seem as though the myths of the “monster”, the super intelligent, witty, evil embodied villains are just that. Myths. The real serial killers turn out to be banal. Ordinary. And that’s maybe the most disturbing and fascinating thing of all.
Perhaps it’s something that will always fascinate us.
Perhaps also the dispassionate looking on and analyzing these horrors is away to disarm our nightmares.
Thanks for the list and the mental stimulation.
And… a belated Happy Mothers Day :-)
Ooh! Thanks for this! I wish I could've hung out with you all! Xo from St Paul exurbs!
So...I listened to "The Journalist and the Murderer" while travelling to CT last weekend. Fantastic listen. Just as you mentioned here, an interesting meditation on where the line in is when a journalist is trying to gain the trust of someone they are writing about. I agree that it feels like McGinnis betrayed MacDonald.
I also noticed in one of your Tweets about authors works you have the most of that you mentioned Joan Didion. Of course since I enjoy your writing and this podcast so much I had to investigate. As I was heading down that rabbit hole I ended up downloading her Collected Essays. In the introduction to Slouching Towards Bethlehem, I came across her line "“Writers are always selling somebody out” and I thought "wow I just read about that whole idea in "The Journalist and the Murderer". I got to feeling very clever and learned and sat down to comment to that effect here. Then I re-read your blurb about "The Journalist and the Murderer" and saw that you actual mentioned that same line in it. Of course you did! Apparently I am not half as clever as I think I am. hahahaha
Have been listening to "Shot in the Heart" this week. Wonderful book. I didn't grow up in the States so so much of this is new to me. I didn't realize there was so much tie in with the Mormons and their history. It amazes me how many parallels there are in the religious experiences and behaviors among seemingly different faiths. But then again.....it is really the human story I guess....at any rate fascinating reading.
Keep up the good work. This podcast is a treasure trove! Love the book club idea! Have a great weekend!
please see WSJ article in link below.
couldn't a perp have DNA placed in/on his/her/their person, report an assault, and cause their own DNA from implicating themselves in a previous crime?
any books or stories fiction or true crime on that premise?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-look-to-ban-use-of-sexual-assault-victim-dna-in-unrelated-cases-11651195210?mod=hp_listb_pos2
I came back to re-read this post since Nancy tweeted about it this morning. Interesting list of which I've read only "Helter Skelter" and "In Cold Blood", several decades ago.
I'd like to add "The Man from the Train" by Bill James and his daughter Rachel McCarthy James, about a serial killer from more than a century ago. And his book "Popular Crime", from 2011, a collection of short tidbits to longer essays about a very wide range of crimes.
Still listening to “Shot in the Heart”. Devastating. Heartbreaking.
I’ve been reading “To The Bridge”… damn Nancy… you are a hell of a writer… finished “Destination Gacy”….you lay it out for the reader… no frills… Let the reader marinate in their reactions to what they’ve read… which probably tells us a lot about ourselves as much as about what we are reading… more please… might sound weird for such dark material… but there is beauty here… humanity laid bare…