|
|
Sold Out
Book Categories |
A wry, compelling look at the mania surrounding the sensational case of the "Monster" who terrorized eighteenth-century London. "Entirely fascinating"—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post
"The facts in this case are so bizarre that no novelist would have dared to invent them," said the Philadelphia Inquirer. Indeed. A century before Jack the Ripper haunted the streets of London, another predator held sway: a "vulgar-looking man" who slashed at female pedestrians with a knife while uttering profanities with a "tremulous eagerness"—over fifty victims during a two-year crime spree. The city was gripped with fear, outrage, and "Monster mania." The latter was abetted by a £100 reward and by the circulation of bawdy prints that capitalized on the Monster's tendency to slash his victims' buttocks. Armed vigilantes roamed the streets, and fashionable ladies dared not walk outdoors without strategically placed cooking pots under their dresses. Finally, in June 1790, one Rhynwick Williams was arrested. After two long and ludicrous trials, at one of which he was defended energetically by the eccentric Irish poet Theophilus Swift, Williams was convicted. Was he guilty? Or just unlucky enough to fall into the hands of authorities when they needed someone to pay? Drawing on contemporary evidence and reinterpreting Monster mania in the light of historical and modern instances of mass hysteria, Jan Bondeson recounts with dry wit a tale that occupies a unique place in criminal history and imagination—"a strange historical episode, alternatively disturbing and absurd" (Kirkus, starred review).
Author Biography: Jan Bondeson lives and works in London.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
RENEE POLIT
reviewed London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale on June 27, 2014 London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale
I recently re-read this book, having given my 1st copy away to a sex-crimes detective. This is perhaps the best book written on Piquerism, a Paraphilia involving the sexual gratification taken by stabbing, pricking or otherise puncturing somebody with a needle. Bondeson covers the entire London Monster Affair in careful detail, but also goes into the paraphilia itself as well as other historic cases involving similar crimes. The issue was of interest to me since I lived through the Needle-Prick Terror in NYC during the late 1980s.
That incident involved young women sticking older women whom they perceived to be "Upper Class" with hypodermic needles and sometimes running away yelling "Now you got AIDS!" The Needle-Sticking flap was not confined to those few female perpetrators; rather it began on the subways by males who mentioned nothing of AIDS nor were the cops even sure what was being used to "prick" the victims but trust me, the Lexington Avenue Line was a ghost train for a few weeks and women put away their Minks.
Overall, any Bondeson book about Major High Weirdness will be a pleasant surprise. He doesn't go for the shock value of his chosen topics, instead, he delves deeply into the social issues at play in addition to reporting the facts of the crimes, "flaps" or strange happenings. Curiosity may draw you to a book like this one, but you will come away with a more thorough lesson in history and the cultural forces that shape us than you might expect. The London Monster is perhaps the best example of this. DO read it. It has bearing on the Jack The Ripper Media Flap that eventually followed and if THAT interests you, you need to begin with this book.
Login|Complaints|Blog|Games|Digital Media|Souls|Obituary|Contact Us|FAQ
CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CLICK HERE!!! X
You must be logged in to add to WishlistX
This item is in your Wish List
X
This item is in your Collection
London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale
X
This Item is in Your Inventory
London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale
X
You must be logged in to review the productsX
X
X
Add London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale, A wry, compelling look at the mania surrounding the sensational case of the Monster who terrorized eighteenth-century London. Entirely fascinating—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post The facts in this case are so bizarre that no novelist woul, London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
X
Add London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale, A wry, compelling look at the mania surrounding the sensational case of the Monster who terrorized eighteenth-century London. Entirely fascinating—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post The facts in this case are so bizarre that no novelist woul, London Monster: A Sanguinary Tale to your collection on WonderClub |
