Crime [Hardcover]

Alix Lambert (Author, Editor), Damon Murray (Editor), Stephen Sorrell (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2008

How much do criminal acts and their representation in cinema, literature and music really have in common? Is the execution of crime in everyday life as appealing or as inspired as creative artists have made it seem since, say, Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Moriarty? Does the film industry continue to learn from the real-life Mafia, or have the imaginings of scriptwriters had their own effect on organized crime? And what experience do these people who mold our perceptions of crime and criminals have of the real thing? This remarkable book is the first to explore our images of crime by interviewing those involved on, in and around all sides of the law, both real and fictional, and often somewhere in between. Through a series of exclusive interviews with artists, authors and actors such as Ben Affleck, David Cronenberg, Elmore Leonard, Viggo Mortensen, Ice-T, David Mamet and Takeshi Kitano, as well as real life bank robbers, gangsters and current prison inmates, editor Alix Lambert (artist, photographer of Russian prisoners' tattoos and writer for HBO's Deadwood) explores the gaps and overlaps between real crime and its representation in the arts, each commenting on and assessing the impact of the other.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Fuel Publishing (June 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 095500618X
• ISBN-13: 978-0955006180
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,013,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crime touches all of us - and here are stories to back it up, July 2, 2008

By 

Vincent Morris "Vince in DC" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crime (Hardcover)

The size of this book was intimidating at first but once you open it up and start reading the mini stories, I found that the format totally works. It's also a good mix of insight into criminals and victims alike.

I also heard that there was an interview with Viggo Mortenson but had no idea whether it was all Hollywood types or what. In fact, there is a good slice of the known and the unknown, and in addition some conversations with people who have robbed or hurt others.

There aren't many illustrations to speak of - a few photos but don't go expecting to find full color photos of blood and gore. It's not that kind of book.

It's a great gift for someone who doesn't know they like crime and also for someone who likes mysteries and other pulp fiction and might enjoy some real life snippets. I was really psyched I bought it and would gladly suggest it to others.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Fascinating Look at Crime, June 22, 2008

By 

T. Firestone - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crime (Hardcover)

This is a unique and fascinating book. Alix Lambert interviewed a wide variety of people, including gangsters, movie stars, writers, law enforcement officials, crime victims, writers, artists and others about their personal experiences and views of crime. Every time I tried to put it down, I find myself intrigued by the next subject and kept reading until I finished. I am not aware of any other book to look at the phenomenon of crime from so many different perspectives. A must for anyone interested in true crime and crime drama.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ABC's of CRIME (Affleck-Bratton-Cronenberg), June 4, 2008

By 

Steve Hodel (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crime (Hardcover)

In CRIME, Alix Lambert merges her many talents(artist/photographer/journalist/documentarian)to create a truly remarkable work. Fifty (50) separate voices weighing in on the subject of CRIME. We hear from all of them. As fiction we listen to the authors and actors who write and imagine CRIME. As fact we hear from cops and victims who live and have suffered it. Then there are the voices of the USUAL SUSPECTS. Murderers, rapists, gangbangers. We listen as they describe their home, their universe.

A fine piece of journalism-- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Steve Hodel
Los Angeles, California