Jack the Ripper: The Pocket Essential (Pocket Essentials) [Paperback]

Mark Whitehead (Author), Miriam Rivett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2001 | Series: Pocket Essentials

So who was Jack the Ripper? No-one in the annals of crime is capable of arousing such passionate debate as the perpetrator of the Whitechapel Murders in 1888. Was he a demented royal, a Masonic assassin, a misogynist don, a member of the Czarist secret police, a crazed reformist or even an escaped gorilla? Over a hundred years have passed since this unknown killer murdered East End prostitutes under the very noses of the police and yet we seem no closer to uncovering the Ripper's identity. Countless volumes have been written by warring researchers, seemingly unable to agree even on the number of his victims. Is it possible that we will ever know the truth or is the Ripper destined to remain an enigma, his place in history secured as both an English-heritage crime icon and a universal bogeyman? What's in this book? As well as an introductory essay, there are considerations of many of the Ripper's proposed identities, a summary of his crimes, victims and the ill-fated investigation, plus a guide to the Ripper's many fictional outings, from Hitchcock's The Lodger to Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's From Hell.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[These] miniature…guides are packed to the margins with important facts and enlightening commentary.” -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

From the Publisher

Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are short, snappy, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, politics, and more. In addition to an introduction to the subject, each topic is individually analyzed and reviewed, examining its impact on popular culture or history. There’s also a reference section that lists related web sites and weightier (and more expensive) books on the subject. For media buffs and students, these are great entry–level books that build into an essential library.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Oldcastle (December 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903047692
• ISBN-13: 978-1903047699
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,531,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Standard fair, February 12, 2007

By 

R. Howell "boriskhan" (Medford, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jack the Ripper: The Pocket Essential (Pocket Essentials) (Paperback)

With this Barnes & Noble issued text on Jack the Ripper, you get a pretty condensed version of 'research. Basically you get a brief history on the canonical 5 Victims with a few possible extra victims thrown in. Follow this by brief listings and comments on possible suspects and conclude the book with Ripper related movies, books, tv appearnces, and even comics. This text is possibly a nice light introduction in Ripper studies but by no means is it any kind of authority on the subject. Think of it as 'The Dummies Guide to Jack the Ripper'. Possibly decent for the beginner but offers little in the way of original thought except for comments on the various movie takes on JtR.