Lobster Boy [Mass Market Paperback]

Fred Rosen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1995

Recounts the disturbing story behind the sensational murder of a deformed circus sideshow performer by his wife and stepson, who revealed years of unrepressed physical and emotional abuse. Original.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 331 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle Books (March 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078600133X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786001330
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,005,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The X-Files meets real life in Lobster Boy, June 1, 2002

By 

Rae Schwarz "post-modern Renaissance woman" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lobster Boy (Mass Market Paperback)

Through extensive interviews with nearly all parties involved, both family and police, Fred Rosen reconstructs the events surrounding the life and death of Grady Stiles Jr, the "Lobster Boy." Following a profitable sideshow career, capitalizing on the congenital defect known as ectrodactyly (fingers and toes are fused to form claws), Stiles was murdered in his own living room, victim of a hit man hired by members of his own family.

Was Stiles a man who had tried to make the most of his handicap and live the American dream only to be taken advantage of by his spouse, or did he use his deformity to hide years of abusive behavior, verbal and physical violence that eventually drove his own family to take steps to protect themselves?

A fascinating true account of life being stranger than fiction. Comes with a dozen photo pages so you can see the strangeness for yourself.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing account of an amazing man, June 14, 2001

By 

Elise "elisethebeast" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lobster Boy (Mass Market Paperback)

In "Lobster Boy," Fred Rosen executes brilliantly the essential elements of a provocative story: strong character development, suspense, and attention to detail. The characters have distinct voices and successfully serve as foils and mirrors against each other. All of them reflect pieces of ourselves.

All in all, it was beautifully written; Rosen's crisp, poetic imagery and fluid language create a lush and present environment for a complex, deeply disturbing story. I was fascinated by how well Rosen navigated layers of psychological/family dynamics in this book. An incredibly realistic account, psychologically speaking, of the haunting emotional devastation wreaked upon a family given a father's narcissistic investment in his own fame --and a mother's passivity. Rosen's writing enables us to strengthen our awareness of political and sociological issues present in patriarchal culture, social class, and sideshows. This book had me turning one page after another, unable to set it down. When finished, I spent a long time discussing it over coffee; I was so moved by the book, as well as energized by Rosen's storytelling ability and insight. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lobster salad, July 15, 2000

By 

A. Apter "caro fan" (springfield n.j.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lobster Boy (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of my favorite true-crime books and I have reccomended it to most of my friends and family. The cruel Dickensenian fate of little Grady is told with a deadpan serious style. I'm afraid even David Lynch would have a hard time topping this.