Customer Reviews

The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper (Mammoth Books)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent introduction to Ripperology for the uninitiated; likewise, it is very useful for someone, like myself, who has read about Jack the Ripper fairly extensively in the past and just needed a good brush-up before taking up the mantle of amateur detective again. Don't worry--I'm not going to name a suspect here in this review (partly because I certainly do not know the true identity of Jack the Ripper). I leave the theorizing to the writers who contributed to this book. These contributors come from different walks of life, and their proffered theories range from the ludicrous to the seemingly substantive. Thankfully, no chapters are given to Stephen Knight's wild "royal conspiracy," although it is mentioned on occasion for the purpose of repeating how ridiculous such ideas are. The subject of the Maybrick diary is broached, with a good balance of positive and negative reactions to it (personally, I think it is a fake). There is one chapter that did annoy me somewhat, even though I can understand the point of it. Basically, and I won't identify him here, the contributor argues that X was the Ripper, presents evidence (circumstantial, of course, which is really the best that any theorist can offer in this case) of why this person was the Ripper, then ends the section with a Gotcha!. See how easy it is to build a case around any "suspect," he says--while that is a valid point, anyone who has read anything about this case knows the fragility and circumstantial nature of virtually every piece of evidence extant in the field, and I for one would not have chosen to waste my time reading a chapter that, in the end, was essentially nonsense.

The first section of the book , I should point out, consists of a very useful timeline and summation of the events and evidence, what the editors call the "undisputed facts." While no single piece of evidence is truly "undisputed" among Ripperologists, this section does provide an objective look at the subject matter. It is followed by sections specifically addressing the witness statements (many of which are of course contradictory and/or unreliable, which the editors point out), autopsy reports, the controversial "Ripper letters," police views, and disputed texts. Anyone who reads through that introductory session will have a useful foundation of knowledge to draw upon when interpreting the competing theories that make up the bulk of the book. That being said, any reader would really benefit from having another source of an encyclopedic nature handy (and there are such books out there) because it can be confusing to keep all of the names straight when there are so many suspects that the contributors ask us to consider.

All in all, this is an excellent source of information on Jack the Ripper. The background information provided by the editors is quite objective and fact-oriented, which is a rare find in books on this subject. In most cases, someone decides who the Ripper surely was and then goes about finding "facts" to fit his/her theory. That is certainly what some of the contributors to this book have done. The editors, commendably, have not done that; they do not even offer any "views" on the individual theories presented here. Their "just the facts, ma'am" approach is much appreciated and welcome. While this is not the "best" book on the subject, it may well be the best introduction available to the history and myth of the Whitechapel murderer.

Sugden's COMPLETE HISTORY OF JACK THE RIPPER should be the first book anyone interested in the Ripper murders should read ... and this excellent collection should be the second. Introduces all the major suspects, not through a single author, but through the mouths of those who front the theories. In short: the way it should be done!

I entered the Ripper world with little specific information about the case. However, after reading this book so much about the Jack the Ripper came into clear focus. The authors clearly outline the murders, suspects, police and newspaper accounts, witness statements and finally present a series of well written essays by Ripperologist, criminal historian and police detective alike. The book's greatest strength is how a variety of theories are offered in an attempt to finally unmask 'Saucy Jack'. The theories range from the plausible to the ridiculous. Yet each one leaves the reader with tremendous insight, intrigue and curiosity. In the end, The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper is a perfect read for either the Ripperologist or anyone who has had an interest in the Whitechapel murders of 1888 which continue, to this day, to be unsolved.

Because the perpetrator of the 1888 London slayings known as the Whitechapel Murders was never convicted as such the case has become the most popular whodunit in history. Every armchair detective in the world has his pet theory as to who the killer was and why he was compelled to slash to death women in the dead of night. Fortunately "The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper", published in 1999, is both informative and fun to read. I say fortunately, because it presents a kaleidoscope of conjectures and contradictions from Ripperologists who here present the theories they have published in different books. (Colin Wilson, whose own essay is the last of 16, takes credit for the term "Ripperologist".) This brotherhood is evidently a very chancy clique, characterized by tense camaraderie and frequent animosity. Shirley Harrison, in discussing an alleged Ripper diary (she's supported by Colin Wilson), says an informed debate sank to "a low level of vitriolic abuse". No wonder, with all these different ideas: Paul Harrison and Bruce Paley agree on their working-class suspect, while Martin Fido concentrates on the Jewish aspect, and Sue and Andy Parlour favor the Freemason angle. (Philip Sugden was either not invited to this party or declined the invitation.) M.J.Trow plays a little prank on the reader to indicate how easy it is to categorize anyone -- you, me, Lewis Carroll -- as a serial killer. Then there is the legend of the Duke of Clarence, who married a "model" of the Catholic faith, siring her child. The potential scandal so spooked the Court it sanctioned a series of homicides. All this has been fodder for some extravagant fiction, but as Simon Whitechapel observes: "If the murders were carried out to silence blackmailers, why were they so brutal? Why, in other words, were they so public?" (His own arcane conspiracy theory combines Roman Empire decadence with Victorian kitsch.) A more stable, if less romantic, explanation is the connection between the Irish Nationalist cause and the Conservative government's awareness of similarities in the Whitechapel murders and Fenian terrorist tactics. "The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper", well-edited by Maxim Jakubowski and Nathan Braund, offers many bonuses, including a chronology and autopsy reports. At the end is a bibliography, listing dozens of Ripper-related books, about 40 since 1988 alone. There is also a filmography, beginning with something called "Farmer Spudd and his Missus Take a Trip to Town" (1915) and including 1953's "Here Come the Girls", in which Bob Hope is threatened by a character named Jack the Slasher. So who was Saucy Jacky? An insane surgeon? An over-zealous reformer? An angry boyfriend? Peter Turnbull states bluntly: "Jack the Ripper was not a man: he was a myth." On the other hand, A.P Wolf has an article titled "Jack the Myth" in which a favorite candidate is promoted. It is A.P. Wolf who invites us to the party: "Go on, check it out," this Ripperologist writes. "The 'Final Solution' could be yours."

If you have an interest in Jack the Ripper/Victorian London, but are somewhat overwhelmed by the flood of theories, counter-theories and media sensationalism (like myself), this book is essential. The authors have laid out the Chronology of the five murders (the "accepted" Ripper killings), along with bios of the victims, and their autopsies. The most interesting part though is the chapter relating theories of Jack's identity, by the Ripperologists themselves. The authors don't critique these theories, simply provide them for the reader's edification. A small criticism might be that the theories aren't cross-referenced. Some of the Ripperologists destroy other theories published in the book, and it becomes confusing to determine what the "current" theory is regarding Jack's identity.
Overall though, for those with that general interest noted above, or simply want a single-volume compendium of Ripper literature, this book is highly recommended. I would suspect that those with a deep knowledge of Ripper theories, and the details of the murders might find this a rehash...

This book is a great way to get started researching and learning about Jack The Ripper. It manages to give you ample information while staying objective when dealing with the many Ripper theories that have sprung up over the last 100 years. If you are looking for the facts behind the myth, then this is the book for you.

As I read this book for the first time I havent't got any knowledge about Jack the Ripper, but after this book I've a got a good view and description about the Ripper and London in the 19th century. In some sections of the book, I felt like ''overinformed'' by the pathological descriptions, you almost must have studyed some semestras in medicine to understand everything. On the other side , it comes along very well,without pictures, because of the explicit descriptions. You are impressed by all of these theories ,given in the book, and the sections are logically seperated from each other. At the end, a good book for a beginner.

I enjoyed reading all the different theories, most of which I have previously encountered, but some were new to me. This story always intrigues me, especially since it seems like new facts are coming to light as the years go by and opening up other possibilities to the Ripper's identity.

Half of "The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper" is a reference book about the Whitechapel murders. It contains witness statements, victim biographies, autopsy reports, police opinions, weather at the time of the crime, and much more. I was really glad to read through this material because the facts are so often distorted or ignored in documentaries about Jack the Ripper. This part of the book is a very important read for anyone interested in the Whitechapel/Jack the Ripper murders.

The reason that I gave "The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper" four stars instead of five was because of the other half of the book, entitled "Current Views." This part of the book is made up of modern essays speculating the identity of Jack the Ripper. Most of these essays are (to put it euphemistically) strange and implausible. This is roughly 300 pages in the middle of the book. Martin Fido's essay (David Cohen and the Polish Jew Theory) stood out from the other essays. It was fascinating, well researched, and believable.

This was a breath of fresh air in the overwhelmingly polluted atmosphere of stale Ripper-media. Though it is a thick book, it is a very well written easy read in chronological order. Maxim Jakubowski and Nathan Braund do an exquisit job of presenting the facts and documentation of JtR. In order, each victim's case is presented along with transcripts of their respective documents where available, including autopsy reports & police memoranda. There is little to nill of the authors opinions or "out there" hypothesis and theories of "whodunit" that is so cliche in many of the books as of late. Just the facts!