Customer Reviews

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

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

 

 

The story of the Nutshell Studies is wonderful and intriguing. The Studies themselves are also intriguing... I think. The problem is that the photographs in this book are artsily blurry. I couldn't see the crime scenes clearly. An especial frustration is that there are line drawings of the crime scenes with clues marked -- but there's no corresponding photograph! It's very annoying to be told, for instance, that a doll's face is red from carbon monoxide when I can't see that face in any of the pictures.

I picked up a copy of this book last week at a Chelsea art opening of the author's work. I think that the book is fabulous, both on the level that its subject matter is fascinating and in the quality and artistry of the photographs. I like the ambiguity of the pictures. The dioramas and stories are both intriguing and mysterious--there are no easy answers, which makes the book an intellectually interesting and challenging read. I notice new things each time I pick it up. All of the friends that I have shown the book to have loved it. Can't recommend it highly enough!

The original Nutshell Studies were dioramas of evil and tragedy, created over 60 years ago by Chicago heiress Frances Glessner Lee, who used them to train investigators in the art of dissecting a crime. The presentation of these meticulously and faithfully reproduced scenes of mayhem - at a 1:12 scale - forced investigators to literally see "the little things," at a time when ignorant officers often ruined evidence critical to solving the case.

Author Corinne May Botz, who also shot the multiple-angle photographs of the 18 models, explores how conflicts and contrasts are at the heart of the dioramas as well as their creator, Lee. Botz suggests that Lee expressed her tension and ambivalence about her place in society through these equally conflicted and violent still lifes.

I gave this book 5 stars because I appreciated its fine quality - it is beautifully produced by Monacelli Press - but I also respected the way Botz's accompanying essays draw parallels rather than conclusions between Lee's life and her unconventional Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Botz's essay's show that whether it is a crime scene or a personal journey, the search for truth is what good investigators seek. Lee would have been proud.

My wife loves reading about murders - real or fictional. She loves watching forensics shows on television. She had this item in her "wish list" and I got it for her for her birthday. She loved it.

very rare and interesting story of a female artist from the early 20th century. nice hard bound book good for display.

Great photos and a wonderful introduction about the creator of these "dollhouse crimes," Frances Glessner Lee. The book is full of wonderful photos of the crime scenes Glessner Lee created as well as background about the crimes she recreated. Facinating and beautiful despite its macabre subject matter.

I'd prefer to give Nutshell Studies 3.5 stars but rounded up because I admire the author for writing this oddly fascinating book at all, and for the excellent biography of Lee in the introduction. Each study has one good photo of the overall scene, several blurred closeups, quite a good description of the scene and background information on the 'victim'. The photos do leave out things: for instance in the tavern miniature Lee constructed the (unseen) bar - why not include a photo of that in the book as a titbit? I agree with other reviewers that the blurriness in the closeups is very irritating, as is including solutions to only a few of the 'cases'. I suppose it's possible that both of these were restrictions imposed upon the author by the miniatures' current guardians (although the author should've stated this if so). I preferred the approach taken in Mauriello's "Dollhouse Murders" where he walked the reader through each scene explaining how a detective would evaluate it. Nonetheless I would dearly love to see the miniatures for myself as a result of reading this book.

I adore making miniatures so was thrilled to be gifted this book. It's absolutely fascinating. I have it on the coffee table year round and no one can resist picking it up. My only complaint would be not enough photos! The detail is amazing and you get so drawn in, you can't help but want more angles and macros on the nuances and details.

If you're like me, you want your coffee table books to cause people to raise an eyebrow or stir a conversation. Add this to the brilliant "How to Avoid Huge Ships" and you'll be set.

I loved this book all except the fact they didn't tell you the answers to the death riddles and yes they do have them. Darn now I have to become a law enforcement agent to find out.

I got this for my sister-in-law and she said it was really cool but she would have liked more text--more information on the background crimes and their outcomes.