Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer [Paperback]

William Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2004

In January of 1958, seventeen-year-old Charlie Starkweather killed eleven people in a grisly spree of cold-blooded murder in his hometown and neighboring towns in Nebraska. The story shocked America and cast Starkweather and his fifteen-year-old girlfriend, Caril Fugate, in the crime scene spotlight, a vivid embodiment of the dark side of the heartland. First published in 1976, this revised edition contains previously classified notes from Starkweather's prison journal and transcripts of the interviews between Starkweather and the prison psychologist, conducted as the teen awaited execution. Allen also provides further evidence that Fugate, often regarded as a kidnap victim, was indeed an accomplice in the murders.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Allen’s literary career spans close to four decades. A contemporary of Starkweather and Fugate, he is the leading expert on the Starkweather spree and the only person with first-hand knowledge of most of the characters central to the 1958 carnage. Allen currently is a Professor Emeritus at Ohio State University, where he introduced literary nonfiction to that school’s distinguished creative writing program. He is the author of six books, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Fire in the Birdbath and Other Disturbances, as well as numerous essays for Esquire, the New York Times, and the Atlantic Monthly.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Clerisy Press, Emmis Books (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578601517
• ISBN-13: 978-1578601516
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #934,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars actually, reviewing the orignial pressing..., November 23, 2008

By 

W. E. Amos (Cordova, TN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer (Paperback)

An easy read, a bit dated now many years after the first edition, but still a nice history of that week in January and subsequent events. Allen tells a nice story without glorification of starkweather, and plenty of first hand observations noted. It is the definitive look into this case.

3.0 out of 5 stars A Story with No Winners, January 27, 2012

By 

C. W. Emblom "Bill Emblom" (Ishpeming, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer (Paperback)

This book was an okay read. We still need a better rendition. I found parts of it disjointed. In other places instead of giving the name of a city a comma (,) was inserted in its place. I found this to be puzzling to say the least.

Charles Starkweather didn't have much going for him in life. He had a very low I. Q., was bullied in school, and mistreated by his father. He tried to find love in a 14 year old girl named Caril Fugate who fed his starved ego. He was bent on revenge on a society that had wronged him, and he didn't care who it involved. This is a book with no winners. Charles Starkweather was executed in the electric chair on June 25, 1959, and Caril Fugate was granted parole from prison on June 8, 1976 after 18 years in prison.

Author William Allen has done commendable research on this book. However, I feel a more complete study on this subject remains to be done.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bleck..., April 5, 2008

By 

M. Madaras (Sugar Land, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Starkweather: Inside the Mind of a Teenage Killer (Paperback)

The subject matter was very interesting, but I noticed so many obvious mistakes. It was so distracting. There was one section that was missing the last half of a descriptive paragraph. I have never seen a book like this before. It was like they published the book with out copy writing it. If you can get past that I'm sure you'll love it.