Waste Land: The Savage Odyssey Of Charles Starkweather And Caril Ann Fugate (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Eleven years before another Charlie--Manson--told Americans to watch out for their homicidal children, [Charlie] Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate drove the message home with blades and bullets, stopping only when their car ran out of gas and they ran out of luck. If [James] Dean and [Marlon] Brando were the poster children for a generation run amok, then Starkweather and Fugate were the word made flesh. Their bloody trek across the heartland represents a turning point as grim and critical as Dallas or Kent State. It taught Americans to look for enemies around the breakfast table, rather than in Moscow or Havana."

Michael Newton, author of Bad Girls Do It! and other books about serial murder, combines an energetic prose style with extensive research to tell the tale of this famous 1958 pair of spree killers from Lincoln, Nebraska. Caril is a bit of a blank--just a sullen, peevish 14-year-old--but Charlie comes eerily alive in this book: his red hair, his slanted green eyes, his bowlegged strut, his resemblance to James Dean before he'd even seen Dean in a movie. He was the third child of seven in an outwardly normal family, but somehow he got a chip on his shoulder and thought the world had him "numbered for the bottom." Waste Land invites us into Charlie and Caril's world, then takes on a creepy, suspenseful ride through the eight days that left 11 people dead. --Fiona Webster

Product Description

Mike Newton shines new light on the dark saga of Charles Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, who in 1958 embarked on a shocking, murderous rampage that lasted eight days and left 11 dead bodies in its wake--including Caril Ann's family. Utilizing first-hand interviews, court transcripts, and death-row confessions, this account probes the mindset of history's deadliest juvenile delinquents. Photo insert. .

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671001981
• ISBN-13: 978-0671001988
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #835,694 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting, August 29, 2004

By	H. Smith "H Smith" (Pineville, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stephen King is haunted by the story of Charles Starkweather. In this excellent, concise book the dark horror of the killer's 8-day crime spree becomes terrifyingly real--we can understand why King can't forget this example of man's ability to commit pure evil. Starkweather was not merely a homicidal brute--he was essentially amoral, and found/manipulated a willing partner in a 14-year-old girl.

The facts of the case are presented in objective, crisp prose that is compelling and disturbing. Like a particularly well-made horror film, we are terrified but find that we can't stop from finishing to the end. The book provides detailed support information, first-hand accounts, and court records. Some news clippings are reviewed, discussed, and others debunked--but always with a respectful nod to the reporters on the front lines there in the dark days. The author knows that while reporters, under a deadline and writing the day after a murder, may get some facts wrong, they still offer invaluable insight into the tone of the day. In this book, we have the benefit of hindsight 40 years on, from an author who respects the sources, even when they are contradicted by subsequent research.

It is this balanced consideration of resource materials that makes the author's work so credible. This objectivity lends great drama to the book's main focus--the horrible story of Starkweather--because we know that all of the facts may read like a thriller novel, but they are researched and presented in a manner as true as possible to the facts. True crime writing is rarely better than this.

Recommended for those who enjoy true crime, those interested in the dark psychology of serial killers, and anyone interested in the true face of 1950s America.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good through book, August 30, 2000

By A Customer

This book was exciting and kept me interested. It had in depth synopsis of the trial. Some of the childhood information seemed a bit far-fetched, but as a whole the book was an enjoyable read. If you enjoy true crime you will enjoy this book.