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329 reviews for:
American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
Jeffrey Toobin
3.83 AVERAGE
329 reviews for:
American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
Jeffrey Toobin
3.83 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Boy, this book sure was a rollercoaster. As Georgia Hardstark would say, "It goes all the way to the top!" It was really interesting to learn about Patricia Hearst and a bit more of what "really" happened to her. I knew the general story, but I was glad to find out more of the details. I always really enjoy books that are set in the Bay Area because I can really visualize the places (i.e. the San Mateo county jail, Gray Whale Cove) and I feel like I have a better understanding of the ethos of the area even though I wasn't alive in the 70s.
In terms of the book itself, I thought the narrative style was generally really good. I thought Toobin told the story in an interesting and engaging way and it rarely felt like a slog to read. I think that makes it very approachable for the everyday person, and I can see why this book was really popular when it first came out. I would absolutely say that this book is great for anyone who liked any of Ann Rule's books (The Stranger Beside Me; Green River, Running Red) and vice versa. I think compared to Ann Rule, American Heiress is a bit more open-ended and speculative, but it definitely changed my opinions on my more limited knowledge from before I read it.
I only gave it four stars because there were a few instances where I didn't think the best language was used in regard to people of color and mental health (the instances were specifically where the author was speaking rather than quoted/sourced material). For example, there was a fair amount of discussion around veterans from Vietnam and Korea and they were sometimes referred to as "crazy" and other words. I know the knowledge and understanding of the time wasn't what it is today, but in my opinion, the language of a book written NOW as opposed to then should reflect that. Another example: at the beginning, the author refers to a "nest of psychopaths" in San Francisco that were wreaking chaos around the city. The paragraph implies that there were many psychopaths and groups of psychopaths out there causing trouble (sidebar: psychopathy and being a regular person are not mutually exclusive). But the author then goes on to list a single example of these "psychopaths" who are a group of black Muslim men. I get that they perpetrated a series of truly appalling murders, but the language then used to talk about them really perpetuated the distrust between whites and blacks without ever making an attempt to reconcile. I get that the attitude at the time was this major racial dissonance, but I don't think the author's language reflects how society has changed since the 70s (though I know it's not all puppies and ice cream now or anything).
In terms of the book itself, I thought the narrative style was generally really good. I thought Toobin told the story in an interesting and engaging way and it rarely felt like a slog to read. I think that makes it very approachable for the everyday person, and I can see why this book was really popular when it first came out. I would absolutely say that this book is great for anyone who liked any of Ann Rule's books (The Stranger Beside Me; Green River, Running Red) and vice versa. I think compared to Ann Rule, American Heiress is a bit more open-ended and speculative, but it definitely changed my opinions on my more limited knowledge from before I read it.
I only gave it four stars because there were a few instances where I didn't think the best language was used in regard to people of color and mental health (the instances were specifically where the author was speaking rather than quoted/sourced material). For example, there was a fair amount of discussion around veterans from Vietnam and Korea and they were sometimes referred to as "crazy" and other words. I know the knowledge and understanding of the time wasn't what it is today, but in my opinion, the language of a book written NOW as opposed to then should reflect that. Another example: at the beginning, the author refers to a "nest of psychopaths" in San Francisco that were wreaking chaos around the city. The paragraph implies that there were many psychopaths and groups of psychopaths out there causing trouble (sidebar: psychopathy and being a regular person are not mutually exclusive). But the author then goes on to list a single example of these "psychopaths" who are a group of black Muslim men. I get that they perpetrated a series of truly appalling murders, but the language then used to talk about them really perpetuated the distrust between whites and blacks without ever making an attempt to reconcile. I get that the attitude at the time was this major racial dissonance, but I don't think the author's language reflects how society has changed since the 70s (though I know it's not all puppies and ice cream now or anything).
This kidnapping saga had more twists than I expected.
The book described what was happening in America at each point in time, so it was easier to understand mindsets of people about bombing or feminism or protests.
It was very interesting to see how Patricia acted when she was in different circumstances, and I was surprisedhow she readily went back to her moneyed lifestyle after embracing counterculture protest to such a degree .
The book described what was happening in America at each point in time, so it was easier to understand mindsets of people about bombing or feminism or protests.
It was very interesting to see how Patricia acted when she was in different circumstances, and I was surprised
3.75 kept thinking about the Drunk History segment while reading.
I knew nothing about Patty Hearst going into this book. I found her story interesting. However the writing of the book itself left a lot to be desired. There were far too many tangents to keep track of what was happening. I would often get lost because the author would go off on a side story for 5-10 pages before coming back to Patty and I rarely saw the point of the side story.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com
I liked this book a lot for the first 3/4. It flows well and is thorough but not boring. The backgrounds of the individual group members are given, which is something often overlooked. The author is clear when recounting events within the group to distinguish between different versions and sources.
During the trial portion, however, the author does a lot of self-insertion, offering his own opinions and explanations on subjective occurrences. It is particularly annoying when, after such a clear, factual history, the author begins to give his own explanation of events and stretch logic to support his own view. As a result, the end feels preachy and condescending.
During the trial portion, however, the author does a lot of self-insertion, offering his own opinions and explanations on subjective occurrences. It is particularly annoying when, after such a clear, factual history, the author begins to give his own explanation of events and stretch logic to support his own view. As a result, the end feels preachy and condescending.
“American heiress” by Jeffrey Toobin is an interesting read on the Patty Hearst kidnapping. I didn’t know much about it before. The story hinges around Hearst’s ultimate culpability, but I don’t think there is a black or white answer.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I’ve tried to read this 3 times and it never has grabbed me