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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
informative
slow-paced
When I was a youngster the T.V. news would break into my mom's soap operas. This was before CNN or cable anything, so the big three networks would only break in with a news update when a big story was happening. Jeffrey Toobin does an excellent job of describing one time when this happened: the SLA shootout in Los Angeles. I remember this so well. It was engaging television; according to Toobin, it was the first time a crime was covered in real time on nationwide t.v.
Memorably for me, another breaking news update was when Patty Hearst was finally captured. When they interrupted with the breaking news music and screen, I blurted out, "I bet they found Patty Hearst!" I most likely said this because I'd been interested in the Patty Hearst saga since she was taken. It had all the elements the preteen Debbie liked in a story: radicals, liberal politics and my beloved city of San Francisco. I probably figured it was about time she was captured and the truth of her kidnapping and crime spree with the SLA were uncovered. Then again, I was a strange kid who was prone to premonitions. Creepily, my premonitions were always accurate, and I don't even believe in the paranormal.
Psychic Debbie stories aside, I did and do find Patty Hearst fascinating. I read Patty's own book and the book by the sleazy Steven Weed. What was so interesting about "American Heiress, is that Jeffrey Toobin didn't let Patty off the hook. It's clear that he believes Patty was guilty of two bank robberies, one in which a woman was shot. He feels that she became a terrorist and joined the SLA quickly after her kidnapping.
I don't agree with this assessment completely, I feel a 19 year old sheltered girl is easily manipulated. Clearly, she rejected her radical life and never looked back. She became a society woman who breeds show dogs. It's hard for me to believe that someone who embraced radicalism completely, would easily go back to a privileged, law abiding, conservative lifestyle.
Memorably for me, another breaking news update was when Patty Hearst was finally captured. When they interrupted with the breaking news music and screen, I blurted out, "I bet they found Patty Hearst!" I most likely said this because I'd been interested in the Patty Hearst saga since she was taken. It had all the elements the preteen Debbie liked in a story: radicals, liberal politics and my beloved city of San Francisco. I probably figured it was about time she was captured and the truth of her kidnapping and crime spree with the SLA were uncovered. Then again, I was a strange kid who was prone to premonitions. Creepily, my premonitions were always accurate, and I don't even believe in the paranormal.
Psychic Debbie stories aside, I did and do find Patty Hearst fascinating. I read Patty's own book and the book by the sleazy Steven Weed. What was so interesting about "American Heiress, is that Jeffrey Toobin didn't let Patty off the hook. It's clear that he believes Patty was guilty of two bank robberies, one in which a woman was shot. He feels that she became a terrorist and joined the SLA quickly after her kidnapping.
I don't agree with this assessment completely, I feel a 19 year old sheltered girl is easily manipulated. Clearly, she rejected her radical life and never looked back. She became a society woman who breeds show dogs. It's hard for me to believe that someone who embraced radicalism completely, would easily go back to a privileged, law abiding, conservative lifestyle.
The book is highly readable, though occasionally bogged down by unnecessary information. Recommended to anyone who is still a hold-out on the fact that truth is stranger than fiction...what a wild ride that epitomizes the 70s in its plot and cast. This book has everything: student riots, race riots, food riots, Ronald Reagan as the governor of California, guns, Squeaky Fromme and the rest of the Manson gang, lots of amateur bombings, Steven "Lil Bitch" Weed, the evening news, pot, LSD, plum wine, both the Zodiac and Zebra killers, loose sexual mores, the insanely inept FBI, Olympic long-jumpers, cults, bank robberies, Sara Jane Moore (who attempted to assassinate Gerald Ford AND balance the books for the Hearsts, not necessarily in that order), the Jonestown Massacre, AND a special guest appearance by Jimmy Carter.
The 70s were far out...of control, man.
The 70s were far out...of control, man.
Loved the incredible amount of research that went into this book and telling this crazy story. Some parts do feel like a bit of a textbook, but the story is so exciting and Jeffrey Toobin's style so captivating that I was never bored.
Toobin presents the story; armed with facts, testimonies, transcripts... but he still leaves it open for the reader to decide: Was Patty Hearst the victim of coercion (whether through brainwashing or from Stockholm Syndrome)? Or, was she a rebel who flourished from her unfortunate kidnapping?
Toobin presents the story; armed with facts, testimonies, transcripts... but he still leaves it open for the reader to decide: Was Patty Hearst the victim of coercion (whether through brainwashing or from Stockholm Syndrome)? Or, was she a rebel who flourished from her unfortunate kidnapping?
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes, and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin is a pretty wild ride of a story. I chose to read this because I grew up pretty close to where this happened, although as it was happening I was way too young to know what was going on, but her name is one that I remember hearing a lot. I also know an FBI agent that worked on the case, so that piqued my interest even more. I found this book to be fascinating, but also quite long and sometimes the minute detail was confusing for me.
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
Obsessed. The best audio book I've listened to, for sure. My mom thinks I may have enjoyed this more than she would since she lived through it all, but I'm not sure about that. It was absolutely fascinating and seemed fairly unbiased.
When I checked this book out of the library, I walked out at the same time as an older woman. She told me Patty Hearst is "slime" and she was refusing to read this book. I felt judged for my choice, haha.
When I checked this book out of the library, I walked out at the same time as an older woman. She told me Patty Hearst is "slime" and she was refusing to read this book. I felt judged for my choice, haha.