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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
This may be Jeffery Toobin’s best book yet, an engrossing and brilliantly told account of Patty Hearst, a teenager raised in wealth and privilege who was kidnapped in 1974 by a ragtag and disorganised band of “revolutionaries” who called themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA). About a month later, the SLA held up a bank and Patty Hearst was seen on security video holding a gun and threatening bank personnel along with her fellow SLA robbers. Audio tapes were released in which Patty railed against the government, law enforcement, and her parents, and she declared her allegiance to the SLA.
After some 18 months as a fugitive, she was finally apprehended in 1975 and put on trial for armed robbery. She claimed she was coerced and intimidated and maybe even brainwashed (although that term was not used at trial) into going along with the SLA’s crimes.
Toobin is understated in his conclusions; he lets the evidence speak for itself---and the evidence is clear and convincing: Patty Hearst was an enthusiastic and whole-hearted participant in the offenses of the SLA. The jury in her eight-week trial in 1976 reached the same conclusion, taking less than a day to convict her of armed robbery, for which she was sentenced to seven years. Yet Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence after only 21 months. Then Bill Clinton gave her a presidential pardon in 2001, despite Patty Hearst never admitting her role or taking responsibility for her actions.
On the latter developments, Toobin is scathing: “[R]arely have the benefits of wealth, power and renown been as clear as they were in the aftermath of Patricia’s conviction”.
It has become increasingly clear that far too many of the rich and powerful in America view themselves as above the law. The rules only apply to the little people, not to them. Patty Hearst is one more example of the corruption wrought by excessive wealth and power.
After some 18 months as a fugitive, she was finally apprehended in 1975 and put on trial for armed robbery. She claimed she was coerced and intimidated and maybe even brainwashed (although that term was not used at trial) into going along with the SLA’s crimes.
Toobin is understated in his conclusions; he lets the evidence speak for itself---and the evidence is clear and convincing: Patty Hearst was an enthusiastic and whole-hearted participant in the offenses of the SLA. The jury in her eight-week trial in 1976 reached the same conclusion, taking less than a day to convict her of armed robbery, for which she was sentenced to seven years. Yet Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence after only 21 months. Then Bill Clinton gave her a presidential pardon in 2001, despite Patty Hearst never admitting her role or taking responsibility for her actions.
On the latter developments, Toobin is scathing: “[R]arely have the benefits of wealth, power and renown been as clear as they were in the aftermath of Patricia’s conviction”.
It has become increasingly clear that far too many of the rich and powerful in America view themselves as above the law. The rules only apply to the little people, not to them. Patty Hearst is one more example of the corruption wrought by excessive wealth and power.
informative
medium-paced
Fascinating! I know about the Patty Hearst kidnapping because I worked for Hearst for a bit and everyone I would tell where I worked who were of a certain age would always mention it so I was interested in learning more about it. I felt the author did a really good job making Patty entirely relatable and sympathetic so you could really try to get in to what she was pulled into and how that would alter her, but without any obvious conclusion and staying fairly neutral in reporting the events as they happened. Well except when it comes to her ex - that dude was a sleaze, pretty objectively. This story is a great example of a story where people want to say "Well, was she brainwashed or not?!" but it's not at all that simple and the author was comfortable with this ambiguity and didn't try to force it into a one-sided narrative. I've heard this author has some history of not writing women well, but I felt he treated Patty with fairness and respect.
This is an incredible, incredible nonfiction book. Like, if you think you don't like nonfiction, I promise you do and this is the first book you should read to test that out. I absolutely could not put it down while I was reading and it sent me into a month-long phase where I was researching the SLA. Highly recommend.
I went into this book hoping for a Truman Capote like experience. Not so much. I certainly learned a lot and found the information both fascinating and extremely relevant given today's political environment. It was like reading a long, informative New Yorker article.
challenging
slow-paced
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
I'll confess that my knowledge of Patty Hearst, prior to this was pretty limited. To the fact that she was a Hearst, that she got kidnapped in the 70s and it was a big deal and that she was in a few John Waters movies. So this deep dive into the kidnapping and the circumstances of her life, as well as the insight into 70s culture and politics and whatnot was pretty insightful and interesting and maybe more applicable to current (and forthcoming) political environment than I would like it to be. (like, I think that Trump's America/Presidency is going to be a lot like Nixon's America/Presidency) It made me think a lot, and not just because it took me a really long time to read. I do like the way Toobin writes and I'm sort of primed to check out some of his other books, most of which seem pretty well-regarded.
I switched to audio after the first few chapters. The narrator was great, but that's really the only compliment I can give the book.
Right conclusion despite BIG errors
Willing accomplice, or brainwashed?
I agree with Toobin's conclusion she was the former, and was a good actor — and a coldly calculating human — in getting a relatively mild sentence, and family money and connections helping her avoid a murder charge and eventually get clemency from Carter then a pardon from Clinton.
However, per critics, he does have major errors. Above all, the FBI's case name was indeed HEARNAP, not HERNAP as Toobin calls it. An error that basic leaves him open to every charge hurled at him.
But, I do believe his analysis is right, and that's why I can't go below three stars.
Willing accomplice, or brainwashed?
I agree with Toobin's conclusion she was the former, and was a good actor — and a coldly calculating human — in getting a relatively mild sentence, and family money and connections helping her avoid a murder charge and eventually get clemency from Carter then a pardon from Clinton.
However, per critics, he does have major errors. Above all, the FBI's case name was indeed HEARNAP, not HERNAP as Toobin calls it. An error that basic leaves him open to every charge hurled at him.
But, I do believe his analysis is right, and that's why I can't go below three stars.