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jobustitch's review against another edition
4.0
I think one can make the case that we went from a chemical war (WWI) to a chemical age (the 1920's) that was heightened by Prohibition. At least, that is what I have taken from this book. This book is an excellent overview of the birth of forensic medicine. I was really taken with how the role of medical examiner changed during the time frame of this book. Like others, I wish there were a little bit more of the forensic details included, but I still enjoyed this book tremendously.
ewyaughn's review against another edition
I may try it again later, but it read too much like a newspaper than a story
evgeorge's review against another edition
This wasn’t what I expected or hoped. It is a good overview of how one forensic scientist went up against the New York City boss system and developed the methodologies to identify the effects of chemicals on the human body. I had hoped for a narrower story about poisoners in the Jazz Age. Stories of chronic wasting disease, horrifying industrial injury and crumbling bones are not for me. Others with medical interest, less squeamish and visual may enjoy this. It is well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
dembury's review against another edition
3.0
RATING: 3.5
“The Poisoner’s Handbook” is somehow both deeply interesting and detailed yet also strangely repetitive and too detailed. So I really did enjoy reading this (part on audiobook and part in print); the early years of forensic science and poison exploration seem downright WILD at times. I was fascinated by the various stories of killers, government agents, and scientists and all the ways they worked to achieve their ends, both good and evil. I also really like how Blum told these real life stories with a fictional voice, narrating like it was a murder mystery.
On the downside, each chapter (focusing on a different poison) felt like they had the same format. At times, I thought I had accidentally rewound the book because something sounded familiar. There are also times when the topic becomes focused on law, legislation, and government topics; I understand the need to include some of it but honestly parts of it were SO DRY and I don’t think added very much.
All in all, I have a deeper appreciation for forensic science now, and a couple of the stories Blum told have stuck in my head.
“The Poisoner’s Handbook” is somehow both deeply interesting and detailed yet also strangely repetitive and too detailed. So I really did enjoy reading this (part on audiobook and part in print); the early years of forensic science and poison exploration seem downright WILD at times. I was fascinated by the various stories of killers, government agents, and scientists and all the ways they worked to achieve their ends, both good and evil. I also really like how Blum told these real life stories with a fictional voice, narrating like it was a murder mystery.
On the downside, each chapter (focusing on a different poison) felt like they had the same format. At times, I thought I had accidentally rewound the book because something sounded familiar. There are also times when the topic becomes focused on law, legislation, and government topics; I understand the need to include some of it but honestly parts of it were SO DRY and I don’t think added very much.
All in all, I have a deeper appreciation for forensic science now, and a couple of the stories Blum told have stuck in my head.