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30 reviews for:
Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer
Ann McElhinney, Phelim McAleer
3.72 AVERAGE
30 reviews for:
Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer
Ann McElhinney, Phelim McAleer
3.72 AVERAGE
from the foreword it’s made pretty clear that this is a prolife book. to me what was done was so horrific that i didn’t really think there would need to be that much political rhetoric because it is something everyone can agree is wrong. the authors still felt the need to throw their political opinions in though. it also didn’t have a consistent timeline so you would be 3 chapters in only to find out information that had happened right after a story they had told in the first chapter. THIS IS VERY DARK/GORY
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Maybe it'll be good for someone else but I felt it dragged and repeated everything 3 or 4 times. Yes we get it, it was horrible, tell me something else. DNF'd at 29%
The story itself is unbelievable. Fascinating and haunting, what went on at the Atlantic Women's Medical Services is stranger than fiction. The problem is the writing. There is very little narrative structure and I found it hard to get through.
No matter your stance on abortion, you NEED to read this book. While it could have benefitted from more aggressive editing, as there was lots of repetition, I was mesmerised by this account. I’d see the movie if it wasn’t in such a small release - will have to wait for rental or cable. I’m horrified both at the crime(s) he committed and the terrible inaction of the various PA agencies that let this man continue his ways for so long.
This book is not for everyone. The authors are very honest about what Kermit Gosnell, and what Gosnell did went far beyond abortion. He murdered and decimated. If you are uncomfortable with Ed Gein’s story, do not read this book, for Gosnell was the same type of hoarder.
This book was finely investigated, so I only deduct one star for these reasons:
* the unnecessary, in my opinion, long chapter lecturing the reader on proper journalistic practices. It’s near the end of the book, so by the time it is reached, I as the reader have the full picture of the bizarre news dodge of this story. I don’t need a mini journalism class to drive it home.
* the occasional use of “pro-abortion” in place of “pro-choice” in general (the only person I have run across who is truly pro-abortion is Dr. Gosnell, for pro- implies enthusiasm, gusto); and, in companion with this, the introduction written by a member of the Duck Dynasty family. This case is so vile, it didn’t need to be politicized at all, in any way. Just tell the reader what Gosnell, his wife, and his staff did. You’ll probably change a lot of minds on abortion. I think these leans of bias make the annoyance of the lesson of the unbiased Fourth Estate stronger. To truly make this point, the book should have carried absolutely no agenda—including no biased language (a no-no in basic journalism) and no biased celebrity endorsement.
I can’t say this enough: this is an important case, and, despite its above flaws, an important book. But I am going to type a phrase below that was in the crime scene report about Ed Gein, and please let it be your litmus test for whether or not you should read this book.
That phrase is: cup of noses
This book was finely investigated, so I only deduct one star for these reasons:
* the unnecessary, in my opinion, long chapter lecturing the reader on proper journalistic practices. It’s near the end of the book, so by the time it is reached, I as the reader have the full picture of the bizarre news dodge of this story. I don’t need a mini journalism class to drive it home.
* the occasional use of “pro-abortion” in place of “pro-choice” in general (the only person I have run across who is truly pro-abortion is Dr. Gosnell, for pro- implies enthusiasm, gusto); and, in companion with this, the introduction written by a member of the Duck Dynasty family. This case is so vile, it didn’t need to be politicized at all, in any way. Just tell the reader what Gosnell, his wife, and his staff did. You’ll probably change a lot of minds on abortion. I think these leans of bias make the annoyance of the lesson of the unbiased Fourth Estate stronger. To truly make this point, the book should have carried absolutely no agenda—including no biased language (a no-no in basic journalism) and no biased celebrity endorsement.
I can’t say this enough: this is an important case, and, despite its above flaws, an important book. But I am going to type a phrase below that was in the crime scene report about Ed Gein, and please let it be your litmus test for whether or not you should read this book.
That phrase is: cup of noses
I'd have rated it higher, but this book has a political agenda, which wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted a story about what happened, not an argument. I think that the attempt to persuade the reader to come around to certain way of thinking detracted from my ability to believe that the story was told in an unbiased manner.
an eye opening novel of horror and death, Gosnell is a piece about a man who killed newborns for decades. reading the book has caused me to think about abortion in a different light, though it has not completely swayed me to another opinion. the authors put the book together wonderfully, though it jumped around in some parts. all in all, Gosnell was an enticing book of terror.
Maybe it'll be good for someone else but I felt it dragged and repeated everything 3 or 4 times. Yes we get it, it was horrible, tell me something else. DNF'd at 29%
I'm upset that I didn't read the synopsis of the book before using my Audible credit for it. If I had known it was about an abortion doctor, I would have steered clear. The book claims to present a balanced and impartial view of the story, but instead it became preachy about it in several places. The descriptions were particularly gory.
Absolutely trigger warnings for abortion and graphic gore.
Absolutely trigger warnings for abortion and graphic gore.
What I expected: a book about an awful crime I'm fascinated by.
What I got: a book about that crime with a strong undercurrent of microaggressions, false information, and a clear agenda pushed by the authors- abortions are murder.
This was an opinion piece falsely marketed as true crime. The story of the victims here were drowned out by these callous authors', who couldn't FOR ONE PAGE, keep their shitty opinions to themselves.
I've never been so mad at a book.
I'm planning on making a video reviewing this in more detail. I'll leave the link for that here once it's up, if anyone is interested.
What I got: a book about that crime with a strong undercurrent of microaggressions, false information, and a clear agenda pushed by the authors- abortions are murder.
This was an opinion piece falsely marketed as true crime. The story of the victims here were drowned out by these callous authors', who couldn't FOR ONE PAGE, keep their shitty opinions to themselves.
I've never been so mad at a book.
I'm planning on making a video reviewing this in more detail. I'll leave the link for that here once it's up, if anyone is interested.