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angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
5.0
I could not stop reading this thing. And it comes in at about 1000 pages. At times some of Robinson's digressions were a little long-winded. But ultimately, unlike any other "expert" I've previously read, he offers his culprit and then makes all the evidence stick with facts from primary sources. A wild read. A fount of knowledge and information I hadn't previously been given access to. A really great read. Gripping. And as he states...I think he's "Busted the Ripper".
ohkaykaty's review against another edition
2.0
Bruce Robinson is very Cool and Smart and definitely wants YOU to know that he is very Cool and Smart.
This book does not need to be anywhere near as long as it is. By the end I felt like it was more a “if I argue at you long enough, eventually you’ll decide I’m correct” situation instead of a well crafted theory.
This book does not need to be anywhere near as long as it is. By the end I felt like it was more a “if I argue at you long enough, eventually you’ll decide I’m correct” situation instead of a well crafted theory.
workinprogress's review against another edition
Too much yapping and vulgar in the pretence of delivering the information in a more authentic way.
A lot of context but no subject
A lot of context but no subject
lamb_lamb's review against another edition
Got returned to the library before I was done
greybeard49's review against another edition
3.0
Well researched book. Overlong. Had issue with style and approach of the author. I found him to be dismissive of any theory or person who held views different to his own on the subject matter - to the point of being offensive and arrogant. The book would have carried more weight if argued in a less vitriolic way. He decries the role of the gutter press and at the same time adopts many of their writing strategies in demeaning those he is criticising by giving them derogatory labels and titles and overstating his points.
Much of what he argues is convincing and he can hold a reader. Unfortunate.
Much of what he argues is convincing and he can hold a reader. Unfortunate.
knitswithbeer's review against another edition
3.0
What a disappointment. The opening line of this book hooked me, "Reactionary nostalgia for the proprieties of Victorian England is unfortunate, like a whore looking under the bed for her virginity."
Sadly, this book is a mess that does not live up to its hype. It rambles and rages through 801 pages (including the appendices) of vitriol to _not_ state the conclusion of who Jack the Ripper was. The first hint appears so subtly that when I realised it, I went back to check.
The research was undoubtedly exhaustive and, if all the attacks on all sorts of things- Freemasonry, Ripperology, the Police, the State- were removed, it would be a much shorter and less dense read that I could feel more resonance with.
Unpicking the case for his candidate from the ranting, gives a very plausible individual. Hence my 3 stars I just wish it had been a shorter book.
Sadly, this book is a mess that does not live up to its hype. It rambles and rages through 801 pages (including the appendices) of vitriol to _not_ state the conclusion of who Jack the Ripper was. The first hint appears so subtly that when I realised it, I went back to check.
The research was undoubtedly exhaustive and, if all the attacks on all sorts of things- Freemasonry, Ripperology, the Police, the State- were removed, it would be a much shorter and less dense read that I could feel more resonance with.
Unpicking the case for his candidate from the ranting, gives a very plausible individual. Hence my 3 stars I just wish it had been a shorter book.
ars410's review against another edition
1.0
Almost DNF but I powered through the audiobook at 2.5x by the end. Well researched and the audiobook was very well read but it was just way too long and repetitive for me. The same stories, theories, and explanations could have been presented in half the time. The tone of the writing was often very harsh which sometimes made it unpleasant to listen to, plus there were certain derogatory names and phrases that were repeated throughout the book which were not necessary.