Alternative Ripperology: Questioning the Whitechapel Murders by David M. Radka 2004

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Radkas essay was an incredibly tough read and to be honest I never understood a word of it. It's probably one of the more hard core theoretical pieces on the subject that I've ever read.
But I agree that Radka (God rest his soul) certainly did his own thing and went where others haven't gone before.

All the best

[Tom_Wescott]

ps Rob adn Philip, your book offers one of the better concise versions of the details of each murder that I have ever come across, but we all brought it for the pictures!! That's why it gets overlooked.

Anyone buying their book hoping for tons of photos of Philip wearing a fake cat on his hand will be sorely disappointed.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

P.S. Jennifer Pegg is absolutely right.

[Tom_Wescott]

Few works are harder to read than Radka's. The most fun to read are suspect books, but I agree with Glenn that those of us who value facts and/or minutia will be most turned on by Sugden, Begg, Evans, and the wonderful essays appearing in the pages of Ripper Notes magazine, available at www.rippernotes.com or www.amazon.com.

This is not a plug. I repeat...this is not a plug.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Well, I for one agree with that opinion, Jenni.
All the best

[Jenni Shelden]

ps Rob adn Philip, your book offers one of the better concise versions of the details of each murder that I have ever come across, but we all brought it for the pictures!! That's why it gets overlooked.

[Jenni Shelden]

Philip,

I like Rob and your book a great deal, i would describe it as one of the two best books released at the Wolverhampton conference...and one of the two best books released last year...on the subject

I think Scotland Yard Investigates provides on of the better readily availble reviews of the case of this decade.

Of course,

thats only my opinion, what do i know?!

Jenni

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

It seemed to become fashionable, beginning a couple of years ago, to call Sugden's book "dry". I completely disagree with that. Even after three or four readings it remains, for me, a page-turner. Dry, phooey. It's still the best book to read as an introduction to the case.

Sugden's book is dry - in fact, it's dry as hell. Just because it's an invaluable factual reference doesn't automatically mean that it's an exciting read (they just simply contain too many facts for that).
However, along with Paul Begg's The Facts it's probably the one most valuable one when it comes to accuracy and source references. But it's hardly a 'pageturner' - in fact, Sugden is a very impersonal writer; he lacks sense of humour and his language is not very vivid. Another problem with Sugden's book is that it has become slightly outdated and feels quite conservative.
All these things can also be said about Begg's The Facts.
I often turn to both of them for factual aid because they feel accurate and reliable in many respects, but besides that I hardly feel them to be something I'd keep on my bedside table. For that I prefer books like Evans' and Rumbelow's latest masterpiece.

All the best

[Graham]

Technohead also asked 'why anyone would think that the Maybrick Diary is genuine', but it appears that this question has somehow been ignored (which really doesn't surprise me in the least).

I would respond to the question by asking Technohead in turn, "Do you get the impression that anyone on these boards actually thinks that the Diary really is genuine?"

Cheers,

Graham

[Natalie Severn]

When I first began reading up on The Whitechapel Murders ,I got nearly all my information from Don Rumbelow"s "The complete JtR" and learnt a lot from it,as I do the latest book he has co-written with Stewart Evans, "JtR Scotland Yard Investigates"this is one of the best books there is today.I also read John Eddleston"s,"JtR an Encyclopaedia" which contained some excellent maps of the time as well as a good overview of the subject ."The Mammoth Book of JtR" introduced some of the less known theories and is still quite a good read from that point of view,Nick Warren"s theory still persuades me to look towards someone from either side of the divide connected with the Irish/ British politics of 1888.
Natalie

[technohead]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I must say that the dissertation by David Radka was fascinating reading and a totally refreshing view on the murders. Maybe I could ask people to list their 5 favourite/most reliable books on the subject of the Whitechapel murders. I'm assuming the first 3 would probably be:

1 - The Complete History by Philip Sugden
2 - The Ultimate Companion (Sourcebook) by Evens & Skinner
3 - The Facts by Paul Begg

I'd like to get as much reliable info as quickly as possible with out descending into Sickert/diary nonsense. Cheers.

[Natalie Severn]

Hi Celesta,
You"re right.It would be helpful to have that back.
You have a good week end too!
Best
Nats

[Celesta]

No, Rob's & Phil's book doesn't set out to do the same thing as those mentioned. It seems there used to be a thing at the front that listed books, but I don't see it, now. It would be nice to have something like that. I know the interviews are there. The dissertation by Smithkey also provides a list of titles, within the text.

Have a nice weekend, Nats.

[Natalie Severn]

Celesta - aw, bless. I WAS joking! Really!

Nats - I hate you.

PHILIP

Ah..... but hang on Philip,the book you and Rob produced ,which covers the visuals of History so wonderfully,is mostly an absolute joy .The other books can be an all too stern reminders of the hell of it all.
Best
Nats

[George Hutchinson]

Celesta - aw, bless. I WAS joking! Really!

Nats - I hate you.

PHILIP

[Natalie Severn]

Well I think it needs to be pointed out that Rob and Philip"s book doesnt set out to do the same job as some that have been mentioned."The Ultimate JtR Source Book",by Stewart Evans and Keith Skinner with detailed evidence from the Inquests and an array of police file materials together with Philip Sugden"s book,"The Complete History of Jtr"," Paul Begg"s "The Facts",form a serious enough body of work to keep everybody very well resourced and informed for a very long time- newbie , hack,serious student,non serious student alike.
This is in no way to diminish the contribution Rob and Phil have made to the subject,with their book on the" London of JtR,Then and Now" as well as to the history of the East End itself,with their abundance of rare photographs and illustrations of major sites , streets,people and transport.That these are accompanied by a detailed text explaining the main events as well as the Rippers targeted spots,the victims last walks,etc all adds significantly to the subject but it doesnt provide the same in depth study or wide range of historical analysis that the above named books set out to do.In my view Rob and Phil"s book joins other valuable but supplementary studies into other areas such as Robert McLoughlin"s"Victim Photographs",or Neil stubbings Sheldan"s" Victims of JtR' or Chris Scott"s, " Will the Real Mary Kelly....." etc
There are numbers of other specialist books which study particular suspects
such as the Martin fido book on David Cohen,and I mustnt forget to mention AP Wolf"s "Jack the Myth".Both these last books are by masters of the art of persuasion and make excellent reading and more than plausible cases for their well reserached suspects.
Natalie
BTW David Radka was an imaginative scholar whose writings never made dull reading.RIP David I miss you.