American Jack: Jack the Ripper and the United States

[Pcdunn]

Thanks for the interesting replies about Black Elk and the wild west shows, everyone. I was in high school when AIM, the American Indian Movement, began to make the news. Back in the 70s, books like "Black Elk Speaks" and "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" were popular reading among young people.

In Moore's "From Hell" there is even a reference to questioning the Red Indians with Cody's show-- probably more evidence of the perception that an Englishman could not have killed so violently. (Alas, we know better now...,)

[Simon Webb]

Just lent Black Elk Speaks to a local guy nearing 90 & I don't think he'll be giving it back for a time. We had a very interesting discussion about how Black Elk's visions resemble those in the book of Revelation. People interested in Native American history might like the Langley Press book The Captivity of Elizabeth Hanson, edited by yours truly:

UK Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Captivity-E...izabeth+hanson

US Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Captivity-Eli...izabeth+hanson

[Simon Webb]

Finally got round to putting the new book on my website here: http://tinyurl.com/lpdirect

[Simon Webb]

I cover all five canonical victims plus some others, including Carrie Brown. I also make a lot of use of Jack London's book 'People of the Abyss', which of course is an American's view of London a few years after the year of the Ripper.

[Pcdunn]

Simon, have you heard of the Colorado Ripper? I came across a few news articles from Colorado papers of the 1890s about a trial for a fellow with that moniker. He apparently disposed of his victim ( or perhaps evidence) in a latrine but was observed by a "Negro" boy.

I've also been interested in the Denver Ripper murders linked to a famous brothel out here, but have not succeeded yet in locating Denver newspaper archives with stories about them. One article in a California paper discussed of a attempted murder that resembled "those in Denver", which suggests they were fairly widespread news at the time.

[Simon Webb]

I hadn't heard of either of those - thanks. At this rate I'll have to expand American Jack or publish American Jack II!

[Simon Webb]

I see I've stopped being a cadet and become a constable. Cool. Why does that happen? Pleased to report American Jack is this month's best seller as a print-on-demand paperback; but I'm getting the feeling that not many JtR readers can read Kindle books?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I see I've stopped being a cadet and become a constable. Cool. Why does that happen? Pleased to report American Jack is this month's best seller as a print-on-demand paperback; but I'm getting the feeling that not many JtR readers can read Kindle books?

Hi Simon,

Firstly you've been 'promoted' because you've reached 50 posts. I've just got to serjeant for reaching 500.

Secondly, maybe most of us prefer to own the actual book rather than an e-book. I haven't got yours yet but I definately will. I'm still catching up on my Ripper reading list. Not enough hours in the day at the moment.

Congratulations on being this months best seller by the way.

[Simon Webb]

Thanks Herlock - just to clarify, I meant it's this month's best-seller among the print-on-demand books I've published: I don't know about any other 'charts'.

[Pcdunn]

Pleased to report American Jack is this month's best seller as a print-on-demand paperback; but I'm getting the feeling that not many JtR readers can read Kindle books?

Congratulations!

My Kindle reader's battery died long ago, and I haven't replaced it, but I continue to wishlist and purchase Kindle books because there are apps to allow you to read them on Android phones and tablets, as well as "from the Cloud" on any computer. We're really not limited to a single type of device any longer.

I work with printed books daily, as a librarian, but e-books are very useful and convenient in many ways. I figure the format is less important than the content.

[Simon Webb]

Thanks - just seen Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 featured in an exhibition about time travel inside Durham's Palace Green Library. I think my Kindle sales generally are going up simply because of the current ubiquity of smartphones. I keep seeing teenagers gazing at these things, & hoping they're reading Tennyson. I'm sure most of them are.

[Simon Webb]

Looks like after going head-to-head all month with my edition of Aubrey's Brief Lives, American Jack has been forced into second place just behind Aubrey at the last minute in online August sales. Still very happy with American Jack sales: August was the first full month for this title.