What is the worst Ripper book you've ever read?

[DVV]

Hi Sam,
I know that Knight mentions Schwartz!
I was talking of Rumbelow (as you have quoted btw) who ignores our wonderful Hungarian, even in his 2004 "fully revised edition".
That was to point out that Knight, despite his bad reputation, was of some value (an enforcement of the Grave Maurice's post).

Amitiés,
David

[Writerboy]

Veritas, you're a Liar. (Latin joke).

Admittedly, there was much wrong with Knight's book; but, despite its flaws, it is not completely without merit. It was Knight who unearthed Israel Schwartz's testimony, Sgt. Stephen White's report on his interviews with Matthew Packer, Abberline's report on Mary Ann Nichols, and a police copy of the Goulston Street graffito. Knight's fanciful theory also helped reawaken interest in the Whitechapel murders, and the reaction to it led to a great deal of new, and far more accurate, research. Those of us interested in this subject owe at least a small debt of gratitude to Stephen Knight.

Well said. Its a right load of old tosh but well told and probably the book that put the Ripper on the best seller list and made it such a subject for documentary and drama. I've always wanted to read The Ripper File, being a fan of the tv series and because that is the piece that prompted the wonderful Murder by Decree.

For me the worst is definitely the pompous and ridiculous Ripper and the Royals which, if read as fiction, is quite fun but I think I hate it so much because of the amount of people who have read it and think its true.

I think it even claimed Mary Kelly's killers hosed themselves down in her room after the murder.

[Diddles]

I remember reading 'Murder & madness : the secret life of Jack the Ripper' by David Abrahamsen when I was 10 years old. The Norwegian newspapers made a big deal about JtR being king Olav's uncle, meaning prince Eddy.
I liked the book at the time, but I didn't know enough about the case. At least it sparked an interest. Alan Moore (From Hell) claimed this was the worst JtR book he had ever read..

But I absolutely hated Cornwell's rubbish book, although the Dna-testing were somewhat interesting...

[mariab]

Portrait of a killer by Cornwell. And I only read it online!
Maria

[belinda]

Cornwells flight of fancy

[Steven Russell]

Uncle Jack for me. Utter tosh. And is it just me or does the "Mary Anne Nichols" entry in the notebook look dodgy i.e. different handwriting to the rest of the page?

Best wishes,

Steve.

[Jenni Shelden]

Uncle Jack

makes good bog roll

[Jenni Shelden]

ps Steve.. funny you should mention that

http://forum.casebook.org/archive/index.php/t-79.html

I proved the same on the books release. I still sometimes get out the paperback and hardback editions of the book to laugh at the fact the two images are different, adn i did that

wrong copy

ah they were the days

Jenni

[Chris]

Would it be worth starting a thread entitled "What is the worst Ripper book you've ever written? "

Or would it be one of those threads with one post and no replies?

[Supe]

Jen,

Orion's reply still defies reason: The first point we would like to make is an apology; an apology to our readers for the fact that a wrong copy of a document found its way into Uncle Jack. We are both shocked and dismayed by this error. Clearly we shall ensure that the correct version of the document is reproduced in the paperback edition of our book; equally clearly, this is the only correction on this matter required. No textual alterations of any kind are necessary, as we have never made the style of John Williams’s handwriting an issue in our book.

How there could be a "wrong" copy of a document from the National Library of Wales without someone having tried their hand at forgery surely is cause for more than apology. Oh well, it only helped make a sad attempt at opportunism at the expense of a family member into a sordid, but definitely deserved, disaster.

Don.

[belinda]

Uncle Jack

makes good bog roll

Is it quilted

If you want to spend a penny

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Jack-Tony-Williams/dp/0752876988/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277428975&sr=1-2

ooh my jokes are getting worse

[Jane Coram]

Hi,

Uncle Jack has to be the clear winner by a good head.

Although Karen Trenouth's book must run a close second. At least that was good for a laugh!

Hugs

Janie

xxxxx

[Steven Russell]

ps Steve.. funny you should mention that

http://forum.casebook.org/archive/index.php/t-79.html

I proved the same on the books release. I still sometimes get out the paperback and hardback editions of the book to laugh at the fact the two images are different, adn i did that

wrong copy

ah they were the days

Jenni

Jenni,
Wow! I've just read through that thread and found it fascinating. I thought Uncle Jack was appalling because it was badly written, presented "evidence" which was far from compelling, and was unforgiveably boring. You have helped to prove it was also dishonest.

Having gone through the thread my previous post seems very naive but I am pleased that my instinct was right for a change. And I never could buy the "I hope someone can prove it wasn't him" nonsense.

Good work, Jenni, in exposing very shady practise in a book which would still have been a load of **** even without the forgery.

I am now even more annoyed with Tony Williams. He does not deserve to share his name with such a brilliant singer (TW of The Platters).

Best wishes,

Steve.

[Steven Russell]

Re: Uncle Jack, I meant to say that the publishers

Should
Have
Indicated
Trash

on the cover. Ha. Asterisk that, software!

Steve.

[Magpie]

Trenouth's is pretty much the worse.

But worst Ripper book released by a real publisher is probably Prince Jack.