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

[Cogidubnus]

Hi Colin

I'm afraid I can substantiate what you're saying...

But set against that, look at the ridiculous prices still being charged, for example, for Spiro's load of old rubbish, which I paid more than £30 for and have regretted ever since

All the best

Dave

[Bridewell]

I confess that I got my copy of Psychic Investigation from a car boot sale so it wasn't bad value for the quid or so I paid for it.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Are you sure you're posting on the right forum?

It's pretty clear that I have a lot to learn.

I will work on my intransigence!

[Henry Flower]

Can I vote for Dale Larner's book, 'Vincent Alias Jack' - even though it is not yet published? It may, indeed, not even have been written yet - but the advance publicity cheerfully and indefatigably offered by Mr Larner already assures its place at the top of this heap, a book that truly captures the Ripperological shitegeist.

[Mayerling]

'Prince Jack' by a long gallop. I didn't read it for years, as it was banned in England. I think Frank Spiering has/had issues!

The reasoning of the author Spiering in "Prince Jack" may be for the birds, but why on earth ban it? That's overkill. Just ignore it, and it would soon die. My copy was bought in a bin at a cut-rate book shop (in paperback). As I said some time back I was impressed by the bibliography that was included, but little else.

Jeff

[Caligo Umbrator]

'Prince Jack' by a long gallop. I didn't read it for years, as it was banned in England. I think Frank Spiering has/had issues!

Hi, Rosella

It was banned? I hadn't heard that.
I'd be interested to know more about that.
When, where and by whom?

Thanks,
Yours, Caligo

[GUT]

Can I vote for Dale Larner's book, 'Vincent Alias Jack' - even though it is not yet published? It may, indeed, not even have been written yet - but the advance publicity cheerfully and indefatigably offered by Mr Larner already assures its place at the top of this heap, a book that truly captures the Ripperological shitegeist.

What a thing to say about Dale's work, even if it is true.

Fortunately I suspect we will never suffer the indignity of seeing it in print after all nearly three years ago he was saying publication was imminent.

He sure does talk a good game though.

[Magpie]

Hi, Rosella

It was banned? I hadn't heard that.
I'd be interested to know more about that.
When, where and by whom?

Thanks,
Yours, Caligo

Speiring himself claimed it was banned, and the publisher splashed the "Banned in the UK" all over the paperback editions. The claim was that the government, on orders from the Royals, used whatever law it is that they used to prevent the sale of "Spycatcher" to prevent "Prince Jack" from being published in England.

It's long since been largely dismissed as a publicity ploy

[Caligo Umbrator]

Speiring himself claimed it was banned, and the publisher splashed the "Banned in the UK" all over the paperback editions. The claim was that the government, on orders from the Royals, used whatever law it is that they used to prevent the sale of "Spycatcher" to prevent "Prince Jack" from being published in England.

It's long since been largely dismissed as a publicity ploy

Hi, Magpie.

Thanks for that info.
I half read a copy when I lived in London and recall it as being quite poor.
There certainly wasn't anything juicy or salacious in there, at least nothing believable.

A publicity ploy sounds about right.
Amazing, isn't it? The outrageous things people will claim just to shift a few extra pounds of ink and paper.

Your, Caligo.

[Scott Nelson]

... a book that truly captures the Ripperological shitegeist.

That's funny. Did you invent that phrase?

[Steadmund Brand]

It's so hard to pick a WORST.. there have been so many..

[pinkmoon]

No contest its the "fifth victim" by a mile awfull isn't the word if I had the choice of spending time with my mother in law or having to read this book again I would opt for the mother in law so we are talking bad amazon kindle actually refunded my money when I complained.

[Khanada]

For me, no question... Murder and Madness: The Secret Life of Jack the Ripper by David Abrahamsen.

It's very short, and so bad I never finished reading it... I kept throwing it at the wall and screaming to the ceiling what was wrong with the part I'd just read. The pages were coming out, last time I saw my copy, from so many impacts with the wall...

I've seen a few others in the Ripper Media section that would probably meet the same fate, were I silly enough to buy them and try to read them.

[Archaic]

Hi Khanada, how are you? Long time no see.

It's very short, and so bad I never finished reading it... I kept throwing it at the wall and screaming to the ceiling what was wrong with the part I'd just read. The pages were coming out, last time I saw my copy, from so many impacts with the wall...

That's exactly what I did to my copy of the 'Diary' manuscript. (I mean the text supposedly written by Maybrick in 1888.)

After I read a bit, shrieked, and threw it at the wall (cracking its spine on the first throw) I made myself pick it up and try to read some more, then WHACK! at the wall all over again.

I soon realized I was being unfair to the poor wall. I got up and got a RED pen so I could relieve my aggravation by circling the worst inanities and writing tiny sarcastic notes in the margins.

The only problem with that was that I ran out of room so fast. I had to turn the pages sideways and write in every free space I could find.

Now I re-read my notes and laugh. It's my Annotated Version.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Phil Carter]

Hello Archaic,

My own marginalia pertaining to the recent Edwards book has become an essay. :-)

DSS would have been pleased. :-)
(he says with a wry grin)


best regards

Phil