The Complete Jack the Ripper

[Mike Covell]

A thread for discussion, reviews and questions on The Complete Jack the Ripper, Donald Rumbelow.

[Mike Covell]

Here is a link for anyone wishing to purchase a copy of this book,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Jack-Ripper-Donald-Rumbelow/dp/0140173951/ref=pd_bbs_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203343015&sr=8-14

Regards Mike

[poeface]

I remember finding this book in a library years ago and being shocked at the gruesome pictures, particularly of Mary Kelly. I was surprised then to learn that the police took crime scene photos so long ago.
Now, I've bought a copy recently from a used book shop. My edition is from 1975 so I think it's probably been updated since. I kinda feel like it's missing things that a newer edition might have.
I found the chapter "Outcast London" especially interesting and informative. (I've downloaded a copy of Jack London's "People of the Abyss" and will read it soon)
I was much less impressed with the "Gaslight Ghouls" and "Beyond the Grave" sections, but I'm guessing that that's because I'm reading a book written for 70's readers in 2008.

[DVV]

Hi Poeface,
at the time it was written, the "Outcast London" chapter certainly was interesting and quite original.
Afterwards, it has been too much plagiarized, imitated. So many writers have insisted on poverty, diseases, prostitution, fearsome death-rates, etc.
Obviously, Whitechapel was not a mere hell. There was also conviviality, clubs, honest families, as well.
Jack was often called "the fiend" in contemporary press reports... And what would have been less noteworthy than a fiend in hell?

Amitiés,
David (the broken-English poster)

[John Bennett]

The Complete JTR was the first book on the subject I actually bought (from WH Smiths in Brent Cross in 1981). Before that I had Autumn Of Terror which my aunt lent me.

Granted, the older version has inaccuracies in it, but it is a testament to the work itself that it has stayed in print and more importantly, been revised, since. My 1981 paperback is half the size of the latest version, showing how much has had to be added.

I guess a similar scenario applies to Paul Begg's Uncensored Facts.

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Rumbelow's book has had a great influence here in Sweden, because it's actually the only one of the objective standard reference works on the subject that has ever been translated into Swedish.
This Swedish edition was published in 1978, and is a translation of his original book from 1975.
To my surprise I noticed that quite many people over here in Sweden has read it, and when my own Swedish Ripper book hit the market in April, a number of reviewers made references to it.

Indeed, the first edition of Rumbelow's book contains many errors and "facts" that were taken for granted in the 70s, and that have been revised today, and personally I think even the later editions lack a lot of things. But I probably prefer Rumbelow's latest edition rathe than Sugden's book, simply because Rumbelow is a more interesting writer.
In any case, Rumbelow's book deserves its important spot in Ripper literature since it was the first one to actually look at the case from an objective point of view, without too much nonsene and speculations, and in that respect I believe it set the standard for many of the best books today.

All the best

[Mike Covell]

I had a really old copy, then went into a store and saw the book albeit in a different cover thinking "Oh it's new"

I got home and read the full book not realising it was already sat on the shelf!

[Khanada]

A Child's First Primer On Things Ripper...

The 1988 revised version was my first Jack the Ripper book, given to me in 1989 by a cousin, as an impromptu graduation gift. (I do have a 1975 version a friend found on eBay years ago, and gave to me for Christmas.)

This was right after all the documentaries and so forth generated by the centenary, all of which I watched in fascination, having only discovered a couple years beforehand that old Jack was a real person, rather than just another whimsiscarical name my mother had invented, lol! (I am still trying to figure out how I had missed that episode of In Search Of as a child, when I watched the show faithfully.) We visited the cousin, I happened to mention Jack, she ran for her bookshelf and produced Don Rumbelow's book, and then wouldn't let me give it back to her when we went to leave. So I've had it ever since.

I confess I carried it all over the place for a very long time, reading and re-reading. It's ridden the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls twice, and had to be re-bound after the pages began falling out.

I'm not sure it's "perfect", or the "be-all, end-all" on the case, but I am glad that it was my first Ripper book, rather than some of the books I've collected since (which stay here on the basis that I want the pictures, and am pretty sure it's a hellworthy trespass to throw a book away).

[Blackkat]

Uhhh mine is from 1975 too, complete with 1970's looking cover art. LOL

Should I get a newer version, or is there another book I might not have that would fill in what's missing?

I do have Sudgen's revised paperback from 2002

[Supe]

I agree with Glenn that Don Rumbelow's book had a watershed effect on the field. Reading it I had the encouraging realization that the Jack the Ripper mystery could be treated like a serious historical question and, as Glenn mentioned, that included being quite nearly objective. For that Mr. Rumbelow deserves the gratitude of Ripperologists today and forever.

What Glenn failerd to mention, however, is that Swedish readers, at least, no longer need depend on an outdated translation of Rumbelow for a fair and balanced presentation of the Ripper story. Instead, they can buy Glenn's own superb book on the Ripper murders.

Don.

[Jeff Leahy]

I agree with Glenn that Don Rumbelow's book had a watershed effect on the field. Reading it I had the encouraging realization that the Jack the Ripper mystery could be treated like a serious historical question and, as Glenn mentioned, that included being quite nearly objective. For that Mr. Rumbelow deserves the gratitude of Ripperologists today and forever.

What Glenn failerd to mention, however, is that Swedish readers, at least, no longer need depend on an outdated translation of Rumbelow for a fair and balanced presentation of the Ripper story. Instead, they can buy Glenn's own superb book on the Ripper murders.

Don.

Can we get a translation? and where do we purchase a copy?

Pirate

[Supe]

Jeff,

Unfortunately, my understanding is that the first language it will be translated into is Danish, but Glenn needs to weigh in here. Especially about obtaining first editions regardless of language.

And I will say I understood a lot more than I thought of his first book Mordet pa Dagmar Kofood about several murders in Sweden.

Don.

[Kit]

I have an older edition of the book and it is falling to pieces, is the link shown earlier in the thread the updated version? as I found this link too

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Jack-Ripper-Donald-Rumbelow/dp/0491034679/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218795738&sr=1-3

So which is the copy to get in your opinion
Thanks in advance

[The Grave Maurice]

There's something odd going on here, Kit. The link that Mike supplies in post #2 leads to the Amazon UK website. They show the cover of the most recent revised edition, but describe it as being published in 1992. And the Penguin UK website does the same thing. The last revision was actually published in 2004. Both Amazon and Penguin list the correct ISBNs, however, so if you order it from either of them, you should get the right book.

[Kit]

So I should go for the one linked in post 2 then?

Thanks for your help