Alexander J Parker

[Addy]

Hi all!

it has been a loooong time since I was here but I need your opinions!
I an thimking of buying Alexander J Parkers book JtR Design for Death. I like the words groundbreaking, thoroughly researched etc. However, this can also mean: complete nonsense. What do you think?

Addy

[barnflatwyngarde]

I hadn't heard of this book Addy.

Here is the link to the Amazon page relating to the book.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper-Design-Alexander-Parker-ebook/dp/B07GSFZ4JY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=alexander+j+parker&qid=1559923865&s=books&sr=1-1

I note that it is an ebook 700 pages long, if that is true, I think that it is probably the longest book ever written on the subject.

It is only £4.43 for the Kindle edition, so it might be worth a punt.

If you do buy it, please post on the boards what you think of it.

It may be reviewed in a future Ripperana.

[Robert]

Looks like you may be able to read it free :

https://www.scribd.com/book/386908975/Jack-the-Ripper-Design-for-Death

You can read the preview anyway.

[Addy]

I hadn't heard of this book Addy.

Here is the link to the Amazon page relating to the book.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper-Design-Alexander-Parker-ebook/dp/B07GSFZ4JY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=alexander+j+parker&qid=1559923865&s=books&sr=1-1

I note that it is an ebook 700 pages long, if that is true, I think that it is probably the longest book ever written on the subject.

It is only £4.43 for the Kindle edition, so it might be worth a punt.

If you do buy it, please post on the boards what you think of it.

It may be reviewed in a future Ripperana.

I will let you know what I think! It might be a while, my bday is end of June and it might be one of the presents then. But I’ll let you know!

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’ve now got it and I’ve read 12% so far. The author is taking a very logic/science approach which is no bad thing of course.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I hadn't heard of this book Addy.

Here is the link to the Amazon page relating to the book.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jack-Ripper-Design-Alexander-Parker-ebook/dp/B07GSFZ4JY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=alexander+j+parker&qid=1559923865&s=books&sr=1-1

I note that it is an ebook 700 pages long, if that is true, I think that it is probably the longest book ever written on the subject.

It is only £4.43 for the Kindle edition, so it might be worth a punt.

If you do buy it, please post on the boards what you think of it.

It may be reviewed in a future Ripperana.

Hello Barn,

i think you mean Ripperologist?

[barnflatwyngarde]

Hello Barn,

i think you mean Ripperologist?

Once again your'e right Herlock.
I've been all over the place this week.

I think I need to listen to John Prine for a few hours.

Or do I mean Blaze Foley?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hello Barn,

i think you mean Ripperologist?

Once again your'e right Herlock.
I've been all over the place this week.

I think I need to listen to John Prine for a few hours.

Or do I mean Blaze Foley?

Its gonna be strange not getting Ripperana delivered. End of an era.

[barnflatwyngarde]

I have never seen it Herlock.

Do you know if any copies of Ripperana are available online?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I have never seen it Herlock.

Do you know if any copies of Ripperana are available online?

No Barn. They were always hardcopy. Little A5 pamphlets. To be honest the ripper content lessened over the years but it was well worth getting. I have around 80+. I have a friend who has them all.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ripperana&rlz=1C9BKJA_enGB704GB704&oq=ripperana&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j0l3.6075j0j7&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=JtC0ui5qoo4fjM:

[Herlock Sholmes]

Ok I’m now 22% through the book and I’m fearing the worst. Far too much statistical stuff for me. He’s concluded that the murder sites weren’t random so I’m kind of expecting a conspiracy (he’s already made a passing reference to Black Magic.) Its quite well written though and he’s certainly put in a lot of work so I should pre-judge. It’s certainly no throwaway book. I just don’t like statistical analysis and that kind of stuff. He does tend toward over-confidence when he says that the ripper must have had knowledge of the murder sites though.

[Herlock Sholmes]

It’s the Freemasons

[barnflatwyngarde]

Hey Herlock,
It's really good getting critical inputs as someone makes their way through a book.

Keep posting this way, I'm genuinely intrigued.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Well.....sorry it’s not a running commentary on this one Barn but I just couldn’t manage it. This book was hard going for me. I don’t envy Paul Begg if he decides to do a proper review.

Ill admit to skimming much of the Freemasonic stuff and the statistical stuff and the astrological stuff but I’ve read it. I really couldn’t read all of it though and that’s unheard of for me. It’s way too long and I have nothing against long books. I’ll be interested to hear a proper review by someone that reads every bit of it so I’ll accept the criticism that I’ve done a whole lot of skimming but my eyes were just glazing over.

Positives - the guy has done a hell of a lot of work on this. Maybe a hint of obsessiveness? Maybe I’m being unfair?

Negatives - Way too much use of statistical analysis for my liking which he says absolutely proves that the murders were Freemasonic.
Way too much over-confidence. He says stuff like - the rippers familiarity with the murder scenes is well established. He makes interpretations and states them as proven facts.
He says early in the book that the ripper clearly had an agenda and that he intends to discover it - I smell an agenda here too. I think that he began with the notion of a Freemasonic murder and then did some shoehorning.
He talks about Astrology!
He uses some esoteric method of solving the GSG!
He believes that the Ripper was Sir Frederick Treves and has found images in the background of a portrait of Treves relating to the murders.

Sorry about the negativity but I want my four quid back.

[drstrange169]

I just realised I read it a which book you are talking about, I read it a couple of months ago. There's a lot of work gone into it, and I guess you have to respect that, but unfortunately it has holes you could drive a giant redwood on the back of a truck through!