No comments about The Man Who Made Vermeers: Unvarnishing the Legend of Master Forger Han van Meegeren.

5 comments about Forget You Had a Daughter: Doing Time in the 'Bangkok Hilton': Sandra Gregory's Story.

1. This was a rather timely read given the current situation in South East Asia with Sharpelle Corby and the Bali 9. In this book, Gregory tells the story of how she set out from Britain to spend 8 weeks in Thailand, accompanying a friend of a friend she had no previous acquaintance with. Gregory loved Thailand so much that she decided to stay on, until she became seriously ill and distraught over the political situation at the time. Having no money to return to Britain and too stubborn to ask her family for financial support, she 'serendipitously' re-encounters her former travelling companion who offers her one thousand pounds to smuggle a small quantity of heroin for him. Desperately ill and under the impression her acquaintence has 'fixed' things at customs, she agrees. She is, of course, caught.
   
   The story describes her time at Lard Yao, known worldwide as the 'Bangkok Hilton' and the shocking conditions she was forced to endure. Following her transfer to a British prison, Gregory continues her tale, drawing contrasts between the penal systems of the two countries, and finding Britain to be the worse of the two.
   
   Of particular interest were Gregory's encounters with some very notorious offenders such as Rosemary West. She also speaks of the shadow of Myra Hindley in two of the prisons she was incarcerated in. I actually found the second part of the book, where Gregory was in British prisons to be more horrifying than her descriptions of Thai prisons.
   
   Gregory's book is very readable, honest and pulls no punches. However, at the end, you realise that Gregory's book is not so much about her physical survival, but her emotional survival and the evolution of her soul.



2. Gregory's book details her life from meeting the guy who offered her money to smuggle drugs, to her life in Thai prisons, adapting to the harsh way of life and finally moving back home to a British prison. The development of her character from beginning to end is evident to all through her concise narrative about her guilt and shame, especially when she speaks of her family members. All in all, this is a haunting real-life story that shouldn't be missed by anyone, especially Caucasians travelling for long periods of time in Southeast Asia. The temptation may be great when funds are running low, but the horrors of prisons in the less-developed regions are not exaggerated.



3. I live in Bangkok, less than 10 km from the prison Sandra was held in. I enjoyed reading the book for several reasons. One, as a ex-pat resident of Thailand, I could relate to and even walk past many of the places she described. Second, I'm a sucker for real-life dramas--the gorier, the better. And third, from reading the book,it was a shocking realization that as an ex-pat, one cannot necessarily rely on one's embassy to "take care" of any legal entanglements while in the Kingdom of Thailand (ex-pats living here are generally very spoiled and well-taken-care of). I also felt sorry for Sandra, as there are more heinous crimes than the one she commited every day herethat go unnoticed, unpunished (ie, sex-slavery, child trafficking).
   The prose is readable, enjoyable, but not beautiful nor well-crafted, However, anyone travelling to Thailand as a backpacker or as a tourist would be well-served to read this book. Many legal aspects of Thailand seem erratic or lackadasical compared to Western countries, but if you DO get caught doing wrong, the consequences are harsh indeed.



4. Having lived in Thailand for a gratifying 5 years, I am familiar with everything she describes and feels for the country. Thailand is a stunning country known as the "land of smiles" but numerous people don't realize that behind those smiles there is an entire different side to Thailand. That life I like most people have never gone through and do not realize how hideous it is. That is what this book is about, a book filled with fact stating the hideous side of Thailand. I was traumatized by some of the events not realizing that such a beautiful country has such a dark side too it when crossing the path of a good person to breaking the rules. I think it is definitely worthwhile reading, it touches your heart so much because you realize that as we speak about the harsh life in prison there are people out there in those hideous prisons which animals control who think they are gods and the prisoners are slaves. Even though Sandra Gregory made a huge mistake the reason for such was so understandable. Even though she smuggled the drugs I think she is a great and caring person helping others realize that you should think twice before smuggling drugs. This is one of the unsurpassed books I have ever read, it isn't an enjoyable book, where you can laugh, it is depressing and sad but so realistic because you know this is a true story, which a human being has been through. Some of the events disgust you but you continue to read because the book has so much gratitude to it.



5. Having been to Thailand on numerous occasions I can clearly see how Sandra became a mule. It is truly a beautiful country, the people, food, culture, way of life. I met a lot of young unsuspecting travellers on my travels and also saw a lot of dodgy characters in Bangkok. When funds are lacking, one can easily get suckered into being a mule. For the love of God - do not do it. Or if you are still unsure, pick up this book. I promise you that you will not be able to put it down.

5 comments about Squeaky: The Life and Times Of Lynette Alice Fromme.

1. Overall, a good effort. Couple of shortcomings in that Fromme's formative years (her childhood) are glossed over pretty quickly, and because of when the book was written (late 1980s), there's little to nothing about her last two decades or so behind bars. Basically, the book really concentrates on Fromme's life from the period of 1970 to 1975, and in particular on the Ford assassination attempt and subsequent trial. Of interest is the period after Manson was sentenced leading up to early 1975, as this is where the author did a good job tracking down people involved with Fromme and fleshed out the holes in the media narrative as to what she was up to between the Manson trial and the attempt on Ford. Not a pro-Manson or pro-Squeaky book, nor is it mired in sensationalism...in fact, the portrait of Fromme is quite a bit different than what I expected it would be.



2. Another great book about the Manson women. Gives insight to the person behind the media stories. Very interesting story. Gives you insight to the person and not the crimes.



3. If you're one of those people who went through a phase where you were trying like hell to figure out why humans like Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme helped turn Charles Manson into a cult leader back in the late 1960s, this book will answer none of your questions. Though it received a lot of great reviews by writers from the best newspapers and magazines, I remain utterly dumbfounded as to why.
   Anyone who has truly wasted a lot of time digging for any information that can be found on "the family" will find this book hollow. Beyond hollow. It doesn't even have an outward form.



4. I've always thought you have to take anything thats been written about the so called "Manson family", whether pro or anti Manson, with a huge grain of salt. This book requires less salt than anything I've read pertaining to the "Manson family" to date.

   The author paints a very sympathetic picture of Fromme. I think the angle he is getting at is Manson was able to influence Fromme because she was looking for a Father figure type because her dad was emotionally abusive, neglectful and he strongly implies that Squeaky was sexually abused by him. (which Fromme has denied is true) He also does a lot to show and explain the environmental/ecological activism and theories of the "Manson family", which I found interesting and a lot more well grounded than Bugliosi's screwy "helter skelter" theory. The environmental issues were the main focus and obsession of the "Manson family", not "helter skelter" in my own personal opinion.

   I'm giving this book 4 stars, I'm leaning toward giving it 5 but some the stuff on her trial for attempted murder on former President Gerald Ford drags a little, although some of Frommes wacky courtroom behaviour during the trial is amusing. I personally do not believe she had any intention on shooting Ford either, she was just was trying to draw attention to the environmental issues she was obsessed with.




5. This is a compelling and very informative portrait of one of the more vocal female members of the Manson family, would-be presidential assassin Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. In late 1969, when Charles Manson and four others were imprisoned for the brutal murders of nine people, Squeaky Fromme became the leader of the Manson clan in Charlie's absence and took to the streets, holding daily vigils outside the courthouse with the other family members who weren't imprisoned. In 1975, while living in Sacramento and preaching about the destruction of the environment with friend Sandra Good, Squeaky aimed a gun at then-president Gerald Ford. In prison for life, this novel details her early life as a dancer with the Westchester Lariats in Redondo Beach, California, her notable High School days, and finally how and when she met Manson and was seduced by his off-the-wall ideologies. It gives an incredible day-by-day account of her highly-publicized trial in which it was to be decided whether or not she actually meant to kill the president. Although not for everyone, this book is a must for true-crime fans and those who want to know what made this fascinating woman tick.

5 comments about The Prince of Providence: The True Story of Buddy Cianci, America's Most Notorious Mayor, Some Wiseguys, and the Feds.

1. There is no doubt Buddy Cianci is an interesting figure worth reading about. However, this book seems at many times to be not much more than the rehashing of newspaper articles written by the writer or his colleagues. All the chapters have snappy introductions, or "ledes," as journalists say, and tend thereafter to be very repetitive in their descriptions of the mayor.
   
   I did not mind purchasing the book, as Cianci is an interesting figure to know about, but I found myself skimming over sentences and sections much more often than I like. Not recommended.



2. One day in grammar school a young lad named Vincent Cianci announced to his classmates that he was going to be Vice President of the United States when he grew up. What those kids in the schoolyard could not have possibly realized was that even at the age of 10 or 11 Vincent Cianci was dead serious about what he wanted to do with his life. In "The Prince of Providence", author Mike Stanton. a reporter for the Providence Journal, chronicles the life of this colorful and controversial, energetic and enigmatic figure.
   When "Buddy" Cianci arrived on the scene in 1974 he really was a breath of fresh air. For Providence was a corrupt and dying town that had long been dominated by the Democratic machine. It was only as the result of a unlikely confluence of circumstances that this young upstart Republican had been elected Mayor of Providence. As a dynamic young urban mayor, Cianci gained favor with Republican President Gerald Ford who was looking for ways to expand his base for the 1976 election.
   And Buddy Cianci had a quality that few politicians these days seem to possess---vision. He aggressively pursued federal funds for his city and entertained innovative proposals and project ideas that would have been summarily dismissed as "pie in the sky" by previous administrations. In addition, the mayor seemed to have boundless energy--he was everywhere. Those of us who live in Rhode Island saw firsthand the impact that such energy and imagination was beginning to have on our capitol city.
   But unfortunately, there was also a dark side to Buddy Cianci that would ultimately lead to his downfall. In the pages of "The Prince of Providence" you will read all about the corruption greed and intimidation that would ultimately become hallmarks of the Cianci administration. Although I have lived here all of my life I was personally taken aback by the how frequently Buddy Cianci employed violence and intimidation in both his role as Mayor and in his personal life. You will also be introduced to Dennis Aiken, the FBI agent bound and determined to get to the bottom of all of the wrongdoing in the city. It is a fascinating story.
   In his later years, Buddy Cianci would once again become somewhat of a national figure by his frequent appearances on the "Imus In The Morning " show. No one can deny that he was a compelling and entertaining guest. On "Imus", Buddy would maintain his innocence. In many respects, Buddy Cianci reminds me of Richard Nixon. Both were extremely gifted individuals with serious personality flaws. Even if you are not from Rhode Island or New England where Buddy Cianci is a household name, I think you will find "The Prince of Providence" to be well worth your time. You will come away shaking your head and wondering what could have been. Recommended.



3. THis book was a good read. Being from RI it was enlightening to see really how corrupt RI politics is. It's sad. I would recommend this book to people who want to know how city hall really works.



4. As a native Rhode Islander who last lived there in 1975 (the year the Buddy story really started) I came to this book with a somewhat sketchy knowledge of the story of Buddy Cianci's reign(s) over Providence. With relatives still living there I paid some attention, but didn't follow it in depth. I knew about the two sides of Buddy, and the strong feelings he elicited, as well as the attitude that, yeah, he was corrupt, but look what he did for Providence, so he's okay. I even witnessed something described in the book-the incredible adoration Cianci would receive upon entering the Providence Civic Center late in a Bruins hockey game to take his seat. I have never seen ANYTHING like this (and I live in NH, so I've seen lots of politicians).
   With this background I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed Mike Stanton's book, and, after reading this, I can only conclude that my fellow Rhode Islanders who support this guy are either morally brain dead, or just were not aware of the depth of the corruption that existed in his administration. Stanton's in depth analysis of how it all happened put to rest any sympathy I may have had for Cianci. The book is thoroughly entertaining, and I recommend it to anyone interested in an amazing well-told story, not just Rhode Islanders or political junkies, although it will certainly appeal to both of those groups.
   I think most of the reviews I have browsed through are pretty consistent, and pretty accurate, but let me add my disagreement with some of the comments. First, there is no fluff or excess in this book. All of the anecdotes are useful, and interesting, and I would not take a single one out. If anything, I wanted more. There is so much in this book that just touches the surface of various incidents or scams, this book could have easily have been half as long again, and I would have followed along. The minor repetitions that exist serve to remind you of who different players were, and, given the large cast of characters I found it helpful rather than redundant. Second, while the author does not always name names, the detailed notes at the end do name names, excepting, of course, those sources who chose to stay anonymous, for, I think most would agree, excellent reasons. In fact, I am somewhat amazed that as many people spoke on the record to the author as did, and I really thought the author did a nice job of telling the story, and pulling together such an assemblage of information. In fact, given that he usually writes for a newspaper, I was very impressed with his engaging and articulate style. If I have a quibble with this book, it is that, while it makes it clear about the corrupt side of Cianci, it is hard to understand what it was he did or had that made him so successful in leading the Providence renaissance. Clearly he has drive, charisma, charm, and chutzpah. But how did he create, fund and shepherd such massive projects, such that people did not mind the fact that he was totally corrupt? I wish there had been a little more insight into this facet of Buddy, but aside from that, this book filled in the gaps in my knowledge. I will be recommending it to all my Rhode Island friends and relatives, and anyone else who wants a great read.
   By the way I gave this book four stars, rather than five, not because it is not one of the better books I have read recently, as it is, but because I try to reserve five stars for the Crime and Punishments of this world, the books that are truly great, not just a cut above the others. There are too many reviewers, IMHO, that will give a five star review to anything they like, and are not being critical enough. This is not in a league with five star books, but it is not far off.



5. I don't think the overall subject of the book will be surprising to anyone from Providence, or elsewhere in RI for that fact, but some of the stories and details in the book will shock you! I lived 1/2 my life in Providence and the other 1/2 in or near Miami. As bad as the banana republic of Miami has demonstrated it can be (Elian!), it cannot compare to the corruption found in Providence and throughout Rhode Island politics. I could not put the book down for 3 days.

   The only reason I knocked off 1 star on my rating is that the writing quality could have been a bit better. The author rambles in some sections and then seems to repeat himself from time-to-time. The same is noted in some other reviews, so I don't think it was my reading. Nevertheless, it is a minor issue and the book is well worth reading and owning, particularly if you ever lived in Rhode Island. Just remember, it isn't fiction like the Godfather - it really happened.

5 comments about Education of a Felon: A Memoir.

1. I have read all of Edward Bunker's books and they are a lot like this book. The storyline is dark and brutal, very honest and hard, the author takes you on a trip that is very readable for a while but then (around the halfway mark) the books tend to fade to monotony and a certain sameness.
   
   In this book, we get the chance to read about Bunker's life. I am not sure how much of it is fact and how much is fiction, but it is a brutal life. Bunker was not a person to be admired in the way he lived his criminal years.
   
   Is the book worthwhile? i would say yes, but it could have been much better if it had been written in a faster style, perhaps with more of a look at him getting out of jail and his future Hollywood career.



2. This is an incredible true story, about second (and third and even fourth) chances, and prove that it's never too late for someone to change their life. Today, there are thousands of kids just like Edward Bunker, and there are fewer ways for them to find a second chance, a way out of a life of crime.
   
   
   The network of boys' homes, military and boarding schools described by Bunker today only exist for the ultra wealthy and the privileged classes in California. Even though that part of the system failed to reign him in and redirect him from a life of crime, at least in his lifetime that option existed, although he readily admits to being drawn in by the life of a criminal. Today there are no options left for a middle-class parent who finds themselves overwhelmed by the prospects of trying to raise an out-of-control child like Bunker was. The most amazing part of this book is the fact that he found his way back, away from the life of crime that he lived until he was in his mid-forties.
   
   I hope that his only child, a son, will be able to grow up intact, even though Bunker has passed away. He left a wonderful legacy for his son by writing this book.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who works in the criminal justice system, especially with juveniles.



3. The Education of a Felon by Edward Bunker is very touching. We sent a copy to
   our grandson in prison for getting into fights in bars every time he is released from prison. He was so taken with the material that he now attends AAA and has started going to Church. He also let several other inmates read it and they too are working on changing their ways.
   Sincerely,
   Ol'wdb7777



4. Bunker puts you right into the prison life in this book. Although at times it seems a little rushed if not abrupt, this is a good page-turner and not too much is left to the imagination. It's a good memoir that at times can make you feel as nervous, angry or happy as the author felt.



5. unlike the psychopathic rantings that fill jack henry abbott's "in the belly of the beast," this book about the life of a man who rose from a life of crime to the life of a successful writer is without self-pity, without self-justification. and, also unlike "in the belly of the beast," it is great writing with a great narrative drive. a story is built out of mr bunker's life, in clear direct prose, free of psychiatric babble. this is a fantastic book that deserves a wide readership. so go ahead and read the thing.

2 comments about Blessed with Evil: A Story of the Hells Angels and the Evil Spirits Motorcycle Clubs.

1. A very well ducumented story. A very fast pace rollercoaster of a ride type style book. The newspaper articles are all dated properly. I enjoyed reading this book.



2. This book is the stupidest biker book I've ever read. Only 105 pages, it is a book about a want to be biker! I have serious doubts that this guy has ever even sit on a bike, Let alone belong to a one percenter club. The cover itself is a give away: a scrawny guy with pale white skin wearing a fresh cheap denim jacket with the sleeves cut out. Bearing a total unreadable patch. Parco senia is a want to be bad guy but he looks like one of the three stoogies! Check out page 9: "Everything seemed to run synchronized, faster than then you would consider what cause and effect could do, and all in progression so to speak." What the heck does that mean????? It's a jumpy book that makes no sense and any one familiar with one percenters knows it's a bold face lie cover to cover....DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS RAG!!!!!

3 comments about American Gangster: And Other Tales of New York.

1. People who read Pete Hamill will love Mark Jacobson. I purchased the book because I saw the film, American Gangster, and discovered that the book is a collection of Jacobson's writings from New York Magazine and the Village Voice. Like Hamill, he makes the city come alive in all of its splendor, tawdriness, cruelty, and magnificence. The stories are all true, and if the reader didn't know that upfront, credibilty could be an issue. Some of the people who populate these pages are unreal in the extreme but extraordinarily riveting in their portrayal.
   The best essay in the book is not about crime. It is about the author's house.....the house that his mother sold after his father's death. That is, without exception, one of the most insightful memoirs of family and place that I have read in a long time. That esssay alone made me keep the book rather than pass it on to the Friends of the Library resale rack.
   Having read this collection of essays, I now actively search out anything this author has written. He is that good.



2. "American Gangster" is a collection of Mark Jacobson articles depicting off-beat New York City characters. I bought this book because I wanted to know the "facts" about Frank Lucas, the subject of the "American Gangster" movie.
   
   The Frank Lucas article, like many of the articles in this collection, focuses on describing and illustrating the character rather than giving a great number of facts. Frank Lucas from the article is more self-centered, conniving and crude than the slick Hollywood movie version.
   
   The articles cover a wide variety of characters from the clientele of a cigar shop to 9/11 conspiracy theorists to the owner of a high-dollar escort service. Some of the characters are less than savory and some of them were not very interesting to me.
   
   With the broad range of subjects presented in "American Gangster" there is a good chance there will be something of interest to just about any reader. There is also a good chance the reader will come across a few articles they would rather skip.



3. Chapter 1 of the book features the story of legendary gangster Frank Lucas (now made famous by the movie American Gangster), but it delves deeper into the lives and culture of a few select people that help make New York an eclectic and mesmerizing city.
   
   You will walk away from this book satisfied, but longing to learn more.

5 comments about Without a Doubt.

1. Yeah, I am a white guy. And you can call me any names that you would like, but it is upon you to prove it. Marcia Clark has written a book and has laid herself open to all the negative attention and snide remarks that she endured during the case that IMHO was a gut wrenching travesty. Marica proves to me that she is a mighty fine lawyer, a great mother and even more important a real LADY that dealt with extremes with the utmost integrity and honesty. She should be held up as an American heroine for what she endured, doing battle daily for more than a year with the "Dream Team," and their race baiting and a judge that was oh so very weak. I can't remember ever reading a book that made me want to meet and honor such a very special person as I do Marcia Clark. The trial was all about race and nothing that the prosecution could do would change that. They are the heroes. But instead, they are held up to ridicule for what they did or did not do. Orenthal James Simpson is guilty of snuffing out two lives with vicious and bloody attacks and if you don't get that message from this book, you have a serious lack of comprehension or you just don't get it. It would be a great honor for me to be able to meet Ms. Clark, just to thank her for what she went through while trying to find some sort of justice while fighting all of the elements that she came across. Great book. I am proud to live in a nation that has people like Marcia Clark. being an attorney, mother or just a lovely person. Ms Clark. Good Job!!!!!!



2. Any reasonable person who listened to the evidence at the so-called "trial of the century" knows without out a doubt that O. J. Simpson killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, the hapless waiter who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyone who watched the announcement of the verdict and saw the shock and disbelief on O. J. Simpson's own face, as the not guilty verdict was read, would know that even the defendant knew he was guilty.
   
   The prosecution never had much of a chance, because the presiding judge, Lance Ito, was a bumbling idiot who could not control his courtroom and make sound evidentiary rulings. . Instead, Lance Ito allowed his courtroom to become a three-ring circus. As a career prosecutor, I was appalled at the time at what went on in that courtroom, and Lance Ito's courting of the media was reprehensible. It was also clear that he was awed by and enthralled with the celebrity of the defendant appearing before him. One need only look to the civil trial in the matter to see how an effective judge controlled his courtroom. There, Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki made sound rulings on evidentiary matters and remained in control of his courtroom at all times. Consequently, justice was obtained in the civil case.
   
   This tell all, no holds barred book is a well-written, engaging behind-the-scenes account of the "trial of the century". While Ms. Clark does include some personal information about herself, it is in the context of why she became a prosecutor and makes for a more fully fleshed account of how and why she may have acted as she did under the circumstances. She admits to some mistakes, and probably one of the biggest was having been lulled into a false sense of complacency about the competence of the criminalist assigned to the case, rather than going with her gut instinct to get whom she thought would be the best person for the job. Consequently, she was saddled with criminalist Dennis Fung, who for his incompetence in such a high profile case should have been summarily fired thereafter.
   
   As for the defense "Dream Team", having watched their antics on court TV during the course of the trial, it was clear that they were playing to the media for all it was worth, and the media was lapping it up. So much of what the defense did went beyond what was sanctioned by evidentiary rules and the rules of professional conduct that I was both amazed and appalled. That they got away with this kind of behavior was reprehensible. The only one able to call them on it, however, was Judge Lance Ito, and he failed to do so. The blame, therefore, for all the shenanigans that went on during the course of the trial lies squarely on Lance Ito's shoulders. He definitely gets the prize for one of the greatest failures in American jurisprudence.
   
   Still, one cannot forget prosecutor Chris Darden's ill-advised decision in proceeding to have O.J. try on the bloodied, weathered gloves found at the scene and at his home, rather than waiting for an exact duplicate pair to be delivered by the manufacturer. In light of the fact that the manufacturer had advised the prosecution that the original gloves would have shrunk as much as fifteen percent due to repeated exposure to dampness and extremes of heat and cold, it was downright stupid for Chris Darden to proceed to have the defendant try them on. While Ms. Clark had counseled Chris Darden not to proceed with this demonstration, but rather, to wait for the new duplicate pair, he did so anyway with disastrous results. As the lead prosecutor in the case, however, the fault for this debacle lies squarely with her on this issue, rather than Mr. Darden, because when you are the lead prosecutor, the buck stops with you. Ms. Clark need look no further than herself for this major faux pas and for the ensuing creation of Johnnie Cochran's famous, catchy sound bite, "If the glove doesn't fit, then you must acquit". Never mind that the new, duplicate glove fit O. J. to perfection!
   
   Notwithstanding the glove debacle, the forensic evidence against the defendant was overwhelming, despite the bungling of criminalist Dennis Fung. Unfortunately, the painstaking forensics case put together by the prosecution was lost under the smokescreen set off by the defense. The "Dream Team" played the race card to perfection to a sound bite crazed media that helped create a public frenzy, no doubt aided by the celebrity of the defendant. The defense team's cries of police mis-conduct and the Fuhrmanizing of the trial was a pulp journalist's dream come true. It was also a travesty of justice, as all the hoopla and media distortion masked what the trial was really about, the savage and wanton murders of two innocent human beings. Moreover, while much has been said about this being a crime of passion that the prosecution tried as dispassionately as possible, one must keep in mind that Judge Ito tied the prosecution's hands in large part, while giving the "Dream Team' an unprecedented free rein.
   
   This book will keep courtroom junkies enthralled with its war stories and sneak peak into the "trial of the century". Ms. Clark gives an excellent analysis of what went wrong, and while some of it may be a bit self-serving, she is right on the money for the most part. This is a riveting, page turning account, and she doesn't hold back any punches. Ms. Clark painstakingly goes through the evidence that was presented at the trial, as well as that evidence that Judge Ito, in his infinite wisdom, did not allow the prosecution to present. Anyone who reads this book will be outraged by the obvious miscarriage of justice, as it will be clear as a bell why O. J. Simpson is, without a doubt, guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman.



3. I read four books after the trial. I read the Schiller 1000 page saga, Outrage, the present book and a book on Johnny Cochrane. Each book was different and gives us different insights.
   
   I think it is clear to any reasonable and unbiased thinking person that O.J. did in fact kill Nicole and Ron and it is just as it is clear that Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK. Also it is clear from the other reviewers that Marcia Clark evokes a certain emotional response that colors their view of the book. If you still think O.J. is innocent then I think that is a personal problem or internal devil that you must deal with but it is not related to reality. As the title says "Without a Doubt" he was guilty.
   
   Johnny made buckets of money as a criminal attorney. Both he and Shapiro could make sums of money in hours that only the rest of us can dream about. Johnny drove a Rolls and Shapiro rubbed elbows with the LA movers and shakers.
   
   Marcia is more like the average citizen, working for the DA's office, probably driving a Chevrolet or Honda. She was a single divorced mother that commutes to work. After the trial she had decided enough was enough, and she wrote the book along with everyone else. And I say good for her! Make a buck or two! Its America.
   
   Now for the book. It is what you might expect. It is the story of her involvement with the trial. It presents some prior background on her life and earlier trials and then goes in detail through the O.J. saga and what it was like from her perspective. I think is a well written book and for the most part entertaining. "Outrage" is a bit more gripping and Schiller's "American Tragedy" longer and more comprehensive. But this book is what we would expect. It deals mainly with her role and it is a solid job. She was basically a civil servant and she was the front "man" facing a raft of America's most famous lawyers including the above mentioned plus F. Lee Bailey. Then to complicate things, the whole mess was presided over by the star blinded Judge Ito. Together they faced essentially 12 black female jurors who loved Johnny and O.J.
   
   Could she win? "Without a Doubt" she could not win, but it was nothing to do with her.
   
   Recommend. 4 stars.



4. It wouldn't have mattered who prosecuted this case. The jury were never going to convict OJ after the race card was played.
   
   Pretty good account of the trial, and an interesting insight into the author's ordeal in handling such a nightmarish case. She lays into Judge Ito & the cyncical tactics of Cochrane.
   
   You come away doubting that the jury system really delivers justice.



5. I have read most of the books written about the O.J. Trial. All have been more about setting forth that particular author's personal/ or political agenda and not about true analysis.

   What I fail to find in any of these books is what role did the media play in turning a simple crime of passion into the racial mess that this trial came to symbolize?

   This story is simple. Man and woman have a very sick/tormented relationship, where many sick games are played. One day man loses his head and murders woman and the poor guy who comes to her rescue. Man goes to trial. Man goes to jail for a crime of passion. End of story.

   Instead the SCLM (So Called Liberal Media) as described in the Eric Alterman's book, "What Liberal Media," enters the picture driven by the almighty dollar and turns this simple crime into the trial of the century simply for the profit margin.

   We still trust the media to inform us and they failed miserably as they have done in every important story of our generation. There is no liberal media bias. It's all about the money and polarizing the country to fuel the tragic story of the Simpson case was more important to the Media than actually telling the real story.

   They forgot that Nicole and O.J. loved each other and created two very lovely kids together. Race had nothing to do witth it until the media focussed on it.

   Marcia Clark lost her case, because she drank the Kool Aid from the media and followed their narrative as opposed to trying the case for what it was a crime of passion.

5 comments about No Lights, No Sirens: The Corruption and Redemption of an Inner City Cop.

1. This book is fairly darn good. As an ex policeman myself I understand his dedication to the job. The book also shows the side of him that makes him a human. I think this book is a good read.



2. What makes No Lights, No Sirens the ultimate cop memoir is the brutal honesty and depth of storytelling by author and former NYC cop Robert Cea. Hold your breath and hold on to something comforting, because Cea is about to pummel you with the anxieties, fears, and and tragedies that made up his tenure as a NYC cop.



3. As a sworn police officer I always have to wonder, at what point will America get enough of this garbage? Robert Cea, if his account is to be believed, is a criminal. The fact that he did what he did while wearing a police uniform is irrelevant as far as that's concerned. Men like him are a disgrace to all the officers who actually do their job the right way. I'm sick and tired of hearing the excuses. "My pay is low", "The Job doesn't care", "Crime was here before I came on, and it'll be here after I leave" etc. This man is, by his own admission, guilty of perjury, assault, conspiracy and a host of other crimes. He writes about routinely violating the rights of individual citizens, but that's A-Okay because they're bad people and because he includes the obligatory handfull of lines about his struggles with what kind of man he's turning into. You know what? That doesn't cut it. This book isn't about redemption. It's about Robert Cea making money by entertaining people with an account of his criminal behavior and sexual antics. While performing law enforcement duties I have been cursed, attacked with weapons and all the rest. I've never used it as an excuse to line my pockets or lie under oath. As the old saying goes "Adversity does not build character, it reveals it." Robert Cea went to Brooklyn and was faced with a daunting task. In the end his character was revealed and it was non-existant. Don't line the pockets of a corrupt cop. You can find it funny or amusing while you're reading this book in your living room but if you ever got pulled over by a police officer you wouldn't be laughing if it was a man like Robert Cea.



4. What a great recounting of a career spent trying to get true bad guys off the street. It's no wonder Cea butted heads with the desk jockeys on the force.
   
   A must-read for anyone wanting to see what now-Yuppie Brooklyn was like in its former incarnation.



5. This book relates the authors experiences in the N.Y.P.D. from his days as a rookie at the Police Academy thru his early career as a gung ho idealistic officer and then his frustrations dealing with the mopes and low lifes in the toughest parts of Brooklyn. Did he at times step over the line? Well, if so, I'm glad he did. Unfortunately, with crime friendly juries often selected in N.Y.C. sometimes such conduct may be for the greater good of society.

3 comments about Prisoner of Love (New York Review Books Classics).

1. If the reader is looking for easy explanations to the Palestinian refugees' war with the nation of Israel, Jean Genet's book is not the place to seek them. And I don't advise readers to pick through the text looking for the succinct sentences in which Genet clearly states why he's on the side of the Palestinians, or if he's anti-Israel, or anti-American. There is no proof of reviewer Tim Keane's conclusion that Genet "seethes with hatred of Israel"; there are no such violent emotions in Prisoner of Love. At 430 pages, be prepared to find subtleties of experience shaded by conflicting responses--nuances completely unavailable via print journalism or network news, CNN, or Al Jazeera. But the very fact that Genet wanted to observe life in the refugee camps shows that he had to make a choice. Nearly all the protagonists of his memoir, this textual "souvenirs," are Palestinians and generally Muslim. Indeed, the compelling force which drives the relatively plotless Prisoner of Love are the individuals to whom Jean attachments himself: the dynamic Lieutenant Mubarak, Dr. Mahjoub and the charismatic female doctor, Dr. Nabila, Khaled Abu Khaled and Abu Omar, and an accomplished woman friend, a blond Lebanese guide and translator, Nidal, and dozens of other people. Genet was particularly attached to Hamza and his mother, who he attempts to find again after his absence from Palestine for nearly 14 years. We cannot forget the common fedayee rebel, the fedayeen as a whole who fought to make the Palestinian plight known.
   
   When evaluating Prisoner of Love, it's important to remember that Genet is a writer. Throughout his work, Genet tells us how difficult it is to recount his experiences since he's not sure at times what he's seeing, and he must make his writing conform to the necessities of craft. And whatever writing craft decisions Jean made it is clear that the Palestinians "wrote" him as well; Jean was seldom in control of his experience. As I read, I realized that Genet is the ultimate refugee; he seeks to be with people who are like him. My conclusion is this: Palestine chose him.
   
   Only Genet could have written this book. He is a bruised romantic searching for a resting place that will caress both his homeless intellect and his orphaned body: "A little while ago I wrote that though I shall die, nothing else will. And I must make my meaning clear. Wonder at the sight of a corn-flower, at a rock, at the touch of a rough hand--all the millions of emotions of which I'm made--they won't disappear even though I shall. Other men will experience them, and they'll still be there because of them. More and more I believe I exist in order to be the terrain and proof which show other men that life consists in the uninterrupted emotions flowing through all creation" (361). As an orphan with prison experience, and disaffected from France, Genet was willing to try on other peoples' lives; I suspect that without the structure dictated by the craft of writing, and his talent coming to the attention of well-known writers, Genet would have disappeared into the French prison system.
   
   Another conclusion I came to: Genet shows us the difference between terrorism and Arab nationalism. Is there any hope that the U.S., of which I am a native-born citizen, will ever figure out this difference?
   
   Overwhelmingly, the single image I have of Prisoner of Love is that to read it is to travel the land that dwelled *in* Jean Genet, this traveler who was intelligent enough to let his emotions guide him. And only by reading can I share in living a life which speaks so eloquently of rebellion and blood, of life and death.



2. Genet allows you to feel the immediacy of the Palestinian situation with particles from lives,from ill-defined fragments of lives disrupted with no future,he stayed with a family in 1980 a half-day and a whole night where the young son,Hamza a fedayee went off at night to fight. Genet hearing gun fire in the distance inhabited his bed and was brought Turkish coffee and water in the night as a replacement for the young man,by his mother. Genet is a writer/poet,a political thinker,but never a man of politics, a deeply sensitive man,a virtuoso of the sensual image, as the starry-night reflected against the curtain in his room with the small blue table. "Of course it's understood that the words,nights,forests,septet,jubilation desertion and despair are the same words that I have to use to describe the goings on at dawn in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris when the drag queens depart after celebrating their mystery,doing their accounts and smoothing banknotes out of the dew."

   Genet was allowed with special permission to visit the massacre site at the camps at Sabra and Chantila,smelling the rotting flesh, "They happened I was affected by them. I talked about them. But while the act of writing came later, after a period of incubation,nevertheless in a moment like that or those when a single cell departs from its usual metabolism and the original link is created of a future,unsuspected cancer,or a piece of lace, so I decided to write this book."

   Genet has an intense need for passion of any dimension,scouring the vigours of whatever parts of fragments of the lifeworld's complexity presents itself to him. I once thought of this book as a romantic means of portrayel a betrayel of a political situation,one, the only one that excited Genet.It means something that only encounterings lives in struggle,bent into a repressive state that Genet finds the only life worth encountering,sensing and feeling about. This book was completed in 1986 after suffering from throat cancer, he died on the night of 14-15th of April,1986,while correcting proofs.




3. This book is absolutely essential to any understanding of the Palestinian situation. It is also the mostimportant work of Genet's entire career.