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Popular Crime: Reflections On The Celebration Of Violence (2011)

by Bill James(Favorite Author)

3.72 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1416552731 (ISBN13: 9781416552734)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Scribner

review 1: This is one of the most fascinating books I've ever picked up. The author, Bill James, is primarily known for reinventing the way people look at baseball. Heard of Moneyball? All those statistical principals which were somehow made into a Brad Pitt movie were innovated by one Bill James. James other passion is understanding popular crime and how it interplays with society. This is a chronological series of essays that examine at various lengths James various thoughts on crime. Those might focus on an evaluation of the truth of what happened, the media circus that surrounding it, mini reviews of all the many books he's read on crime, or perhaps what it represents in society and public policy.James has a conversational style to his writing that I can't but completely a... moredmire. Periodically he will muse rhetorical questions to himself or even contradict some of his thoughts mid paragraph. Reading this book is akin to talking to someone on a good rant who is really knowledgeable about the subject matter. It certainly is less stuffy than a typical non fiction book that would approach the matter as a reporter of information, vs. someone who has sifted through all the reporting and is weighing all the evidence.The cases James focuses on are both big and small. Some were old enough that while national news at the time, have faded from history. Others are landmark crime stories that everyone has heard of. Want an in depth analysis of whether or not Lizzy Borden killed her family? Done. She probably didn't. Did the Doctor that The Fugitive was base off kill his wife? He might have been working with the one armed man. What happened to JFK? He may have been accidentally and fatally shot by a Secret Service operative returning fire. There is so much more.So if you are like me and want to read the thoughts of a cranky anti-social guy who happens to be brilliant than you will definitely want this book.
review 2: This was pitched to me as being a lot of fun, and fun it certainly was. James writes with the authority and attention to detail that only the geekiest of geeks can lay claim to. The mere fact that this book exists is pretty great, and I hope presages more to come: not a book about crime, but a book simply about other crime books. As for his opinions, take 'em or leave 'em; James gives the impression of not giving a shit either way, and I do appreciate how little fucks he gives when it comes to saying a particular book is garbage or that an investigation was asinine or whatever. And every now and then something'd jump out to make me go, "Uh, Bill?" Like, at times I wasn't sure if he just made an inappropriate remark or just pulled something out of his ass. (James argues that at no point in hum history was Michael Jackson considered one of the top 100 celebrities on Earth, which he was and more. Like, top 10 a few years. James argues that he was "famous for LA but not the rest of the world"...which is an odd thing to say.) His thoughts on prison reform were interesting too. Either way, now I've got a bunch more books to check out thanks to Bill's recommendations. But where will I ever find the time? less

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