The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

Description

I'm not particularly interested in poisons, or in the birth of forensic medicine, or in the Jazz Age. But writer Deborah Blum had me from the first sentence of Chapter One: "It would, of course, be in the cursed winter of 1915--when ice storms had glassed over the city, when Typhoid Mary had come sneaking back, when the Manhattan coroner was discovered to be skunk-drunk at crime scenes--that the loony little porter would confess to eight poison murders."

Who could resist a sentence like that? Not me. And the rest of the book is just as page-turning and enthralling as the first sentence.

The best nonfiction writing combines a strong point of view with a good story (or series of stories) and a compelling voice. This book has all three. Highly recommended--even if you *think* you're not interested in the subject matter. PoisonersHandbook001.gif......Page 1 PoisonersHandbook002.gif......Page 2 PoisonersHandbook003.gif......Page 3 PoisonersHandbook004.gif......Page 4 PoisonersHandbook005.gif......Page 5 PoisonersHandbook006.gif......Page 6 PoisonersHandbook007.gif......Page 7 PoisonersHandbook008.gif......Page 8 PoisonersHandbook009.gif......Page 9 PoisonersHandbook010.gif......Page 10 PoisonersHandbook011.gif......Page 11 PoisonersHandbook012.gif......Page 12 PoisonersHandbook013.gif......Page 13 PoisonersHandbook014.gif......Page 14 PoisonersHandbook015.gif......Page 15 PoisonersHandbook016.gif......Page 16 PoisonersHandbook017.gif......Page 17 PoisonersHandbook018.gif......Page 18 PoisonersHandbook019.gif......Page 19 PoisonersHandbook020.gif......Page 20 PoisonersHandbook021.gif......Page 21 PoisonersHandbook022.gif......Page 22 PoisonersHandbook023.gif......Page 23 PoisonersHandbook024.gif......Page 24 PoisonersHandbook025.gif......Page 25 PoisonersHandbook026.gif......Page 26 PoisonersHandbook027.gif......Page 27 PoisonersHandbook028.gif......Page 28 PoisonersHandbook029.gif......Page 29 PoisonersHandbook030.gif......Page 30 PoisonersHandbook031.gif......Page 31 PoisonersHandbook032.gif......Page 32 PoisonersHandbook033.gif......Page 33 PoisonersHandbook034.gif......Page 34 PoisonersHandbook035.gif......Page 35 PoisonersHandbook036.gif......Page 36 PoisonersHandbook037.gif......Page 37 PoisonersHandbook038.gif......Page 38 PoisonersHandbook039.gif......Page 39 PoisonersHandbook040.gif......Page 40 PoisonersHandbook041.gif......Page 41 PoisonersHandbook042.gif......Page 42 PoisonersHandbook043.gif......Page 43 PoisonersHandbook044.gif......Page 44 PoisonersHandbook045.gif......Page 45 PoisonersHandbook046.gif......Page 46