The Alienist
Registered by Dozer on 2/14/2003
3 journalers for this copy...
I am partial to stories set in the 19th or early 20th centuries. This book is set at the turn of the 20th century in New York. I was in NY a few years back, so I was intrigued by how the author described the NY of those days.
Transvestite boy prostitutes are being strangled and brutally mutilated in New York. The team set to solve the mystery consists of an unorthodox alienist (psychologist), a reporter, a feminist, two detectives and two ex-cons (one of which is 14 years old). Theodore Roosevelt also features in it. Caleb Carr writes OK but it could be better. He is succinct (as opposed to one John Irving) but his writing somewhat lacks the oomph that could make it so much better. But I do like the fact that it's written in the first person (the reporter) so I get to see it from his point of view. It somehow brings me closer to the scenes.
Transvestite boy prostitutes are being strangled and brutally mutilated in New York. The team set to solve the mystery consists of an unorthodox alienist (psychologist), a reporter, a feminist, two detectives and two ex-cons (one of which is 14 years old). Theodore Roosevelt also features in it. Caleb Carr writes OK but it could be better. He is succinct (as opposed to one John Irving) but his writing somewhat lacks the oomph that could make it so much better. But I do like the fact that it's written in the first person (the reporter) so I get to see it from his point of view. It somehow brings me closer to the scenes.
Picked up by a Urban Kitty at a Pachyderm Place from a Hairy Ape.
Journal Entry 3 by Dozer at --- controlled release in Kuching, Sarawak (Kuching) Malaysia on Sunday, March 2, 2003
Released on Sunday, February 23, 2003 at Released to friend in Kuching, Sarawak Malaysia.
Released at last BC meet.
Released at last BC meet.
To think I nearly didn't take up this book!
I've been long interested in novels dealing in forensic science and criminal psychology, so it was very interesting to jump back into the late 1800's when the most primitive versions of techniques employed by the all too familiar CSI team of today were not recognised by the police force and is frowned upon by society as unorthodox or even absurd.
The Alienist should interest any fan of forensic science.
I've been long interested in novels dealing in forensic science and criminal psychology, so it was very interesting to jump back into the late 1800's when the most primitive versions of techniques employed by the all too familiar CSI team of today were not recognised by the police force and is frowned upon by society as unorthodox or even absurd.
The Alienist should interest any fan of forensic science.
Journal Entry 5 by Dozer at --- controlled release in Kuching, Sarawak (Kuching) Malaysia on Monday, May 5, 2003
Released on Monday, May 05, 2003 at Released during local BookCrossing meet in Kuching, Sarawak Malaysia.
Borrowed this from dozer during last BC meet. Took me awhile to finish reading it. Quite verbose (but thankfully not irritating) yet it's an absorbing story on the early history of forensic science particularly in mental pathology - or rather, forensic psychology. Criminal profiling was far too new during the 1800s, including other sectors of the forensic field such as fingerprinting, and was considered unorthodox in the eyes of the society at that time. It's interesting to see how much forensic science have evolved over the centuries. Forensic enthusiasts will find The Alienist remarkable read.
