Jack the Ripper: His Life and Crimes in Popular Entertainment

by Gary Coville, Patrick Lucanio

The identity of Jack the Ripper has consumed public curiosity since he first tormented the East End of London in 1888. Numerous theories have been offered as to his identity, but he remains in the shadows where, it seems, only imaginative literature has been able to elucidate his meaning to the modern world. This work surveys the literary, film, television, and radio treatments of Jack the Ripper and his crimes. The works of fiction are thoroughly analyzed, as are the major nonfiction works that have offered various theories about the Ripper's identity. Works whose narratives are obviously inspired by Jack the Ripper and his crimes are also discussed.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

203 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1999

Reviews

[Joshua]

Originally, I gave this two stars, but I had to downgrade it to just one. The more I think about this book, the more annoyed I am. What should have been an annotated bibliography of media on Jack the Ripper—and the appendix at the end of the book serves this very function—was instead stretched out by the authors for roughly 160 pages. Their thesis is obvious and simplistic, their chapter divisions are arbitrary, their examples and interpretations are repetitive, and their "apolitical" approach is really just thinly veiled liberal-bashing. They also have disinterest, if not all-out contempt, for academic approaches to popular cultural studies, which is odd for an analysis of literature, radio, film and television. Rather than producing a detailed and nuanced study, the authors instead bludgeoned a topic into submission. What a disappointment.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a remarkably fast read considering all the information that's packed inside it. A wonderful overview of the mileage writers, moviemakers and so on have made out of Saucy Jack's story. I enjoyed it.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.