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This is an incredibly fun book-- if a book about poisons can be called "fun." Blum's book is as much a true crime book as it is a history of particular poisons. The book is organized chronologically around particular murders or industrial accidents and the scientists in New York City who ferreted out the causes of these deaths. The major recurring theme in the book is Prohibition-- the poor alcohol substitutes and additives bootleggers used in the 1920s provided the NYC forensic inspectors with
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People will make and ingest just about anything that they think will make them feel good, or at least better.
Reading Deborah Blum’s The Poisoner’s Handbook put me in mind of two of my favorite summer books: Methland, and Chasing the White Dog. My favorite chapters of this book were not the ones meant to be page turners. The mystery of who poisoned who with what chemical, and whether the intrepid scientists of the New York Medical Examiner’s office would solve it were good medical mysteries, but ...more
Reading Deborah Blum’s The Poisoner’s Handbook put me in mind of two of my favorite summer books: Methland, and Chasing the White Dog. My favorite chapters of this book were not the ones meant to be page turners. The mystery of who poisoned who with what chemical, and whether the intrepid scientists of the New York Medical Examiner’s office would solve it were good medical mysteries, but ...more
This book was bursting over with stories it wanted to tell. About Prohibition, about corruption in New York City politics, about the emergence of forensic science as a discipline, about Charles Norris (way tougher than Chuck) and Alexander Gettler who shaped it, and the individual stories of dozens of poisoners of the era. Most of the time it works, but it's a lot of balls to keep in the air, and there are a few places where something falls.
But still, who could stop reading? About Norris's dogge ...more
But still, who could stop reading? About Norris's dogge ...more
Quite a fun and interesting, if slightly meandering book. Focusing on the development of the New York Medical Examiner's office, Blum covers poison (obviously), murder, broader environmental health issues, and national and local politics through the 20s. Recommended especially for anyone interested in forensic medicine or chemistry (at a very high level).
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A really interesting book for anyone who likes to read about the history of medicine or true crime (or, ideally, both). Deborah Blum has a very readable writing style and the book was the perfect mix of history, science facts, and true crime stories.
Who knew that the Prohibition period, murder by poison, and forensic medicine could be so entertaining! I loved every minute it took to read this book.
Sep 28, 2011
Melle
rated it
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Shelves:
nonfiction,
adult,
history,
science,
1930s,
1920s,
1910s,
chemistry,
poisons,
forensic-science
It took me a while to get into this, but I think in a different time and place, this would be a fantastic read and a fun book group read, as it covers so many interesting cases and chemicals and criminals. This is the kind of a book for anyone who identifies with Flavia de Luce.
Oct 03, 2011
akaellen
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Isabel
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