Best most objective book about Lizzie

[PossumPie]

I have read several books, and was wondering which one to buy next. Amazon is no help, the reviews of every Lizzie book are so divided "This is the best book about Lizzie..." "This is the most biased book...." So what are your thoughts? I own "Did Lizzie Ax for It?" and "40 Whacks"

[Allen]

If you are looking for objectivity the best books, in my opinion, are Lizzie Borden Past and Present and the Lizzie Borden Sourcebook. Neither of those books pushes for guilt or innocence. They merely provide the information about of the case. The Sourcebook is mostly a collection of newspaper accounts from all over the country presented in chronological order about the crime. These accounts begin with the day of the murders and end well past Lizzie's death. There is also a Nance O'Neil interview in which she talks about her friendship with Lizzie.

[Franz]

Thank you Allen. In Rome where I have been living, if you don't buy on line, you can't find any book about Borden case. What a pity!

[PossumPie]

Where is Nancy Drew? I was hoping to get some book suggestions from her too!

[Allen]

I became interested in this case when I was just a teenager. I have been studying not just the Borden case itself, but the nineteenth century in general ever since. I am going to turn 40 this year. I visit any museum, B&B, and exhibit that has examples of Victorian living and Victorian life. I buy antiques from the period and read any books I can get my hands on that concern life in that century. I'm just fascinated by it all. And I believe anyone who wants to study the murders should understand the era they were committed in. So I would recommend books on the Victorian era also.

[Franz]

Excellent advice, Allen, thanks!

So, would you like to tell us what about the police conception in the poeple's mind at Victorian time? Was it as strong as it is in today's people mind?

[Allen]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the people's conception of police. If your meaning is when a crime was committed would one of the first thoughts be to call police my answer would be a definite yes. If you want to talk about how well the police force was trusted by the citizens there are several variables that affect that. Class did play a role in the level of trust in some instances. The officers didn't have as many people holding them accountable for their actions and a lot of things were tolerated then that may not be now. Many people from the nineteenth century resented the police having authority to investigate their lives. They wanted their private business to stay private and their secrets to stay secret. Many thought a man's home was his castle and he ruled it. He didn't like anyone being able to peer in and air his dirty laundry not even the police. But the people also wanted to feel safe in their homes and they want the perpetrators of the crimes caught. The police were the ones in charge of that. So from what I have found the police were usually called as soon as possible whenever a crime was committed. Especially a murder.

[Franz]

Thank you very much, Allen!

[PossumPie]

Allen, I too have studied the Vic. era b/c my other obsession is another unsolved case from that ere...Jack the Ripper.

[Allen]

I have also had an interest in Jack the Ripper. Other cases from that time period I've researched with more interest than most are H.H. Holmes, Maria Barbella, Constance Kent, Dr. Crippen, Jane Toppan, Belle Gunness, and Florence Maybrick. The identity of Jack is another enigma that will never be solved. But it's so interesting to go over the evidence and speculate! I find it interesting that Herman Webster Mudgett chose the alias Dr. Herbert Howard Holmes. Crippen's full name was Hawley Harvey Crippen. The double H in both cases seems an interesting parallel. It's been said that DNA tests have proven the body found in Crippen's basement was not that of his wife Cora. But I think the genealogy for the relative they used as a match is a little questionable.