Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Anyone here think about it? I would LOVE to write one tearing down all of the myths, sorting out the rumour, and just listing an exhaustive list of the facts that we know. As I re-read the books I own, the authors all have a pet theory, and twist facts and speculations to fit. Some reprint outright falsehoods proven wrong. I'd love one of just the facts. Hmm...a book?

There is one book that gives just the facts and information surrounding the case. And thankfully it doesn't promote any one theory. I think it's invaluable. It's one of the only books that I use as reference and that is Lizzie Borden Past and Present. I thought of writing a book but aside from writing fiction there really is no way to cover ground that hasn't already been covered.

Anyone can write a book...if you want to make money from it, obviously you have to find a publisher willing to help you promote it. There have been so many books written about Lizzie. An angle I'd be interested in reading about is: pretend you're the prosecutor. What would have you have done differently?

I say: GO FOR IT!

When I master the art of teleportation and invisibility-- Off to a law office in Boston I go.... Months later-- a book!

Allen wrote:There is one book that gives just the facts and information surrounding the case. And thankfully it doesn't promote any one theory. I think it's invaluable. It's one of the only books that I use as reference and that is Lizzie Borden Past and Present. I thought of writing a book but aside from writing fiction there really is no way to cover ground that hasn't already been covered.

I agree, Allen - Lizzie Borden Past and Present, is definitely the book!

twinsrwe wrote:

Allen wrote:There is one book that gives just the facts and information surrounding the case. And thankfully it doesn't promote any one theory. I think it's invaluable. It's one of the only books that I use as reference and that is Lizzie Borden Past and Present. I thought of writing a book but aside from writing fiction there really is no way to cover ground that hasn't already been covered.

I agree, Allen - Lizzie Borden Past and Present, is it!

Yea, if you can find it...the trashy poorly written wild theory books are all in print. The one objective factual book goes for $150 on EBAY. I've been outbid every time I bid on one...

I've had 3 books published about "Understanding Stress & Trauma in Foster Care" but haven't broken through the mainstream publishing barrier yet. I tried last spring unsuccessfully to get an agent for a mainstream scientific book that I have written. I'm going to tweak the proposal letter and resubmit. Unfortunately, with regard to the Borden case, there have been many books written that purport "new evidence" and a solution, but contain so many basic myths and errors easily proven wrong, that they sour me to the rest of the book. When I begin reading that it was "the hottest day on record, horses were collapsing in the streets as a huge crowd gathered outside the home of the nasty. hated miser Andrew Borden" I stuff the book in my "sell on EBAY" pile, and move on. I don't care how exciting your "new theory" is, if you can't take the time to get basic information verified, I won't read it. I wouldn't want a dry compendium of facts, the average reader wouldn't stay interested, but I'd love to lay out the skeleton of what we ACTUALLY do know, what 'probably' was true, and set that in the context of life in Victorian times.

PossumPie, I know what you mean. I read the review of one book that I was considering reading, and it said, "on August 14, 1892, ... " I stopped right there. If they can't even get the date right, a lot of other things might be wrong, too! LOL

Why is 'Lizzie Borden: Past and Present' out of print ? Please, someone, issue a re-print! The price of it is astronomical on places like Amazon and, as I live in Australia, the shipping costs are also heavy. 'Parallel Lives' isn't quite so bad financially. and I am going to order that, but I have to agree that there are some trashy publications about that aren't worth the paper they're written on!

Curryong wrote:Why is 'Lizzie Borden: Past and Present' out of print ? Please, someone, issue a re-print! The price of it is astronomical on places like Amazon and, as I live in Australia, the shipping costs are also heavy. 'Parallel Lives' isn't quite so bad financially. and I am going to order that, but I have to agree that there are some trashy publications about that aren't worth the paper they're written on!

I'm a cheapskate. I want the book, but am afraid that as soon as I buy it, it will be reprinted in paperback for $11 and I will be out $100. I considered buying it, reading it, and reselling it, but most of the obscure details in the book are mentioned somewhere in this forum. I've read all the other major works, and I agree, that many are full of lies, rumors stated as fact, and misinformation. This is passed along as fact, and becomes rooted in the case.

I was fortunate to have bought my copy from the Fall River Historical Society when it was still around $50. But if I hadn't I think it's well worth the money to buy it today for any serious student of the case. It's my understanding the book will not be printed again which is why it costs so much to buy a used copy. It's one of the only books written about the case that has no pet theory involved, all of the relevant information all in one place, and some information that is not available in many other sources unless you do your own research. It's a "just the facts ma'am" kind of book. In my opinion at least, it's worth it. I am also about halfway through Parallel Lives which is also a fabulous book.

Sad to know the book is permanently out of print. Anyone know the reason? This is sort of my business (design/print) so I'm extra curious.

FactFinder wrote:I was fortunate to have bought my copy from the Fall River Historical Society when it was still around $50. But if I hadn't I think it's well worth the money to buy it today for any serious student of the case. It's my understanding the book will not be printed again which is why it costs so much to buy a used copy. It's one of the only books written about the case that has no pet theory involved, all of the relevant information all in one place, and some information that is not available in many other sources unless you do your own research. It's a "just the facts ma'am" kind of book. In my opinion at least, it's worth it. I am also about halfway through Parallel Lives which is also a fabulous book.

Supply and demand sometimes goes haywire on Ebay, I watched for a year while people willingly paid $150 for the book, then they went unsold and the average price dropped to about $100, this fall there were two copies listed multiple times for $100 that didn't sell, and a quick check shows the last two that actually sold were for less than $75. I'll buy if I see one for $50... If I were the publisher, I'd do a Kindle edition. You lose nothing if they don't sell, and make money if they do.

Good idea, PossumPie. But I've done Kindle editions of some of my clients' books, and the reformatting required was a god-awful project, since the design of the print version didn't take this process into consideration. Assuming the layout was done digitally (not necessarily a given in 1999), reprinting would be easy. Anybody know if Al-Zach Press is still a going operation? Perhaps they could be persuaded to issue a reprint, author willing.

Meanwhile, anybody know what this is about? I used to get books from the library at Princeton when I worked for a school in the Washington DC sea that had a cooperative relationship with them. I imagine this is something like that.

https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Al-Zach_Press

It would be ever so nice to stumble on an eBay deal, wouldn't it? Or maybe we could all chip in and buy a copy to circulate privately. I did that once with a hard-to-obtain design book and it worked out beautifully. When we'd all had our crack at it, we donated it to the Graphic Artists Guild resource library.

Mara wrote:Good idea, PossumPie. But I've done Kindle editions of some of my clients' books, and the reformatting required was a god-awful project, since the design of the print version didn't take this process into consideration. Assuming the layout was done digitally (not necessarily a given in 1999), reprinting would be easy. Anybody know if Al-Zach Press is still a going operation? Perhaps they could be persuaded to issue a reprint, author willing.

Meanwhile, anybody know what this is about? I used to get books from the library at Princeton when I worked for a school in the Washington DC sea that had a cooperative relationship with them. I imagine this is something like that.

https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Al-Zach_Press

It would be ever so nice to stumble on an eBay deal, wouldn't it? Or maybe we could all chip in and buy a copy to circulate privately. I did that once with a hard-to-obtain design book and it worked out beautifully. When we'd all had our crack at it, we donated it to the Graphic Artists Guild resource library.

My Alma Mater has inter-library loan where they will borrow a book for you from any other college or university. I may go that route.

Sounds like it would be worth a try, PossumPie. Yesterday, when I googled the book title, there was a site on page 3 or 4, I think, of the results that contained a nice list of all the libraries that had a copy in their collections, including several university libraries. Good luck!

I would love to write a book about this case, but I would go back furthur in the case. I'd start with the land that the property was built on first.

Hi, Lizzie's Cousin. What an intriguing first post! Tell us more :)

Aamartin wrote:When I master the art of teleportation and invisibility-- Off to a law office in Boston I go.... Months later-- a book!

You need the same invisibility cloak under which Lizzie hid the blood splattered clothing and hatchet; the one that Harry Potter found again...

lizzie's cousin wrote:I would love to write a book about this case, but I would go back furthur in the case. I'd start with the land that the property was built on first.

that would be fascinating. i'd love to hear all about the 2nd street land the house was built on.

It is just absolutely ridiculous that the Springfield law firm started by Robinson, Lizzie's chief defence attorney, is holding on like grim death to Lizzie's defence documents. NancyDrew is afraid that one day they will throw the lot out and the files will be lost forever. Why on earth they don't at the least employ a decent archivist that would allow historians to take a look, is beyond me.

PossumPie wrote:Anyone here think about it? I would LOVE to write one tearing down all of the myths, sorting out the rumour, and just listing an exhaustive list of the facts that we know. As I re-read the books I own, the authors all have a pet theory, and twist facts and speculations to fit. Some reprint outright falsehoods proven wrong. I'd love one of just the facts. Hmm...a book?

Yes!! I'm new to the forum and I've been waiting anxiously to be approved as I've got questions, etc. but I'm considering writing a book. I started this morning but I've got tons to read and research first and I'm ordering about 3 books from Amazon, too.

lizzie's cousin wrote:I would love to write a book about this case, but I would go back furthur in the case. I'd start with the land that the property was built on first.

Lizzie's Cousin- is there something that no one knows about the land/property? Interesting.. can you please tell us more?

MysteryReader.... WELCOME to the forum!! ALWAYS good to hear thoughts from a newbie.

BOBO wrote:MysteryReader.... WELCOME to the forum!! ALWAYS good to hear thoughts from a newbie.

Thank you! I'll try not to post too many comments or questions.

No, no!! We want you to post lots of comments and questions! And other newbies, oldies, please !

LOL! I'll try but right now, I'm still in the sorting stage- who was where, when, what happened immediately after the discovery of the murders, etc. so I've been spending all of yesterday and today going through posts (there are up to 6/7 pages for some of them!) and making notes.