Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum

11 reviews

honeygirl13's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative

5.0

Wonderfully informative, utterly fascinating.

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babayagaschickenlegs's review against another edition

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dark informative medium-paced

3.75

An interesting look into the discovery and research of several poisonous substances in the 20th century. At times I found myself zoning out and having to rewind and listen again, particularly during sections that read more like a textbook than a novel, but I really enjoyed learning about this topic. I especially liked learning about the history and dangers of the prohibition era. Also, whenever the author would quote someone, the audiobook narrator would mimic their accents; though they weren’t bad, it was a bit jarring and strange, as it would take me out of the experience for a moment or two.

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jetpackdracula's review against another edition

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adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced

4.25

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kingweirdo's review against another edition

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informative fast-paced

4.0

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rstegema's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.5

I'm really quite fascinated by the accomplishments of Alexander Gettler and Charles Norris and their pioneering of forensic science. This book is exceptionally informative and I'm looking forward to the other books in the Brandy Schillace Peculiar Book Club season 2 session!

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cnidariar3x's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

My favourite non-fiction I read in 2020.

I've read this twice over two years. Both times were a 4.5 for me.

I learned SO MUCH and really came to appreciate just how forensic medicine was essentially developed by two guys working on a shoestring budget against many odds. There's an appreciation for the medical system that derives from having read this book, but on the same hand, one will learn about all the

Spoiler

animal experimentation

that was necessary to get us to that point. It's a moral dilemma that really puts our modern privileges into perspective.

The book has several interweaving themes throughout the chapters, and if I have one criticism in the book, it can sometimes feel unfocused.

Spoiler

We often jump between the two scientists Gettler & Norris, to a brief history of prohibition, to the state of alcohol consumption at the time, to several notable poisoning cases.

Some chapters focus on some aspects more than others, which can be frustrating if one of the less interesting topics is given more time to shine.

If one can handle reading about medical content, experimentation, and alcoholism, or are interested in this specific history in general, I can't recommend this book enough.

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