morgaine816's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting book since it was based on a real case but it was a slow read. I never got into it as far as it keeping my attention. It took me a couple of months to read it which hardly ever happens to me. It was just that I kept putting it down and wanting to read something else. But if you like true crime and want to read it as more of a non-fiction style, give it a try.
courthompson's review against another edition
4.0
A little bit of a slow start, jumping around a bit, but then I was hooked. I hadn't heard of the Mad Bomber and the whole investigation was incredibly interesting. I'm a big fan of true crime and thoroughly enjoyed this one!
thuglibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This book is the history of criminal profiling in America and how it became an art form. Who knew that the art of criminal profiling came from 3 men working together to try to identify a serial bomber in NYC, in the 1950's? In the 1950's, in NYC, a mad man was setting off bombs in public places such as movie theatres, train stations and libraries. At that time there was no such thing as criminal profiling and the NYPD didn't have the skills necessary to identify the bomber, or more importantly, to stop him. Desperate to halt the bombings that occurred, (seemingly at random) the police took the unprecedented step to ask a Psychiatrist to help identify the bomber. This seems routine to readers today, but it was extraordinary at that time. Readers of true crime and history will appreciate this book for what is it...a snapshot of America and true crime.
a_ma_n_da's review against another edition
3.0
The subtitle mentions "the invention of criminal profiling," but even in the epilogue the author describes the work and conclusions of Dr Brussel as magical and inexplicable. The reader still doesn't actually know how it's done, just that it produced results in these cases.
statguy's review against another edition
5.0
An engaging and skillful account of the Mad Bomber who terrorised New York in the 1950s and the long and increasingly desperate effort to bring him to justice. Author Michael Cannell presents his wide-ranging and thorough research in a fast-paced and engrossing page-turner. Among many fascinating aspects of the story is the contentious change in the legal understanding of insanity that played a key role in the outcome of the case. This book is an example of true-crime writing at its best.
(I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.)
(I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.)
lauren_endnotes's review against another edition
3.0
Incendiary is the story of the search for the "Mad Bomber", a terrorist who eluded the New York City police for 16+ years. The bomber chose public spaces like theatres, libraries, and train stations through the City in the 1940s/1950s.
This case was one of the very first where law enforcement teamed up with a psychiatrist to form a criminal profile, learning more about the man who terrorized the city and maimed dozens of people.
I knew little of this case, and while the book and writing ventured into melodrama several times, it was a good story and one that changed the course of psychology and its application in society.
This case was one of the very first where law enforcement teamed up with a psychiatrist to form a criminal profile, learning more about the man who terrorized the city and maimed dozens of people.
I knew little of this case, and while the book and writing ventured into melodrama several times, it was a good story and one that changed the course of psychology and its application in society.
andrewbenesh1's review against another edition
4.0
Incendiary is a unique book that chronicles the Mad Bomber of New York and the various police, psychiatrists, journalists, and judges who ultimately brought his 16 year campaign of domestic bombings to an end. The book explores the story from the first bomb being set to the bomber's eventual demise in extreme detail. This is both the main fascination the book provides, and my chief complaint.
[a:Michael Cannell|657940|Michael Cannell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1319097071p2/657940.jpg] provides a level of depth and detail that goes beyond what most historical crime novels aspire to. Readers are fully immersed in the world of mid-century New York City. This is particularly valuable for helping readers better understand the context of various actions throughout the story, and helps explain how immigrant nationalities and regional identities shaped policing. Cannell takes his time to build rich and detailed images that are effective at bringing the reader back in time, and doing so without the excessive theatrics or melodrama that sometimes accompany historical visualization. Where he does venture into the theatrical, he supports his characterizations with observations from the time, which helps build his credibility as he chases the Mad Bomber. Despite the great egos of the many figures profiled, there's a certain humility and honesty that's well conveyed in Cannell's accounts; we see both his subjects outward strengths and their inward uncertainty about whether they are really solving the case. The interludes which share the bomber's perspective are well structured, and provide just enough depth to keep the story rolling without revealing the full truth to those unfamiliar with the case; I would gladly read another chapter or two of these!
At the same time, I feel the detail at times is distracting and excessive. As the book progresses, it feels less like an exploration of how the application of psychiatric ideas to the mad bomber case led to the birth of profiling, and more like a series of chronologically ordered character studies of the (admittedly fascinating) people who interacted with the case over the decades. For example, early in the book, we're treated to a, which could make for an excellent book of it's own and seems at best tangentially related to the story of the bomber and the psychiatrist. I'm both delighted that the author chose to share this story, and somewhat disoriented at it's inclusion in the book. The disorientation is elevated some by the lack of consistency in how topics for detailed tangents are chosen; we learn a great deal about and , but are given only superficial nods to or . A final, and admittedly petty complaint, is that the length of chapters is erratic - some come in at 7 or 8 pages, while others are just short of 40! This makes planning to sit down and read a quick chapter a risky gambit for the reader who can't marathon through the book.
Overall, I definitely recommend this to those who are interested in forensic psychiatry, historical crime, and mid-century US history. Despite some shortcomings, the book is engaging and well composed, and tells an often overlooked story that shaped much of how we handle modern domestic terrorism and serial crime.
[a:Michael Cannell|657940|Michael Cannell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1319097071p2/657940.jpg] provides a level of depth and detail that goes beyond what most historical crime novels aspire to. Readers are fully immersed in the world of mid-century New York City. This is particularly valuable for helping readers better understand the context of various actions throughout the story, and helps explain how immigrant nationalities and regional identities shaped policing. Cannell takes his time to build rich and detailed images that are effective at bringing the reader back in time, and doing so without the excessive theatrics or melodrama that sometimes accompany historical visualization. Where he does venture into the theatrical, he supports his characterizations with observations from the time, which helps build his credibility as he chases the Mad Bomber. Despite the great egos of the many figures profiled, there's a certain humility and honesty that's well conveyed in Cannell's accounts; we see both his subjects outward strengths and their inward uncertainty about whether they are really solving the case. The interludes which share the bomber's perspective are well structured, and provide just enough depth to keep the story rolling without revealing the full truth to those unfamiliar with the case; I would gladly read another chapter or two of these!
At the same time, I feel the detail at times is distracting and excessive. As the book progresses, it feels less like an exploration of how the application of psychiatric ideas to the mad bomber case led to the birth of profiling, and more like a series of chronologically ordered character studies of the (admittedly fascinating) people who interacted with the case over the decades. For example, early in the book, we're treated to a
Spoiler
really neat history of the NYC Bomb SquadSpoiler
the press warsSpoiler
the history of the insanity defenseSpoiler
psychiatric terms and modern (non-freudian) interpretationsSpoiler
the history of MatteawanOverall, I definitely recommend this to those who are interested in forensic psychiatry, historical crime, and mid-century US history. Despite some shortcomings, the book is engaging and well composed, and tells an often overlooked story that shaped much of how we handle modern domestic terrorism and serial crime.
tarheel99's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting read about what is considered the invention of criminal profiling, and the hunt for a bomber in 1950's New York City. A pretty decent book if you like true crime books, or history books.