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A review by rebecca_oneil
My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
5.0
Fascinating, dark, depressing, and deeply creepy. I have been thinking about this every day since I read it. Backderf went to high school with Jeff Dahmer and recalls his memories of the teen who became the serial killer. Seen through the lens of what we now know Dahmer did, it's hard not to look at the many factors at play in his life and try to make some conclusions. Could he have been saved at any point? Was his outcome the product of genetics, times, ignorance, mental illness, repressed sexuality, drugs, or just overwhelming lack of attention? (Having just read [b:Outliers: The Story of Success|3228917|Outliers The Story of Success|Malcolm Gladwell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255608670s/3228917.jpg|3364437], I'm now thinking of how factors stack up to make something extreme happen -- there were definitely an inordinate amount of factors that had stacked up by the time Jeff turned 18. Not excusing his actions; just pondering...)
Also, my knowledge of Dahmer before this book was only the urban-legend kind. The human side is far more compelling and heartbreaking. As the author points out, much of his life has been reported incorrectly. Finally, I didn't know that Dahmer grew up in Ohio. I thought the pictures did a good job of setting that small-town, Midwest feel; one even shows a Sohio sign. Dahmer also briefly went to OSU.
Of note:
"At school Jeff, for the first time, had friends. OK, he was more mascot than pal."
Page 67. Not easily forgotten.
Also, my knowledge of Dahmer before this book was only the urban-legend kind. The human side is far more compelling and heartbreaking. As the author points out, much of his life has been reported incorrectly. Finally, I didn't know that Dahmer grew up in Ohio. I thought the pictures did a good job of setting that small-town, Midwest feel; one even shows a Sohio sign. Dahmer also briefly went to OSU.
Of note:
"At school Jeff, for the first time, had friends. OK, he was more mascot than pal."
Page 67. Not easily forgotten.