Non-fiction – Page 2 – Carol's Notebook

The Science of Murder by Carla Valentine

March 8, 2023March 7, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

I am a huge Agatha Christie and read a ton of mysteries, so I couldn't pass up The Science of Murder. The author, Carla Valentine, is a forensic pathology technician and the curator of Barts Pathology Museum in London. She also clearly loves Agatha Christie's work. The book is a fascinating look at the forensics behind Christie’s mysteries and examples from real crimes of the past. The Science of Murder moves through eight chapters that focus on various areas of forensic study like fingerprints, trace evidence, ballistics, handwriting, impressions, blood splatter, and toxicology. While discussing the technical side of gathering and studying these types of evidence, we also get details from Christie's books and her real life. The author talks about some of Christie's most famous plots, without giving too much away. We also learn about Christie's wartime occupations, memberships in murder mystery writer clubs, and work on her second husband’s archeological digs. We also get details about modern forensics and...

Red Lip Theology by Candice Marie Benbow

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 by Carol1 Comment

Red Lip Theology, part memoir and part theological discussion, is honest, raw, and unapologetic. Candice walks us through her life- the good, the bad, and the ugly- tying all of it to the development of her theology. She has a clear voice and she tells her story with wisdom, wit, and humor. Several of Candice's essays revolve around her mother, a single mom who brought Candice up in the church. A church that shamed her mom for not being married and her by extension. She talks about the strength and faith her mom gave her, how she encouraged her and loved her. She talks about her grief when her mom died and the impact it had on her life and academic career. Candice talks about the choices she's made and how they all made her who she is today. She talks about how the church and pastors let her down time and again, but she also talks about her "spiritual care...

Scoundrel by Sarah Weinman

January 6, 2023January 6, 2023 by Carol6 Comments

I knew nothing about Edgar Smith, or William F. Buckley, Jr. for that matter, before picking up this book. Turns out Smith was a psychopath, a manipulator, an author, and a murderer. Buckley was rich and the founder and editor-in-chief of the conservative National Review. Sophie Wilkins, the third, less-famous, piece of the triangle was a rather gullible editor at Alfred A. Knopf. The story of how Edgar Smith manipulated his friends, the legal system, and the public was interesting, but I don't understand his appeal. I can't see why they believed him, how he eventually got out of prison - only to almost kill again I should add. Weinman took us through his correspondence and conversations - it's a well-researched book. I would have liked a bit more discussion about how his experiences fit in with the larger issues regarding prison reform, race, and politics of the era....

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022 by Carol6 Comments

In Cold Blood has been on my to-read list for a while. Honestly, I'm not sure why I put it off. I enjoy both true crime and crime novels and since this is one of the classics in the genre, chances were pretty good I'd enjoy it, which of course I did. Well, as much as you can "enjoy" the story of a horrible murder, of the men who committed it, and the law enforcement trying to track them down. On November 15, 1959, Richard "Dick" Hickock and Perry Smith, on a tip from another inmate, went to the Clutter household in Holcomb, Kansas expecting to find a safe or $10,000 cash in the home. There was neither money nor a safe, but they had agreed to leave no witnesses, so the four family members in the house were killed. Due to the relentless work of the Kansas Bureau of Investigations led by Alvin Dewey, Hickock and Smith were eventually...

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman

June 2, 2022June 1, 2022 by Carol5 Comments

Two things first. One - this is the first book by Klosterman I've read. Two - I, like Klosterman, am firmly a Gen X-er. I graduated high school in '93, college in '97. I got married in '99 and had Amber in 2000 (which counts because Klosterman doesn't consider the '90s officially over until 9/11). If I'm an adult, that was the decade I became one. I don't know if you have to be a member of my generation to enjoy The Nineties, but I'm sure it helps. If it was part of the culture during the '90s, it's in here: Nirvana, Reality Bites, American Beauty, Pulp Fiction, Seinfeld, Friends, Columbine, Mike Tyson, Tiger Woods, the Clintons, Dolly, Garth Brooks, Clarence Thomas. It covers TV shows I watched, bands I listened to and rappers I didn't, news stories that feel different when you look back at them than they did at the time. Klosterman talks about why the person and/or...

On the Trail of Sherlock Holmes by Stephen Browning

April 28, 2022April 28, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan which is why On the Trail of Sherlock Holmes caught my eye. The author sets out a series of walks around London, incorporating locations that feature in stories from the canon and incidents in Conan Doyle's life. There are even tidbits about family, friends, and literary contemporaries to Doyle along with the mention of real life individuals and their stories that likely influenced his writing of Sherlock Holmes. It made me want to go to London and follow the walks and suggested side excursions. It also made me want to go back and read some of the stories again and maybe watch some of the adaptations I haven't seen. The appendices were fun too, giving a chronological timeline of the Conan Doyle stories, notable actors to have played Holmes over the years, and an alphabetical Holmes miscellany. My one complaint is that I wish there were more and better photos. I'd love full...