I hate to rate this one so average, because I so love Gary Krist's previous three books. I think he just feel in love with the amount of material (i.eI hate to rate this one so average, because I so love Gary Krist's previous three books. I think he just feel in love with the amount of material (i.e. letters) that were available. I don't feel like I understand the city of San Francisco any better, much less its essential idea. This doesn't work as a "city" book, but it's also a little tedious as a true crime tale, even. By the time Fair got around to shooting Crittenden, I was ready to cheer. The relationship was absolutely toxic, and they were both gross Confederate sympathizers. Like, the only legal accomplishment Krist mentions that Crittenden achieved is disenfranching black people in some way. I mean, I'm still all-in for Krist's next book with bells on, but please stick to the Progressive Era, man....more
I've read/listened to Grann's other books before and liked them (especially The Lost City of Z), but I was still kind of surprised how captivated I waI've read/listened to Grann's other books before and liked them (especially The Lost City of Z), but I was still kind of surprised how captivated I was by this grimy and disastrous tale of sea and shipwreck. Sometimes I find maritime tales to be a little...tedious? Grann does a really good job at sketching out key characters. (view spoiler)[The whole thing turns into almost a black comedy at the court-martial, when Grann admits the justice systems functions as a PR machine, and the superiors let everybody off easy if they will just stop discussing this boondoggle in the press. (hide spoiler)]...more
There's definitely some good writing and some interesting history in here, but I feel like the author kind of loses track of the narrative he wants toThere's definitely some good writing and some interesting history in here, but I feel like the author kind of loses track of the narrative he wants to tell. Dane Harris, for one, just isn't an interesting personality....more
I don't think this will be as beloved as Dispatches from Pluto, as least among Mississippians, for two reasons: 1) there are more people from the DeltI don't think this will be as beloved as Dispatches from Pluto, as least among Mississippians, for two reasons: 1) there are more people from the Delta than there are from Natchez; but also 2) although both books contain plenty of both concepts, this book spends more time on the moral ambiguity of race relations and slightly less on performative eccentricity. But that's what I think makes this a better, or at least deeper, book about the South--as the title slyly hints at....more
I really enjoyed this book. It builds in intensity. The first section on Vernon Maxwell builds the foundation for the rest of the book, essentially teI really enjoyed this book. It builds in intensity. The first section on Vernon Maxwell builds the foundation for the rest of the book, essentially telling the story that Lee tried to write about. The book builds in emotional intensity as Cep has more research to analyze each succeeding subject from Maxwell to Radney to Lee, and is smart enough to realize and admit why this is. This book is very smartly written without the actual writing calling attention to itself. Ultimately, in some ways, it becomes a story of Alabama, taken as a whole. I wholeheartedly recommend this to all fans of nonfiction about Southern, literary, or true crime subjects....more
A thoroughly research expose into the fundamentally broken death investigation system is Mississippi (worse, though indicative, of America's in generaA thoroughly research expose into the fundamentally broken death investigation system is Mississippi (worse, though indicative, of America's in general). Steven Hayne and Michael West are pilloried, and rightly so, but for everybody who doesn't care, or didn't know, how bad this system is contributes to it, by not holding our leaders accountable. Hopefully this book goes a way to help change that. The book itself can be meaty, and some themes repeat, but it's readable enough to consume and digest....more
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