The Great Pictorial History of World Crime

By Jay Robert Nash

Book Overview

The vast and mysterious world of criminals, from ancient times through the twenty-first century, is vividly captured in The Great Pictorial History of World Crime. This unique reference work chronicles every major criminal act from every era. A definitive reference source to worldwide crime, this survey is organized into sixteen chapters:

AssassinationBigamyBurglaryCannibalismCelebrity SlayingsDrugsFraudOrganized CrimeKidnappingMass MurderPiracyRobberySecret Criminal SocietiesSerial KillersTerrorismUnsolved Homicides
Each chapter begins with an essay that introduces the topic and provides a concise overview of the historical, social, and political significance of the crime. Subjects are further developed crime by crime through descriptive entries covering the criminal acts, modus operandi, criminal background information, and motives, along with insightful anecdotes.

In addition to being a being a vital and informative historical and sociological reference work, The Great Pictorial History of World Crime features more than 2,500 illustrations. More than a chronicle of chilling events, these two volumes provide gripping reading for anyone interested in true crime, law enforcement, criminology, and criminal justice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1442238437
• ISBN13: 9781442238435
• Release Date: June 2014
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Length: 1776 Pages
• Weight: 9.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 3.6" x 8.0" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

essential

This books is essential for the forensic psychologist, intelligence analyst, investigator, and amateur sleuth. Gives detailed acocunts of crimes in a well written manner, and is organized according to subject, which is much better than many that are organized by name or country. Buy the hardcover, not the less expensive softcover (which has less info). You can buy this used (be sure to get both volumes 1 & 2)and will not be dissapointed.

Not So "Great"

I was excited at the prospect of the author updating his earlier works, especially the "Badmen and Bloodletters" series. What I saw was a shock. To begin with, did anyone edit this before it was printed? There are pictures with incomplete captions, misspelled names, incorrect names. A lot of what appears was lifted directly from those earlier Nash books without any updates or editing. Thus, I was shocked to see the continued use of the offensive word "Negro" in Nash's narratives. In some cases, Nash covers old ground from his previous work. For example, although he goes into greater detail on the William Heirens case, he ignores recent information that casts doubt on Heirens's connection to the infamous lipstick message. Allegations that some of the evidence that put Heirens away aren't new, and I was surprised that Nash didn't cover them, especially with his connections to the Chicago area where Heirens operated. Although I can accept using motion picture "stills" to illustrate historical figures when actual photos aren't available, this tactic was over-used. Finally, Nash uses the book to attack authors and others who displease him. He repeats his grievances against Ann Rule, for example, in connection with her work on Ted Bundy. That was, again, just copied from his other books. However, he adds a diatribe against Bill Kurtis, a fellow Chicagoan and well-known "true crime" television host. The passion with which he attacks Kurtis is puzzling. Few know crime history as well as Jay Robert Nash, but this book doesn't do justice to his talents and knowledge.

With a true crime bibliography of more than 12,000 entries

The result of ten years of painstaking research which has subsequently been distilled into a two-volume work of seminal importance by compiler and editor Jay Robert Nash, The Great Pictorial History Of World Crime offers a vividly narrative text of profiling the faces of crime around the world and is enhanced with more than 2,500 illustrations, an annotated index of approximately 10,000 entries, and a true crime bibliography of more than 12,000 entries. Alphabetically organized, Volume I ranges from Assassination; Bigamy; Burglary; Cannibalism; and Drugs, to Fraud, Gangs, Gangsters & Organized Crime; and Kidnapping. Volume II ranges from Celebrity Slayings; Mass Murder; Serial Killers; Unsolved Homicides; Piracy; Robbery; Secret Criminal Societies; and Terrorism. Drawing from local, national, and international archives, police and intelligence agencies, museums and historical societies, as well as Nash's own vast private collection, The Great Pictorial History Of World Crime is quite justifiably recognized as the standard reference work in the very specialized field of historical research dedicated to crime and the criminal. This is a unique and strongly recommended acquisition for personal, academic and community library World History and Criminology Studies reference collections.