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Tense true crime thriller with a heart

Revisado: 11-21-19

The personal stores from the victims and their families made this a stunner for me. So often, we hear the second hand accounts from family members and survivors via a writer/narrator. But hearing from the actual people made this so much more impactful. Additionally, the facts of the investigation are compelling and informative. This is a wonderful, interesting audiobook that I would highly recommend to any true crime fan. Well done.

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Enthralling, moving story

Revisado: 02-05-19

I love this book. I never got bored listening to Amanda's story. It made me want to travel. It made me question why I haven't. So many of her descriptions made me feel as if I was right there, with her, seeing what she was seeing. While I love the fact that she wanted to read her own story, it took me a bit to get used to her narration. It's definitely not her calling but she still does a great job. I laughed, I cried, I cheered for her. She is an amazing survivor.

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Interesting journey

Revisado: 02-05-19

This is a really interesting book. What I like about the story is that Derek Black's evolution was thoughtful and slow, which makes it feel genuine. But, by far, the most remarkable person in this story is Derek's college friend who invited him to Sabbath dinners every week after he found out that he was a white nationalist. His patience and persistence, along with his belief that his friend could change, is truly something to behold. Even when Derek remained a white nationalist for years after he started attending these weekly dinners, his friend never gave up on him. I don't know if I could have been that open and loving.

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Bizarre story of a sociopath in Silicon Valley

Revisado: 01-04-19

I’ve read a few snippets about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos here and there. But the whole story blew me away. How so many people could be so fooled by her and her partner is astounding. It demonstrates that investors are so desperate to get in on The Next Big Thing that they neglect to investigate what’s really going on.

Holmes is a true sociopath - she tells lie after lie and will do anything to cover her tracks. At the same time, she fancies herself a hero...a martyr...a misunderstood genius. Truth be told, her idea was admirable and interesting. But IT DIDN’T WORK. Instead of perfecting the technology, she spent money on bodyguards and smoke screens. No doubt she’ll try again someday. Hopefully, everyone has a long memory.

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Hard to get through

Revisado: 05-27-17

I've read and listened to many true crime stories and this one is incredibly difficult to take. Shawcross was the worst of the worst. Jack Olsen is an incredible writer. His books keep your interest all the way through. And Kevin Pearce is always a joy to listen to. But fair warning - some of the details here are disturbing to say the least.

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Heart wrenching and informative

Revisado: 05-05-17

I decided to listen to this book because I wanted to know more about the case. What I ended up with is a much clearer understanding of Norway's social and political structure. Being from Minnesota, I'm basically one of the only people I know who doesn't have Norwegian or Swedish ancestry. Learning about Norway was fascinating and I'd love to travel there someday.

The author describes the perpetrator, the victims, the survivors, and the many people indirectly impacted by this crime with such care and respect. Yes - even for the perpetrator. Through his own words - his blog, his "book", his testimony - he showed what a bigoted, misguided monster he is. The author simply presented the facts in a well organized, thoughtful way. The performance was excellent - she did an amazing job pronouncing Norwegian words and didn't "Americanize" anything. I appreciated that. This book is difficult to get through. It's painful. It's unbelievably sad. Your heart will break for the parents of these children. But it's also very well written and extremely well performed.

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esto le resultó útil a 16 personas

Classic dystopian novel

Revisado: 04-10-17

It took me a long time to finally experience this story. It's extremely well written; Atwood is an amazing writer. The story itself is interesting and, whenever reading a dystopian novel, I always remind myself that even the seemingly absurd could happen (especially with the state of things at this time). It definitely felt dated, as it was written in the 80s. But that can't be helped. I thought the performance was excellent. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

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Fascinating story of two psychopaths - a man and his mother

Revisado: 02-28-17

This is the first book of Jack Olsen's that I've "read." I'm a true Ann Rule junkie and I think I've found my second favorite true crime author. His work is detailed and specific but keeps your interest all the way through. This is the story of a man whose relationship with his mother is so dysfunctional and toxic that it doesn't seem that either of them know which way is up. He paints a fascinating picture of Ruth Coe, a woman who doesn't seem to know her own identity. And Gordon Coe, a man who seems afraid of his own family. And of course Fred Coe, an impotent rapist with a bizarre life philosophy. Sad, brutal, and tragic.

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Unnecessary

Revisado: 01-21-17

We all know Jodi Arias brutally - BRUTALLY - murdered Travis Alexander. And you already know she planned it and that it was not in self defense. All this book really adds is another layer of details about gas cans and Travis and Jodi's sex life. If you're looking for lots of details on where and how Jodi paid for gas and details about just how she killed him, this is for you. It does also offer some interesting perspectives from her family.

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Amazing Personal Account of Jonestown & Jim Jones

Revisado: 12-23-16

What made the experience of listening to Seductive Poison the most enjoyable?

This is the first time I've had the opportunity to really hear from someone who survived Jonestown. I've seen a few documentaries about the incredible stories of those who escaped. But this was a thorough, deeply personal account. At times, it was hard to understand where she was coming from - how this happened, how she and others were brainwashed. I kept thinking, "I would have done this or that" and I'd have to remind myself that everyone is different and I don't truly know what I would have done.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of the characters (real people) described in the author's account were painted so delicately, with care, love, and respect. The author obviously put a lot of thought into how she wrote about each person in an effort to help us see that these were all REAL people, doing the best they could (with the exception of Jim Jones).

Which scene was your favorite?

Her final escape actually had me riveted. Like edge of my seat, heart beating wildly riveted.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES

Any additional comments?

I'm so sorry for the people whose lives were lost at Jonestown and for their families. It's such a bizarre, awful story and the author's insight and compassion is amazing.

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