The Poisoners Handbook: A Fascinating Look at the History of Poisoning by Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Deborah Blum

C. Simmons: Fascinating look at Prohibition and early forensic science. 100 years ago anyone could be a medical examiner. We literally have Norris and Gettler to thank for the modern state of forensics. It was fascinating to read about how the government tried to enforce prohibition - even adding literal poisons. Gross misuse of government powers in every field of American life. Still true.

United States on Jan 09, 2024

Lorrie: I read this book several years ago in my book club. I have given it as a gift twice now and both women who have read it since have liked it a lot. Very informative and interesting.

United States on Dec 30, 2023

Mark Pearce: The Poisoner’s Handbook is a good piece of historic research into the 20th Century evolution of Forensic Science in the Northeastern United States, and also the ills that washed across America as substitute brews proliferated during The Prohibition.

As the 1900s began, the Forensics industry held little sway in analyzing and abating poisonings in America. At the time there was little standardization of the science and courts did not respect the authoritative standing of forensics work. That began to change in 1918 when Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler came together in the New York City coroner’s office, where various poisonous elements were thoroughly detected, recorded, analyzed, measured, and the respective identifying effects catalogued to the point that the entire forensics industry grew in reliability and legal stature in the courts.

The book broadens considerably in geographic scope when it outlines and describes the ill impacts across the country during Prohibition when illegal bootleggers clandestinely marketed substitute liquors – many of which were chemically erratic, dangerous and outright poisonous.

Not being a...

United States on Dec 17, 2023

Alisson Von Der Lane: History written like a novel. Super interesting, informative and entertaining.

Paperback has think recycled pages and soft cover, I wish it was prettier and sturdier.

Canada on Nov 20, 2023

Katie King: I'd previously took this book out at my college library at a science tutors recommendation however I'd been unable to finish it due to assignment deadlines and finishing college. I couldn't stop thinking about it after I left so I ended up ordering this copy to finish it off. Great read, really interesting.

United Kingdom on Jul 23, 2023

Vetgirlmx: No ficción que se disfruta inmensamente. Está relatado de tal manera que parece que estuviera relatando una novela, además está lleno de datos interesantes, no hubo capítulo en que no hubiera agarrado a la persona que tuviera más cerca para preguntar ¿sabías que...? Y procediera a soltarles todo un resumen de lo que acababa de leer. Es uno de esos casos donde me divertí aprendiendo.

Mexico on Mar 28, 2019

Client d'Amazon: De temps en temps, avec l'aide du site reverso context, je travaille à traduire en français un ouvrage en anglais, ç'est comme de la gymnastique mentale pour moi.

France on Feb 03, 2019

Nightreader: Dieser faszinierend geschriebene Tatsachenbericht handelt nicht von den kleinen Fischen - von Hans, der seine Frau erschlug, um seine Geliebte zu heiraten; von Uschi, die ihren Vater vergiftete, um ihn zu beerben. Er handelt von den Großen Fischen. Von den Herstellern radiumhältiger Leuchtfarbe, die gleichgültig zusahen, wie ihre Arbeiterinnen ahnungslos mit der tödlichen Substanz hantierten. Von der Autofirma, in der es als Witz kursierte, dass ein bestimmte Fertigungshalle "das Narrenkastl" genannt wurden, weil dort so viele Arbeiter den Verstand verloren - nämlich diejenigen, die mit dem neu erfundenen verbleiten Benzin arbeiteten. Von der US-Regierung, die in den Zeiten der Prohibition Alkoholvorräte mit Absicht vergiftete, obwohl man wusste, dass die Kunden sie trotzdem trinken würden. Und von den tapferen Männern und Frauen, die sich dieser Art Kriminalität entgegenstellten, alle ihre Kenntnisse aufboten, um dem ein Ende zu machen. Ein Buch, das man nicht weglegen kann!

Germany on Sep 02, 2018

HAROLD J. REYNOLDS: During 1897 to 1915, Tammany Hall thoughtfully provided New York City with a coroner. Among them were a saloonkeeper, plumber, milkman, a physician who was a full time drunk, and other bumblers gifted in issuing false death certificates for a fee, if a murder or suicide were pressingly at hand. Compelled by an outraged press, the Legislature in 1918 replaced the coroner's office with a medical examiner system. Doctor Charles Norris, a Columbia University pathologist, was appointed chief medical examiner. He appointed as his assistant the young Alexander Gettler, an obsessively brilliant, cigar-smoking, devoted gambler and forensic chemist. Gettler, arising out of the poverty of the Lower East Side, would by his numerous contributions to toxicology mark the beginning of modern toxicology in this country, all as recorded in the strikingly beautiful prose of Deborah Blum, Professor of Journalism at the University of Wisconsin and Pulitzer Prize winner (1992) for her writings on ethical issues in primate research. She has given us The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Science in Jazz Age New York.
Chloroform, wood alchohol, cyanides, the...

United States on May 14, 2010