- Hardcover: 296 pages
- Publisher: The History Press Ltd; 07 edition (1 July 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0750944226
- ISBN-13: 978-0750944229
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.8 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 468,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Sir Bernard Spilsbury, the first and only 'Honorary Pathologist to the Home Office', gave crucial evidence in numerous murder cases between 1910 and his bizarre suicide in 1947. He made a major contribution to modern forensic pathology, explaining complex pathological findings in ways that a jury could understand, and overcoming widespread scepticism about the utility of forensic medicine in the trial process. On the debit side, Spilsbury came to see himself as infallible. It was the Crippen trial which first brought Spilsbury to the attention of the general public. He also gave evidence in the Brides in the Bath case - during the trial he almost drowned a nurse in his demonstration; the Armstrong case - in which Spilsbury's testimony caused the husband to be hanged and earned a knighthood for himself; and the shocking dismemberment of Emily Kaye into over a thousand pieces - which Spilsbury ghoulishly milked for the press. Andrew Rose re-examines Spilsbury's cases and uses previously untapped sources to challenge the common perception of him as 'the most brilliant scientific detective of all time'. Using his experience in criminal trials, the author presents a more rounded portrait, revealing that Spilsbury's faults may have led to the execution of innocent men.
From the Publisher
`Bernard Spilsbury was a greatly revered forensic witness who was generally
believed even when he was wrong. This book has a fascinating account of his
lethal effect on the great murder trials of the last century.'
Sir John Mortimer QC
believed even when he was wrong. This book has a fascinating account of his
lethal effect on the great murder trials of the last century.'
Sir John Mortimer QC
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As far as it goes, this is an erudite, well-written and readable book which gives the modern reader enormous insight into the way British justice functioned in the first half of the twentieth century: How it worked in favour of the rich and powerful and worked against the underprivileged: How anyone found guilty of murder was usually swiftly hanged with little chance of a reprieve. Although the book deals in detail with famous and gruesome murders, such as the Crippen case, it is all understated and not sensationalist.
Sir Bernard Spilsbury was fallible. He made mistakes which sent at least one or two innocent men to the gallows. And at the other end of the spectrum, he made mistakes which allowed at least one or two guilty men to escape punishment. This book is written by a judge who basically puts Sir Bernard on trial and finds him guilty of arrogance, obstinacy and prejudice. Sir Bernard almost never admitted he was wrong. He traded on his reputation and for many years no one dared, in any substantial way, to contradict his "evidence". In court, he seldom backed down, even when confronted by powerful arguments that went against any of his opinions. He was moralist who disliked homosexuals and abortionists, amongst others, and who would deliver his "evidence" in a cleverly worded way that was not favourable to such people. To be succinct, the author does not like Sir Bernard and makes no bones about saying so.
I have two main problems with this book. One is that it is too biased against Sir Bernard. The man was a compulsively hard worker who took his work very seriously and who often got things completely right. That side of Sir Bernard hardly gets a mention. The second is that the book lacks authority when it deals with forensic pathology. The author is not a forensic pathologist and tends to skate over the medical side of things. The best person to dissect Sir Bernard's technical ability properly would be a top forensic specialist (such as the late Keith Simpson).
In conclusion this is a good solid contribution to the available literature on Sir Bernard Spilsbury and it ought to be read by anyone who wants to find out more about the man who was a legend in his life time and who put forensic medicine on the map (despite making some disastrous mistakes). However it is not the definitive work on Spilsbury and for that reason I can only award it four out of five stars.
Sir Bernard Spilsbury was fallible. He made mistakes which sent at least one or two innocent men to the gallows. And at the other end of the spectrum, he made mistakes which allowed at least one or two guilty men to escape punishment. This book is written by a judge who basically puts Sir Bernard on trial and finds him guilty of arrogance, obstinacy and prejudice. Sir Bernard almost never admitted he was wrong. He traded on his reputation and for many years no one dared, in any substantial way, to contradict his "evidence". In court, he seldom backed down, even when confronted by powerful arguments that went against any of his opinions. He was moralist who disliked homosexuals and abortionists, amongst others, and who would deliver his "evidence" in a cleverly worded way that was not favourable to such people. To be succinct, the author does not like Sir Bernard and makes no bones about saying so.
I have two main problems with this book. One is that it is too biased against Sir Bernard. The man was a compulsively hard worker who took his work very seriously and who often got things completely right. That side of Sir Bernard hardly gets a mention. The second is that the book lacks authority when it deals with forensic pathology. The author is not a forensic pathologist and tends to skate over the medical side of things. The best person to dissect Sir Bernard's technical ability properly would be a top forensic specialist (such as the late Keith Simpson).
In conclusion this is a good solid contribution to the available literature on Sir Bernard Spilsbury and it ought to be read by anyone who wants to find out more about the man who was a legend in his life time and who put forensic medicine on the map (despite making some disastrous mistakes). However it is not the definitive work on Spilsbury and for that reason I can only award it four out of five stars.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was looking forward to a balanced and sensible analysis of Spilsbury and his influence on forensic pathology. Unfortunately I ended up with this book instead. Rose obviously doesn't like the famous pathologist, which is fair enough, but this dislike clouds the whole book, leading to a very biased portrait. He tends to cherry pick pieces of information that tell against Spilsbury, rather than presenting all the facts. I like to make up my own mind, not be presented with the author's prejudices dressed up to look like the whole truth. This book paints a picture of some egomaniacal monster strutting around the criminal courts and dooming the innocent through his arrogance and incompetence. Wrong! He was hardly without faults, but neither was he the character portrayed in this book.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Andrew Rose's biography of Sir Bernard Spilsbury is by far the best account of his life and times that I have read to date. It is well researched, contains much new material and is written in an easy style that compels one to read on. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in his life.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Honorary Pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury
It is very good read for me, because it is fab book, and I am studied photography at the university at present time and am very interesting about forensic scientist . Read more
Published 10 months ago by JAZ
FLOORED GENIUS?
Whilst agreeing with some of the other comments in reviews already submitted, for example the writers obvious dislike of Spilsbury, it is a good starting point for anyone who wants... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bigbadbob
Not as thorough as it could have been
This is a critical biography of a once eminent figure, but in my view it is too critical. Spilsbury is accused of having innocent people hanged - but he was one witness, albiet a... Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2009 by Junius
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