The Trial of Lizzie Borden
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, History, Law, Politics & Social Sciences
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, History, Law, Politics & Social Sciences
Book Type: Hardcover
The story of Lizzie Borden is one of America's most notorious true crimes. One hundred years later, people are still interested in this fascinating murder and example of legal history. According to Amazon, the author spent 20 years researching this book. Frankly, I was a bit disappointed; the author did not add any insight into Lizzie's feelings.
Probably, everyone knows the story of Lizzie Borden; she was accused of killing her father and step-mother with an ax. This book takes the reader through the trial with extensive detail. When I finished reading the book, I was stunned to find that the men on the jury voted "not guilty" on the first vote because they agreed to go out for a beer if they got a solution quickly. So they wouldn't appear to be hasty in their judgment, they waited around and chatted for an hour before reporting that they were ready to return to court. The total time they were out of court was 1 and 1/2 hours.
One of the strongest features of this book was the explanation of the social mores of 19th-century America. It was obvious that the men on the jury could not imagine that a woman of Lizzie's rank and prestige could have killed in such an atrocious manner. The author even goes into the view of women's hysteria at that time. All of this helped explain the men's decision.
Another strong feature of this book is the author's ability to make me feel as if I were there at the time of the trial. It was hot and steamy and the court was jam-packed each day. The author explained what each lawyer hoped to prove in his approach to the jurors.
I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more about Lizzie's life after the trial. She and her sister moved to a more desirable location after the trial, but Lizzie was forever avoided by her peers. She and her sister Emma died within days of each other in 1927.
Probably, everyone knows the story of Lizzie Borden; she was accused of killing her father and step-mother with an ax. This book takes the reader through the trial with extensive detail. When I finished reading the book, I was stunned to find that the men on the jury voted "not guilty" on the first vote because they agreed to go out for a beer if they got a solution quickly. So they wouldn't appear to be hasty in their judgment, they waited around and chatted for an hour before reporting that they were ready to return to court. The total time they were out of court was 1 and 1/2 hours.
One of the strongest features of this book was the explanation of the social mores of 19th-century America. It was obvious that the men on the jury could not imagine that a woman of Lizzie's rank and prestige could have killed in such an atrocious manner. The author even goes into the view of women's hysteria at that time. All of this helped explain the men's decision.
Another strong feature of this book is the author's ability to make me feel as if I were there at the time of the trial. It was hot and steamy and the court was jam-packed each day. The author explained what each lawyer hoped to prove in his approach to the jurors.
I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more about Lizzie's life after the trial. She and her sister moved to a more desirable location after the trial, but Lizzie was forever avoided by her peers. She and her sister Emma died within days of each other in 1927.
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