Executioner Pierrepoint

by Albert Pierrepoint

Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2020

Reviews

[Derry Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating book! There are a lot of typo mistakes it is far from the cryptic crossword puzzle as some reviewers are making out. I was concerned it may prove a ghoulish read but far from it, it was factual and dispassionately written. Short and to the point would be accurate. I would love to know if it was ghost written. Albert Pierrepoint was not educated to a high level but if he wrote this he was an intelligent fellow and it speaks well of the schooling he received. He comes across as a man of integrity. His personal views on capital punishment are fascinating. The narrative outside of the executions is informative of a poorer and simpler society.

I would recommend this book.

[James Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pierrepoint is an intriguing man, and someone who is guaranteed to generate opinion. It is therefore important to have his life and work discussed in his own words.

Beginning with his childhood and ending with his resignation as public executioner and final thoughts on capital punishment, he provides a thought-provoking account of his life as an executioner, his experiences and interactions with condemned men and women, and his own philosophical approach to his work.

Whilst we may believe an executioner to be occupied by blood-lust and possess soulless attitude towards humanity, Pierrepoint represents a different character. He is a man driven by a belief that he has been called to service - not to make decisions, but to ensure that decisions made are 'executed' with skill and humanity. What comes across is a man who's job was more than that of taking life - it was a service to both the state and to those whom the state determined must die.

Although his account of childhood did come across as somewhat slow and meandering, this autobiography does not outstay its welcome, and perhaps invites more questions than answers. Pierrepoint skillfully maintains a certain professional secrecy, whilst offering fascinating and sometimes emotional stories from his less-than-ordinary life.

[Svein M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot of typo and spelling mistakes in the book. Looks like it has not been thru a proper" print editing" before being put out on Kindle. The story and the issues described are interesting enough and warrants a read. Copy wise it is a two star, but subject and story pulls it up to three stars. Interestingly "the" is consistently written "die" in my copy. Die boat, die house, die noose and so forth

[Jez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical record

Overall interesting factual record of the events of an official executioner during the last century of capital punishment in Britain. At some points the machine like nature of the job done hundreds of times repeats itself over and over throughout the read, but in the end the book reads as an important historical document of the 20th century

[Mrs M Pokorowicz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skim read

Unable to read this book properly on my Kindle as there were too many mistakes. Instead of "the" it was replaced by the word "die" ,also there were numerous other mistakes making the reading nigh on impossible.

[Nicola O'Donnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into the life of Britain’s most famous executioner.Lots of typos in the kindle edition though.

[Mark Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about a man who wanted to become Britain's No.1 Executioner. He had relatives who'd done it before him.

[Amanda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the life of an executioner