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The History of Torture
More than one hundred photographs accompany this unique and macabre look at the use of torture throughout the ages, exploring the legalities and practicalities of the systematic abuse of humans, from the rack to modern-day drugs. 15,000 first printing.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 8, 2024
The History of Torture by Brian Innes is a story of human history as much as it is about the grisly subject of torture. The history of humankind. Our need to inflict pain and suffering on others. The ignorance of our beliefs, and the cruelty we show to others who may not share those beliefs.
We start in antiquity – the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. The author makes the salient point that for three thousand years, torture was legal. We also know torture occurs to this day.
The principal purpose of torture was (and is) to obtain information. Of course, we now know – information obtained during torture is likely to be unreliable.
My mind is scarred by the vastness of scope and intensity of the torture involved in the inquisitions and most notably the Spanish Inquisition. The poor victims couldn’t win – if they confessed, they were executed (usually involving more torture), if they didn’t confess, they were killed anyway for lying, often during the torture process.
The Rack was used extensively in medieval times. A favourite of the inquisitions. There were many other forms of torture employing the excruciating pain of joint dislocations.
England was proficient, notably in the colonies. As were other colonial powers of course. The poor ‘witches’ had a rough time of it, and the descriptions of being burnt to death were harrowing.
Countless women suffered at the stake, burned as suspected witches
The Far East is covered too, cruelty certainly doesn’t respect international borders.
This book is as much about human history as it is about torture. It is well written, well researched and makes interesting reading. If you want to learn more about human nature, try this book.
4 Stars
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
We start in antiquity – the Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. The author makes the salient point that for three thousand years, torture was legal. We also know torture occurs to this day.
The principal purpose of torture was (and is) to obtain information. Of course, we now know – information obtained during torture is likely to be unreliable.
My mind is scarred by the vastness of scope and intensity of the torture involved in the inquisitions and most notably the Spanish Inquisition. The poor victims couldn’t win – if they confessed, they were executed (usually involving more torture), if they didn’t confess, they were killed anyway for lying, often during the torture process.
The Rack was used extensively in medieval times. A favourite of the inquisitions. There were many other forms of torture employing the excruciating pain of joint dislocations.
England was proficient, notably in the colonies. As were other colonial powers of course. The poor ‘witches’ had a rough time of it, and the descriptions of being burnt to death were harrowing.
Countless women suffered at the stake, burned as suspected witches
The Far East is covered too, cruelty certainly doesn’t respect international borders.
This book is as much about human history as it is about torture. It is well written, well researched and makes interesting reading. If you want to learn more about human nature, try this book.
4 Stars
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
February 1, 2012
За мое удовлетворение, книгата се оказа не просто сбор от детайлно историческо представяне на различни варианти за мъчения, които у някой лабилен би причинил тежки съновидения, както и чудесни идеи за саморазправа с тъщата, но се и опитва донякъде да вникне в причината за тази масова нечовечност.
Авторът Браян Инес не ми беше познат, но има интригуващи заглавия в областта на пиратството, шпионажа и разни там магьоснически дела...а и живеел в преустроена, направена от желязо мелница нейде из Южна Франция. :)
Авторът Браян Инес не ми беше познат, но има интригуващи заглавия в областта на пиратството, шпионажа и разни там магьоснически дела...а и живеел в преустроена, направена от желязо мелница нейде из Южна Франция. :)
June 30, 2017
Интересна и сериозна книга, която обаче ме кара да се смея с глас още от първите страници. Едва ли има човек, който да не е чувал името на Адолф Айхман. Корицата на книгата на Хана Аренд за него (усилено, но напразно я издирвам, за да си я купя: https://www.helikon.bg/books/14/-%D0%... оригинално заглавие: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil), може да бъде проверена във всеки сайт. Въпреки тези две дребни подробности обаче преводачът е показал завидно творческо виждане, проспано и от редактора: "АйКМЪн в Йерусалим - СВЕДЕНИЯ за баналността на злото". И двамата очевадно не само не са я чели, но показват и съмнително ниво на обща култура. И на свършена работа - също.
Тружениците в българското книгоиздаване ще си останат вечна загадка за мен... Понякога до степен да зарежа четенето изобщо.
Книгата е енциклопедия на болната, перверзна фантазия по всички континенти от дълбока древност до наши дни. Всъщност почти, защото зверствата от миналия век са съвсем слабо застъпени, а няколкото споменавания на България са със съмнителна достоверност.
Разгледани са кратко в края психическите изтезания и доста подробно и с много илюстрации - различните физически: диба, "испански ботуш" и други уреди за смазване, "Желязната девица", с огън, вода, ток, нарязване, бой и други трудни за асимилиране от нормален мозък методи.
Прилагат се по религиозни и политически причини, както и безпричинно, за удоволствие, за наказание на криминално проявени, военнопленници, шпиони, опозиция, инакомислещи,, роби, набедени вещици или просто различни хора.
Освен от немарливата пунктуация, странни географски понятия и измислени думички като "капацитетор" (които те карат непрекъснато да се проверяваш в гугъл), четенето изключително се затруднява от миниатюрния шрифт на обясненията към снимките и на цитатите, много интересни и заемащи между 1/3 и 1/2 от текста.
Обидно небрежно издание.
Тружениците в българското книгоиздаване ще си останат вечна загадка за мен... Понякога до степен да зарежа четенето изобщо.
Книгата е енциклопедия на болната, перверзна фантазия по всички континенти от дълбока древност до наши дни. Всъщност почти, защото зверствата от миналия век са съвсем слабо застъпени, а няколкото споменавания на България са със съмнителна достоверност.
Разгледани са кратко в края психическите изтезания и доста подробно и с много илюстрации - различните физически: диба, "испански ботуш" и други уреди за смазване, "Желязната девица", с огън, вода, ток, нарязване, бой и други трудни за асимилиране от нормален мозък методи.
Прилагат се по религиозни и политически причини, както и безпричинно, за удоволствие, за наказание на криминално проявени, военнопленници, шпиони, опозиция, инакомислещи,, роби, набедени вещици или просто различни хора.
Освен от немарливата пунктуация, странни географски понятия и измислени думички като "капацитетор" (които те карат непрекъснато да се проверяваш в гугъл), четенето изключително се затруднява от миниатюрния шрифт на обясненията към снимките и на цитатите, много интересни и заемащи между 1/3 и 1/2 от текста.
Обидно небрежно издание.
September 26, 2014
(قُتِل الإنسان ما أكفره)
March 21, 2020
My biggest problem with this book is that the author didn’t include any of his resources. I was able to check out some of the claims made in it, and they seemed accurate. The lack of attribution knocks it down a star.
It was well written, but isn’t for the faint of heart. I would suggest reading it if one can handle the content. It goes along way towards enlightening the reader as to the savagery of the act of torture.
It was well written, but isn’t for the faint of heart. I would suggest reading it if one can handle the content. It goes along way towards enlightening the reader as to the savagery of the act of torture.
August 31, 2014
I have to say some parts of this book was pretty rough to read. If you try to imagine what you read, you might find yourself shivering a little bit.
Worth the read if you're interested, if not I doubt there's much to get, will give or refresh a bit of general history information as well, which isn't bad.
Worth the read if you're interested, if not I doubt there's much to get, will give or refresh a bit of general history information as well, which isn't bad.
December 31, 2013
هل يعد تقييم الكتاب بأربع نجمات أمرًا لا إنساني؟
رغم بشاعة ما ورد فيه إلا أنه ينبئنا بالمقدار المرعب الذي يمكن أن ينغمس فيه بني آدم بالرذيلة، وبالتنكر لبني جنسه. وما يدهش أن الأسباب التي تُسبب للضحايا المساكين هلاكهم ركيكة جداً، وهو ما يؤكد أن الجنس البشري يرتقي بالعلم والإطلاع. خلال مطالعتي شعرتُ بعظيم الامتنان لهذا العصر الذي يحمي الإنسان ويحفظ له حرية فكره!
رغم بشاعة ما ورد فيه إلا أنه ينبئنا بالمقدار المرعب الذي يمكن أن ينغمس فيه بني آدم بالرذيلة، وبالتنكر لبني جنسه. وما يدهش أن الأسباب التي تُسبب للضحايا المساكين هلاكهم ركيكة جداً، وهو ما يؤكد أن الجنس البشري يرتقي بالعلم والإطلاع. خلال مطالعتي شعرتُ بعظيم الامتنان لهذا العصر الذي يحمي الإنسان ويحفظ له حرية فكره!
February 10, 2023
I starts well than loses itself from the middle to the end.
February 24, 2023
Loved it!
June 7, 2022
Plenty of pictures. Imagine putting this one on your coffee table. Deals exclusively with torture in Europe, as I recall. Often I hear people say, "Think of all the violence done in the name of religion." To that I would add, "Think of all the violence endured in the name of religion." Incredible stories. The type of slim volume that doesn't go too deep. And yet, worth a look and a read. Although you might need smelling salts occasionally.
November 25, 2024
The copy reviewed was the text only ebook edition.
The reason I requested to review this book was that after reading several books that mentioned the witch trials I wanted to understand the torture techniques of the time. Recently I read The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke, which was set in the Orkney Isles and mentioned techniques of torture that I had never heard of. The History of Torture has a chapter on the European Witch-Hunts which was really informative.
I also found the chapters on The Inquisition and The Spanish Inquisition really interesting. This is an area of history that I wasn’t really familiar with. It gave some more context to historical fiction that I have read. I didn’t realise that the Inquisition started in France.
I think the most poignant thing about this book is that it connects the torture used in the colonies, such as South America, Africa and the East, during the age of empires which was quite barbaric, to the modern use of torture today. Statistics show that these countries still use torture as part of interrogation methods. It explains how modern torture is often psychological but often uses water and electricity. It explains how practices used in medieval and early modern times are still employed in the modern world.
I recommend this book to people who love history and to people who read historical fiction and would like more context. It is a very thought-provoking book and I learned a lot. It is a great book to have for general research purposes giving a brief overview of each time period and geographical locations.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books for allowing me to review this ARC. I love the diverse topics offered from the Amber Books collection.
The reason I requested to review this book was that after reading several books that mentioned the witch trials I wanted to understand the torture techniques of the time. Recently I read The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke, which was set in the Orkney Isles and mentioned techniques of torture that I had never heard of. The History of Torture has a chapter on the European Witch-Hunts which was really informative.
I also found the chapters on The Inquisition and The Spanish Inquisition really interesting. This is an area of history that I wasn’t really familiar with. It gave some more context to historical fiction that I have read. I didn’t realise that the Inquisition started in France.
I think the most poignant thing about this book is that it connects the torture used in the colonies, such as South America, Africa and the East, during the age of empires which was quite barbaric, to the modern use of torture today. Statistics show that these countries still use torture as part of interrogation methods. It explains how modern torture is often psychological but often uses water and electricity. It explains how practices used in medieval and early modern times are still employed in the modern world.
I recommend this book to people who love history and to people who read historical fiction and would like more context. It is a very thought-provoking book and I learned a lot. It is a great book to have for general research purposes giving a brief overview of each time period and geographical locations.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amber Books for allowing me to review this ARC. I love the diverse topics offered from the Amber Books collection.
June 4, 2019
After reading this, I am thankful I was born in the modern times we live in. Torture like war seems to be an ugly aspect of the human condition. A morbid curiousity is needed to understand the requirements, practices, and necessities of torture. The book focuses on torture mostly in the western world but does touch on eastern practices. I would of appreciated if the book touched on each period in chronological order. Instead, the material jumps around which can take you out of the immersion. This is a bit of a compilation work as it does cite many books within the text. I have a love hate kinda relationship with this but enjoyed it. Many of the cited texts are very old, hard to come by, or completely out of the modern readers field of vision. Definitely a book that may raise an accusatory eye brow from on lookers or those perusing your personal library. If it's your wife giving you this 3rd degree remind her that in the late 1800s scolding women could recieve the 'scold's bridle'.
January 29, 2025
This book takes a deep dive into the brutal and disturbing ways humans have inflicted pain on each other throughout history. Covering everything from ancient Greek punishment devices to modern interrogation techniques, the book is packed with historical details and well-researched accounts.
While undeniably fascinating, the subject matter is grim, and this is more like a textbook than a gripping narrative. That said, it’s an insightful read for those interested in the darker side of history, offering a thorough look at how torture has evolved across cultures and centuries.
While undeniably fascinating, the subject matter is grim, and this is more like a textbook than a gripping narrative. That said, it’s an insightful read for those interested in the darker side of history, offering a thorough look at how torture has evolved across cultures and centuries.
October 8, 2024
This is hard to read, but there is a large potential audience for this book. The history of torture details specific methods of torture, and I had to stop reading and go back. I was surprised that some of the worst torture was nothing but hazing, and people submitted willingly to prove their manhood. It never ceases to amaze me how creative people can be when it comes to hurting other people. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
November 15, 2017
A very basic overview of the history of torture. Focuses mainly on technical aspects of torture, and on such a surface level that there isn't a whole lot to take away from the book except that torture is pretty harrowing. Reads very dry, like a textbook, making it very difficult to get through.
May 13, 2020
Good general overview of the worst things a person can do to another, but definitely not a detailed account. I was surprised how mild (very relative term) Medieval torture was compared to modern day methods, including the 20th century.
February 11, 2019
Dil akici degil. Karisik bir anlatimi var. Iskence yontemleri birbirini tekrar ediyor. Cok begenerek okumadim ve cok merakli degilseniz tavsiye etmem...
April 1, 2020
A tratti raccapricciante, proprio perché si tratta di storia reale. Sono colpita dall'inventiva che l'essere umano ha dimostrato nei secoli riguardo ai modi di procurare dolore.
July 17, 2022
Extremely interesting and horrifying.
June 20, 2014
During the time when my classmates were reading "lord of the flies" in English and in history we were entering into the world war 2, I decided that my history class was a by vanilla in the regards of actually explaining to us the extent of just how cruel humanity can be at times. With this argument, I went with my mother to barns and nobles(rest in peace my beloved store) and told them I wanted a historical book about torture.
...... Needles to say, it took is some two hours to get them to understand that we weren't playing a joke on them but we got it.
It's not an easy read, I won't lie to you. This book is very clinical about just what people are capable of doing to each other all for the 'greater good'. However I am a believer that in order for young people to understand why we have evolved as we have as well and really understanding just how terrible some of this methods all. This book alone made reading 'the crucible' must more understandable but dark since none of my classmates understood what it meant to 'press' someone. It's worth a read but beware that it's a good idea to take breaks in between and thank yourself for knowing better.
...... Needles to say, it took is some two hours to get them to understand that we weren't playing a joke on them but we got it.
It's not an easy read, I won't lie to you. This book is very clinical about just what people are capable of doing to each other all for the 'greater good'. However I am a believer that in order for young people to understand why we have evolved as we have as well and really understanding just how terrible some of this methods all. This book alone made reading 'the crucible' must more understandable but dark since none of my classmates understood what it meant to 'press' someone. It's worth a read but beware that it's a good idea to take breaks in between and thank yourself for knowing better.
September 6, 2016
Quite an interesting read. Rather than simply presenting a list of popular torture devices, the book puts them in context by discussing how and why they were used in different geographies, famous cases related to them and how people perceived torture. The book covers mostly Europe and some Asian countries, and spans from ancient times to as recent as the 90s.
April 19, 2010
great book on what one human can do to the other... thrilling and disgusting but at the same time very important for the understanding of human history and culture.
January 14, 2014
The book offers an illuminating glimpse in the dark side of human nature.
November 11, 2015
صفحة من هذا الكتاب تجعلك تلعن البشرية على غبائها وإجرامها في ازمنة سابقة (مبالغة لكن الكتاب فعلا أسود لعين دموي9
September 3, 2013
Written in storybook form; some story.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews