The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

This is the discussion thread for the Winter 2016 Group Read The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York Please post your comments here. This thread is not restricted to those choosing this book for task 20.10, feel free to join in the discussion. Warning- spoilers ahead!

The requirement for task 20.10: You must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.

I finished this book today and really enjoyed it. It was interesting though sometimes repetitive. I was expecting more stories around poisons such as arsenic, cyanide, or gases but much of the book focused on Prohibition and alcohol as a poison. Though I learned a lot about Prohibition, I would have liked to hear more about other types of poisons. Overall the book was well written and full of interesting facts and anecdotes.

I probably would have never picked this one up on my own, so I'm glad it was a group read. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this....A LOT. I found the history fascinating. The author did a great job in detailing the information so it didn't sound like a wikipedia report. It amazes me how easy it was to poison people to get rid of them back in the day and how far the research has come in determining certain causes of death regarding poison. I understand that research was important, but the dog experiments hurt my heart.

Donna wrote: "I probably would have never picked this one up on my own, so I'm glad it was a group read. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed this....A LOT. I found the history fascinating. The author did a gr..."

I agree, Donna. The animal testing was hard to read.

I picked this one for the group read because it had been on my TBR for so long I had almost forgotten about it. I'm glad I picked it, because I really enjoyed it. The best part was some of the unexpected humor that she managed to weave into the stories.

I was a little disconcerted, though, when I got to the story about the old couple who died in the hotel. It was at this point that I realized we had watched a documentary based on this book! I don't know where we watched it or how we stumbled across it, but it was a PBS American Experience that is available to stream from their website if you're interested! Fortunately, I didn't remember all of the cases from the tv show, so I was still able to enjoy the book.

I listened to it on audio, and the narrator pronounced some of the words in a funny way that put me off a little, but it wasn't terrible. I agree with earlier posters that the only thing about it that I really didn't like were the descriptions of animal research.

I enjoyed this book. I've done some reading in this area before so some of the cases were familiar.
I found the parts about convincing juries to accept the science were interesting, and thought about how CSI has influenced our juries today.
I did think the language was a bit melodramatic in places, "the background music was the sizzle of gas burners..."

The book gave a good synopsis of how people succumbed to various poisons which at the time they died were not considered fatal. Obviously we learn by our mistakes, but because the book's title implies that people were intentionally killing others using substances which are poisonous to humans, I expected the emphasis to be more on situations in which that was the case. For instance, Marie Curie was not trying to kill people through her work on radioactivity (and, in fact, she died because of her own exposure) . In sum, I enjoyed the book but thought the title was misleading.

Jessica wrote: "I picked this one for the group read because it had been on my TBR for so long I had almost forgotten about it. I'm glad I picked it, because I really enjoyed it. The best part was some of the unex..."

I'll have to look for that show, Jessica! Thanks for mentioning it.

Hands down, one of the most fascinating books I've ever read. I loved learning about what was really going on during the Jazz Age.

The only thing I didn't care for was the somewhat jumpy nature of the chapters. A chapter on alcohol would contain information on carbon monoxide. It didn't always fit.

I thought this was a very well balanced look at various poisons throughout history and I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

I found there was a nice balance between scientific explanations, human interest stories, and historical perspective. It serves as a warning of the responsibility manufacturers have to investigate the safety of the product before putting it in the market.

I was horrified about those poor girls who were playing with radioactive materials, using them to make their teeth glow in the dark, without any idea of the deadly poison they were putting into their body.

I also appreciated that the author did not inject herself into the story as seems to be the new trend these days.

I really liked this book, even so I find the title a little bit misleading.

It was more a story about Jazz Age New York and the troubles of the first forensic examiner than a story about how to poison someone. A lot of the poisons were readily available at that time, as they were in a lot of everyday household items, and so had been easily useable at the time. It also shows why most of these poisons are nowadays prohibited, as a lot of people in this book also died by simple accidents.

Most interesting I found that the hard work of 2 men managed to change how forensic evidence was looked upon in court. This is the start of all the Medical Forensic shows on TV!

I'm nearly done with this one right now - have about 2hrs in the audio to go...like Fandury, I found it less about how to poison someone or different murders which involved poisoning, rather than the chemisty behind how these different poisons were identified. the radium one was one of my favorites

finished this up on my commute home today - solid read and ending - I really liked how one of the earlier cases showed back up and the chemistry that wasn't supported the first time came through in the end. this backstory would make a great mystery series - maybe one of those Gettler boys solving cases or something...

I haven't read anything by this Author before but i was intrigued by both the title and description of the book. I really enjoyed the book and liked the mix of poisons such as arsenic maliciously administered and substances introduced for other purposes but later identified and used as poisons such as alcohol, fuel components, carbon monoxide. Whilst i didn't like the descriptions of animal testing I can see its necessity. I think Morris and Gettler identified and tabulated a great deal with few resources and that much of what we know today has been built upon their work. Today scientific labs have much more at their disposal and the necessity of animal testing is not there. I also think the book gave the reader a walk through American History. Blum has a talent in weaving story into dry fact.

I read Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers as a group read and then this one Poisoner's Handbook. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people of medicine who have spent their lives discovering how the body works and how different organs of the body react to various stimuli. I had known that poisoning was a problem medivial times but not the extent that it was and is used now.

Very interesting read. Although, I listened to it and at times felt myself being distracted. I might have had an easier time if I had read it in paper rather than audio. I sometimes even forgot which poison was being talked about at any particular time.

Enjoyable read, although a bit repetitive sometimes. The book was a collection of short stories, shorted by the poison used intentionally or accidentally and caused one or more deaths. I enjoyed following Norris and Gettler in their journey to establish forensic medicine.

I also found the book repetitious. Recently, I've read several disturbing articles about a trend in American industry to eliminate research and development departments in favor of short-term profits. I was intrigued that many of the pioneers in this book had to use their personal resources to fund their research. I was also distracted by thoughts of how meth addicts and meth producers seem to share the prohibition era alcohol users/producers shortsightedness. I'm concerned that there may be little that's new where humans are concerned.

Terri FL wrote: "Very interesting read. Although, I listened to it and at times felt myself being distracted. I might have had an easier time if I had read it in paper rather than audio. I sometimes even forgot whi..."

i think listening to non fiction can be difficult I am currently listening to 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents but the listing of all the voting is making me sleepy

I found myself thinking about how prohibition did not work and just led to people getting drunker and sicker due to the additives in the alcohol. Reminded me of how the war on drugs has not seemed to cut demand of those substances either. It also reminded me what it is was like without many federal regulations.

I found the book interesting, especially seeing how forensic investigations and the work of medical examiners developed. I was very surprised to learn that the job of the medical examiner was done by people with any medical training and any Tom, Dick or Harry with a political in could get the job.
The other thing that struck me was the development of regulations and the struggle to get them passed in order to save lives. How big business didn't care as long as they were pulling in the big profits. In light of what is happening now in the US, that really stuck with me and I hope they are not headed backwards.

Dlmrose wrote: "I enjoyed this book. I've done some reading in this area before so some of the cases were familiar.
I found the parts about convincing juries to accept the science were interesting, and thought ab..."

CSI has really impacted how we see crimes now. I doubt that the work actually happens as fast as it does on tv, but that's the magic of entertainment.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the ties it had to the times in which it describes. I liked the cover of the book too - very ominous.

I really enjoyed this book and the way it weaves the stories of the people, the chemistry, and the historical circumstances of the time period. I couldn't help but find comparisons between the effect Prohibition had and the the way our government today sometimes passes resolutions that have the exact opposite intended impact-gave me some hope in the way that the people can fight back.

I started reading this book last night thinking I had a few hours before I needed to sleep and I ended up falling asleep on the book. I really couldn't put it down. I've always been semi-interested in science and books that put explore different parts of science in a easy-to-read manner are always fun.

The author's pacing was great. If the book, alone, was about poisons, it would've been dry. She mixed the Prohibition, the new age of forensic science, and certain poisons to actually create story. Her chapters, however, were quite choppy and sometimes misplaced. She did definitely breathed life into the victims, poisoners, and scientists.

I believe she teaches at University of Wisconsin Madison so it would only be a 2 hour drive if I wanted to meet her!

Loved it - one of the best choices for a group read yet. I love books that can successfully blend history, with science AND entertainment!

I found the unavoidable social commentary about the US pretty spine chilling - the deliberate policy of murder from a supposedly responsible and democratically elected government towards it's own citizens. And no doubt no-one was ever charged. Gob-smacking.

I found this to be a fascinating book. Although it's non-fiction the author used techniques of fiction writers by developing characters and building suspense. It was very interesting to learn how forensic science developed against the backdrop of Prohibition, new scientific discoveries and inadequate regulation. I was horrified to read that radium was actually added to water and other products as a health aid!