The 1849 Murder that Scandalized Harvard
Paul Collins
Although it seems a bit macabre to classify a true crime book about a murder as enjoyable, I must say this book fits that description. From the repercussions of a stratified society that allowed a murder defense of "but someone of his status couldn't be a murderer" (a prejudice that sadly still exists to this day), to the then groundbreaking use of forensic identification, and a judicial definition of reasonable doubt that was in use as recently as 5 years ago, this book takes you on a whirlwind tour of the early days of Harvard, body snatching for medical study, and the Boston and Cambridge elite "Brahmin" families.
It is somewhat difficult to provide details of this story without falling into spoilers; although one could argue that a case over 170 years old is outside the timeframe to qualify as a spoiler. This book provides atmosphere and a sense of time and place through ties to literary giants Dickens and Longfellow, as well as notable families whose names will be familiar (one person involved is a Putnam - a name made infamous through the Salem witch trials), to notable contemporary events such as the death of President Zachary Taylor, and traveling exhibitions by P.T. Barnum. Also, it provides a glimpse into the early days of scientific investigation as part of police work. All of these lead to an atmosphere that many people will find almost familiar, if they have studied and read any of a dozen different types of history and science. I also found this, whether through the author's engaging writing style, or the fascination of the topic to be a fairly quick and easy read. This is definitely one I would recommend to any aficianado of true crime, or of the history of crime and punishment.
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