I really enjoyed this. Mr. Whitcomb writes well. I'm always a little leery going into autobiographical stories, because the quality of the writing varI really enjoyed this. Mr. Whitcomb writes well. I'm always a little leery going into autobiographical stories, because the quality of the writing varies so much, but I can guarantee that isn't a problem with this one. (He does have a degree in English, and spend part of his career as a writer.)
I think my favorite part about this books was Mr. Whitcomb's ability to let the reader see the wide variety of people that join the FBI, and to portray the personalities involved. There's a certain degree of arrogance in the narrative, but it's not offensive--it's the kind of arrogance that comes with the territory of doing a job that not many people can do, and doing it well. I was worried for a while at the beginning that he would become the star of the book, always swooping in to save the day, but he's very even-handed with the spotlight.
I learned an incredible amount in this book, and enjoyed every moment of it immensely. Definitely recommend this if you're doing research on the FBI, or just want a snapping good read....more
It's kind of a 3.75. The book was written in 1991, in a very different cultural environment than we have now.
Pros of the book is that it sets out veryIt's kind of a 3.75. The book was written in 1991, in a very different cultural environment than we have now.
Pros of the book is that it sets out very clearly what is and isn't abuse, something which hasn't changed in all the years that abuse has existed. It's very readable, doesn't overwhelm you with statistics, and has made use of what research existed at the time, with some extrapolation from research on battered women. The real-life episodes from the battered man were well-chosen, and do a good job of illustrating the point that the person being battered sometimes will fight back, or stand up for themselves, but that does not mean they aren't being battered. The explanation of the escape plan was very well laid out, in steps that would be easy to follow.
Cons are that the author hops up on his soapbox frequently, to the detriment of the reliability of the text, though it's very obvious when he's doing this, so not much harm done. He makes assumptions and extrapolates from data, or states "We know..." without ever supporting where the knowledge comes from. Examples from more than one story would have been good, though in the time that this book was being written, it was likely difficult to find others will to share that deeply.
Overall, there's a lot of information in here that's still extremely useful. I would love to see an updated edition, with all the new information and studies that have since come out about the issue....more
I really enjoyed this book and can certainly recommend it. The narrator, who is a dwarf in a time when that alone was a dangerous thing, has a unique I really enjoyed this book and can certainly recommend it. The narrator, who is a dwarf in a time when that alone was a dangerous thing, has a unique take on life and people. The writer presents the main character with precise and efficacious language, concise descriptions and action that give you a very good idea of what this courtesan is made of, in very few words.
I was disappointed in the direction the author took her in at one point (I won't say, because it would be a total spoiler), but it certainly didn't stop me finishing the book. I think I would have liked to be slightly better prepared for that choice before it happened, is all....more
I enjoyed this. It wasn't an indepth treatment of the lives of these women, but more of an overview of how they integrated in society and how society I enjoyed this. It wasn't an indepth treatment of the lives of these women, but more of an overview of how they integrated in society and how society dealt with their prescence. There were some fun stories. The idea of presenting them under the categories of the different personality characteristcs was interesting, though it inevitably lead to breaking off the discussion of a courtesan just as the topic started to become a little more deep. I found that detracted somewhat from my enjoyment of the book.
While I understand the reasoning behind the organization of the stories, it left the book feeling a bit jagged and, oddly, unorganized at times. As if I reading one of those literary books that jump you all through the timeline and just expect you to keep up. But, if you can get past that, it's a fun look back at a less-than-respectable portion of our society....more
It was an interesting book, but a bit dry. More of a scholarly tome--which is what it is--than something that is meant to paint a vivid picture of theIt was an interesting book, but a bit dry. More of a scholarly tome--which is what it is--than something that is meant to paint a vivid picture of the person. Overall, it had interesting and useful information, and I was able to piece together some of the implied information from the text rather easily....more
This was a great book, with a lot of well-organized and pertinent information. I learned some things from this that, despite a background in emergencyThis was a great book, with a lot of well-organized and pertinent information. I learned some things from this that, despite a background in emergency services, I didn't know before. That's not to say that you'll learn everything you need to write a story involving police from this book, but it's a darn good foundation and anything the book might be missing is easily googled or found on police forums....more
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