How Brown
06-07-2009, 09:11 AM
We thank Ultra Violet very much for her time and effort in answering the 5Q for JTRForums:kiss:...and one more:kiss:
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1. How did you get as interested in the Whitechapel Murders as you've become? Initially I was fascinated because it is a great whodunit. But when I dug deeper and read more about the Whitechapel Murders, I realized how many interests I have connect with the topic: the Victorian era, especially the way people lived back then, the contrast between myth and reality, London, psychology. Looking at old photographs and advertisments there's a strong visual aspect that gives me ideas for artwork. This combination of interests makes it irresistable to me.
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2. Has there been one book which you rely upon more for facts and your general Case knowledge than all the others available ? Perhaps more than one book?
Well, I like to go with (transcripts of) original documents, but, there are books that are very helpful:
Sudgen's "Complete History", the "A-Z" and, of course, "The Ultimate Sourcebook".
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3. What would the typical perception of Jack The Ripper be to the rank and file German crime buff in this day and age?
I don't see much difference here to other countries. While the general public goes with the guy with top hat and cloak, those who actually research the Whitechapel Murders, go with the guy in East End garb. And in suspect polls it's, well, the usual suspects and the local unknown man.
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4. Are there works done in the German language which you think may have been overlooked by the predominantly English speaking Ripperologist community?
OH.MY. There's one good reference work, "Jack the Ripper: Anatomie einer Legende" by Hendrik Püstrow and Thomas Schachner and that's it. Most of the English books aren't available in German.
When I look at the German Amazon page I come up with:
1 Jack the Ripper: Anatomie einer Legende - Hendrik Püstrow and Thomas Schachner
and then it's Diary - Shirley Harris, Case Closed - Patricia Cornwell, Sherlock Holmes & Jack The Ripper - Ellery Queen, Autumn Of Terror - Tom Cullen (2nd hand), From Hell - Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell, Arthur Conan Doyle war Jack The Ripper - Jan Gaspard
In between are a few audiobooks mainly about the diary and about conspiracies.
I found "Letters from Hell" on page 3 - as second hand book, no description, no comments, nothing.
If it wasn't for the Püstrow/Schachner's book people whose English isn't good enough to read the English books, would have to think there's three suspects Sickert, Maybrick and Prince Eddy.
I guess the publishers think, you can only sell books on the topic when they are based on famous suspects, obviously disregarding the fact which book tops the list. Ah well ...
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5. Have you ever considered putting together an article on an area or aspect of the Case for Ripperologist Magazine or for some other periodical
Duh! No.
I feel like a newbie joining the community only now. It's really something else dealing with the topic alone at home allowing my thoughts to meander and giving scenarios a guess or doing that "out in the open".
The fact that my thoughts meander *a lot* leaves me somewhat unfocused. It's easier to focus when I read some question that I can relate to but other than that my thoughts trail all over the place. That makes it kind of difficult to come up with a topic to begin with.
Then there are articles out there, written by people with profound knowledge of details and that sets a high standard. In my unfocused state of mind, I know bits and pieces all over the place, which allows me to do some good guesswork, but I wonder if that'd be enough for an article.
So to consider this, I would have to find a topic that I can focus on for a certain timespan and the confidence that I know enough about that particular topic to actually contribute something of value.
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1. How did you get as interested in the Whitechapel Murders as you've become? Initially I was fascinated because it is a great whodunit. But when I dug deeper and read more about the Whitechapel Murders, I realized how many interests I have connect with the topic: the Victorian era, especially the way people lived back then, the contrast between myth and reality, London, psychology. Looking at old photographs and advertisments there's a strong visual aspect that gives me ideas for artwork. This combination of interests makes it irresistable to me.
Quote:
2. Has there been one book which you rely upon more for facts and your general Case knowledge than all the others available ? Perhaps more than one book?
Well, I like to go with (transcripts of) original documents, but, there are books that are very helpful:
Sudgen's "Complete History", the "A-Z" and, of course, "The Ultimate Sourcebook".
Quote:
3. What would the typical perception of Jack The Ripper be to the rank and file German crime buff in this day and age?
I don't see much difference here to other countries. While the general public goes with the guy with top hat and cloak, those who actually research the Whitechapel Murders, go with the guy in East End garb. And in suspect polls it's, well, the usual suspects and the local unknown man.
Quote:
4. Are there works done in the German language which you think may have been overlooked by the predominantly English speaking Ripperologist community?
OH.MY. There's one good reference work, "Jack the Ripper: Anatomie einer Legende" by Hendrik Püstrow and Thomas Schachner and that's it. Most of the English books aren't available in German.
When I look at the German Amazon page I come up with:
1 Jack the Ripper: Anatomie einer Legende - Hendrik Püstrow and Thomas Schachner
and then it's Diary - Shirley Harris, Case Closed - Patricia Cornwell, Sherlock Holmes & Jack The Ripper - Ellery Queen, Autumn Of Terror - Tom Cullen (2nd hand), From Hell - Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell, Arthur Conan Doyle war Jack The Ripper - Jan Gaspard
In between are a few audiobooks mainly about the diary and about conspiracies.
I found "Letters from Hell" on page 3 - as second hand book, no description, no comments, nothing.
If it wasn't for the Püstrow/Schachner's book people whose English isn't good enough to read the English books, would have to think there's three suspects Sickert, Maybrick and Prince Eddy.
I guess the publishers think, you can only sell books on the topic when they are based on famous suspects, obviously disregarding the fact which book tops the list. Ah well ...
Quote:
5. Have you ever considered putting together an article on an area or aspect of the Case for Ripperologist Magazine or for some other periodical
Duh! No.
I feel like a newbie joining the community only now. It's really something else dealing with the topic alone at home allowing my thoughts to meander and giving scenarios a guess or doing that "out in the open".
The fact that my thoughts meander *a lot* leaves me somewhat unfocused. It's easier to focus when I read some question that I can relate to but other than that my thoughts trail all over the place. That makes it kind of difficult to come up with a topic to begin with.
Then there are articles out there, written by people with profound knowledge of details and that sets a high standard. In my unfocused state of mind, I know bits and pieces all over the place, which allows me to do some good guesswork, but I wonder if that'd be enough for an article.
So to consider this, I would have to find a topic that I can focus on for a certain timespan and the confidence that I know enough about that particular topic to actually contribute something of value.