Call number
FIC CAR
Collection
Genres
Series
Publication
Random House (1994), Edition: 1st, 496 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � NOW A TNT ORIGINAL SERIES � �A first-rate tale of crime and punishment that will keep readers guessing until the final pages.��Entertainment Weekly �Caleb Carr�s rich period thriller takes us back to the moment in history when the modern idea of the serial killer became available to us.��The Detroit News When The Alienist was first published in 1994, it was a major phenomenon, spending six months on the New York Times bestseller list, receiving critical acclaim, and selling millions of copies. This modern classic continues to be a touchstone of historical suspense fiction for readers everywhere. The year is 1896. The city is New York. Newspaper reporter John Schuyler Moore is summoned by his friend Dr. Laszlo Kreizler�a psychologist, or �alienist��to view the horribly mutilated body of an adolescent boy abandoned on the unfinished Williamsburg Bridge. From there the two embark on a revolutionary effort in criminology: creating a psychological profile of the perpetrator based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who will kill again before their hunt is over. Fast-paced and riveting, infused with historical detail, The Alienist conjures up Gilded Age New York, with its tenements and mansions, corrupt cops and flamboyant gangsters, shining opera houses and seamy gin mills. It is an age in which questioning society�s belief that all killers are born, not made, could have unexpected and fatal consequences. Praise for The Alienist �[A] delicious premise . . . Its settings and characterizations are much more sophisticated than the run-of-the-mill thrillers that line the shelves in bookstores.��The Washington Post Book World �Mesmerizing.��Detroit Free Press �The method of the hunt and the disparate team of hunters lift the tale beyond the level of a good thriller�way beyond. . . . A remarkable combination of historical novel and psychological thriller.��The Buffalo News �Engrossing.��Newsweek �Gripping, atmospheric . . . intelligent and entertaining.��USA Today �A high-spirited, charged-up and unfailingly smart thriller.��Los Angeles Times �Keeps readers turning pages well past their bedtime.��San Francisco Chronicle.… (more)
Subjects
Media reviews
A series of gruesome murders and mutilations of heartrendingly young prostitutes--boys dressed as girls--reunites three alumni of William James' pioneering Harvard psychology lectures: Times reporter John Schuyler Moore, eminent psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (called, after the fashion of the
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time, an ``alienist''), and New York Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt.... The result is somehow gripping yet lifeless, as evocative period detail jostles with a cast of characters who are, for the most part, as pallid as the murder victims. Show Less
Kreizler is a fictional hero, but in Caleb Carr's imaginings he becomes every bit as believable as the book's real-life characters, and the murders he sets out to solve take on a ghoulish plausibility.... The Alienist isn't only an ingenious thriller. Carr brings enormous gusto to his portrait of
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old New York, where breakfast for the well-to-do might comprise 'cucumber fillets, Creole eggs, and broiled squab'. From the fetid reek of 'stale beer dives' to the baronial splendour of bankers' mansions, from dirt-poor tenements to the fanciest French restaurants, the city seems to rise off the page....Part of the book's triumph is that it accommodates big questions without sacrificing anything in accessibility; it recreates a world that is simultaneously alive and haunting Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member majkia
It is 1896. Teddy Roosevelt is the Police Commissioner and is attempting to fight corruption within the police when the body of an immigrant boy, a boy prostitute, is found mutilated. Roosevelt calls in an old friend, an Alienist (which meant psychiatrist in those days), as an expert on how to find
The Alienist, Kreizler, calls upon a childhood friend to assist, a Newspaper man, who understands the whole nasty underside of New York. Between them, they convince their pal Teddy, to authorize an undercover task force to find the killer, who Krizler is certain, will kill again, if he hasn't already done so.
Thus begins a fascinating tale, detailing the state of investigative procedure at the time. It breaks all the acceptable rules regarding policing, and instead tries to identify this unknown killer based on psychology and his signature kills and what they can deduce from his background, his childhood and his thought processes.
It details the horrors of life in those times for the little people, and looks frankly at corruption, greed and crime. No one wants this group to succeed for many reasons and their lives are at risk not only from a smart serial killer, but also from those who want to control the city and bury even the existence of such matters.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy gritty historical crime fiction.
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the killer. The powers that be in New York, from the powerful financiers, to the powerful crime lords, to the police forces themselves, to the religious community, want nothing to do with this crime. They don't want to stir up the immigrant communities, nor do they want attention drawn to the world of prostitution and abject poverty that so many in the city endure. And who cares if a boy prostitute is killed anyway. He asked for it.The Alienist, Kreizler, calls upon a childhood friend to assist, a Newspaper man, who understands the whole nasty underside of New York. Between them, they convince their pal Teddy, to authorize an undercover task force to find the killer, who Krizler is certain, will kill again, if he hasn't already done so.
Thus begins a fascinating tale, detailing the state of investigative procedure at the time. It breaks all the acceptable rules regarding policing, and instead tries to identify this unknown killer based on psychology and his signature kills and what they can deduce from his background, his childhood and his thought processes.
It details the horrors of life in those times for the little people, and looks frankly at corruption, greed and crime. No one wants this group to succeed for many reasons and their lives are at risk not only from a smart serial killer, but also from those who want to control the city and bury even the existence of such matters.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy gritty historical crime fiction.
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LibraryThing member nog
A highly atmospheric period detective novel that I think just about any mystery fan might enjoy -- although it is gritty and graphic, it is never exploitive. Carr has a remarkable knack for providing just the right amount of descriptive prose -- it's neither too briskly nor too leisurely paced. The
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sequel, Angel of Darkness, is also quite good. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zmrzlina
The story is initially fascinating. Love how psychology is described as such a young and really quite threatening science! And the details of old NYC are also wonderful. I've been to NYC many times, so I am able to image the sites as they might have been just before the turn of the 20th century,
My complaint is that the author takes too much effort to be "politically correct" when talking about the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. He has the character make sure to mention how some of the massacres carried out by NA are understandable when one takes into consideration the atrocities whites dealt out to the natives. However, I really don't think someone of that time period, in the position of this character (journalist for NY Times) would be so intent on making that clear. Perhaps I am wrong, but it just doesn't seem to fit. It is late 20th century attitude projected onto a late 19th century character.
Also, the climax is way too crowded. I won't give away details, but the author tried to gather too many characters into the end. The story is interesting and I adore the descriptions of old NYC. I also like the strong female character, though I wonder how historically accurate she is.
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when this story takes place. My complaint is that the author takes too much effort to be "politically correct" when talking about the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. He has the character make sure to mention how some of the massacres carried out by NA are understandable when one takes into consideration the atrocities whites dealt out to the natives. However, I really don't think someone of that time period, in the position of this character (journalist for NY Times) would be so intent on making that clear. Perhaps I am wrong, but it just doesn't seem to fit. It is late 20th century attitude projected onto a late 19th century character.
Also, the climax is way too crowded. I won't give away details, but the author tried to gather too many characters into the end. The story is interesting and I adore the descriptions of old NYC. I also like the strong female character, though I wonder how historically accurate she is.
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LibraryThing member ljbryant
This book has it all -- serial killing, mystery, forensic science, the beauty and grit of a city -- all set in New York City in the 1890s. Carr makes you feel like you're actually wandering the streets, smelling the smells, and feeling the dirt of the city. The life that Carr breathes in to his
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writing is a thing of beauty. Show Less
LibraryThing member Joycepa
In 1896, Theodore Roosevelt is New York City Police commissioner, battling corruption in the police department. John Schuyler Moore, a Knickerbocker aristocrat, is a police reporter for the New York Times. Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Hungarian born but American raised and educated, is an "alienist", as
A series of murders of boy prostitutes has caught the attention of Kreizler, whose other specialty is disturbed children. He calls on his friend Moore for help in determining the identity of the killer; inevitably, of course, Roosevelt, in his professional capacity, becomes involved. "Official New York"--high society--the upper classes who determine what reality is for New York--refuses to acknowledge the thriving trade in boy prostitution while, of course, many indulge in the vice; societal attitudes of the time prevented even ardent reformers like Jacob Riis, one of many well-known personages of the times (Lincoln Stephens is another) who have minor roles in the story, from even believing that such trade even exists. This attitude makes an official investigation into the murders more difficult; instead, the murderer is portrayed as preying upon the children of the immigrant community, stirring up social unrest.
The investigation, therefore, has to be clandestine. As a result, into the orginal team of 3 are brought Sarah Howard, Roosevelt's secretary--the first woman employed by the NY Police Department and whose burning ambition is to become a detective--and the Isaacson brothers, detectives, the vanguard of the brand-new discipline of forensic science. Together, this team sets out to find the serial murderer.
The story is narrated by Moore. The style is educated upper-class Eastern Seaboard American of that era, and works beautifully. Because the principal investigators are members of that class, we also get a view of such institutions as the Metropolitan Opera of the time, and Delmonico's; there is a memorable description of one particular meal.
Carr does a superb job of developing the hunt for the killer through what would be termed 80+ years later by the FBI, "profiling". Through Lucius and Marcus Isaacson, we get a lively discussion--and therefore great view--of the then brand-new techniques of fingerprinting, anthropometrics, and retinal impression. We also get a good synopsis, thanks to Kreizler, of the intense intellectual argument that raged at that time over free will (William James) and behavioral determinism (championed by Kreizler). The latter theory was so repugnant with the nominally Christian upper class that Kreizler, although from that stratum of society, was nearly universally shunned.
The evocation of the seamiest areas of NW York--5 Points, the Tenderloin--and its bosses as well as police corruption that permitted the vice trades--is excellent, with the description of the roaring 'dives' that pandered to every taste in vice. The horrors of the life of the immigrant communities in the slums of Neew York is graphically portrayed.
The plot--the unfolding of the profile and then identification of the killer--is superbly done.
Excellent writing, fascinating characters, superb plotting, and the truly vivid evocation of the era make this a terrific read. Highly recommended.
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those physicians who made a study of mental illness in those days were called. One of Kreizler's specialties is the study of the criminal mind in an effort to determine what insanity really is. These three are an unlikley set of friends, whose friendship began years ago at Harvard.A series of murders of boy prostitutes has caught the attention of Kreizler, whose other specialty is disturbed children. He calls on his friend Moore for help in determining the identity of the killer; inevitably, of course, Roosevelt, in his professional capacity, becomes involved. "Official New York"--high society--the upper classes who determine what reality is for New York--refuses to acknowledge the thriving trade in boy prostitution while, of course, many indulge in the vice; societal attitudes of the time prevented even ardent reformers like Jacob Riis, one of many well-known personages of the times (Lincoln Stephens is another) who have minor roles in the story, from even believing that such trade even exists. This attitude makes an official investigation into the murders more difficult; instead, the murderer is portrayed as preying upon the children of the immigrant community, stirring up social unrest.
The investigation, therefore, has to be clandestine. As a result, into the orginal team of 3 are brought Sarah Howard, Roosevelt's secretary--the first woman employed by the NY Police Department and whose burning ambition is to become a detective--and the Isaacson brothers, detectives, the vanguard of the brand-new discipline of forensic science. Together, this team sets out to find the serial murderer.
The story is narrated by Moore. The style is educated upper-class Eastern Seaboard American of that era, and works beautifully. Because the principal investigators are members of that class, we also get a view of such institutions as the Metropolitan Opera of the time, and Delmonico's; there is a memorable description of one particular meal.
Carr does a superb job of developing the hunt for the killer through what would be termed 80+ years later by the FBI, "profiling". Through Lucius and Marcus Isaacson, we get a lively discussion--and therefore great view--of the then brand-new techniques of fingerprinting, anthropometrics, and retinal impression. We also get a good synopsis, thanks to Kreizler, of the intense intellectual argument that raged at that time over free will (William James) and behavioral determinism (championed by Kreizler). The latter theory was so repugnant with the nominally Christian upper class that Kreizler, although from that stratum of society, was nearly universally shunned.
The evocation of the seamiest areas of NW York--5 Points, the Tenderloin--and its bosses as well as police corruption that permitted the vice trades--is excellent, with the description of the roaring 'dives' that pandered to every taste in vice. The horrors of the life of the immigrant communities in the slums of Neew York is graphically portrayed.
The plot--the unfolding of the profile and then identification of the killer--is superbly done.
Excellent writing, fascinating characters, superb plotting, and the truly vivid evocation of the era make this a terrific read. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member -Eva-
In 1896 New York City, Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt enlists infamous psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and reporter John Moore to help him find a serial killer who preys on the weakest of the weak, the child prostitutes. This is a long, but fascinating foray into the early days of
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psychological profiling. If the topic is of specific interest to you (as it is to me), I would highly recommend this rather gruesome mystery. The historic elements are also a big bonus here since the author is an historian and paints a vivid picture of end of the century New York. The only quibble I have is that the vast amount of historical detail somewhat diminishes the importance of the characters, and, although they are intriguing and complex, I don't always feel what I'm told that they feel. It's a minor issue, though, and the story is definitely engaging and the details would make any history-buff giddy. Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
An unconventional investigative team takes on a serial killer on the streets of 1896 New York.
I didn't enjoy this quite as much as its sequel, (THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS), but it was still a damned good read. I love the way Carr writes. His books are big and detailed, and each piece of the puzzle
Carr mixes real historical figures in with his fictional protagonists very nicely indeed, and he makes great use of historical detail. There's a ton of information here; so much, in fact, that I've read a few other reviews that mention his propensity for info-dumping. To be honest, he does do rather a lot of this, but it's all so interesting that I really can't see it as a negative. It fits in perfectly with the narrator's character, too. Moore is a reporter, and he's looking back at a pivotal period in history. He's going to want to talk about his city and the changes it's gone through over the years. It fits, and it works well within the context of the novel.
The characters, too, are wonderfully drawn, but I'm not sure I'd have felt as much of a connection to them if I hadn't already met them in THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS. I think this is mostly due to the differing narrators. Stevie, (who narrates the second book), is obvious in his affections for his fellow investigators; Moore is much more circumspect. The lot of them still come across as fully-formed individuals in their own right, but the spark wasn't quite there for me. I did enjoy spending more time with them, though, and I found it interesting to see how Carr had introduced these people I already knew so well.
And the science! THE ALIENIST is very much concerned with profiling, of course, but there's also some good stuff with fingerprinting and other modern investigative techniques. It's fascinating, and not all of it actually pans out. There's a great scene where one of the detectives tries to photograph a victim's eye in the hopes that it'll reveal the killer's face. I got a big kick out of all these little sidetrips and tangents.
All in all, this was a great read. I really do wish Carr had written more with these characters. If he ever does publish them, I'll read 'em. You'll have to lock me up to keep me away.
(This review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina, in a slightly different form).
I didn't enjoy this quite as much as its sequel, (THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS), but it was still a damned good read. I love the way Carr writes. His books are big and detailed, and each piece of the puzzle
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carries you on into the next. I found myself crowing with delight as Moore and the rest discovered some illuminating new fact, and I gasped in shock when things went against them. There were a couple of areas where my interest waned a wee bit, but for the most part I remained involved and engaged. This is the sort of book you just want to wallow in. The plot, the characters, their world... it's good stuff, people. It's very, very good stuff. I had a blast with it, and I miss it now that it's over.Carr mixes real historical figures in with his fictional protagonists very nicely indeed, and he makes great use of historical detail. There's a ton of information here; so much, in fact, that I've read a few other reviews that mention his propensity for info-dumping. To be honest, he does do rather a lot of this, but it's all so interesting that I really can't see it as a negative. It fits in perfectly with the narrator's character, too. Moore is a reporter, and he's looking back at a pivotal period in history. He's going to want to talk about his city and the changes it's gone through over the years. It fits, and it works well within the context of the novel.
The characters, too, are wonderfully drawn, but I'm not sure I'd have felt as much of a connection to them if I hadn't already met them in THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS. I think this is mostly due to the differing narrators. Stevie, (who narrates the second book), is obvious in his affections for his fellow investigators; Moore is much more circumspect. The lot of them still come across as fully-formed individuals in their own right, but the spark wasn't quite there for me. I did enjoy spending more time with them, though, and I found it interesting to see how Carr had introduced these people I already knew so well.
And the science! THE ALIENIST is very much concerned with profiling, of course, but there's also some good stuff with fingerprinting and other modern investigative techniques. It's fascinating, and not all of it actually pans out. There's a great scene where one of the detectives tries to photograph a victim's eye in the hopes that it'll reveal the killer's face. I got a big kick out of all these little sidetrips and tangents.
All in all, this was a great read. I really do wish Carr had written more with these characters. If he ever does publish them, I'll read 'em. You'll have to lock me up to keep me away.
(This review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina, in a slightly different form).
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LibraryThing member duevelcm
An engaging murder mystery set in turn-of-the-century New York City. A team of sleuths investigate a series of murders in some very seedy areas. The team consists of a psychologist, a reporter, a troubled young man, a female would-be cop, and two bickering policemen who are brothers. The premise
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revolves around the new concept of a serial killer, the emergence of forensics, the use of psychology and the interaction between the team members. This is one of my favorite books. Show Less
LibraryThing member datrappert
Truly excellent, but it was all downhill from here for Carr.
LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
I enjoyed this, but I thought I was going to like it more than I did. Suffers from the usual historical fiction trap of "Just look at how much research i did. No really, look! I know the name of every restaurant on 12th street in the year 1897."And now, so do we.
LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
Awesome book. LOve the mystery, and the different era, I'm so used to read book that are happening nowadays, taht it is fun to change the setting once in a while. The story of a eclectic bunch of people trying to identifiy and locate a serial killer. To me it seems that I was reading the beginning
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of a behavioral unit (style criminal mind). Will definitely read more of the author. Show Less
LibraryThing member grheault
Set in turn of the century NYC, early crime fighting with a Sherlock Holmes flavor, where the alienist, a psychologist, is the key investigator of a serial murderer. Foggy, wet, Victorian, another fascinating look at psychology and crime from the outside in.
LibraryThing member lddurham
I really liked this book. At first, I was a bit disoriented, and really, I blame my own sloppy brain for that. It’s been over a decade that I actually read literature instead of trashy romance novels and/or Internet fan fiction. So when I first started this one, I was in awe of its many syllabic
The story takes place in the early part of 1896 in New York City. The author was phenomenal in bringing the reader right into the city. I’ve never been to NYC and yet, this novel made it real for me. Not only that, but the small details were amazing. So not only did I feel as if I was in NYC, but I was in turn of the century NYC. Really impressive. The author peppered the text with side stories and information, from describing “the yellow brewery” as the upper crust society called the new and upstart Metropolitan Opera House, to the story of Dr. Holmes, the mass-murderer, and his unrepentant death. The author shows us Sing-Sing prison and little New Paltz. We also see the inner workings of the NYPD at the time and how it was trying to be reformed from a violent group of men who took pay from all the criminals into a working and solid force of crime solving and prevention.
Onto the plot:
The story is told in the first-person narrative by a New York Times journalist, John Moore. Moore is a good sort of man and knows his way around the city very well. He is friends with incredibly influential people, one of whom is the president of the Board of Commissioners of the NYPD, Theodore Roosevelt. Yes, the twenty-sixth president. Another friend of his is Dr. Lazlo Kreizler. Dr. Kreizler is one of the new and reviled psychiatrists, other wise known as Alienists (since people with mental disorders were thought to be alienated from society) and is the reason behind the title of the book.
The thick of the novel is a murder investigation. Someone is killing and mutilating young boys in the skin trade. But the really interesting part is that the investigation is done with amazing “new” technology such as finger printing, which was still not considered evidence for a courtroom, and handwriting analysis. And, of course, the entire investigation hinges on something that they didn’t even think to have a name for: Criminal Profiling. The entire story is engrossing as the killer is put together piece by piece, from a mysterious entity to a real live person with a history and motive. And all this before we ever get a glimpse of him.
But we don’t just learn of the killer’s life and tribulations, but also of the team of investigators: Moore and Kreizler, along with Sarah, one of the first women hired by the NYPD (as a secretary, but still one of the first) and of the Isaacson brothers, policemen who have trained in many new and untried fields. We also dabble in the lives of notable historical figures. I am sure I missed a few who made cameos as I read, but they all flow so seamlessly into and out of the story that you never think that the author is deliberately shoving them in there to give the story any heft or weight to it.
The only thing that I would complain about was that two pertinent facts of the killer were slow to jump to the investigators’ minds at two separate times. I was mentally screaming, “Wait, wait! Don’t you remember XXX? That’s why!” But for the story I could see why they conveniently forgot. It was a small annoyance compared to the rest of this very intricately weaved mystery.
All and all, this was an extremely well written tale and I can see why it’s one of those books everyone has or should read. I’m really glad I tried it out.
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words. I nearly put it down, deciding that my brain had flared out like a star many years ago and had permanently rotted away. But, no! I was able to catch on and looked forward to reading more and more. On a sad note, it was the first piece of fiction I’ve read that did not have any sex in it. I know. I’m awful. The story takes place in the early part of 1896 in New York City. The author was phenomenal in bringing the reader right into the city. I’ve never been to NYC and yet, this novel made it real for me. Not only that, but the small details were amazing. So not only did I feel as if I was in NYC, but I was in turn of the century NYC. Really impressive. The author peppered the text with side stories and information, from describing “the yellow brewery” as the upper crust society called the new and upstart Metropolitan Opera House, to the story of Dr. Holmes, the mass-murderer, and his unrepentant death. The author shows us Sing-Sing prison and little New Paltz. We also see the inner workings of the NYPD at the time and how it was trying to be reformed from a violent group of men who took pay from all the criminals into a working and solid force of crime solving and prevention.
Onto the plot:
The story is told in the first-person narrative by a New York Times journalist, John Moore. Moore is a good sort of man and knows his way around the city very well. He is friends with incredibly influential people, one of whom is the president of the Board of Commissioners of the NYPD, Theodore Roosevelt. Yes, the twenty-sixth president. Another friend of his is Dr. Lazlo Kreizler. Dr. Kreizler is one of the new and reviled psychiatrists, other wise known as Alienists (since people with mental disorders were thought to be alienated from society) and is the reason behind the title of the book.
The thick of the novel is a murder investigation. Someone is killing and mutilating young boys in the skin trade. But the really interesting part is that the investigation is done with amazing “new” technology such as finger printing, which was still not considered evidence for a courtroom, and handwriting analysis. And, of course, the entire investigation hinges on something that they didn’t even think to have a name for: Criminal Profiling. The entire story is engrossing as the killer is put together piece by piece, from a mysterious entity to a real live person with a history and motive. And all this before we ever get a glimpse of him.
But we don’t just learn of the killer’s life and tribulations, but also of the team of investigators: Moore and Kreizler, along with Sarah, one of the first women hired by the NYPD (as a secretary, but still one of the first) and of the Isaacson brothers, policemen who have trained in many new and untried fields. We also dabble in the lives of notable historical figures. I am sure I missed a few who made cameos as I read, but they all flow so seamlessly into and out of the story that you never think that the author is deliberately shoving them in there to give the story any heft or weight to it.
The only thing that I would complain about was that two pertinent facts of the killer were slow to jump to the investigators’ minds at two separate times. I was mentally screaming, “Wait, wait! Don’t you remember XXX? That’s why!” But for the story I could see why they conveniently forgot. It was a small annoyance compared to the rest of this very intricately weaved mystery.
All and all, this was an extremely well written tale and I can see why it’s one of those books everyone has or should read. I’m really glad I tried it out.
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LibraryThing member kivarson
If you enjoyed learning about the Gilded Age, you'll like this murder mystery set in late nineteenth century Manhattan. The story boasts an all star cast of characters, including Teddy Roosevelt, Jacob Riis, J.P. Morgan and Anthony Comstock. As police commissioner of NYC, Teddy Roosevelt puts
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together a secret team of investigators to get to the bottom of the apparent serial killings of young men who ply their trade in houses of prostitution which cater to men who like cross-dressing teens. Can this team apply the relatively new discipline of psychology to figure out who is committing these horrible crimes? Or will they be blocked by Comstock and his cronies, who feel that this new science, which postulates that we are a product of our experiences, threatens the very fabric of social order? Show Less
LibraryThing member bnbookgirl
FANTASTIC!!!!! Great historical background, makes you feel like you are there.
LibraryThing member jordan.lusink
"The doctors here, the newspapers, the judges, they'd like to think that only a madman would shoot a five-year-old girl in the head. It creates certain...difficulties, if we are forced to accept that our society can produce sane men who commit such acts." (33)
A friend of mine recently recommended
For a history lover, something as historically rich as this book (even as a historical novel) was a delight to read. Carr sets us up in New York just prior to the turn of the twentieth century. Our main characters are Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, an "alienist" or psychologist as we might call him, and John Schuyler Moore, a police reporter for the Times. Following a rather gruesome murder of a young boy, Moore is brought into the investigation of what turns out to be a series of murders. Due to the personal information about the victims, the interest in actually solving the crimes is not exactly great in the police force. However, Dr. Kreizler comes up with an idea: by analyzing the crimes, perhaps they can put together information about the perpetrator. This was before the time that this was a generally accepted practice; it's practically par for the course now. Kreizler and Moore are joined by police detective brothers Lucius and Marcus Isaacson and Sara Howard, one of the first female employees of the police department. They discuss the emerging fields of fingerprinting and handwriting analysis in addition to the psychological profile they put together.
This book was satisfying to read on so many different levels. First and foremost, it was spectacularly crafted: thoughtful, fast-paced, suspenseful, informative. Everything I could possibly want from my historical fiction, and more.
Second, as long as I can remember, I've had a morbid curiosity and fascination with serial killers and sociopaths. I'm not the only one; I've often wondered if we perpetuate the existence of serial killers as a society by sensationalizing them. We have books, movies, TV shows, all focused on murderers, sociopaths. Even pondering this question has an impact on the answer. But Carr also seems intrigued by the question: how can two men (or women) with similar backgrounds have such divergent lives? What makes one man a normal, contributing member of society and another a murderer? It's very interesting.
As the above quote reflects, Kreizler believes that the instance of actual insanity is far less than previously represented. He posited that almost all criminals were created as a result of their experiences, experiences which then informed their criminal lifestyles. Society in general finds it hard to fathom that we can create people who have all of their faculties, who are reasoning adults, and who still feel a compulsion towards crime. It's interesting, also, to consider our desire for easy answers and our need for a scapegoat. It's easy to say, "Oh, that man's crazy, and that's why he committed those crimes." It is considerably more difficult to consider what the reasons behind those actions may be, most especially because it might require some empathy for characters we find so implicitly evil.
Great book. It was thought-provoking and historically vivid, with a taste of one of my favourite Roosevelt's thrown in. Definitely adding it to my list of favourites.
A friend of mine recently recommended
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that I read this particular title, and coincidentally enough, I had picked it up at Half Price Books for $2.00 probably a month before. After taking a brief break from "adult" books, I came back to this one.For a history lover, something as historically rich as this book (even as a historical novel) was a delight to read. Carr sets us up in New York just prior to the turn of the twentieth century. Our main characters are Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, an "alienist" or psychologist as we might call him, and John Schuyler Moore, a police reporter for the Times. Following a rather gruesome murder of a young boy, Moore is brought into the investigation of what turns out to be a series of murders. Due to the personal information about the victims, the interest in actually solving the crimes is not exactly great in the police force. However, Dr. Kreizler comes up with an idea: by analyzing the crimes, perhaps they can put together information about the perpetrator. This was before the time that this was a generally accepted practice; it's practically par for the course now. Kreizler and Moore are joined by police detective brothers Lucius and Marcus Isaacson and Sara Howard, one of the first female employees of the police department. They discuss the emerging fields of fingerprinting and handwriting analysis in addition to the psychological profile they put together.
This book was satisfying to read on so many different levels. First and foremost, it was spectacularly crafted: thoughtful, fast-paced, suspenseful, informative. Everything I could possibly want from my historical fiction, and more.
Second, as long as I can remember, I've had a morbid curiosity and fascination with serial killers and sociopaths. I'm not the only one; I've often wondered if we perpetuate the existence of serial killers as a society by sensationalizing them. We have books, movies, TV shows, all focused on murderers, sociopaths. Even pondering this question has an impact on the answer. But Carr also seems intrigued by the question: how can two men (or women) with similar backgrounds have such divergent lives? What makes one man a normal, contributing member of society and another a murderer? It's very interesting.
As the above quote reflects, Kreizler believes that the instance of actual insanity is far less than previously represented. He posited that almost all criminals were created as a result of their experiences, experiences which then informed their criminal lifestyles. Society in general finds it hard to fathom that we can create people who have all of their faculties, who are reasoning adults, and who still feel a compulsion towards crime. It's interesting, also, to consider our desire for easy answers and our need for a scapegoat. It's easy to say, "Oh, that man's crazy, and that's why he committed those crimes." It is considerably more difficult to consider what the reasons behind those actions may be, most especially because it might require some empathy for characters we find so implicitly evil.
Great book. It was thought-provoking and historically vivid, with a taste of one of my favourite Roosevelt's thrown in. Definitely adding it to my list of favourites.
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LibraryThing member debs4jc
The tome features an intriguing detective - or "alienist", but I found it dense and some parts would not sit well with the squeamish. Parts of it do capture the feel of New York City in 1896 well, and several historical characters make an appearance. The one that does the most is Theodore
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Roosevelt, who as police commissioner interacts with Dr. Laszlo Kreizler -the Alienist who is bent on using his insights into the human psyche to solve a series of brutal murders. The story is told by John Moore, a reporter friend of Dr. Kreizler who acts as a "Watson" to his "Holmes". The other prominent member of their team is Sara Howard, the first female employee of the Police Department - a woman who has ambitions of becoming a detective. I found her character a bit of a stretch as to what would be plausible in the time period, but of course that kind of character plays well to today's audiences. Modern day readers will also find some of the methodology used by the investigators interesting - such as their use of fingerprinting, which was a new technique not well accepted at the time. They are on the trail of a killer who has targeted young male prostitutes. Show Less
LibraryThing member weird_O
[The Alienist], a 1994 novel by Caleb Carr, is about the hunt for a serial-killer in NYC in 1896. The victims, discovered in various obscure locations close to bodies of water, are adolescent boys, cross-dressing prostitutes. The bodies are horribly mutilated. The police aren’t particularly
Joining Dr. Kreizler are John Schuyler Moore and Sara Howard. Moore was a Harvard classmate of both Kreizler and Roosevelt, who takes a leave from the New York Times to assist the doctor. Moore is the book's narrator. Howard is the only female employee of the NYPD. Her police job is secretarial, but she's a smart, fearless, assertive woman, well ahead of her time.
To supplement this trio, Roosevelt assigns newly hired (by him) Detective Sergeants Marcus and Lucius Isaacson to the team. The pair are actually unknown to the police, an important benefit, because they reported for duty to TR, not the police chief or his minions. The brothers are, of course, smart, tough, energetic, and over time display an amazingly broad range of interests, knowledge, and experiences. Which know-how they apply to the investigation.
Though the team is operating in secret, word of the endeavor leaks out, and everyone from the mobsters to the police to the mayor to Catholic and Episcopal church leaders and even J. Pierpont Morgan himself express strong opposition.
In a way, The Alienist reminded me of the 1960's TV show The Wild, Wild West, wherein a brilliant scientist-inventor comes up with gadgets to enable his partner to best the villains of the post-Civil War American west. Here what is being created is a new way of assessing evidence, a new way of thinking about and understanding the villain.
It was an engaging murder 'n' mayhem read. I give 'r a thumbs up.
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interested, but Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt is very concerned. He is approached by a prominent, pioneering psychologist named Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, who proposes to Roosevelt that he be allowed to assemble a small team to investigate the killings and develop a description of the killer, based on the identities and lives of the victims, the killer’s methods and whatever clues they can find. The future President agrees.Joining Dr. Kreizler are John Schuyler Moore and Sara Howard. Moore was a Harvard classmate of both Kreizler and Roosevelt, who takes a leave from the New York Times to assist the doctor. Moore is the book's narrator. Howard is the only female employee of the NYPD. Her police job is secretarial, but she's a smart, fearless, assertive woman, well ahead of her time.
To supplement this trio, Roosevelt assigns newly hired (by him) Detective Sergeants Marcus and Lucius Isaacson to the team. The pair are actually unknown to the police, an important benefit, because they reported for duty to TR, not the police chief or his minions. The brothers are, of course, smart, tough, energetic, and over time display an amazingly broad range of interests, knowledge, and experiences. Which know-how they apply to the investigation.
Though the team is operating in secret, word of the endeavor leaks out, and everyone from the mobsters to the police to the mayor to Catholic and Episcopal church leaders and even J. Pierpont Morgan himself express strong opposition.
In a way, The Alienist reminded me of the 1960's TV show The Wild, Wild West, wherein a brilliant scientist-inventor comes up with gadgets to enable his partner to best the villains of the post-Civil War American west. Here what is being created is a new way of assessing evidence, a new way of thinking about and understanding the villain.
It was an engaging murder 'n' mayhem read. I give 'r a thumbs up.
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LibraryThing member thewannabeknight
One of my favorite books of all time. I read this in high school, on the recommendation of a friend. I am indebted to her. I was only a budding writer at the time, and reading this book I learned one of the most important aspects of good writing--voice. I am currently a graduate student studying
Aside from John Schuyler Moore's fabulous voice and the lush descriptions of life and settings of the era, there are the characters. Teddy Roosevelt is in this book! I love it. Stevie is great as well.
As a testament to the engaging plot, let me say now that I'm a slow reader. At present, on average I read 20, maybe 30 pages an hour. It depends on the layout and the font, of course. I finished this book in less than 48 hours. The only thing I did that weekend was sit and read. I could not put this book down, and I had not ever before read historical mystery. My previous experience with mystery was Nancy Drew. (I was a kid, okay?) Aside from Angel of Darkness, I haven't read historical mystery since. But this one by far was one of the greatest reading experiences of my life.
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creative writing, so this lesson took me far. But back to the book--Aside from John Schuyler Moore's fabulous voice and the lush descriptions of life and settings of the era, there are the characters. Teddy Roosevelt is in this book! I love it. Stevie is great as well.
As a testament to the engaging plot, let me say now that I'm a slow reader. At present, on average I read 20, maybe 30 pages an hour. It depends on the layout and the font, of course. I finished this book in less than 48 hours. The only thing I did that weekend was sit and read. I could not put this book down, and I had not ever before read historical mystery. My previous experience with mystery was Nancy Drew. (I was a kid, okay?) Aside from Angel of Darkness, I haven't read historical mystery since. But this one by far was one of the greatest reading experiences of my life.
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LibraryThing member Othemts
In 1896 in New York City a serial killer is murdering and mutilating the bodies of boy prostitutes. Police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt attempting to reform a corrupt police department indifferent to these crimes calls in two friends to help solve the murders: psychologist (aka "alienist" in
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contemporary parlance)Laszlo Kreizler and underachieving crime reporter John Schuyler Moore who also narrates the book. Joining the team is the first woman to work for the NYPD and twin detectives. Together they put together a psychological profile of the killer and use other modern methods to track him down. The denouement ofthe book is hokey but everything leading up to it is entertaining and historically-detailed so it is worth reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member ntempest
I'm a fan of old New York history, so this book is right up my alley. Carr is an historian more than a novelist, but he still creates a fascinating set of characters and puts them through their paces, nestling them neatly within the framework of historical figures and an interesting, sometimes
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frightening period in New York City. Show Less
LibraryThing member LeHack
What a wonderful book! The mystery story held my interest, the characters well developed. The time period descriptions were so real, especially of places in New York. This is one of my top ten favorites.
LibraryThing member miketroll
Absorbing hunt for a serial killer in the New York City of the 1890s. Carr gives the story an original twist by introducing psychological profiling in an age when the very word psychology was new.
For me. this very entertaining novel was only slightly spoiled by the last few chapters, where the
For me. this very entertaining novel was only slightly spoiled by the last few chapters, where the
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plot went into so many twists it vanished up its rectum. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nateparrish
Pretty Good. If you like historical fiction you'll probably like this. It features the beginnings of the modern police dept. and a group trying to solve a crime in spite of the old school cops who may be trying to cover ip the crimes by a serial killer.
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
It’s fascinating to see the beginnings of forensic detection and criminal profiling. Some of the assumptions and guesses were right and some were wrong but they were sound reasoning and led them directly to the killer.
It was also interesting to see the different attitudes displayed towards
It was also interesting to see the different attitudes displayed towards
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children then as compared to now. Back then, people thought of children as miniature adults capable of deciding for themselves what kind of life to pursue. If a young boy wanted to proffer his body in the flesh trade, then he would be the only one to suffer from his choice and it would be his soul that burned in hell. Adults weren’t likely to intervene in a situation of child exploitation or abuse. Not like now where children are so protected that they learn nothing and therefore suffer through the rest of their lives. Show Less
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 1996)
Lambda Literary Award (Nominee — 1994)
Anthony Award (Nominee — First Novel — 1995)
Bram Stoker Award (Nominee — Novel — 1994)
Pages
496
ISBN
0679417796 / 9780679417798