Laura Tillman

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Florida

Murder and Memory in an American City

"A haunted, haunting examination of mental illness and murder in a more or less ordinary American city...Mature and thoughtful...A Helter Skelter for our time, though without a hint of sensationalism--unsettling in the extreme but written with confidence and deep empathy" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

On March 11, 2003, in Brownsville, Texas--one of America's poorest cities--John Allen Rubio and Angela Camacho murdered their three young children. The apartment building in which the brutal crimes took place was already run down, and in their aftermath a consensus developed in the community that it should be destroyed.

In 2008, journalist Laura Tillman covered the story for The Brownsville Herald. The questions it raised haunted her and set her on a six-year inquiry into the larger significance of such acts, ones so difficult to imagine or explain that their perpetrators are often dismissed as monsters alien to humanity. Tillman spoke with the lawyers who tried the case, the family's neighbors and relatives and teachers, even one of the murderers: John Allen Rubio himself, whom she corresponded with for years and ultimately met in person. Her investigation is "a dogged attempt to understand what happened, a review of the psychological, sociological and spiritual explanations for the crime...a meditation on the death penalty and on the city of Brownsville" Star Tribune (Minneapolis).

The result is a brilliant exploration of some of our age's most important social issues and a beautiful, profound meditation on the truly human forces that drive them. "This thought-provoking...book exemplifies provocative long-form journalism that does not settle for easy answers" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts

bb2bf534-6abf-4a28-8b49-38c68c5dc804-1

In Cold Blood meets Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's Random Family: A harrowing, profoundly personal investigation of the causes, effects, and communal toll of a deeply troubling crime--the brutal murder of three young children by their parents in the border city of Brownsville, Texas.

On March 11, 2003, in Brownsville, Texas--one of America's poorest cities--John Allen Rubio and Angela Camacho murdered their three young children. The apartment building in which the brutal crimes took place was already rundown, and in their aftermath a consensus developed in the community that it should be destroyed. It was a place, neighbors felt, that was plagued by spiritual cancer.

In 2008, journalist Laura Tillman covered the story for The Brownsville Herald. The questions it raised haunted her, particularly one asked by the sole member of the city's Heritage Council to oppose demolition: is there any such thing as an evil building? Her investigation took her far beyond that question, revealing the nature of the toll that the crime exacted on a city already wracked with poverty. It sprawled into a six-year inquiry into the larger significance of such acts, ones so difficult to imagine or explain that their perpetrators are often dismissed as monsters alien to humanity.

With meticulous attention and stunning compassion, Tillman surveyed those surrounding the crimes, speaking with the lawyers who tried the case, the family's neighbors and relatives and teachers, even one of the murderers: John Allen Rubio himself, whom she corresponded with for years and ultimately met in person. The result is a brilliant exploration of some of our age's most important social issues, from poverty to mental illness to the death penalty, and a beautiful, profound meditation on the truly human forces that drive them. It is disturbing, insightful, and mesmerizing in equal measure.

Category - Non Fiction / True Crime

Format - Paperback

Condition - Excellent

Listed - A year ago

Views - 7

Wishes - 1

Ships From - Florida

Est. Publication Date - Apr 2017

Additional Information

Publisher Description

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts

By:

$4.00

Condition

Format

Meet the seller

Discover more

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts

By: Laura Tillman

'The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts' readers also enjoyed:

Additional titles by Laura Tillman

Recently Viewed

Browse by categories

Category - Non Fiction / True Crime

Format - Paperback

Condition - Excellent

Listed - A year ago

Views - 7

Wishes - 1

Ships From - Florida

Est. Publication Date - Apr 2017

Additional Information

Publisher Description

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts

By:

$4.00

Condition

Format

Meet the seller

Discover more

The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts

By: Laura Tillman

'The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts' readers also enjoyed:

Additional titles by Laura Tillman

Recently Viewed