I wrote this review for Amazon:
This is a pretty good introduction to public executions. The book starts with Crucifixion before Jesus' time and ends with lethal injection. Eye witness accounts are provided of executions ranging from hanging, drawing and quartering (both while the victim was alive and if the victim was lucky enough to be dead before the drawing and quartering), burning, beheading, etc.
This book draws important distinctions (class-wise and dying-wise) between the long drop- and the short drop- methods of hanging, being beheaded by a sword and by the axe, being guillotined or being hanged. Nigel Cawthorne also illuminates the many reasons people were executed - ranging from stealing a coin to regicide. Although this obviously wasn't a focus of his book, I found it interesting to see the "progression" of societal attitudes towards public death.
The illustrations in this book provide nice visual aids. I think the book would have been better if more original illustrations were used instead of what appear to be pictures drawn for this book's purpose.
I found "Public Executions" to be very interesting and informative. But I wouldn't recommend it if you're squeamish or offend easily.
This is a pretty good introduction to public executions. The book starts with Crucifixion before Jesus' time and ends with lethal injection. Eye witness accounts are provided of executions ranging from hanging, drawing and quartering (both while the victim was alive and if the victim was lucky enough to be dead before the drawing and quartering), burning, beheading, etc.
This book draws important distinctions (class-wise and dying-wise) between the long drop- and the short drop- methods of hanging, being beheaded by a sword and by the axe, being guillotined or being hanged. Nigel Cawthorne also illuminates the many reasons people were executed - ranging from stealing a coin to regicide. Although this obviously wasn't a focus of his book, I found it interesting to see the "progression" of societal attitudes towards public death.
The illustrations in this book provide nice visual aids. I think the book would have been better if more original illustrations were used instead of what appear to be pictures drawn for this book's purpose.
I found "Public Executions" to be very interesting and informative. But I wouldn't recommend it if you're squeamish or offend easily.
