Facing Unimaginable Events With Courage It's only human to be fascinated by disasters--and uplifted by reports of survival in the face of overwhelming circumstances. This book takes you back to Massachusetts' most catastrophic events, vividly re-creating the moments that changed the state forever. The twenty-five true stories presented here are a chilling reminder to expect the unexpected. From the 1874 Mill River flood and wreck of the City of Columbus, in 1884, to the Cocoanut Grove fire, in 1942, and the Amtrak derailment of 1990, Massachusetts has been the site of some of the nation's most dramatic moments. Each account in this book reveals not only the circumstances surrounding the disaster and the magnitude of the devastation, but also the courage and ingenuity displayed by those who survived and the heroism of those who helped others, often risking their own lives in rescue efforts.

Why do so many American's know so much about "celebrity" criminals like Joey Buttafuoco and so little about crime? If crime is down, why is there so much mayhem on television news and in the newspapers? Why have respected news organizations followed the tabloid pied piper to the margins of legitimacy? Do politicians really believe that draconian sentences and more prisons will eliminate crime? These and other questions are explored in this book, which attempts to make sense of crime, crime news, and crime policy in America.;It traces the impact of tabloid contagion that began to spread with the appearance in 1986 of "A Current Affair," Rupert Murdoch's trend-setting television programme that trafficked "in stories about love triangles, sex fiends, and naughty girls, the bacon and eggs of the British tabloid breakfast.";The author, a former crime reporter, concludes that while the media increasingly focused on trivial sleaze, celebrity scandals, and gruesome but unrepresentive crimes, it neglected a far more important crime story: the collapse of the American criminal justice system as a cost-efficent, equitable deterrent. He argues that crime trends and crime policy have little to

Includes . . . - Lee Shelton's murder of Billy Lyons in St. Louis, which inspired the popular song "Stagger Lee" - The vigilante killing of the "town bully" of Skidmore, Ken McElroy - The kidnapping of millionaire Robert Greenlease's son in Kansas City - The Kirkwood City Council massacre - Serial killings of 13 young women in Kansas City by Lorenzo J. Gilyard

Why do people kill those they love? David J. Krajicek, one of America's most renowned true crime storytellers, explores that question is these 50 unforgettable examples of relationship murders, including spouses, intimate partners and other blood relatives. The killers often are motivated by lust and greed, which Krajicek calls the terrible twins of the Seven Deadly Sins. More than 2 million marriages are celebrated each year in America. Some last forever. About half don't. A simple divorce is the solution for most couples when marriage loses its fragrance. But legal niceties like divorce do not seem viable for certain types of people, those who cannot fathom a life of romantic freedom fettered with debt. In these cases, Krajicek writes, "First comes love, then comes marriage. This is followed by sobering reality, quarrels, regrets, resentment, hostility, frigidity, animosity. Soon, one partner is sitting at the computer googling phrases like 'How to commit murder.'"