Trials of the Century: A Decade-by-Decade Look at Ten of America's Most Sensational Crimes Paperback – July 26, 2016

Just finished this book and if you are interested in True Crime (and who isn’t) and the unbelievable and incredible impact, and influence, the media has had in criminal cases over the past century, then this is a must read.Each case is brilliantly written and well researched. I love how each chapter is neatly wrapped up with a furtherance of what became of the primary players, as well as updates, additional information and items of interest (most notably the Sheppard case).While all the crimes covered are tragic and chilling (some more so than others, e.g. Richard Speck, Tate/LaBianca and O.J.), the most haunting, for me, was The Death of Mary Phagan – The Trial of Leo M. Frank. And The Case of Henry K. Thaw is so delectably scandalous it is worthy of its own PBS series.Trials Of The Century is compelling reading and an essay of American Crime at its best. I could not put it down!

I found this an excellent recounting of some of the most sensational court cases of the 20th Century. It contained a good summary of the murders and the subsequent trials. Unfortunately, the paperback copy I received had a printing defect which omitted a portion of the text.

In this book you will find what was labeled "the crime of the century" for the 20th Century. However, each one should have been referred to as "the crime of the decade."These are all interesting cases, and I think in some of them, I detected some injustice.9

This is that unique work so fascinating that you'll forget how much you're learning at the same time. The subject: the ten most compelling murder trials of the twentieth century, focusing on the legal, social and media aspects of the cases. It is delivered in a fast-moving yet thorough style that never once let go of my attention.Reading these cases as a group adds an entirely unique layer to the experience, in effect granting a bird's eye perspective on changes over time in how such cases are prosecuted as well as how people lived. This results in the ability to better understand EACH case as well as how it relates to all of the others, along the way providing insights into our culture, the media and technological progress - both as a snapshot of the moment as well as a 'movie' of changes and progress over time. That's one heck of a lot to get from one heck of a page turner. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book as a teaching tool in college every bit as much as I recommend it for a tremendously enjoyable read.

I highly recommend this book to all you history buffs, crime enthusiasts and amateur attorneys ... 10 compelling stories plus one bonus. The Phillipses set the stage for the period in which each murder occurs and the media surrounding the event, as well as the details of the trial. Some stories I knew, others were new ... all well-written and page turning.

The authors -- I can't really call them writers -- inject little into the accounts in terms of drama beyond the stories themselves -- sort of like Ann Rule but not as bad. She is merely a reporter who has ruined the whole genre -- these guys are a bit better but it's the same problem. If people are going to write about such dramas they need to have the ability to amplify the account a la Harold Sheckter who is an actual writer.I gave it four stars -- it certainly isn't a five rating but I'm not sorry I read it.

A description and explanation of the main trial that happened in each decade in the XX century.

This is a page turner! Superbly written and informative. I also love that its written by a father and daughter duo! I hoped to save it for reading on the beach on my vacation but I can't put it down! Rreally well done! Hopefully they are working on the next one!