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Sons of Cain
Sons of Cain: A History of Serial Killers from the Stone Age to the Present | Peter Vronsky
13 posts | 14 read | 19 to read
From the author of Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters comes an in-depth examination of sexual serial killers throughout human history, how they evolved, and why we are drawn to their horrifying crimes. Before the term was coined in 1981, there were no "serial killers." There were only "monsters"--killers society first understood as werewolves, vampires, ghouls and witches or, later, Hitchcockian psychos. In Sons of Cain--a book that fills the gap between dry academic studies and sensationalized true crime--investigative historian Peter Vronsky examines our understanding of serial killing from its prehistoric anthropological evolutionary dimensions in the pre-civilization era (c. 15,000 BC) to today. Delving further back into human history and deeper into the human psyche than Serial Killers--Vronsky's 2004 book, which has been called "the definitive history of the phenomenon of serial murder"--he focuses strictly on sexual serial killers: thrill killers who engage in murder, rape, torture, cannibalism and necrophilia, as opposed to for-profit serial killers, including hit men, or "political" serial killers, like terrorists or genocidal murderers. These sexual serial killers differ from all other serial killers in their motives and their foundations. They are uniquely human and--as popular culture has demonstrated--uniquely fascinating.
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LoverOfLearning
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A closer look of my book end. These things are solid! Best purchase I've made in awhile! 💀💀💀 @Adventures-of-a-French-Reader

44 likes1 comment
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CoffeeK8
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Pickpick

A fascinating look at the history of serial killers going back to the first humans and their slaughter of Neanderthals. #mtTBR

VeganCleopatra Is the part about the early humans much of the book? 4y
CoffeeK8 @VeganCleopatra maybe the first 2 chapters. It‘s more of a set-up & historical context. The majority is Europe during witch trials and on. 4y
VeganCleopatra Thanks for the info! 4y
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Gina
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Starting my day off with my favorite coffee concoction and an audiobook... ummmmm... my pals said I needed to buy this cup. I♡mypallies!!!

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Kristy_K
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Bailedbailed

If you‘re looking for a good history of serial killers book, I‘d recommend Harold Schechter‘s The Serial Killer Files. This was my second book of Vronsky‘s and I just couldn‘t get into it. I wasn‘t a fan of the writing and I found the beginning to be a little posturing in regards to his many accidental run ins with serial killers.

#netgalley #arc #truecrime #dnf

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LoverOfLearning
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Pickpick

Finally finished this book! The first few chapters about the stone age are crazy interesting. I absolutely loved it. I appreciate the hard work Vronsky put into this book. It was a bit too heavy on the statistics but then again they were absolutely necessary.
I also love that there is a website with additional information and pictures!!! Great addition.
I highly recommend this book to any true-crime or non-fiction genre fan! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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LoverOfLearning
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28 pages left! I am too tired to finish it. My eyes are closing and I rereading sentences because I can't focus. 😭 So close yet so far... I guess I'll have to finish it tomorrow.

I am loving this book so far. So crazy interesting! Very statistical and a bit difficult to get through. But I really am enjoying the research and information in it.

beccamlvn So this is super random and off topic, but when my bf and I get married, my name will be the same as yours 😂 Becca Taylor😂 now I just need that ring💍💍😂🤣 5y
LoverOfLearning I absolutely love this. 😂 what a great name.!! 5y
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LoverOfLearning
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Okay this book is amazing, but I just finished chapter 6 and my stomach is churning. First chapter to make me dizzy with nausea. It was about the witch trials of the 1450s to the 1650s. Horrifying details. But very much appreciated from a statistical book. Still a fantastic read. Can't wait to read what comes next!

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PaperbackReader
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“We snack as compulsively as serial killers kill.” Wonderful words to hear while I am in training and bored out of my skull!

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Dorianna
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Pickpick

Sons of Cain is a very interesting and well researched book on serial killers that is less about lists of serial killers and their crimes (though there‘s that, too) and more of an in depth look at history, psychology, criminology, technology, and society. It has a lot of complex topics, but Vronsky‘s writing keeps things accessible and I look forward to his new book he hinted at in the afterword.

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Dorianna
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Sons of Cain is a very researched true crime book that is full of a lot of interesting (and disturbing) facts. One of the more heartbreaking bits of information I learned is how the Nazis used geoforensic profiling to find homes of people who were against Hitler.

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danimgill
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Savoring one last moment of me time with tea and true crime before heading home for the holiday weekend! I‘m excited to see my family but I would be judged for reading about serial killers on Christmas for sure 😂

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parasolofdoom
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Tonight's read

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Monica5
Mehso-so

Interesting book. About Serial Killers from the beginning of time. I give it 3 ⭐'s because at times it felt like a textbook at times.