The Stranger Beside Me

Rating:
Summary: Disturbed
Review: A Stranger Beside Me
I read Ann Rule's version of Ted Bundy and his life of sadistic murder. She is a good authur but with this peticular book, she threw so much of her life into it as much as she did his. The story kept going back and forth from present to past and back again. I realize that she knew him but the story was to be of him, not her. I found an error in which she discribes his daughter being four and a half when they first thought he would be executed, but in truth she was three months short of being four. Previously the author has mentioned that she was born in late October of 1982, The execution that she is mentioned in is inJuly of 1986. It's not that it's dreadfullly important but it bothered me that if she got those dates mixed up, were there more. Other than these points I would have to say that the book held my interest and like another viewer, it has caused me to lose sleep and be startled easier since finishing the book. I am reading more of her books that I have ordered to see how they compare.

Rating:
Summary: Such an eye-opener!
Review: This was the second book of Ann Rule's that I read, the first being one with three different stories, "A Rose for Her Grave". After reading one, I was hooked to her works, and very much hooked to this book. I'm only 21, and therefore didn't realize how much damage Ted Bundy did in the states, and just how many states he murdered in. I loved reading everything that went on and where. It was amazing to me that this woman, Ann Rule, knew Ted Bundy before anything was going on. It's always good and different to get the perspective from such a great writer, who also happens to be friends with the subject of the book. I must admit, towards the end when the updates were written, I got a little bored with the book. The story was now complete, and then it kept going on. I did read the updates, because I never remembered Ted Bundy, just the stories. So having a 2000 update was a bit helpful.
I would say, a must read, even if you know all about Ted Bundy, but especially if you don't, like me.

Rating:
Summary: Enlightening and revealing!
Review: A very revealing and in-depth look into the life history and criminal habits of Ted Bundy. Ann Rule's take on the situation is made even more interesting by her personal acquaintance with Bundy. In addition, she is able to beautifully convey her watching the events of Bundy's brutal crimes and subsequent trials unfold before her eyes with a fascinating juxtaposition of disbelief, horror and compassion for a man she once considered to be a friend. Definitely a great book for anyone interested in true crime.

Rating:
Summary: Ann Rule at her absolute best!
Review: Ms. Rule's storytelling skills weave a chilling blanket around the reader enveloping them into the bizzare twisted life of Theodore Robert Bundy.

If you think you know all about the infamous "Ted Murders" and about Ted Bundy himself, you probably don't. Ann Rule worked side by side with a seemingly "normal" Ted Bundy only to realize later on the monster he really was.

Pick up this book, and any of Ann Rule's/Andy Stack's other books. You will NOT be sorry!

Rating:
Summary: Social-economical struggle and the desire to be accepted....
Review: Ted Bundy obviously felt ashamed of his illegitimacy due to the nature of his birth. When he went to college, upon encountering others from a more affluent social-economical class, he felt even more self-conscious. It's so evident from his confession during his early twenties about his background and his anxiety at the matchability with Stephanie, his self-proclaimed love of his life. This reminds me of Tom Ripley, Patricia Highsmith's character in her Ripley books. Both from humble beginnings with an above-average intelligence, the glimpse of wealth and class made them hunger for more. We all feel the same more or less in our teens and early adulthood, the emotional struggle to try to "fit in", to feel "belonged", and the self-doubt and feeling of inadequacy. Thank goodness majority of us would eventually find our place in the society and our own skin. But a very few individuals went way wrong and traveled down to a path of no return. The saddest point is that Ted Bundy was brilliant in the field of Psychology. But then again, a lot of analysts admit that they don't necessarily read their own mind consciously and have the same tendency to avoid their own problems.

Rating:
Summary: I think she's duped, too....
Review: After reading this book, a presumably more personal account from a self-proclaimed friend of Ted Bundy, I think the author was manipulated and duped by this notorious killer. It's obvious that one of the traits of sociopath is the compulsion to write letters. For this is the only way to manipulate when they are locked up. We all heard countless stories about women being lured by inmates with letters and phone calls so they would be willingly sending money and care packages. Ted Bundy, just like the I-5 killer Randy Woodfield years later, was a compulsive letter-writer and phone caller. He used the letters and phone calls to manipulate many women at the same time so he could get what he wanted, be it money (Ms Rule probably spent over $600 on him, a big sum at that time), emotional support, or material goods. Based on this and countless times Ms Rule's "torn feelings", I can safely assume that she's one of the duped. During her correspondence with Ted Bundy, she was a woman about to divorce, had 4 young kids to support, meaning she's emotional weak and dependent at the time. Any woman with healthy emotional state of mind would not tolerate to be manipulated like this.

Looking at the Washington State victims' photo, they could be sisters! I feel so sorry for the families who lost their beautiful daughters. If they were to live, they would be almost 50 by now. They could be someone's mothers, wives, and co-workers......... I cringe every time I think about the could-have-beens and would-have-beens for those beautiful girls.

Another thing that struck me during the reading was how easy it is to break into a place. Ted Bundy must have farmed his target area to see which building's occupied by young women, which one was easy to get into, which screen was loose, and which lock was malfunctioned. The fact that a lot of his victims were hit in their dorm/home while sleeping was chilling. I have to double, triple check all my windows, doors, and locks to make sure they are secure. I think all women who live alone or with other women should do the same night after night before they can safely close their eyes to sleep.

While I was looking at the few pictures of Ted Bundy, it struck me how much he looked like Greg Kinnear. Mr. Kinnear has the same handsome but changeable face. Mr. Kinnear also has the ability to play a normal guy with internal turmoil/evil type (watch The Gift). If there's ever a movie made about Ted Bundy, I think he's the perfect choice.

Rating:
Summary: Compelling and fascinating.
Review: Imagine one of your co-workers who you are close to. Imagine spending hours with this person and discussing your lives with them. Then imagine some years later you discover that your friend is a serial killer. This happened to Ann Rule, the famous true-crime writer, in 1971 when she worked at Seattle's crisis clinic. One evening her boss told her that she had a new co-employee -- Ted Bundy. To Ann, he was an intelligent, kind and handsome 24-year-old. Little did she know, in 1974, Ted would become a viscous murderer, who killed at least 30 young women in four years.

Ann Rule did an exceptional job on this book. She really focuses well on Ted's life, from his birth to being sentenced to death row. Also, she writes about each victim, staying away from the gruesome details of their death, but giving the reader a sense of their lives. If you're looking for a thorough and informative book about Ted Bundy, I strongly recommend "The Stranger Beside Me." It's the best book I've read about him.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the Fainthearted
Review: This book is excellent, however, I must warn anyone thinking of reading it that it will absolutely give you nightmares! But a great read!

Rating:
Summary: 1970's LadyKiller
Review: Beleive it or not Ted Bundy has had a huge impact on my life which I have finally comes to terms with in regards to my career and educational goals. However, I am in no way owing any gratitude to Ted Bundy or the unspeakable horrible crimes that Bundy committed. I am glad Bundy was put to death and is no longer with us.
Here is how my story began, I was sitting in my apartment in Arizona one day when I received a gift book in the mail for no apparent reason. The name of this gift book was "Crimes and Punishment" which featured Ted Bundy as the main case study. The book was a trial period offer which I later declined but nonetheless kept the book.
Anyway, I opened this gift book and before my eyes was a story about the infamous Ted Bundy. I started to read and digest paragraph after paragraph on the killings that Bundy engaged in.....there were pictures of the women Bundy killed. This Ted Bundy story started to consume me...kind of startled me. I went to the library and tryed to find many books on Bundy. After reading a plethora of books on Bundy....something inside me had changed. I felt like I have known Bundy all these years and it had nothing to do with the killings he engaged in. I was consumed with his personality. It was the way he saw life. The way he related to people. The relationships he formed. His upbringing.
In any event, about two years after doing a case study on Bundy and because of a job transfer I moved to Seattle. I moved into a charming house in the middle of the university district and near the university. Within a 6 month period I realized I was living on Ted Bundys street! I lived one block from his home....it was almost comical. I had no idea in my mind where bundy had lived. I chose the university district because it was close to my job and inexpensive to live. Anyway, while I lived on the famous street I took pictures of his house and I couldn't believe I was actually in a place where something horrible had happened. It was as if I had walked into a storybook. Well, after about a year of living in Seattle's University District the facination of Bundy started to open up some doors for me....it led me to study Criminology.
I have recently moved to Florida and would like to be a Criminal Profiler. I already received my Associates degree in Psychology and I am getting ready for my Bachelors program in Criminology. I would hope to get my Masters degree. In any event, I would of never guessed in a lifetime that I would be getting a bachelors degree in criminology because of a serial killer. Life is very uncanny.

Todd

Rating:
Summary: The best book i have ever came across
Review: This book is totally amazing. It's the creepiest book i have ever read and one can't /well i can't help but wonder what ted bundy would be like if he wasn't executed. I want to know what he's like...the book makes me want to know more of him..