Rating: 
Summary: You're better off reading John Douglas
Review: As I think someone before said, Ressler is pretty self-important and this sometimes gets in the way ("I did this and I did that"). The books by his former colleague John Douglas are much better and less self-centred. Say, does anyone know why these two hardly ever mention each other and never include each other in the acknowledgements of their respective books?
Rating: 
Summary: Ashamed of our serial killers? Ressler reminds us
Review: For those of you who are not big fans of serial killers and the people who catch them (or at least won't admit it publicly), Bob Ressler is the guy who invented the term "Serial Killer" and helped usher in a new understanding of repeat criminals and why they do what they do. The citizens of the U.S. owe a lot to Bob. So does Thomas Harris, who interviewed him extensively for Manhunter and Silence of the Lambs.
Alas, truth is stranger than fiction, and the tales Ressler tells are positively awful. There' just one problem: we've heard all of this before.
Where? That'd be "Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit," by John E. Douglas, a man I can only assume was Ressler's protégé. It's a bit murky as to their relationship (the two reference each other, but not often). The parallels are unmistakable-it's interesting to read the opinions of two different people interviewing the same serial killer.
For example, Douglas has a bit of a creepy admiration for Ed Kemper. Kemper had a diabolical mind that he put to good use, such that eventually he figured out why he was killing women: because he hated his mother. So Kemper did what every good serial killer would do in such a situation...he killed her too. His murders "finished," Kemper called the police and gave himself up.
That little story is from Douglas' point of view. It almost makes Kemper out to be a sympathetic figure. A six-foot tall, 300 pound sympathetic figure, but sympathetic nonetheless.
Ressler is not so kind. Ressler interviews Kemper alone at one point. Having finished the interview, Ressler rings for the guard...but nobody comes. Sensing his discomfort, Kemper explains how he could probably screw Ressler's head off with his bare hands and nobody would be able to do anything about it. Kemper goes on to explain how he has nothing to lose and how, by killing an FBI agent, he'd get quite a bit of "prison cred." Fortunately, Ressler keeps a cool head (and keeps his head) by playing the little mind game right back at the massive serial killer until the guards escort him out.
"You know I was only kidding, right?" says Kemper, putting a hand on Ressler's shoulder.
Whoever Fights Monsters is a lot like that. It simultaneously takes on tough subjects, summarizes them from a clinical perspective, and then reminds you-sometimes quite sternly-that these people are murderers. Where Douglas tends to talk about himself and the heavy toll that dealing with serial killers took on his own personal psyche, Ressler is much more detached and observant. Douglas advocates the death penalty, Ressler does not. Douglas embraces the glory and publicity of being a trailblazer in his field, Ressler worries about the depersonalization of the victims and the celebrity-status of the killers themselves. Who's right?
There are no right answers here. Of the two books, Douglas' is more entertaining because he chooses to be more dramatic. The two books track each other very closely, such that if you've read one, you probably don't need to read the other one. Unlike Douglas' book, Ressler admits when he makes mistakes. He also goes into more detail as to the method and process of profiling, which is why I originally bought both books. But it's simply not as exciting a read.
Nevertheless, Ressler's tale is an important one: serial killers are mistakes. They're the results of terrible human failings and something to be ashamed off, not celebrated. In that respect, Ressler's story is a more socially responsible (if not as thrilling) examination of the worst humanity has to offer.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating from start to end!
Review: From the man who coined the term "serial killer", this book is a completely eye-opening account of the FBI's evolution in dealing with serial murderers. For anyone who has a curiosity about profiling, this book is chockful of interesting statistics and patterns. It goes far beyond the typical true crime stories...and Robert Ressler was there from day one as he recounts all of America's most infamous serial killers...from Gacy to Joubert to Bundy to Ramirez to Kemper to Dahmer. All told in a very structured yet entertaining and captivating way. Ressler is objective throughout. There seems to even be an honest attempt to bring the serial killer's perspective to the reader. Even if you're not a fan of serial killer literature,if you pick this up you won't be able to shut off the intrigue of these stories. Great photo shots too!
Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: I am a big fan of true crime books, and this one doesn't disappoint. Very interesting look inside the minds of serial killers, and some of the reasons behind their actions. I will say that Robert Ressler comes off as very arrogant and spends way too much time talking about himself and his early life before joining the FBI - I ended up skipping past some of it because that's not why I was reading the book. But on the whole a good read that will keep you hooked.
Rating:
Summary: Monsters Among Us
Review: I read this book after reading Douglas' Mindhunter therefore I had great expectations for this book. WFM is a good book but one problem I had with it is that Ressler seemed too rushed to cover as many cases as possible. This book isn't even 300 pages and for subject matter like this it should have been over 400.I take it that Ressler and Douglas aren't exactly golf or fishing buddies. I was annoyed that Ressler had to keep pointing out that he was there first. Ressler made comments like "having to break Douglas in" and he (Douglas) accompanied Ressler to an assignment "as backup". Who cares. It seems to me that Ressler was a cornerstone of the FBI's criminal profiling unit but then Douglas came in and took things over. Maybe some envy on Ressler's part, who knows!?! There is cases in WFM that are not in Mindhunter but I found for the most part that MindHunter stole WFM's thunder. In conclusion, WFM is a good book. I would recommend it to people who can't find a copy of Mindhunter and to people who want a quick read on a fascinating subject. Not bad but could have been much better. I'll try one of Ressler's other books now.
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Summary: Ego often accompanies greatness
Review: Many people seem to be put-off by Ressler's "horn-tooting" in this book. Big deal! You're getting an insight into his psychology as well as those he hunts. Ego often accompanies greatness. The read was fascinating. Ressler offers a dispassionate survey into the psychological make-up of serial killers and other disturbed individuals. Perhaps "dispassionate" is off the mark. He clearly has feelings and opinions, but offers them seperate from his analysis. Ressler doesn't like his subjects, nor approve of them, but he does understand them. His insights just make sense, as opposed to the odd ramblings of other authors on the subject. Especially illuminating was his explanation of "Organized" and "Disorganized" killers. They have very different make-up and motivation. In addition, his side-by-side analysis of a couple dozen serial killers exposed patterns unavailable in a book solely about one killer, the majority of true crime books. The resistance to the creation of a Behavioral Sciences Unit was unsurprising, given that the increased incidence of serial killers is a recent phenomena, growing since World War II. I normally avoid True Crime books, but this one caught my eye, and kept my interest. Wayne Gralian
Wayne's World of Books / Krakow RPGs
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, educational, chilling nonfiction.
Review: Robert Ressler, retired FBI agent with the Behavioral Science Unit, tells the story of many serial killers, and explains the process of profiling these monsters. It is amazing how this process expedites catching the criminal. The distinction between the organized vs. the disorganized killer directs law enforcement in their search. Ressler tells of his personal experience in interviewing killers all over the US, and the time he inadvertently placed himself at the mercy of a huge killer who had killed his grandparents, his mother, and many women. As scary as anything I have ever read, and offers a bit of understanding as to why humans become monsters.
Rating:
Summary: Good addition to a True Crime Library
Review: This book is very intriguing and has some good insights. Truely a great writer and experienced criminologist, Ressler again gives us an amazing journey into the criminal mind. Highly recommended. If only Mr Ressler would know that we are more interested in his insight and information then in his ego. Yes, with greatness comes ego, but he should save it for a autobiography (which I am sure would be 1199 pages thick!) If you filter through his ego, you will discover a valuable addition to your collection
Rating:
Summary: It's Ok...
Review: This book is written in kind of "text book" form. Overall it was pretty interesting, but Ressler spent alot of time patting himself on the back, which seem to drag the book on a little too much.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: Very informative, well written book. So much better than Douglas's Mindhunter. This book sticks to the subject matter unlike Douglas who is too busy patting himself on the back. Not only does Ressler give us a look into the minds of serial killers but he also takes us through the history of serial murder and the development of profiling and VICAP as well as taking us through the progression of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit. This is a very educational and worthwhile read.
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