My Daughter Susan Smith

Rating:
Summary: Linda Russell doesn't owe us an explanation . . .
Review: ... for being a bad or an inadequate mother. Actually, she made some mistakes, as any mother will, but I don't think she is one. In her defense, I don't quite agree with the other reviewers who accuse her of trying to blame everyone but Susan for what happened: what I get from her instead is that while Susan is responsible, there's plenty of blame to go around for others as well. This book is not objective (remember, it's her story, not Susan's; just as David Smith's book is his story, not Susan's; and neither are an official account . . .), she cites nebulous sources (she lives in a small town where people talk, she's not a journalist, so I don't expect her not to), and it contains some minor errors of fact (I'm a journalist and I've done some work on this very tragedy, so I cheated a little to find this out . . .) but it is still informative. My only two serious criticisms of it? She's defensive (read the title of the review again...). And its most serious flaw is that, when I got this book, I really would have liked to know more about Susan -- specifically, her childhood; what kind of games she liked to play, what kind of TV programs she liked to watch, any hobbies or interests she had besides her dance lessons or family trips to the beach. As a teenager, what did Susan do on Saturday night when she was out with mom's car, what kind of places did she go (other than an occasional church outing where she had a signed permission slip), what kind of courses did she take in school and how well did she do (I can tell you more than Linda Russell does...) Oh, and come back with a piece of her poetry (Yes, there is some, Susan's a poet, she's into that. I have quite a collection . . .) This book tells you more about what it's like to be Linda, with Susan reduced to a bystander in her mother's life story. From Susan's mother, I'd hoped to see more. If someone could only tell me something about Susan that shows how ..normal.. she is, rather than just things that 'prove' how 'unwell' she must have been, or just things to 'prove' how 'evil' she must have been: I'd even make another trip to Union to sit down with that person a couple hours and hear what they'd have to say. From Susan's mom, this is what I'd kind of hoped for. I know Mrs. Russell needed to get her story out, but maybe if it goes into a second printing, she'll consider a new edition where she goes back, gives the second and third chapters a rewrite, maybe adds one or two between those chapters, and fixes this problem.

Rating:
Summary: Russell not shifting blame
Review: All the readers who say Linda Russell does not see Susan's guilt in this tragedy is BLIND!! I got from the book, she knows Susan is to blame, but clearly David Smith could have been a better father and husband, for that matter, than what he was. I feel Ms. Russell is simply saying, my daughter has been punished for what she did. I feel David Smith should be ashamed of the way he treated Susan while she was his wife. Also, I do not feel David is a victim in this case. The only two victims were Michael and Alex!!

Rating:
Summary: Russell not shifting blame
Review: All the readers who say Linda Russell does not see Susan's guilt in this tragedy is BLIND!! I got from the book, she knows Susan is to blame, but clearly David Smith could have been a better father and husband, for that matter, than what he was. I feel Ms. Russell is simply saying, my daughter has been punished for what she did. I feel David Smith should be ashamed of the way he treated Susan while she was his wife. Also, I do not feel David is a victim in this case. The only two victims were Michael and Alex!!

Rating:
Summary: A shameful attempt to shift the blame.
Review: For Linda Russell to throw darts, the way she does in this account, to David Smith, who after his two dead babies is the one and only victim of her murderous daughter, is shameful; and really not worthy of the person she pretends to be: a Christian. Hypocrisy and a desire for revenge is what comes through the pages of this pathetic story. Mrs. Russell would do well in looking at herself in the mirror, and she should ask herself some questions. She does not need to tell us the answers. We already know them. Susan Smith is a murderess, and she should have been given the death penalty. Michael and Alex didn't get justice. Sleep with the angels babies. And Union is a County of cowards.

Rating:
Summary: The Blame Game
Review: I enjoyed this version of a very tragic, true story.

Rating:
Summary: A Mother's Point of View
Review: I learned alot about this incident from this book. It couldn't be objective because it was written by Susan Smith's mother. It does point out the ignorance of Linda Russell at those times when Susan needed professional help and didn't get it. We must keep in mind that Susan's family was a disfuntional one and because of that their decisions were dangerous for all members. Do we believe that Susan is a murderer or was she insane when she drowned her children? Read the book, maybe it will help you make that decision!

Rating:
Summary: A Mother's Point of View
Review: I learned alot about this incident from this book. It couldn't be objective because it was written by Susan Smith's mother. It does point out the ignorance of Linda Russell at those times when Susan needed professional help and didn't get it. We must keep in mind that Susan's family was a disfuntional one and because of that their decisions were dangerous for all members. Do we believe that Susan is a murderer or was she insane when she drowned her children? Read the book, maybe it will help you make that decision!

Rating:
Summary: The Blame Game
Review: Seems to me Linda Russell is blaming everyone but Susan Smith for what happened. Russell is a concieted know it all. I did enjoy the book but could not help but see through the Linda Russell.

Rating:
Summary: A shameful attempt to shift the blame.
Review: This is a very good book. My heart breaks for everyone involved in this tragic, heart-breaking situation, and I can only pray for Susan and her family. Linda did a very good job of exposing things that were hard to think about, much-less to express to the world.