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Mindhunter : Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

Mindhunter : Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A fascinating book, cover to cover.
Review: When I first picked up this book, I had no clue that I wouldnt be able to put it down until I had read every last page. This book only increased my interest in becoming a criminal profiler myself. Even though Mr.Douglas didnt discuss everything in detail, the detail that he gave was more than enough to satisfy this reader. He gave incredible insight to the struggle the FBI Serial Crime Unit had in the beginning, and the personal sacrifices he and his team made to make it all work. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Distracted and anecdotal, but interesting nonetheless
Review: I was disappointed, sometimes confused, with the structure of this book, which attempts to involve us both in John Douglas's life and also examine general case studies. It attempts to reveal intricacies of Mr. Douglas's life, yet wasn't nearly as specific and detailed when discussing his interviews with serail killers or his specific case work. The authors would have done well to either focus on Mr. Douglas's human experience or describe profiling in detail. Instead, we get both in a series of interesting anecdotal crime stories peppered around Mr. Douglas's life story. It lacks both linear focus of case study and in-depth autobiography. This book will be of interest to those looking for an overview of profiling. The book attempts to cover all aspects of its subject, spread itself thin, and is therefore a hodgepodge rather than a tight, focused read.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: No new revelations here - disappointing
Review: I assume that most people who picked up this book wanted to know "how they do it". I know I did, and I didn't get the answer here. Douglas boasts that he can hear the background information about killings and quickly produce a profile of the killer in amazing detail, including the type and color of car he drives. How about telling us HOW you knew that Ted Bundy drove a gold VW bug. Is it because one of the girls accosted escaped from one? That's not very amazing. If that is the gist of what goes on in the elite FBI serial crime unit, then we are in trouble. About 30 pages could have been spared if Douglas left his personal life out of this. Those parts were as interesting as seeing a stranger's snapshots of grandchildren (they are *wonderful* kids, but I'm not terribly interested). I was left with the impression that Douglas is a savant who can predict profiles of serial murderers through some sort of algorithm in his head, and we still don't know how ! he does it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent Reading for a True Crime buff
Review: The book was a quick and excellent read. The author is a man that is great at what he does and is not shy about talking about it. I cannot believe people actually do this to each other. I ordered (from Amazon, of course) his next book, Journey into Darkness, and am happily working my way through. Last year when I contemplated a career in the FBI, I was disappointed in not being able to apply because of my vision. I'm more disappointed now. Order it!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing and capativating
Review: John Douglas is an amazing man with an incredible story to tell. I couldn't put the book down! He should be commended for the work he has done on criminal profiling. I can't wait to read Journey into Darkness.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: More correctly titled "The Making of An FBI Profiler"
Review: What a let-down! This book turns out to be more about Douglas's career development than "Inside the FBI's Serial Crime Unit". The few glimpses provided of the unit's work are just enough to keep you from getting really annoyed by one too many personal recollections, i.e. do you really want to know how he picked up his future bride in a bar? and, yes, John, I'm sure you have a great sense of humour but WHO CARES! Some editing may have made it more readable, as it was obviously put together from a series of recorded interviews with Douglas by his co-author. For good measure, Douglas may have also thrown in a few old lecture notes from the FBI Academy course he helped to develop. I notice that he's written several other books but I, for one, will be wary about buying them without the benefit of a good browse first!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Enjoyable and most of realistic
Review: Being in the Law Enforcement Profession I found the book interesting and it read quite quickley for me. However, in some instances it did appear as though Mr. Douglas did enter a telephone booth and change into Superman; not to say that he and his staff should not be prooud of what they have accomplished, but he could have toned it down a bit.

Very interesting background on how the unit got started and all of the skeptics that said it would never get off the ground. At first when Douglas started to use his methods it appeared to be a bit of witchcraft, but I guess the more you use these prinicples and apply them, the better you get at it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A page-turner from cover to cover
Review: If John Douglas were boasting in "Mind Hunter," it would be annoying. He is not. There is nothing excessive in his earned pride. His accomplishments in the field are inspiring and admirable; so much so that any attempt at humility would be dishonest.

For an exciting, fascinating look at the art of profiling criminals, this is the book to read. Then read the book that Douglas himself recommends: Stanton Samenow's "Inside the Criminal Mind."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I laughed, I cried, I was horrified...and loved every second
Review: I found this book to be amazing, and I liked knowing what Douglas was like as a youngster, this helped set the tone for us to understand who he is and how he was suited for profiling. I am almost done with this book, will be passing it on to at least 2 others. I didn't find Douglas egotistical at all, I've seen him on shows and he is far from an egotist. I find him to amazingly still have some of the wonderment of a child, and still be able to know what evil lurks in the minds of men (sorry, it's a great phrase).

Read it! You will love it if you aren't looking for a text book to show you how to get into the field and become an FBI agent. No way I could do that, even though I would love to!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Get over yourself Mr. Douglas
Review: Pieces of the book were enjoyable, but for the most part I kept expecting to hear how Mr. Douglas put on a cape and bent steel bars!! The ego was unbelievable. I'm sure he needed it to be so successful, but please, it's boring as hell to read.

Save your time and read something else. Anything else.


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