True Crime Books

A number of important books have examined the role of AIM in awakening the American Indian to the plight they have been subjected to. These include Russel Means Where White Men Fear to Tread: The Autobiography of Russell Means and Dennis Banks Ojibwa Warrior: Dennis Banks And The Rise Of The American Indian Movement. While the movie Incident at Oglala - The Leonard Peltier Story has added to the story, this very insightful story examines the role of the FBI on the American Indian reservations, especially Pine RIdge and others in the Mid West. It deals extensively with the mysterious 1976 death of Anne May Aqash. This is a heavy book that makes the FBI out to be a truly negative influence and examines the continuing negative role of the U.S federal government vis-a-vis the reservations.

Thoguht provoking and important.

Seth J. Frantzman

How this tome ever got past the editors and into print I will never know. What is the author trying to say? It is never clear. The first part of the book seemingly is about, among many, many, many other things (way too many if you ask me), the murder of Annie Mae Aquash - and great detail is included about the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her death. Abruptly at some point in the 2nd part of the book, we find ourselves at the trial of one of three people accused of her murder (none of whom were ever mentioned in part one, and, as to whom there is virtually no biographical detail included). At the same time, the book includes voluminous biographical detail and digression about many, many, many other individuals, for no particular reason it seems. I finished the book because I wanted to see if the author was going to bring this tangled mass of trivial and unimportant details together in some coherent way, but alas, all I got for the effort was high blood pressure. Among the book's many other flaws are these: the author reports on at least one trial, but seemingly has no grasp of trial tactics or evidentiary rules - he chastises lawyers for not bringing up details that (a) would have been irrelevant; and (2) would have been inadmissible; the author too often says things like "but we will never know . . . " about things that are perfecty checkable, things he could have fact-checked if he had chosen to; and, the author seems to believe in a big conspiracy or two that must explain all of the loose ends he leaves, but he never explains what those conspiracies were about and who was in them. Has he ever heard of topic sentences? I am astounded to read the other positive reviews posted here about this book. I consider it to have been an utter waste of my time, and a disservice to the topics he attempted to cover.

Usually works with this amount of research end up a boring read and destined for the bottom of the book pile. Not so with Unquiet Grave. Good thing I'm retired as I was glued to Steve's book for three days. Whether you are from this part of Indian country or elsewhere, you will find this book a remarkable storytelling backed by solid documentation and a balanced critique of all the players from that era. We complain about journalists who concoct a regurgitated version of the news. This author was not afraid to wade knee deep in a significant analysis of historical events that shaped American Indian civil rights. What disturbs me here is that the author or any citizen for that matter must seek legal action to obtain records from OUR government that are clearly records open to the public through the Freedom of Information Act. That should bother us all.

Steve Hendricks did the best job of any in documenting what happened during this period of time between American Indian people and no-Indian people in one document.
I was deeply committed and involved within the Indian communities because for some strange reason yet unknown to me I have been very close to Indian people since my youth.
I suffered and experienced the daily abject poverty with them in their homes and could not realize why they could never share what most of the people called the American Dream. I knew part of the answer was almost a
total culture of poverty rather than the Indian cultures I had learned about in school.Multi-generational abuse,physical,sexual,and substance abuse,was the direct cause of much dysfunctional behavior I witnessed.I decided early in my life and to do whatever I could do to help change whatever I could in my lifetime that would stop this injustice. I would give my own life to change that.
I always deplored most organizational efforts to accomplish anything however I joined the Michigan Chapter of the Great Lakes Indian Youth Alliance and the American Indian Movement. The reason why I joined is because for the first time in my life I could feel the surge of self respect,self actualization and spirituality within these organizations,and the individuals and Indian Communities involved at that time.It was a refreshing healing wind of change like you feel after a thunderstorm.
I actually thought the young brilliant Indian Warriors were street/woods wise and spiritual enough to avoid the pitfalls of other dominant culture civil and equal rights organizations but ultimately as far as I am concerned the movement became more and more corrupt exactly like the enemy as it matured.
Individual's like Russell Means,Dennis Banks,Ed McGaa,Floyd Westerman and others less visible continued to self actualize and work hard to individually accomplish the original goals of their and our youth in rather unusual ways after AIM died. I know that each one is committed to do what they can do to improve the lives of their families,extended families,and Indian Nations. Sometime being human they fall short of our and even their expectations. They do what they can as Warrior in spite of almost total overwhelming repression by the United States Government and the American society. However humanly flawed they remain in my mind truly contemporary Warriors of this century.
I also feel Steve Hendricks and many others are doing their best to bring out the truth and documentation of constitutional and personal injustices of those days.I expect other individuals with information to come forth with their knowledge and writing because our society is even much farther away from the truth and principals that this Country was founded on today.
As far as I am concerned whoever killed the active committed lives of the Freedom Fighters,Ray Robinson,Anna Mae Aquash, Neogeshick Aquash the FBI Agents, and the others made a serious mestake and destroyed the purity, beauty,and Sacred Place of the Movement. The murderer or murderers who called for the hit on the precious Warrior Anna Mae Aquash in that instant killed AIM with the same bullet. They will pay for that decision deep within their soul.
I was pleased to see a that the Law Library at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law purchased the copy of The Unquiet Grave I am reading for their students.
It is my hope and prayer that the youth of today will read everything they can get their hands on work, and commit to make justice a reality in their lifetimes.
As long as this abuse, poverty, and injustice remains in our society no one will be free. Until the truth is known we will all be in a "unquiet grave" just waiting for the next shovel of dirt.
If you want to broaden your knowledge,be alive,and aware at least read this book and those that will be forthcoming.

Mr. Hendricks' book is burdened with the same dichotomy (Multiple Personality Disorder/schizophrenia) as the Euro-invaders' ever-shifting policy/pendulum on what to do about "the Indian problem." The first part of this book does a salutary job of explaining to the unfamiliar some historical bases of the white "Westward Ho!" "Manifest Destiny" expansion across the North American continent, its effect on Native Americans, and the rise ("AIM is good") of the American Indian Movement. But parts of the second part - the fall ("AIM is bad,") could pass for being ghost-written by nemesis J Edgar Hoover and his COINTELPRO'd FBI.

Though flawed in some "facts" and reporterage, Unquiet Grave is marketable and intelligible to the masses and it is important that wider cultures read this (in the Aretha Franklin sense to RESPECT the Native cultures, delight in diversity, and abhor forced "assimilation and "THINK") about what the US Government did - not only in the Miner's Canary sense (If the US Government so cavalierly abrogates/ignores its treaties with the First Nations before this Nation - what does that tell other sovereign nations with whom we seek to entreat?) but also the Santayana sense ("those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.")

For a fuller understanding of Wounded Knee I (1890); Wounded Knee II (1973,) and context, this reviewer recommends my List "The water's still running and the grass still growing, so .? " including

Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto (Civilization of the American Indian)
and
Robert Redford/Sundance Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story

What did Bill Janklow do? /TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer "What do you mean 'illegal alien,' Pilgrims?"

I am using some of the facts in this book for my novel writing. Thank you Katherine Eban for writing this book

This is an outstanding book every American should read. This book was recommended to me by a Vice President of a large mail order pharmacy corporation. I am the Assistant Vice President for Supply Chain Pharmacy Operations of a large healthcare system. As such I am responsible for making our Supply Chain Pharmacy Operations more safe and efficient. This book has been an eye opener for me. I have already quoted it several times in meetings and on conference calls. We all need to be engaged in making our healthcare supply chain as safe and efficient as possible. This is a non-fiction book, but it reads like a fiction one because its so unbelievable. It could very easily be made into a movie and be very successful in that media.

While the FDA and drug companies rail about the potential dangers of imported drugs, they ignore or downplay reports about adulterated, counterfeit drugs from within the U.S., and fight efforts to improve the reliability of the system. Meanwhile, law-enforcement efforts to correct the problem are frequently blocked by political intervention for donors, legal threats, a patch-work of varying State laws, fraudulent paperwork, regulators giving drug wholesaling licenses to known criminals, and inter-departmental squabbling over who's in charge or gets the credit.

Sources of problem drugs include theft from warehouses, trucks, and hospitals, diversion from lower-priced markets (eg. foreign sales), purchase from Medicaid recipients, relabeling vials containing weak doses with fraudulent labels claiming much stronger contents, and pills made from worthless ingredients.

The book also summarizes the serious impact in two instances of seriously ill patients receiving adulterated drugs.

This is a well researched book (really well) and uses easy to understand language. It was a bit confusing to me in the beginning since he used some flashback type story telling. I was hoping to pull some powerful statistics out of this book, but was only to get some weak ones. This a a great book to have if you like having evidence that the U.S. Government is no saviour.

As a Professional working in the Pharmaceutical business and living in the State of Florida, I can identify very well with the contents of this book.A great deal of bureaucratic barriers are set causing obstacles to efficiently operate our Pharmaceuticals within State Law.The Investigators listed in this book were committed, determined, tireless and underpaid servants of the State, that worked in a system that was largely unappreciative and at times seen unorganized.Dangerous Doses is a very scary and real story about the importance of regulating and overseeing the buying and selling of drugs.I highly recommend this book, because of its informative and real look into the world of counterfeit drugs. Remember this effects us in one way or another.

As a practicing forensic pathologist, I will recomend this book to anybody interested in the topic, specially my colleagues in this line of work. THe questions and arguments expressed in it are worth considering everytime we make a decision as to cause of death and specially on something so subjective as manner of death. This book is an open invitation to reflect on topics that we take for granted.
Pedro M. Ortiz Colom MD

Not a fun read...qusi scientific with enough detail to satisfy anybody shor of a fourth year med student...lots of details such as what is the difference between a medical Examiner and a Coroner...a walk through of a autopsy of an unkown death and how the ME made critical decision as to how the person died.

The author then goes into spacific areas of interest such as suicide...infant deaths...murder and the organ tissue trade.

A criticism of this book to some might be that the author uses fictious names, places and ME's in telling his stories. Although he explain this in the preface and provides extensive notes and source material this may bother the purists among us, I didn't find it to be a problem.

Postmortem: How Medical Examiners Explain Suspicious Deaths offers what few competitors can: a close-up look into just how medical examiners work. The author spent three years shadowing examiners to understand how they probe questionable deaths, and Postmortem covers not just the physical but the legal, social and moral issues faced by the industry. From issues of objectivity in the face of subjective evidence to influences in headline cases, Postmortem is a title not just for the general public, but especially for the college- level medical collection.

This is a superb book that examines the profession of medical examiners from a sociological perspective. The author spent several years observing the practices and methods of one (anonymous) urban medical examiner's office close-up, standing in at autopsies and conducting many interviews with all levels of staff.

The book looks at several topics in detail: coronary artery disease; shaken baby syndrome in the "Nanny Trial"; suicide; and organ and tissue donation. (I'm probably leaving something out here.)

The introduction is a tad jargony if you are not a sociologist or academic, but very interesting nonetheless. The author explains the difference between medical examiners (physicians) and coroners, who do not need any medical experience, are usually elected, and conduct public inquests. Much of the book looks at differences between various professions and explains why they may be competing with each other for authority and professional recognition. For example, forensic pathologists do not have the same goals as public health officials, as seen in the cases of coronary artery disease and suicide. Pathologists (looking at dead bodies) may come in conflict with clinicians (looking at the live patient), as seen in the case of shaken baby syndrome at criminal trials. The goals of pathologists are often at odds with those of organ and tissue donation advocates; the pathologist may need to do an exceptionally thorough autopsy in the case of a suspicious death or a homicide, while the organ donor advocate may insist that a patient in need of a liver should ethically take priority over the non-existent needs of a dead body.

The endnotes and bibliography are extensive and well worth reading.

*** & 1/2*
While this book does a fine job of chronicling the many horrors this little boy endured, it could have been a bit more `in depth' where his (so-called) parents were concerned. Particularly Jessica Schwarz, whose background is hardly mentioned, not that it would have incited any sympathy in me toward her.

Another thing I found disappointing (apart from the cruelty and indifference A. J. suffered in and of itself) is prosecutor Scott H. Cupp's self-satisfied smugness that seems to suggest he should've won a medal or something because of Jessica's 30-plus years sentence. He would have deserved one (and I might've handcrafted the damn thing myself) had he not let Jessica's
co-conspirator-by-dereliction-of-duty, David Schwarz, escape justice. He witnessed Jessica's violent behavior and did nothing to stop it.

I was also amazed at how so many people knew that this child was in a dire situation and no one took any significant action to save his life. I guess they all feel they've made up for being so useless to A. J. in his life by testifying at his murder trial.

R.I.P A. J. S.

This is a very emotional book as the reality of A.J's short life is revealed. There were so many witnesses to A.J's abuse, and the step mother barly took means to hide her hatred towards A.J. And this happened in 1993....shocking. All I can say is that I wish A.J was my beautiful son.

I don't understand why he had to die? Why couldn't someone get involved. The step mother was a monster and the boys biological father wasn't any better. He let his son die over a woman who only cared about herself. What a b@tch

read this book and it is so sad and I hope this little boy can rest in peace

People need to read this book. It raises awareness about things that should be looked out for when a child is being abused. Too many people are afraid to report or, according to their traditional views, think that it is taboo to remove a child from his family and that the family has the right to "discipline".

What is amazing about this situation is that it was obvious that A.J.'s stepmother had long crossed the line of discipline, yet nobody intervened. His biological parents turned a blind eye, followed by neighbors and those at his school. Perhaps they would have thought differently had they known that their ignorance would result in his death.

I love this book (and the movie that closely followed the book). It is
just about what I'd figured it out, too. It could not have been a simple
"accident" because too much evidence disappeared, bungled investigations,
etc. She had a pretty miserable existence during and after her marriage
ended, afraid for her life and pursued constantly. Such a sad ending for
such a truly beautiful woman who rightly should have been Queen one day.
May she have peace now, that she didn't have in real life.

When i finished reading this book i was entirely conviced that Princess Diana was murdered. All the facts add up and nobody can deny that her death took some heavy weight off some people's shoulders.
The way the author presents all the evidence was amazing to me because i always thought that the theory of Princess Diana assassination was just that, a theory, but now i know that they're really lots of facts backing up that theory.
This book is very interesting and i highly recommend it.

I probably own every book ever published about Princess Diana (before, during and after her death) and found this book to contain many things I had never read before. Mr. Botham brings up theories that I discussed with my late fiance, a Brit, but was afraid to talk about in public. Since Graham lived and worked in London, and ran in 'certain circles' he knew a great deal more than I did about her untimely death. There were things he simply refused to discuss, even with me. A couple of these verboten items are in the book.

I was stunned to read that Princess Anne lost her virginity to Camilla's ex-husband, Mr. Parker-Bowles. Of course Camilla was not married at that time, but the fact that the Parker-Bowles's were involved with both brother and sister Royals seems a bit, well, incestuous.

While he mentions that the French driver who died in the crash (Henri Paul) was suspected of working with foreign intelligence, he does not mention what many other books do of his working with Israeli intelligence. Botham does note that Diana's romance with Dodi (an Egyptian) was of great concern to the Israeli government at the time. Henri Paul seems to have had his hands in all the pies. And we see what greed gets you. Dead.

This book is either very accurate and frightening, or it is chock full of lies, and should be regarded as fiction. When I was reading it I could not help but wish my fiance were still here to read it with me. He would have thoroughly enjoyed it. Diana's death was not a surprise to me at all. I knew it was only a matter of time before she left the stage. I can't believe it has been ten years since she died. My heart still aches for her sons. Time will never heal their loss. I just hope that before he dies, Mr. Al-Fayed gets some sense of justice and a sense of finality. He is not the crackpot he is made out to be. Whether he is rich, powerful, famous, liked or disliked, he is a father. He does have deep feelings. After all these years, he still doesn't have answers. It all seems so sad on so many levels.

Very well written. A lot of research went into this book. I truly believe there was a cover up in the death of Princess Diana and it will probably never be brought to light. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

YES, I most defintley believe that there was a cover up and consiprisy in Princess Diana's death. I believe without a doubt that she was murdered. Diana was more loved and popular than the Royal family, she was in love with a muslim and maybe pregnant. She was the peoples Princess, therefore she had more love and power than the Queen and Prince
Also she had information ( hidden ) that was removed, never to be found, by the Royal family, this information would have greatly embarressed and brought Prince Charles and his family down, The Royal family where afraid of all her information, this is absolutely a FACT, so how can this be ingnored ?

She was everything the Royal family could never be, Loving, Kind , and Giving, loving her sons enough that against the Queens wishes, Diana gave birth in the hospital, that was a firt for the Royal family. I have researched and read about this for 10 years now, and she was indeed murdered.

Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down and I did not until I finished it. Knowing the background of the hard-working people he came from and growing up in that same era and areas, it was like peering in a window and watching another world that I had only heard about whispered with girlfriends. I am grateful for the glimpse from Mr. Ford, as I know how painful the retelling must be for all, and hopefully cathartic as well. I could not imagine living in that drug culture or being a part of that desperation, growing up a wide-eyed and naive small-town girl at that time. I only knew the rumors of those that did, somewhat in awe at their audacity, like local versions of a forbidden rock star in some ways. What a tough character he was and a parents nightmare! The high stress of living such a life would seem to exact a heavy toll and the authors words conveyed a dilemma of ethics in a world where little seemed to exist. Yet I found myself oddly cheering him on and wanting him to succeed and be redeemed in the end, not admiring the lifestyle but appreciating the experience without having to live it. I felt for his family and children and all they must have endured. I was sad when the book ended as I felt there should be a neat and happy ending somehow, and hope it is as best it can be. The reader is left with a sense of lessons learned and regrets to overcome from the author (maybe part two?), yet a hope for a better life for he and his family. Good luck to the author and his family and I looking forward to reading some of his other books.

I was involved in the little known business of smuggling contraband INTO Mexico in the 80s. This did NOT involve drugs though the DEA thought some of us were into it...and they were probably correct! Not me of course!

Anyway, I can relate a bit (a small bit) to what Don endured. He must be one tough hombre is all I can say. The badlands of northern Mexico is no place for sissies! The book reads very well & the only way I could put it down at night was my eyelids refusing to stay open! Highly recommended for all those craving adventure stories...TRUE adventure stories.

If you're reading this, best of luck to you Don. I worked out of McAllen flying Queen Air 65s. One of the best aircraft for hauling heavy loads of VCRs & TVs! Levis & Motorcycles too...oh, and Cognac & Baclava! Mexicans love that stuff.

Contrary to the comments made by Genny Kirkpatrick, this is an outstanding narrative. Genny does not understand the culture of the border. A Spanish speaking Anglo, sincerely interested in Mexican culture, will have no difficulty being accepted by Mexicans near the border, and for this, the book is believable. It is definately an eye opener, and very informative regarding Mexican culture. Several passages discussing food found my stomach growling lol. My hat is off to Mr. Ford. He accepts responsibility for his actions, is not afraid to face the consequences, and all the while tells an interesting and sometimes amusing story.

The mexican cartels absolutely wouldn't have allowed this
guy living on the border to exist in their territory as it
relates to grass smuggling.In Nuevo Laredo and Laredo,Tx.
their have been 170 drug territory related killings year to date.
This isn't even close to logical.Further,if his ranching business
was broke and the bankers were knocking he could not have been anything more than a petty grass-runner.The mexicans have plenty
of these types.With no money--you're a mule.This is however good
fiction reading.The mexicans-including ''El Chapo'' of the Gulf
cartel would laugh at this one.An individual cowboy on the Mexican border that is broke?C'mon.Mexicans fiercely protect their business.FICTION!Anyone who knows anything about this business knows that this story just ain't happening.

I was witness to part of what Don wrote and having read Contrabandos, can testify to its accuracy. Any errors are only those of perspective, because we all see events in a slightly different light. Ms. Kirkpatrick reviews the book as fiction. I can assure you that it is not. A 'Mule' only recieves a fee for his services and is notinvolved in any other part of the business. If anything, this book lacked space to tell much more of the story as it happened.

This book is a must read for all cyber investigators, all computer forensics, all computer users, all IT personnel, and of course, for all WRITERS like me! Cold Eyes