Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Has any one heard or read of this book: "Girl in the house of hate."? It's supposed to be about Lizzie and the murders. Can't seem to fine it anywhere. Is it out of print?

Yes, I have heard of this book. Check out the following links:

http://www.amazon.com/Girl-House-Hate-F ... 0891901086

http://www.amazon.com/Girl-House-Classi ... B000TZ21DU

Save your money, Robin. I wrote this on the forum in 2002:

"The book "The Girl In The House of Hate" is one of a series of books written by various authors whose title all began with the words "The Girl In ...". Charles Samuels one of the duo who wrote it also wrote "The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing", covering the Evelyn Nesbit/Stanford White/Harry Thaw murder case. They were a series of books put out on the cheap in the early 1950's.

The "House of Hate" book is devoted almost entirely to the trial if I remember correctly."

A lot of trial transcription with many errors. The best part of the book was one of the paperback edition covers.

twinsrwe wrote:Yes, I have heard of this book. Check out the following links:

http://www.amazon.com/Girl-House-Hate-F ... 0891901086

http://www.amazon.com/Girl-House-Classi ... B000TZ21DU

I remember this book from years ago and now can't believe how much one seller wants for a used copy. $334.93 + shipping. Wow

Thanks for the picture of the cover, Harry.

patsy wrote:... I remember this book from years ago and now can't believe how much one seller wants for a used copy. $334.93 + shipping. Wow...

I couldn't believe that seller's price for a used copy, either!

OK, so, Amazon is temporarily out of stock, but the buyer only has to pay $18.95, plus shipping and handling for a brand new one!

Seems like a no brainer to me!!!

Harry wrote:Save your money, Robin. I wrote this on the forum in 2002:

"The book "The Girl In The House of Hate" is one of a series of books written by various authors whose title all began with the words "The Girl In ...". Charles Samuels one of the duo who wrote it also wrote "The Girl In The Red Velvet Swing", covering the Evelyn Nesbit/Stanford White/Harry Thaw murder case. They were a series of books put out on the cheap in the early 1950's.

The "House of Hate" book is devoted almost entirely to the trial if I remember correctly."

A lot of trial transcription with many errors. The best part of the book was one of the paperback edition covers.

Thanks Harry. After reading what you posted, believe I will saving my money. At least I don't have to wonder if it is any good or not.

The title of the book and the cover picture on the older issue is misleading as to the contents of the book, they both give the impression of it being a storybook.

It has been awhile since I read it. It reads more like a news report than a storybook.

Books like this are why so much misinformation about Lizzie floats around out there.
‘The Girl in the House of Hate’ is particularly awful because it purports to be quoting actual trial testimony -- but it’s not. Here are just two examples of the authors’ bias:
“A. I saw Miss Lizzie near the stove. Miss Emma was over by the sink, and Miss Lizzie was at the stove, and she had a skirt in her hand and her sister came and said, ‘What are you going to do?’ Lizzie said, ‘ I am going to burn this old thing.’ She said it was all covered with something. I do not know whether she said it was all covered with paint or all covered with blood.” (Samuels: p. 55) [emphasis mine]
Really? All covered with blood?

Here is the actual trial testimony:
“Q. Will you state what you saw after you returned?
A. I went into the kitchen, and I saw Miss Lizzie at the other end of the stove: I saw Miss Emma at the sink. Miss Lizzie was at the stove, and she had a skirt in her hand, and her sister turned and said, ‘What are you going to do?’ and Lizzie said, ‘I am going to burn this old thing up; it is covered with paint.’
Q. ‘Covered in paint,’---is that the expression?
A. I don't know whether she said ‘covered in paint’ or ‘covered with paint’.” (Trial: p. 391)

And here’s another: -------
“Q. Can you tell us what kind of a dress she burned Sunday morning?
A. It was a cheap cotton Bedford cord, light blue ground with a small figure. She’d bought it that spring.
Q. You’d seen her wearing it before?
A. Oh, yes, many times. “ (Samuels, 56)

Actual trial testimony:
A. She told me that she got her Bedford Cord and she has a dressmaker there, and I went there one evening and she had it on, in the very early part of the dressmaker's visit, and she called my attention to it, and I said, "Oh, you have got on your new Bedford Cord." That is the only time I saw it until this time.
Q. Until the time it was burned?
A. Yes, sir. (Trial: 394-5) . . .
. . . Q. To make it clear, between the time you saw it on Miss Lizzie Borden and had the talk about it in the spring, you did not see it again until the Sunday morning after the homicide?
A. I never remember of ever seeing it, and I am quite sure I did not---that I never had. (Trial: 395-6)

So, although the authors want us to believe Lizzie often wore the burned Bedford cord and that it may have been covered with blood, Alice testified under oath that she’d actually only seen Lizzie wearing the dress one time and it had paint, not blood, on it.

It may as well be a storybook.

I wonder what particular event the illustrator was trying to capture? Andrew lurching upstairs to a Lizzie who appears to be brimming with hatred - with one hand behind her back? What would the next frame be? Striking her father with a hatchet at the top of the stairs? Storybook indeed!

BedfordCord wrote:I wonder what particular event the illustrator was trying to capture? Andrew lurching upstairs to a Lizzie who appears to be brimming with hatred - with one hand behind her back? What would the next frame be? Striking her father with a hatchet at the top of the stairs? Storybook indeed!

Yes, her hand behind her back caught my attention as well. Watch out, Andrew.

Welcome aboard, BedfordCord. I see by your profile that you are the Artistic Director of The Covey Theatre Company which is bringing a play on the case to Fall River this coming August. If my health allows I'll be there. Again, welcome. See this site for info on the play:

http://www.thecoveytheatrecompany.com/s ... tions.html

Thank you Snokkums and Harry for the warm welcome!

Yes, "Lizzie" will be coming to Fall River this summer. We were able to grab dates at the high school as close to the dates of the murders as we could. The play was just nominated for 8 awards following its premiere in Syracuse, so we are very pleased at the moment! I spent a lot of time on this very forum as a guest during my copious hours of research on Lizzie this past summer and I am now thrilled to be a member! I wrote the play specifically with Lizzie fanatics in mind, paying very close attention to details and characterizations. The production values of the play are very high, the cast is top-notch and we are all coming to Fall River to put on 3 great shows for Lizzie-philes such as yourself! I hope you are able to make it!

The play, cast members and Garrett (BedfordCord) have been nominated for awards.


See: http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/ ... acuse.html

Needless to say we'll be rooting for you.

Thanks Harry! Congratulations to you Garret!! Hope you get it!! You must be thrilled!

Congratulations, Garrett! I hope you knock their socks off!

BTW, welcome to our forum family! I have been enjoying your posts - you have some very interesting things to say.

Oh yes definitely congratulations to you, Garrett, and so nice to have you with us.

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes! Hopefully the cast will go home with some statues at the award ceremony!

The actresses who were nominated played Lizzie, Alice, Emma, and Bridget. The play is also up for Play of the Year, Best Original Play, Best Director, and Best Costumes.

Thank you Harry for posting the info! Very kind of you!