Take a photo of a barcode or cover
apers 's review for:
White Christmas-Bloody Christmas: Finally the True Story of the Lawson Family Murders of Christmas Day, 1929
by M. Bruce Jones, Trudy J. Smith
Let me tell you about this book. This book is basically every library’s cryptid. I work in a library about 15min from Walnut Cove, NC where the murders happened and everyone and their grandma wants to read this book. The only problem is, the cheapest copy is $125 on Amazon (as of May 2020). That means no library in their right mind is going to let you take this book from the building. My library’s copy has been checked out since 1999. We’re never getting that back.
So how did I get a copy of it? Well, we’re closed to the public for COVID-19, which means there’s no public coming to visit our buildings to read our reference, in-library use only items. And the library I live near, in the same county system as the one I work in, has a reference copy of this book. So I called em up and said “pretty please can I borrow this I give you permission to storm my house if something happens.” So, after sending a couple of photos of my cats being cute, the adult services librarian there let me take it home!
Now, I have to say, I first heard of this murder on the My Favorite Murder podcast, which I think did a better job of telling the story. Honestly? It’s probably a good thing this book can’t be widely read because it’s very much a 1990s small press, small town book. The research isn’t detailed and the editorializing feels like a “stay safe, kids” documentary made in the late 80s, early 90s. It’s not great. But I had to find that out for myself, so I’m writing this now to tell you don’t bother worrying if you’re interested in this story but can’t get a copy of the book. It’s not worth $126.
Listen to Episode 142: Live at the Durham Performing Arts Center for all the info you need and, you know what, if you really want to read the book, check your local library. The book is super short and quick to read because it’s easy to skip all the detail about tobacco farming practices of the 1920s, if the library has a copy in their collection, they’d be happy to let you read it (in the safety of their building, in exchange for something you won’t leave behind).
So how did I get a copy of it? Well, we’re closed to the public for COVID-19, which means there’s no public coming to visit our buildings to read our reference, in-library use only items. And the library I live near, in the same county system as the one I work in, has a reference copy of this book. So I called em up and said “pretty please can I borrow this I give you permission to storm my house if something happens.” So, after sending a couple of photos of my cats being cute, the adult services librarian there let me take it home!
Now, I have to say, I first heard of this murder on the My Favorite Murder podcast, which I think did a better job of telling the story. Honestly? It’s probably a good thing this book can’t be widely read because it’s very much a 1990s small press, small town book. The research isn’t detailed and the editorializing feels like a “stay safe, kids” documentary made in the late 80s, early 90s. It’s not great. But I had to find that out for myself, so I’m writing this now to tell you don’t bother worrying if you’re interested in this story but can’t get a copy of the book. It’s not worth $126.
Listen to Episode 142: Live at the Durham Performing Arts Center for all the info you need and, you know what, if you really want to read the book, check your local library. The book is super short and quick to read because it’s easy to skip all the detail about tobacco farming practices of the 1920s, if the library has a copy in their collection, they’d be happy to let you read it (in the safety of their building, in exchange for something you won’t leave behind).