A Book of Remarkable Criminals
About this audiobook
Harry B, Irving has complied a collection of the most interesting criminals. The introduction begins, ""The silent workings, and still more the explosions, of human passion which bring to light the darker elements of man's nature present to the philosophical observer considerations of intrinsic interest; while to the jurist, the study of human nature and human character with its infinite varieties, especially as affecting the connection between motive and action, between irregular desire or evil disposition and crime itself, is equally indispensable and difficult".
The biographies in this work include: The life of Charles Peace; The career of Robert Butler; M. Derues; Dr. Castaing; Professor Webster; The mysterious Mr. Holmes; The widow Gras; Vitalis and Marie Boyer; The Fenayrou case; Eyraud and Bompard.
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About the author
Harry Brodribb Irving (5 August 1870 – 17 October 1919), was a British stage actor and actor-manager; the eldest son of Sir Henry Irving and his wife Florence (née O'Callaghan), and father of designer Laurence Irving and actress Elizabeth Irving.
During World War I, Irving withdrew from the theatre and returned to the law, writing the study for which he is now most famous, A Book of Remarkable Criminals, originally published in 1918, which examined the lives, motivations and crimes of some infamous murderers, Life of Judge Jeffreys, French Criminals of the 19th Century and other papers on the subject. After spending twenty years of his life dedicated to the theatre, his greatest success came from being what it was intended he should be, a legal expert. H. B. Irving was also a founding member of Our Society with Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Diosy, J. B. Atlay, and the Coroner Ingleby Oddie (among others). Our Society is the still flourishing "Murder" Club in London, where old crimes are discussed at regularly held dinners.
