| Author | Message | ||
     Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
Check out my Dec. 1, 2006 update. | ||
| Deoxys Username: Deoxys Registered: 5-2006 |
Great stuff, Tom. What is the context of the September 27th reference in this book? | ||
| Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
Sept. 27 (1888) was the date of one of Jack the Ripper's letters... | ||
| Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
I surely thought my update would stir up more discussion than this... | ||
| Ed_neil Username: Ed_neil Registered: 5-2006 |
I remember coming across that book several months back while looking for Z-related stuff, and e-mailed the seller asking if there were any references to Z. He said no, so I lost interest. Since it was published in December 1969, it looks like it post-dates all of Z's murders and his first 7 letters. | ||
| Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
Ed, what the publishing date means is that the book was a work in progress -- or entirely finished -- at the time of Zodiac's debut. Since the author gave seminars around the country (and probably discussed her upcoming works), it seems plausible to me that the Zodiac might have known about her book prior to its publication. | ||
| Ed_neil Username: Ed_neil Registered: 5-2006 |
That is entirely possible... | ||
| Breakout Username: Breakout Registered: 7-2006 |
Watters' other book, Sex and the Outer Planets may also have some good stuff. Look at this quote I found on some random website: Astrologer Barbara Watters -- in her landmark book Sex and the Outer Planets -- wrote that, in regard to weapons, Mars is the knife, Uranus is the gun, and Pluto is the bomb. Barbara Watters also described a facet of negative Uranus as the "lone marksman" who enjoys the anonymity of shooting his victim without a direct, personalized confrontation of equals. | ||
| Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
You spoiled my next update! lol Yes, there's lots of good, curious info there. | ||
| Johno Username: Johno Registered: 4-2006 |
You may want to check on that publication date. Valhalla put out a paperback edition of the book in December 1969 and so did The American Federation of Astrologers but according to Barnes & Noble the hardcover edition of the book was published in January 1969. Bigget Books.com corresponds with that publication information and gives the hardback publication date as 1-1-69. | ||
| Ed_neil Username: Ed_neil Registered: 5-2006 |
Fascinating... the only copy referred to on amazon.com was the paperback, I thought it was odd there was no hardcover published prior to that. Since there appears to have been one, that puts things in an entirely different perspective... Z very well may have purchased a copy of the hardcover just days after LHR, and if he studied it and planned his future crimes based on the contents of that book, that might explain the 6½ months between LHR and BRS... | ||
| Oklahoma_mike Username: Oklahoma_mike Registered: 5-2006 |
Astrology books were quite the rage back then. I recall reading "Sun Signs" about astrology when I was a senior in HS, (1970-71). Since he picked the name I am sure Z had more than a passing interest in either astrology or astronomy, and the author may have written articles in astrology magazines or popular reading magazines before the book. It would be really interesting if there were any astrology articles in 'detective' magazines. Note: I have long since become a total sceptic as regards to astrology but I remember all the popularity of the times. I even wrote an attempted humor column for the school newspaper entitled "Rage of Aquarius". | ||
| Tom_voigt Username: Tom_voigt Registered: 4-2006 |
You are right indeed, Okie. By choosing his name, Zodiac might simply have been attempting to be topical. Or, perhaps he was fed up with the fad known as astrology and he decided to give it some bad press. The killer definitely wasn't someone who absolutely was an astrology buff, IMHO. | ||
| Breakout Username: Breakout Registered: 7-2006 |
Sorry to spoil the update, Tom! Anyway, my interest is piqued by these books. Since I don't have copies (but may in the near future) post up anything else you find interesting. At the bottom of the website where I found that quote there were links to some interesting charts. They are somewhat curious too. |