Synopses & Reviews
A delightfully wicked look at the badly behaved characters who shaped the history of Connecticut throughtheir deeds and misdeeds. Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Connecticut History features fifteen short profiles of notorious bad guys, perpetrators of mischief, visionary if misunderstood thinkers, and other colorful antiheroes from the history of the Nutmeg State. It reveals the dark side of some well-known and even revered characters from Connecticuts past—both part-time Jerks and others who were Jerks through and through.
Review
"Ray Bendici's genuine and unending fascination with the strange underbelly of Connecticut makes him the perfect writer for this subject. He tells each jerk's story in a way that will keep you reading and learning even as you want to cover your eyes in horror."
—Charles A. Monagan, editor of Connecticut Magazine and author of Connecticut Icons
"Few writers are able to capture the cynicism and honest humor often found in the most bizarre crimes and circumstances, while, at the same time, spinning a great yarn, keeping the pages turning, and allowing the facts to drive the story. Ray Bendici has mastered this . . . in a captivatingly fresh narrative that will help you easily spot all the jerks in your life. A remarkably candid and especially sarcastic book, addictive and fascinating."
—M. William Phelps, national bestselling author and star of Investigation Discovery's Dark Minds
Synopsis
The lives of notorious bad guys, perpetrators of mischief, visionary--if misunderstood--thinkers, and other colorful antiheroes, jerks, and evil doers from history all get their due in the short essays featured in these enlightening, informative books. Speaking Ill of the Dead: Jerks in Connecticut History features fifteen short biographies of nefarious characters, from Benedict Arnold to P.T. Barnum.
About the Author
Ray Bendici is associate editor at Connecticut Magazine, where he has covered the state in depth for over a decade, including through his monthly "Sunday Drive" and "Being There" columns. He also runs DamnedCT.com, which is dedicated to all that's odd, unexplained, unusual and curious in Connecticut.