Picture
Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story – Shana Hogan (St. Martin’s Press)
What is it
about some stories that capture the imagination of television viewers in this
country? People go missing everyday and their story doesn’t generate the kind
of press attention over the long haul that the Natalie Holloway case had for so
long. Jon Benet Ramsey was sadly just another child on an all too long list of
murdered children, yet her story remained in heavy rotation on news programs.
The latest
entry into the media coverage bonanza sweepstakes is the murder trial of Jodi
Arias. The 24 hours news channels served up heaping helpings of non-stop
coverage of this pretty little bleach blonde who suddenly became the mousy
little brunette when she was accused of murdering her estranged boyfriend
Travis Alexander.
To be honest,
just like the other cases I mentioned, I could not have cared less about this
case and the non-stop trial coverage. You can add this case to the list that
includes murderer Scott Peterson; murderer Drew Peterson; adulterer Tiger Woods
and so many others. I can’t quite put my finger on what draws people like flies
to honey and generates a level of interest in the American public. With so many
other real issues and real stories that we should be concerned about, it all
strikes me as just another distraction for the romance novel reading, 50 Shades
of Gray, loving, nitwits who voted for Obama…twice.
So I guess I
am not surprised that there is a cottage industry of books, often best sellers
that pop up around these cases. The painfully annoying Jane Velez Mitchell (the
70s called, they want their shag haircut back) of HLN who supplied much of the
wall to wall coverage is out with Exposed:
The Secret Life of Jodi Arias, which like all books of this ilk lays claim
to having never before heard or seen “bombshells” and insider details.
Same holds
true for Arizona based journalist Shanna Hogan’s Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story. While admittedly I gave both
of these books a quick thumb through read, I’d say Hogan’s background as a print
journalist gave her the edge on stringing together a more coherent version of
the story. Mitchell, true to her HLN show, seems more hell bent on inserting
herself into the story.
Has far as
the bombshells? You got me. Having not spent even one minute watching the night
and day coverage of the trial I don’t know what the latest and greatest break
through bits might be. My best guess is that neither of these tomes really
break any new ground and tend towards rehashing the facts laid out at trial
with a healthy dose of speculation thrown in for good measure.
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