Snowtown

[Dissident]

Ok, now that I have your attention. Actually, ummm yeah, this IS about Snowtown.

I just wandered down to Borders in my break and bought Jeremy Pudney's book "Snowtown" which, as the title suggests, is about the Bodies in the blah blah - no need to explain.

Anyway, read the first five chapters, excellent read for anyone who might be interested in the story behind the "story" - the history, the relationships, the reasons, the money.. There's colour photos twice in the book, a graph that shows how everyone knew each other and in depth information.

It's fun reading at night before sleeping, inducing nightmares =)

I know a fair bit about the case as I've worked close to the DPP in the last few years though it's hard to put all that information together. Reading this book is great way to get the entire story (or at least Jeremy's view)



Another great book I bought a year ago and read - Ben Elton - "Past Mortem". Couldn't put it down.

[Magpiespower]

There's a few books about 'Snowtown' out at the moment - Jermey Pudney's. Susan Mitchell's woeful 'All Things Bright and Beautiful,' and another by Andrew McGarrie.

And they come hot on the heels of Bob O'Brien's 'Young Blood.'

Having read Pudney's book, I found the events leading up to the murders far more interesting -it's a bit like 'Sins of the Brother' in that respect. The Milat family is 'interesting' to say the least.

Just finished reading Peter Farrelly's 'The Comedy Writer.'

Yes, that Peter Farrelly of Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary fame.

Genuinely funny, as you'd expect, but surprisingly touching.

Makes me wonder why they haven't made it into a film? Perhaps too close to the material? Who knows? Anyway, it's well worth a read.

[Pseudo]

Another great book I bought a year ago and read - Ben Elton - "Past Mortem". Couldn't put it down.

Agreed. It's a bit fluffy - not fine literature by any stretch of the imagination - but thoroughly occupying. I also liked Ben Elton's "Dead Famous", where one of the Big Brother contestants gets murdered on camera. If only real life would imitate art!

Currently forging through Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations". John Fowles (who passed away a matter of weeks ago, RIP) cited this book as a possible unconscious inspiration for "The Magus", which I thought was great, so I thought I'd enjoy it. So far so good...

[Dissident]

There's a few books about 'Snowtown' out at the moment - Jermey Pudney's. Susan Mitchell's woeful 'All Things Bright and Beautiful,' and another by Andrew McGarrie.

And they come hot on the heels of Bob O'Brien's 'Young Blood.'

Having read Pudney's book, I found the events leading up to the murders far more interesting -it's a bit like 'Sins of the Brother' in that respect. The Milat family is 'interesting' to say the least.

Just finished reading Peter Farrelly's 'The Comedy Writer.'

Yes, that Peter Farrelly of Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary fame.

Genuinely funny, as you'd expect, but surprisingly touching.

Makes me wonder why they haven't made it into a film? Perhaps too close to the material? Who knows? Anyway, it's well worth a read.

The lady at Borders mentioned Susan Mitchell's effort as "some facts, surrounded by name dropping and latte drinking". She said to steer clear of it, and also mentioned that Young Blood is a great read.

Scary thing is, I've actually seen a picture a body IN the bank...

[Dissident]

Another great book I bought a year ago and read - Ben Elton - "Past Mortem". Couldn't put it down.

Agreed. It's a bit fluffy - not fine literature by any stretch of the imagination - but thoroughly occupying. I also liked Ben Elton's "Dead Famous", where one of the Big Brother contestants gets murdered on camera. If only real life would imitate art!

Currently forging through Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations". John Fowles (who passed away a matter of weeks ago, RIP) cited this book as a possible unconscious inspiration for "The Magus", which I thought was great, so I thought I'd enjoy it. So far so good...

Fluffy - in a way... I know what you mean. But I've always loved Ben Elton from his TV writing to Book writing - I read Stark and Gridlock when they first came out. I want to read Dead Famous next. I read Past Mortem on my bus rides along the O-Bahn each morning - and I hated it when the trip ended.

[godoubleblues]

Another great book I bought a year ago and read - Ben Elton - "Past Mortem". Couldn't put it down.

Agreed. It's a bit fluffy - not fine literature by any stretch of the imagination - but thoroughly occupying. I also liked Ben Elton's "Dead Famous", where one of the Big Brother contestants gets murdered on camera. If only real life would imitate art!

Currently forging through Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations". John Fowles (who passed away a matter of weeks ago, RIP) cited this book as a possible unconscious inspiration for "The Magus", which I thought was great, so I thought I'd enjoy it. So far so good...

Fluffy - in a way... I know what you mean. But I've always loved Ben Elton from his TV writing to Book writing - I read Stark and Gridlock when they first came out. I want to read Dead Famous next. I read Past Mortem on my bus rides along the O-Bahn each morning - and I hated it when the trip ended.

I enjoyed Past Mortem, and I couldnt put it down either (the sex scene in the kitchen ), currently reading his latest, The First Casualty, set during World War 1, different from his others but a good read anyway

[Dissident]

I enjoyed Past Mortem, and I couldnt put it down either (the sex scene in the kitchen ), currently reading his latest, The First Casualty, set during World War 1, different from his others but a good read anyway

I am tempted to get The First Casualty... I can tell it would be different - so it's a good read ?

[godoubleblues]

I enjoyed Past Mortem, and I couldnt put it down either (the sex scene in the kitchen ), currently reading his latest, The First Casualty, set during World War 1, different from his others but a good read anyway

I am tempted to get The First Casualty... I can tell it would be different - so it's a good read ?

I am enjoying it so far, about a third of the way through
I picked it up at Borders about 2 weeks ago for $20

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

The lady at Borders mentioned Susan Mitchell's effort as "some facts, surrounded by name dropping and latte drinking". She said to steer clear of it, and also mentioned that Young Blood is a great read.

Isnt she the one who thinks the Snowtown murders happened at the Elizabeth City Centre Clock tower? and wrote about it in the Advertiser or Sunday Mail a while ago?

[Magpiespower]

The lady at Borders mentioned Susan Mitchell's effort as "some facts, surrounded by name dropping and latte drinking". She said to steer clear of it, and also mentioned that Young Blood is a great read.

It's a bit like an episode of CSI.

Isnt she the one who thinks the Snowtown murders happened at the Elizabeth City Centre Clock tower? and wrote about it in the Advertiser or Sunday Mail a while ago?

The woman is a complete idiot.

She trumpeted her book as 'Midnight in the Garden of God and Evil' in Adelaide.

(She wishes.)

Instead, what we get is a lot of 'fabulous' dinner parties with your classic chardonnay Adelaide wankers.

Funniest part of the book is when she tries to analyse why the northern suburbs is fertile ground for such a warped sub-culture.

Then in the same breath she admits that 'I've never known anyone from Elizabeth.'

How's that for investigative journalism?

[mrjbeam1981]

on books. i am reading an unofficial autobiography on Rupert Murdoch written by Neil Chenoweth. and on murder books i am also reading about the murder of that little beauty queen jo-benet something or other...

[zipzap]

I used to teach Bunting's kid. Sad....

As for Ben Elton I lost touch with him after he sold out and began writing musicals about Queen and appearing on Parky every 2 weeks. Amazing to think he was once mentioned in the same sentence as 'anarchy' and 'anti-establishment'. Hypocrite! It's as if with the fall of the Tories he had nothing else to rail against and give him inspiration. What about "If the kids are united we'll never be divided!" (Nosin' Aroun', Nosin' Aroun', Nosin' Aroun'...)

His books all have interesting ideas but are virtually identical, in the same way Stephen King books have interesting ideas but are virtually identical. And don't get me started on Dr Seuss (who jumped the shark after 'Hop On Pop').

[Dissident]

Sad that you taught his kid ? Or sad that he had one.
From memory, that was years ago - just as he moved to Adelaide. I don't think he even knows his kid.

As for Elton - people change - I know I don't think the same, write the same, paint the same, talk the same over many years... funny how we expect famous people to live in a time capsule.

[zipzap]

Sad that you taught his kid ? Or sad that he had one.
From memory, that was years ago - just as he moved to Adelaide. I don't think he even knows his kid.

As for Elton - people change - I know I don't think the same, write the same, paint the same, talk the same over many years... funny how we expect famous people to live in a time capsule.

I guess so, but when you're really outspoken and passionate about lots of things and then become what you once despised then it's a bit weak IMO.

As for Bunting, it wasn't Adelaide but a semi rural town just out of Adelaide. Lovely kid but really mixed up in a major way - that's the part that is sad. Only was told who it was after I had left the school a while later when the Snowtown news broke.

[Dissident]

As for Bunting, it wasn't Adelaide but a semi rural town just out of Adelaide. Lovely kid but really mixed up in a major way - that's the part that is sad. Only was told who it was after I had left the school a while later when the Snowtown news broke.

Murray Bridge ?

[zipzap]

Yup

[Rik E Boy]

REB's Review

Just finishing reading Snowtown by Jeremey Pudney. The book starts off with the usual how charming is Adelaide intro and the inevitable mentions of Truro, Dunkin Duncan and the Family murders. It has a similar 'journalistic' style as the book Young Blood (which is not surprising as Pudney is a journalist) in other words to the point with a minimum of descriptive narrative that suits the genre.

For anyone who wants to know more about the Snowtown murders this book is a must. There is a high level of detail on the crimes themsevles and the judicial process that followed, and even describes part of what now constitutes Bunting and co's daily routine..something that is quite often neglected when the story of the crime is told by a third party.

The book comes with two photo inserts although these offer nothing new to anyone who read The Adverstiser at the times the crimes were prominent in the SA media. The part of the book that could have been done better would have been to put more research into the lives of both perpetrators and victims. There is not one figure in the book who has not had a wretched life that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Even though this is covered in the book, the background of the people involved and the pshycological impact of those events are important to put the gruesome events into context and could have been done a little more thoroughly.

Snowtown is an easy to read book and an excellent addition to your true crime library. REB's rating 8/10.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

On February 22nd, Crime and Investigation channel breaks with tradition and highlights a murder outside of NSW. 'Snowtown (B.I.T.B)' is on this week and should be a good view for those with Fox.

regards,

REB

[Dogwatcher]

I've read Susan Mitchell's book and also Andrew McGarrie's.

McGarrie's was by far the better read. Mitchell's was an absolute disgrace how she thought she was writing a useful addition to this story I don't know.

The woman's theories on what produced the minds behind this evil are terrible. Branding the northern suburbs a cesspit in her own way, and then telling us she's never known anyone from there is a disgrace. It was almost a work of fiction - as there was no in depth research other than with her upper class mates. BTW Susan - Bevan Spencer von Einem and his mates didn't exactly come from impoverished backgrounds did they?

I've also read the Young Blood book - very interesting.

Will be interesting to see what Jeremy Pudney's come up with (a former writer for the Northern Messenger and colleague of one of my best mates).

Footnote to my rant:

The father of a friend of mine was actually the last bank manager to live in the Snowtown bank.
They dug in the backyard of the house behind my parents for evidence during the investigation.
I used to walk/drive past the Salisbury North house on Waterloo Corner Road regularly on the way to my grandparents' place.

I feel personally about what happened - because of those tenuous connections, and because I'm certain that at some point in my teenage years when I was in the Elizabeth Shopping Centre or Parabanks, I could have walked past any of those people. I may have even known people that were involved in the whole tragic story.
It's scary to read descriptions of streets you know so well and the things that happened in those homes.

[Dissident]

REB:

Yup, I noticed that a while ago. I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary, but I hope it's not broad and vague. I know a fair bit about the case (more than most!) and have seen things most haven't. Hopefully it's not glossed over like some I have seen.