THREE LIVES FOR MISSISSIPPI

by William Bradford Huie ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 17, 1965

Huie, an injustice collector and prosecutor of a good many flagrant cases (Private Slovik, Mamie Stover, Ruby McCollum and Emmett Till)was asked by the New York Herald Tribune to follow up on the murders of Mickey Schwerner, James Chaney and Andy Goodman (where the material here is now running). Huie prefaces their story with the ""cutting"" (castration) of a Negro by some restive Klansmen in 1957, and the release of the offenders by Wallace in 1963. This is by way of high (or low) lighting the ambience of terrorism which prevailed in Mississippi at the time the ""little Auschwitz"" took place there. Most of this book, which will not enlighten the more informed reader who has kept up with the newspaper coverage, gives the background on the case and those involved: Huie interviewed all those who knew Mickey Schwerner (he was the only real target), those he worked for and with, his wife,' and the families of all concerned. One can question the credentials of some of seemingly fictional insets-- i.e. after committing the crime, the offenders ""were met by an official of the state of Mississippi"" who (by the way, who?) said ""Well, boys... you've done a good job.... But before you go, I'm looking each one of you in the eye and telling you this: the first man who talks is dead'"" This of course does contribute to the readability quotient here and certainly the headline-byline factors will be appreciable. Huie is not one to denature sensational values of any case he has written up, but then, even if it is read for the wrong reasons, it gives the right ones. The publishers say ""bestseller-dom guaranteed.

Pub Date: May 17, 1965

ISBN: 1578062470

Page Count: -

Publisher: Trident

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1965

Categories: NONFICTION