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The Sleep of Reason

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The Sleep of Reason

By: David James Smith
Narrated by: Ronnie Leek
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About this listen

Friday, 12th February, 1993. Two outwardly unremarkable 10-year-old boys began the day by playing truant and ended it running an errand for the local video shop. In between they abducted and killed a two-year-old boy, James Bulger. In search of an explanation, award-winning journalist David James Smith looks behind the misinformation, misunderstanding and sensational reporting to an exact account of the events of that day.

A sensitive and definitive account, The Sleep of Reason achieves a unique understanding of the James Bulger case, and comes as close as may ever be possible to explaining how two 10-year-olds could kill.

©2017 David James Smith (P)2020 Audible, Ltd Murder True Crime Crime Scary

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All stars
Most relevant  
very well put together, balanced and factual. Tackled the issue with respect. I listened to it in short bits which helped processed what had been said

in-depth and balanced

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Highly recommended. Although we will never be able to understand why little James suffered so horrifically, this full on account views all sides. Devoid of all the sensationalism and associations to desensisation from horror videos. Back to the bare bones of sociological and economical effects on both nurture and nature.

Looking from the other side.

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I felt this book slightly lent towards the murderers point of view, rather than James as family.

Heartbreaking

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very well read, and hugely informative.
Thankfully expelled all the myths surrounding this case.
A compulsive listen.

Very intriguing account of a heinous crime

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Very good lots details sad off course but very interesting rip poor james humans are the worst kind

Very sad

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I thought I knew about the Bulger case until Iheard this audio book.
Some really gruesome and upsetting details but an overall respectful analysis.
My one criticism of the narration is that, at times, the narrator uses a bouncy, chirpy manner of speaking that you might hear reading a child's story book while describing awful facts.

The outcome in the last chapter shows just how the deterioration of family life can damage a child.

Gruesome

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I found this book to be really interesting. It went really in depth into the events, but with more focus on the two perpetrators rather than young James, although some background is covered about him too.

You might want to space it out over a few days, like I did, because the subject matter is pretty intense.

Narration is also top notch.

A fascination, sad, disturbing read..

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Great book, hard not to become emotional listening to it. Will now move on to the book written by James Bulgers mum ‘I let him go’

Heartbreaking

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brilliant listen. what a great insight into a horrible case. must listen too. had me gripped from start to finish

gripping

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The James Bulger case shocked the world, and it is easy to overload it with emotive and judgmental language which it hardly needs. This author resists that, telling in a very procedural way the simple facts of the case and the testimony given in court. The first edition, published only a year after the case, stopped there - this updated edition includes a final chapter in which he adds his conclusions about the upbringing of the perpetrators, and how it bore upon their actions. I'm not sure that this reflective chapter adds anything, as the simple facts of the case are compelling and heartbreaking enough.

Clear, unemotive telling of a shocking case

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