This incisive psychological portrait of two young murderers seized the imagination of an era and is generally recognized as paving the way for the first nonfiction. With over one million copies sold since it was first printed, this incisive psychological portrait of two young murderers captured the imagination of an era from norman mailer to orson welles. See all books authored by meyer levin, including compulsion, and classic hassidic tales. This new edition of meyer levin s classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the century to a new generation. Author meyer levin 19051981 was a former classmate of the two killers, and he wrote this readable account some three decades after the crime occurred. Sep 21, 2012 meyer levin described compulsion 1956, his fictionalisation of the leopold and loeb murder trial, as a contemporary historical novel or a documentary novel. Choose from contactless same day delivery, drive up and more. The novel, for which levin was given a special edgar award by the mystery writers of america in 1957, was the basis for levin s own 1957 play adaptation and the 1959 film based on it, starring orson welles.
Marvellous tales of rabbi israel baal shem and of his greatgrandson, rabbi nachman, retold from hebrew, yiddish and german, and more on. In another sense too, the loebleopold case belongs more to the 50s than the 20s when it was a singular, and shocking. The author covered the trial as a cub reporter, and presciently recognized both the horror and the oddities of the crime. Fiction allowed levin to project himself inside the heads of the murderers leopold was still alive and in prison at the time, to explore elements in their behavior such as their homosexual tendencies not easily confronted at that time. The events contained in compulsion are based on a real case, thinly veiled into novel form, with names changed to protect the notsoinnocent. Judd is a weedy introvert, a genius who longs for a companion whom he. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read compulsion. This new edition of meyer levins classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the. This new edition of meyer levin s classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the. The improbable career of novelist meyer levin somehow saw him ensnarled in lawsuits with both anne franks father and nathan leopold, of leopold and loeb infamy. Levin first became known with the novel yehuda 1931.
Novelist meyer levin covered the leopoldloeb trial as a student reporter and, some 30 years later, returned to the subject and the reporter. Meyer levins sentimental fictional account of the 1924 leopoldloeb murder of bobby franks is a fascinating study of abnormal psychology. A former classmate of the killers at the university of chicago, the authors sympathetic treatment of leopold judd may have aided that probablepsychopaths parole in 1958 loeb was killed in prison in 1936. Compulsion by meyer levin 2015, trade paperback for sale. Mar 24, 2015 compulsion is based on the infamous leopold and loeb case, considered the crime of the century, in which a pair of privileged jewish university of chicago students killed a 14yearold boy in 1924 just to prove their intellectual superiority. Compulsion 9781531803568 by meyer levin and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. It begins with sid accidentally being drawn into the case of the kidnapped boy, and follows the story through what was called the trial of the century, when steiner and strauss parents paid for the best legal.
As levin indicates in his preface, the narrator, sid singer, is a standin for levin himself, just as arties straus and judd steiner are standins for richard loeb and. Compulsion is a 1956 crime novel by the american writer meyer levin. Paying close attention to historical detail, compulsion is a deftly crafted novel that documents author meyer levin as a particularly gifted storyteller that will keep his readers total engaged from beginning to end. Today, the novel reads more like what truman capote dubbed, and by his own account invented with in cold blood 1966, a nonfiction novel. Meyer levin described compulsion 1956, his fictionalisation of the leopold and loeb murder trial, as a contemporary historical novel or a. Obsessed with nietzsches idea of the superhuman, both boys decide to prove that they are above the laws of man by arbitrarily picking and murdering a jewish boy in their neighborhood. They celebrate their perfect crime in a nightclub, with their girlfriends and a fraternity brother, who happens to be a reporter. Meyer levin s sentimental fictional account of the 1924 leopoldloeb murder of bobby franks is a fascinating study of abnormal psychology. Compulsion forces us to ask what drives some further into darkness, and some to seek redemption. Compulsion by meyer levin this extraordinary book, a fictionalized narrative of 1924s crime of the century, first met the public eye in 1956, three decades after the murder, the trial, and the imprisonment of two young killers.
Nearly 60 years ago, meyer levin invented the true crime genre with compulsion. Meyer levin, american author of novels and nonfiction about the jewish people and israel. Mistral even decided to write this book in 1956 two years before they let one of the authors of the murder. Compulsion meyer levin the mid 1920s introduced americans to a new type of murder. This new edition of meyer levin s classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of. Compulsion levin novel, a 1956 novel by meyer levin and a 1957 adapted play by levin.
First edition of meyers highly successful dramatization of his 1956 novel about the 1920s leopoldloeb murder. Now, a new edition of levin s novel reminds us what compelled us to read about one of the 20th centurys. Author meyer levin was a reporter and fellow university of chicago student at the time. The world of the upper class chicago families is rendered in finestitched detail. In chicago in 1924, two brilliant university students, the sons of millionaires, kidnap a boy and kill him. Meyer levin books list of books by author meyer levin. It was this book that was the cause of the latter, as levin, who had been a classmate of the murderers, penned a notevenveiled fictional account of the case, which loeb objected to. This incisive psychological portrait of two young murderers seized the imagination of an era and is generally recognized as paving the way for the first nonfiction novel. Compulsion, a 2009 united kingdom television drama, inspired by the jacobean tragedy the changeling. This new edition of meyer levins classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the century to a new generation. Compulsion signet book by levin, meyer readable copy. Compulsion kellerman novel, an alex delaware novel by jonathan kellerman. Certain crimes seem to epitomize the thinking of their era and this is a documentary novel of the loebleopold case which brought into play the psychoanalytical point of view of our time, much as dreisers american tragedy represented the sociological view of his.
This work of fiction is based on the infamous crime of kidnapping and murder perpetrated by nathan leopold and richard loeb, two arrogant, wealthy jewish. In compulsion, originally published in 1956, meyer levin strives to answer a question that has lingered with him since the murder of 14yearold. Customers who bought this item also bought khirbet khizeh. Cardinal giant paperback 1957 by meyer levin and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The basis of the awardwinning film starring orson welles, compulsion gives a shocking fictionalized account of the leopoldloeb murder casein which two. In 1945 he wrote and produced the first palestinian feature film, my fathers house book, 1947, which tells of jews who are driven out of poland and. Artie is handsome, athletic, and popular, but he possesses a hidden, powerful sadistic streak and a desire to dominate. I like that levin wrote from the perspective of sid silver, a. Compulsion hutson novel, a 2002 horror novel by shaun hutson.
Preorder paperback april, 2015 there is a fine line between horror fiction and the fictionalized true crime novel. Compulsion by meyer levin meet your next favorite book. The film is based on the 1956 novel of the same name by meyer levin, which in turn was a fictionalized account of the leopold and loeb murder trial. In 1945 he wrote and produced the first palestinian feature film, my fathers house book, 1947, which tells of jews who are driven out of poland and reunite in palestine. When meyer levin 1905 81 published compulsionin 1956, more than three. The author covered the trial as a cub reporter, and presciently recognized both the horror and the oddities. The basis of the awardwinning film starring orson welles, compulsion gives a shocking fictionalized account of the leopoldloeb murder. Best sellers todays deals prime customer service home home improvement electronics new releases books gift ideas computers. Before in cold blood, before the executioners song, meyer levin s compulsion was the standardbearer for what we think of as the nonfiction novelthough this trial took place in 1924, the book raises issues pertaining to society and our justice systemsuch as popular biases. It was this book that was the cause of the latter, as levin, who had been a classmate of the murderers, penned a notevenveiled fictional account.
The avowed purpose of meyer levin s compulsion is to answer the anguished question of motivethe question which must have corroded the hearts and minds of the three families involved. Renaming the killers judd and artie, the author shows how these brilliant young collegians murdered a 14year neighbor for thrills, and to validate their warped sense of superiority as inspired by philosopher friedrich nietzsche. Set in the 1920s, it is inspired by the reallife leopold and loeb trial, and was a bestseller. Buy a cheap copy of compulsion by meyer levin 0786703199 9780786703197 a gently used book at a great low price. Murder of a young 14 year old boy was a case back in 1924. Certain crimes seem to epitomize the thinking of their era and this is a documentary novel of.
Apr 14, 2015 this new edition of meyer levins classic literary thriller compulsion reintroduces the fictionalized case of leopold and loeb once considered the crime of the century to a new generation. This incisive psychological portrait of two young murderers seized the imagination of an era and is generally recognized as paving the way for the. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Judd and artie crack under police interrogation, avoiding the death penalty only by a novel legal defense. Meyer levin has 40 books on goodreads with 5789 ratings. And ernest hemingway called levin s book citizens a fine american novel. Jul 11, 1981 meyer levin, the author of compulsion, a highly successful novel about the 1920s leopoldloeb murder case that was made into a play and film, as well as a score of books of fiction and. Click to read more about compulsion by meyer levin. A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition.
A reissue of meyer levins 1956 novel about the notorious leopold and loeb case captures the enduring power of. Meyer levin s compulsion is a fictionalized portrayal of the infamous case of leopold and loeb. Throughout his 60 years of professional work, levin was a constant innovator, reinventing himself and stretching his literary style with remarkable versatility. Revisiting the jewish crime of the century the forward. Fiction allowed levin to project himself inside the heads of the murderers leopold was still alive and in prison at the time, to. Compulsion is a 1959 american crime drama film directed by richard fleischer.
Meyer wrote the 1956 novel compulsion, inspired by the leopold and loeb case. Norman mailer referred to him as one of the best american writers working in the realistic tradition. Meyer levin, born october 8, 1905, chicago, illinois, u. Meyer levins compulsion is considered the founding classic of the genre of the fictionalized true crime novel, popularized by truman capotes in cold blood. Based on the leopold and loeb case of 1924 once considered the crime of the 20 th century meyer levins compulsion presents both an. Compulsion meyer levin s astonishingly good novel is a period piece twice over compulsion is smartly structured to maximize suspense, and the book s title is descriptive of the urge a reader feels to keep turning pages. Compulsion is narrated by reporter sid silver, who is a fictionalized version of author meyer levin, who actually knew leopold and loeb. Zanuck although the principal roles are played by dean stockwell and bradford dillman, top billing went to orson welles.
The horrific murder in 1924 of 14yearold bobby franks in chicago by nathan leopold. Tracing of a pair of glasses dropped at the scene of the crime leads the reporter to an interrogation of the two supermen in a catandmouse scene, in. Meyer levin 19051981 wrote novels, plays, and the israel haggadah for passover still in use and in print for over 40 years. In compulsion, originally published in 1956, meyer levin strives to answer a question that has lingered with him since the murder of 14yearold robert franks in 1924.
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