And, while I revelled in the evocation of Italy and Italians, I wondered how non-native speakers or anyone with no Italian language would find reading the book as it is liberally peppered with Italian words, phrases and even conversation. Perhaps no event in history, therefore, better confirms that very difficult warning embedded in a German proverb that captures the meaning I hope readers will take away from this book: Webret den Anfngen, Beware the beginnings.. The point here is to illustrate how deeply irrational was their obsession with the Jewsirrational to the point of diverting resources from their war effort to the program of systematic persecution and genocide. Many, many reviewers had the same feelings I did about this bloody series. New qualitative research sheds light on key dynamics, motivations, and outcomes. I really love the style of writing of Mrs George, hence my 4 stars. Many Nazi officials were simply opportunists who put their own career advancement ahead of any reservations they may have had about being a cog in the vast killing machine, and they likely found ways to rationalize and mentally compartmentalize what they were doing. Songbird By: Peter Grainger Publisher's Summary Barbara Havers puts her career on the line while DI Thomas Lynley attempts to straighten her out before it's too late. Your email address will not be published. It can certainly seem that malice is endemic to humans. But it is important to keep sight of the fact that much of the noise is produced by a loudmouthed know-nothing minority (many of whom are convinced that they are doing society a great service in combatting what they believe are malevolent conspiracies, while greatly overestimating their simplistic understanding of highly complex issues). Throughout this very long book (over 700 pages), I kept thinking it could go for a whole season on the BBC! The footnotes include, for example, quotes by Heinrich Himmlera foremost architect of the holocaust, explaining and justifying his own motivations. More and more, that includes restraining violence, which is mostly disruptive to the smooth inner functioning of cultural systems. Ms. George's need to show us all her worldliness and sophistication is pathetic. While on the surface, it appears as if Hadiyyahs kidnapping is the result of a shady deal gone wrong, Lynley, and his wonderful Italian counterpart, the beautifully drawn Inspector Savatore lo Bianco, soon discover that the culprit is much closer than they think. Biological and cultural evolution have conferred many brakes on violence and malice, and have favored cooperation and even compassion. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Adolf Hitler speaking at the Kroll Opera House to Reichstag members about war in the Pacific, December 11, 1941, Source: On Wikimedia Commons / Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-1987-0703-507 / Unbekannt / CC-BY-SA 3.0. Tags: Barabra Havers, crime, Elizabeth George, England, Inspectory Lynley, Italy, Just One Evil Act, Copyright Karen Brooks 2022 powered by Fastdot Hosting. A Traitor to Memory (2001) In a Meaningless Universe, Where Does Meaning Come From? Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George follows up where Believing the Lie left off with Taymullah Azhar looking for his missing daughter Hadiyyyah. Elizabeth George is a brilliant teller of tales. Hitler seems to have been a true believer in his crazy theories about a global Jewish conspiracy and about the Jews having been responsible for Germanys defeat in WWI and economic woes. It was uncompromisingly solved after orders and rational recognition. Cameron Perrelli was attending a party . He is speaking of the psychological strain that the extermination program puts on those carrying it out. [Prfer K, Munch K, Hellmann I, et al. -- communities / neighborhoods lower in socio-economic status, disadvantaged, under-educated or under-employed. But, Jeez, Barbara Havers is a walking disaster area. Just One Evil Act: A Lynley Novel: George, Elizabeth: 9780451467843: Amazon.com: Books Books Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Mystery Try Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery Buy new: $15.12 List Price: $18.00 Details Save: $2.88 (16%) Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns An especially malevolent combination of overlapping traits that has gained recognition in the psychological literature in the last couple of decades is the so-called dark triad, marked by narcissism (characterized by egocentrism), Machiavellianism (exploitativeness) and psychopathy (lack of empathy). Awareness of your own feelings and your partner's feelings are the keys to a healthy relationship. Only some violence is premeditated, calculated, or predatory (proactive aggression). I read many of Elizabeth Georges books a few years ago and the last year I began watching the Inspector Lynley TV shows. Evil villains in Hollywood movies aside, Baumeister notes that most people who do evil do not think of themselves as doing evil [], most of them regard themselves as good people who are trying to defend themselves as the good guys fighting against the forces of evil. https://doi.org/10.1037/13091-020. I have not even mentioned Barbara yet who, in this book, goes to lengths of incredulity, the Havers of earlier books would never have dreamt of, I miss the old Havers. Barbara gets involved though it is not her job, even finding a private investigator, and turns out the girl is with her mother in Italy - but is then kidnapped from her mother's care. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Get help and learn more about the design. I'm hoping for a really satisfying and complex Elizabeth George mystery that takes the combined efforts and intelligence of these two detectives focused completely on the crime or crimes at hand without all the personal baggage and selfish pursuits. David Livingston Smith in his books Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave, and Exterminate Others (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2011) and On Inhumanity: Dehumanization and How to Resist It (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), provides an in-depth analysis of dehumanization. Distraught and angry at being left in London, Havers soon turns her fury into purpose but, as she closes in on the truth, her job and reputation dont only go on the line, but look set to be destroyed once and for all. (To be clear: while humans have far better control of reactive aggressive impulses compared with other primates, most individual acts of human violence are still reactive rather than proactive). And, throughout her increasingly astonishing stupidity, Lynley is allowing it to continue with cautionary and watchful eyes. Why is evil not more prevalent than it is? It didn't seem premeditated, it didn't seem like it was something he did intentionally," John Diffenderfer said. Violence has in fact been declining in human societies. Explaining the Holocaust (New York: W. W. Norton, 2017), p. 326: Why murder and with these means? It ought to be reconceptualized as a common set of traitstraits that are fundamental to human functioningrather than just one among many kinds of psychiatric disorders. During her efforts to help Azhar, Barbara takes herself off to Italy and this is where the book picks up extra points for me making it four stars instead of three. Nazi propaganda dehumanized Jews by labeling them as subhuman vermin, pollution, a pathogen, or a malignant presence. 4-stars from me. etc. As Michael Berenbaum, project director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum puts it: The killers were civilized men and women of an advanced culture. When he's not pursuing his roller derby crush, he attempts to pull Barbara's burning bacon out of the fire, and works to help solve the kidnapping and bring about the rescue of Hadiyyah. Wrangham makes it clear that this theory is not an endorsement of capital punishment in modern society. He has no legal claim. This book is most definitey a story about Barbara Havers and her madcap way of policing. somewhere in between classic pair-bonding species and tournament species tournament species are those in which males compete to mate with the most females). The book takes us from London to Italy and back again, and it is a story about love, betrayal, obsession, kidnapping and murder. "Starred Review. So many things were good about this book but some were frustrating and disappointing as well. Playing for the Ashes (1993) For the most part, as always, I really enjoyed Barbara. Payment In Blood (1989) He has no legal claim. It is important to understand that irrational beliefs exist on a continuum, with psychosis existing at one end of that continuum. There were a number of times I could feel my eyes glossing over with the repetitive nature of much of the storytelling like the far too numerous interactions Barbara had with the annoying reporter and the equally annoying private detective and his tech expert. Baumeister makes the point that while instrumental violence often achieves its goals in the short-term, it is very often an unsuccessful strategy in the long-termboth at the level of criminal or violent individuals and at the level of violent groups, such as terrorist organizations and (arguably) even warring nation-states. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, wrote in his diary in March 1942: A judgment is being carried out on the Jews which is barbaric but thoroughly deserved." Its not her desperation to help Taymullah at all costs, or that she makes some silly decisions that irks, its the fact that she not only puts her trust in someone who clearly demonstrates they are less than worthy, but that she also fails to share important information and confidences with her partner Lynley that somehow doesnt ring truenot after all theyve been through together. She said to him, Sir. This is a must for fans of this series. A few of the obvious factors contributing to violence and crime: -- countries with weak or corrupt systems of government and law enforcement, where criminals are seen to act with impunity. -- communities whose social fabric has been badly damaged by long histories of collective trauma, oppression and discrimination. But it was a major commitment of time to read, and it could well have been broken up into several books! The anthropologist Christopher Boehm also proposed this hypothesis in his book Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame (New York: Basic Books, 2012). For its due to Havers impulsive behaviour that New Scotland Yard is put on the case of the English child missing in Italy. 6th Nov 2013 Book Review: Just One Evil Act by Elizabeth George I was so excited when this book came out, I dropped all others I was either reading or about to in order to lose myself in the world of Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner in crime, Sergeant Barbara Havers. She works best when she works with Lynley and they haven't worked really together since Helen's murder. By miles, it's the worst in the series--which I really liked very much (up to this point). Bonobos are generally far less violent, more sexual, and also capable of high levels of cooperative behavior. It wouldnt surprise me if they didnt since thats typical Barbara. Or more specifically, that Barbara will see more of him in future books. Definitely NOT a fashion-plate. Just One Evil Act (2013), Your email address will not be published. However, while I cannot say there wasnt a high level of frustration with Detective Sergeant Havers for herdamning behaviour in this story, I did understand her actions were due to her feelings for her neighbour, Taymalluh Azhar and his daughter, Hadiyyah. Just $45 for 12 months or 2. And while I've always been frustrated by frumpy, stubborn Barbara, she also displays even more than her usual grit and courage, and picks up a surprising admirer while in Italy (although it's doubtful anything can come of that, but maybe). 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