Helpful Score: 15
The money from the sale of this book goes to the Goldman family, as their award for in their wrongful death suit against OJ. The Goldmans own the rights to this book. OJ won't see a dime.
Anyway, an interesting read, and depending on where you stand on the issue of his guilt in the crime it may open your eyes a bit and see just what an arrogant killer he is. He basically feels she got what she deserved. If you're into true crime and criminal law, you'll be interested in this account/confession.
Anyway, an interesting read, and depending on where you stand on the issue of his guilt in the crime it may open your eyes a bit and see just what an arrogant killer he is. He basically feels she got what she deserved. If you're into true crime and criminal law, you'll be interested in this account/confession.
Helpful Score: 8
I borrowed this book from the library- couldn't see spending the money. Reading this book confirms my belief that O.J. is an idoit. It's not complicated to read - no big words. It's hard to believe he had the audacity to write such a thing. It seems there was more in the acknowledgements, prologue, afterword and resources than in the actual text of the book. It's not for everyone, but if you're curious go ahead and read it. We all know how the story ends and it's easy to read. I especially like the way the title is written on the cover: "if" is in tiny, tiny print.. you don't really notice it unless you look. Good luck to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice. All victims deserve justice.
Helpful Score: 8
I have been haunted by these murders since they were committed in 1994. There was never any doubt that I'd read this book; I just had to. That said, I wish I hadn't. It was a complete waste of time. The prologue is very interesting and much more worthwhile than the meat of the book. OJ may or may not have done it with or without an accomplice, but Nicole was a promiscuous drug addict who had it coming. That's more or less the gist of the whole thing.
If you're like me, you'll read this book regardless of the reviews. If you aren't, you probably don't want to waste your time or your credit.
If you're like me, you'll read this book regardless of the reviews. If you aren't, you probably don't want to waste your time or your credit.
Helpful Score: 3
This book can only be critiqued each part at a time, since each contributor's style is so different.
[The introduction]
One can understand why the Goldman's reason for wanting to explain why they allowed the book to be published after they had so violently opposed it. One can only try to understand their anger & frustration of their son being brutally murdered, & injustice of having the killer walk free. But why they chose to express their anger in such venomous language used in the introduction to the book is difficult to understand. It took away from focusing on the facts, their explanation, & unfortunately, to some extent, sympathy for them. To have someone close to you die, especially in the prime of their life hurts, but by adding hate one is hurting themselves even more.
In Dunne's afterword he expresses admiration for Fred Goldman & âhow articulate he was when he stood before the news cameras.â It is too bad that it did not carry over to the written word.
[The prologue]
The prologue is very well written, perhaps the best written part of the book. The editor even states that he did not even believe that O.J was innocent based on how he had stated certain things or reacted to certain questions while his story was being taped. But one cannot help but wonder what would have been said if the editor had been one of the few that had not believed O.J Simpson was guilty, especially if they were to change their mind after hearing the confession. How much more interesting would that have been?
[The Confession]
For someone who was supposed to be considered a sports hero at one time, he sure whines a lot about how his marriage was, & how much Nicole was to blame for the marriage not having worked out better. In most relationships it seems that the one doing the most complaining is the one that has the least to complain about. Of course, there are always two sides to a story, & we can never know Nicole's side of it since little has been revealed besides the 911 calls.
In Oscar Wilde's "De Profundis", he wrote: "Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation, and conversation must have a common basis, and between two people of widely different culture the only common basis possible is the lowest level.â Being from two different cultures, experiences, & different stages of life, the marriage of O.J & Nicole could have only have been on that âlowest levelâ which ultimately brings despair &/or destruction to both people. None of this is discussed in the book, however. Their relationship is only described as âgreatâ, âfineâ, or âbadâ. âGreatâ, or âfineâ, when everything went smooth, & âbadâ when things did not go as he wished. Almost every page states a complaint about her moodiness, but based on the language Simpson uses to describe the incidents it is difficult to believe that he had not contributed to bring it about in any way. The best example of this takes place the night of the murder. He automatically assumes Goldman is there for a lover's tryst, rather than just to return some glasses. She could just as easily been waiting for someone else to visit, & Goldman might just as easily been there to just return the glasses before her actual date arrived. Who would know? How much of âCharlie'sâ talk could have been just hearsay? What woman hasn't had the same stories told about her before she even lost her virginity? Leora Tanenbaum's best-selling book is based on the subject, & expresses it best that âIt's amazing but true: Even today a common way to damage a woman's credibility is to call her a slut.â
Not only was this part disappointing for the reasons stated above, it was also disappointing due to the lack of details involving the actual murder After all, in a confession that is to be expected. But Simpson claims to have âblacked outâ during the killing. Even though the book is viewed as his confession, perhaps he was afraid to bring something up that had happened but highly publicized?
[The afterword]
This is Dunne's brief reflection on his job &his interaction with the bereaved during the time of the trial. Having been through similar experiences himself, he was able to be one of the few media people that could [to some extent] comfort, rather than aggravate their grief.
[The introduction]
One can understand why the Goldman's reason for wanting to explain why they allowed the book to be published after they had so violently opposed it. One can only try to understand their anger & frustration of their son being brutally murdered, & injustice of having the killer walk free. But why they chose to express their anger in such venomous language used in the introduction to the book is difficult to understand. It took away from focusing on the facts, their explanation, & unfortunately, to some extent, sympathy for them. To have someone close to you die, especially in the prime of their life hurts, but by adding hate one is hurting themselves even more.
In Dunne's afterword he expresses admiration for Fred Goldman & âhow articulate he was when he stood before the news cameras.â It is too bad that it did not carry over to the written word.
[The prologue]
The prologue is very well written, perhaps the best written part of the book. The editor even states that he did not even believe that O.J was innocent based on how he had stated certain things or reacted to certain questions while his story was being taped. But one cannot help but wonder what would have been said if the editor had been one of the few that had not believed O.J Simpson was guilty, especially if they were to change their mind after hearing the confession. How much more interesting would that have been?
[The Confession]
For someone who was supposed to be considered a sports hero at one time, he sure whines a lot about how his marriage was, & how much Nicole was to blame for the marriage not having worked out better. In most relationships it seems that the one doing the most complaining is the one that has the least to complain about. Of course, there are always two sides to a story, & we can never know Nicole's side of it since little has been revealed besides the 911 calls.
In Oscar Wilde's "De Profundis", he wrote: "Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation, and conversation must have a common basis, and between two people of widely different culture the only common basis possible is the lowest level.â Being from two different cultures, experiences, & different stages of life, the marriage of O.J & Nicole could have only have been on that âlowest levelâ which ultimately brings despair &/or destruction to both people. None of this is discussed in the book, however. Their relationship is only described as âgreatâ, âfineâ, or âbadâ. âGreatâ, or âfineâ, when everything went smooth, & âbadâ when things did not go as he wished. Almost every page states a complaint about her moodiness, but based on the language Simpson uses to describe the incidents it is difficult to believe that he had not contributed to bring it about in any way. The best example of this takes place the night of the murder. He automatically assumes Goldman is there for a lover's tryst, rather than just to return some glasses. She could just as easily been waiting for someone else to visit, & Goldman might just as easily been there to just return the glasses before her actual date arrived. Who would know? How much of âCharlie'sâ talk could have been just hearsay? What woman hasn't had the same stories told about her before she even lost her virginity? Leora Tanenbaum's best-selling book is based on the subject, & expresses it best that âIt's amazing but true: Even today a common way to damage a woman's credibility is to call her a slut.â
Not only was this part disappointing for the reasons stated above, it was also disappointing due to the lack of details involving the actual murder After all, in a confession that is to be expected. But Simpson claims to have âblacked outâ during the killing. Even though the book is viewed as his confession, perhaps he was afraid to bring something up that had happened but highly publicized?
[The afterword]
This is Dunne's brief reflection on his job &his interaction with the bereaved during the time of the trial. Having been through similar experiences himself, he was able to be one of the few media people that could [to some extent] comfort, rather than aggravate their grief.
Shelley M. (shelleylmb) - , reviewed If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Great book, no matter where you stand on his guilt or innocence. OJ seems to be blaming the whole incidents of that night and leading up to that night on Nicole, never taking responsibility that HE in fact may be the problem in their relationship. It does not give a very flattering image of Nicole, nor her family. I wasn't happy about all of the cussing and such, but I guess in heats of passion that is what happens.
