The AZ of Punishment and Torture Author:Irene Thompson "Splendidly written and illustrated a gruesome but enjoyable journey through the history of pain and punishment. I was hooked from A to Z." — - Endorsement from James Herbert — Who are the Maccabees? A modern pop combo, or a mother and her seven sons who suffered racking, skinning, burning, amputation and having a tongue pulled out and fried? The ... more »A to Z of Punishment and Torture is fascinating social history providing a wealth of weird folklore, such as the power of the hanged man's hand; astounding tales, like Mary Hamilton, the cross-dressing 14-times bigamist; and more recent outrages, such as the use of squassation at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Man's inhumanity to man continues, tragically, to know no bounds, yet the survivors' tales are heroic and legion. And who can resist a smirk at the knowledge that young Tony Blair received six of the best at his posh private school?« less