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Vulgar Favors
Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History | Maureen Orth
15 posts | 8 read | 8 to read
The inspiration for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the second season of FXs Emmy-winning FX series Two months before Gianni Versace was murdered on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by Andrew Cunanan, award-winning journalist Maureen Orth was investigating a major story on the serial killer for Vanity Fair. Culled from interviews with more than four hundred people and insights from thousands of pages of police reports, Orth tells the complete story of Cunanan, his unwitting victims, and the moneyed, hedonistic world in which they lived . . . and died. In fascinating detail, she reveals how Cunanan met his superstar victim, why police and the FBI repeatedly failed to catch Cunanan, and why other victims families stonewalled the investigation, as well as the controversial findings of the Versace autopsy report. Here is a gripping odyssey that races across Americafrom Californias wealthy gay underworld to modest midwestern homes of families mourning the loss of their sons to South Beach and its unapologetic decadence. Vulgar Favors is at once a masterwork of investigative journalism and a riveting account of a sociopath, his savage crimes, and the mysteries he left along the way. Praise for Vulgar Favors [An] exhaustive deconstruction of Andrew Cunanans five murders . . . The breadth and thoroughness of Orths research are often staggering.The New York Times Fascinating . . . ripe with chilling detail . . . paints a disturbing picture.Entertainment Weekly A fascinatingly detailed account.USA Today It will hook you from the first page and never let you go.San Francisco Chronicle Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth might be called the complete Cunanan. . . . She [has] an indefatigable hunger to know everything.Chicago Tribune A detailed page-turner.St. Paul Pioneer Press An exceptionally good account of suspected serial killer Andrew Cunanans spree in 1997 . . . Orth tells this twisted story with grace and courage.Fort Worth Star-Telegram Orth has an inviting, readable style.Oakland Tribune The definitive book on the July 15, 1997 murder of Versace.Sun-Sentinel An exhilarating journalistic chronicle of Cunanans crime and flight . . . The book is charged with adrenaline and the pages just seem to turn themselves.Lesbian and Gay New York
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Octoberwoman
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I‘m posting one book a day from my massive collection. No description, no reason for why I want to read it (some I‘ve had so long I don‘t even remember why!). Feel free to join in!

#ABookADay2024

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MidnightBookGirl
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Mehso-so

We read this for our True Crime book club, but there were problems with it. First of all, it hasn't been updated since it came out in the late 90's. The biggest issue is that Orth had no prior knowledge of the gay community that Cunanan was part of, and it shows in her writing, and it reflects a lot of prejudice. However, Cunanan's back story is pretty insane, even the parts he didn't lie about. He still remains a mystery in this book though.

MidnightBookGirl **Also, skip the introduction, it'll just make you mad at Orth. And listen to the audiobook, because the main story is read by someone else, which made it easier for me to stop thinking of how made I still was at Orth.
5y
Hestapleton Yeah this book was SO HOMOPHOBIC and very confusing. I found the TV adaptation to be much better which is always shocking. 5y
mom2bugnbee I thought that Darren Criss was outstanding in the TV adaptation. Of course, he did win an Emmy & a Golden Globe, so I'm obviously not the only one. 5y
55 likes3 comments
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Hestapleton
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Panpan

The story is fascinating, but Orth‘s writing is a mess. Her reporting is fragmented—I was never sure where I was in the timeline. Her racism and homophobia are on FULL display, even for the time, I feel like. I was expecting a much higher quality work to do the victim‘s justice. #tbrread #wintergames #teamfozziwig

BarkingMadRead 🎄🎄🎄 5y
28 likes1 comment
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NaomiO
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This book was so fascinating, and the story behind Andrew Cunanan. It was a page turner.

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NaomiO
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Congratulations to Darren Criss on his Golden Globes win portraying Andrew Cunanan in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. His work literally took my breath away.

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holarosarita
Pickpick

The writing is a bit stilted—like reading a 400 page newspaper article. But I found the story fascinating and compelling. Humans are so weird and capable of such terrible things.

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holarosarita

There‘s no better way to watch the Super Bowl than by having it on in the background while reading about a gay sociopath.

TobeyTheScavengerMonk That‘s what I always say. 7y
1 like1 comment
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holarosarita
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#readharder2018 #abookoftruecrime and an excuse to put off starting the new season of American Crime Story a little longer.

2 likes1 stack add
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bookishkai
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In the summer of 1997 I worked 60 hours a week and followed the news religiously: my night job got out in perfect time for me to come home, have a snack, call my girlfriend, and tune in to Nightline, which headlined the hunt for Cunanan almost every night. I‘ve been having trouble settling into a book this week, so perhaps a little true crime is in order. And interesting trivia: the author is the wife of the late Tim Russert.

52 likes4 stack adds
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katcalvin
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Pickpick

Finished just in time for the premiere of the show tonight. A fascinating story. Highly recommended.

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shanebeth
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pretty excited for the new season of American Crime Story tonight! it‘s based on the tagged book...another brick in my TBR wall. #murderino #truecrime

benchley1 Oooohhh. Usually I shy away from Ryan Murphy shows, been burned so many times, but I am so jazzed for that show!! 7y
shanebeth @benchley1 People vs. OJ was so good!!!! 7y
benchley1 I've heard, but I lived during it, in L.A. it took over every damn thing... 7y
benchley1 I liked Feud though 7y
33 likes1 stack add4 comments
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LauraBrook
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Here are some of my current and (mostly) TBR reads. Sadly, I own them all.

Library checkouts are at a dozen now, so that's thankfully cut in half.

I sent for info on a few different MLIS programs, I think I'd like being an Archivist.

Despite an increase in headaches, I've had more energy and have been able to tackle some overdue home projects (clearing out pantry, sort through papers, etc).

And I've missed being here the last couple days!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Headaches are the devil!!! 👿 I hope you feel better soon!! 💕 7y
MicheleinPhilly I highly recommend Drexel's program but it is on the pricey side. Feel better! 7y
WarpedSweetness Headaches suck!!! :-( I hope they subside soon. 7y
See All 21 Comments
ReadingEnvy I feel like I always see digital or archival librarian jobs. 7y
saresmoore Covering you in prayer, my friend! Today is a turnaround day, so I'm hopeful you'll get the clarity and wisdom you need + even more motivation and abundant good health. You are amazing! 7y
LeahBergen Hugs! 7y
Lmstraubie Welcome back 😊 7y
batsy Gah, headaches 🙁 It's always nice to see you here! All the best with learning more about archival positions, that sounds wonderful. 7y
Bklover Hope you're feeling better! 7y
LauraBrook @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks They are! Thanks, I hope so too. If I could go one day without one, that'd be progress! 7y
LauraBrook @MicheleinPhilly Thank you! I'll check out their program, thanks for the referral. I'm finding that every school has a different way of doing Archives. For some it's your main degree's emphasis, and for others it's separate from the degree and requires a whole different certification. Hope I can figure out what would work best for me! Did you go to Drexel? 7y
LauraBrook @WarpedSweetness Thanks, me too! 7y
LauraBrook @ReadingEnvy That's a relief to hear, bc I hadn't thought much about the job market, honestly. Just trying to figure out what kind of thing I'd both like to learn about and probably do for a job was hard enough! Ugh. Sometimes I feel like I'm not cut out for this whole Adult thing. 7y
LauraBrook @saresmoore Thank you, dear one, I will happily take your prayers! You are the amazing one, sweet Sara! 7y
LauraBrook @LeahBergen Hugs back to you, my friend! 7y
LauraBrook @Lmstraubie Thank you! 7y
LauraBrook @batsy Thank you, and right back at you! I hope this is something that will work for me. Too bad being a professional student isn't a job - I love learning! 7y
LauraBrook @Bklover Thank you! Right now I'm pretty good, and I'm so grateful. 7y
batsy @LauraBrook I know, right? 7y
ReadingEnvy @LauraBrook well within librarianship there are so many choices. You can start with a vague idea and it's okay to find a new passion. But librarianship is vibrant and satisfying in my opinion. Happy to answer any questions when you get to that point, just make sure you're headed to an ALA accredited school because most job postings require it. 7y
MicheleinPhilly I did! At Drexel a specialization like Archives is completed as part of your degree. So for instance you would have your required general concentration courses, required archives courses, and a number of electives. 7y
79 likes21 comments
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LauraBrook
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I so needed to do this, so I'm in! #TBRBingo

Please excuse my messy handwriting and wobbly lines - it's what I get for trying to write on top of a snoring cat on my lap!

EvieBee Yay! 7y
WhatDeeReads It's all good! As long as you know what it says. 7y
Smarkies I have never done one of this but it looks like a good way of getting through the TBR list. 7y
LauraBrook @EvieBee 💖 @WhatDeeReads Hah, good point! @Smarkies Fingers crossed it works! My goal is for one month to read more of my own books than I buy. For August I'm even so far, but hoping to change that in the next couple of days! 7y
79 likes4 comments