{"product_id":"9781466838376","title":"Execution: The Guillotine, the Pendulum, the Thousand Cuts, the Spanish Donkey, and 66 Other Ways of Putting Someone to Death","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn his own darkly humorous style, Geoffrey Abbott describes the instruments used and their effectiveness and reveals the macabre origins of familiar phrases such as \"gone west\" or \"drawn a blank,\" as well as the jargon of the underworld. He covers everything from the preparation of the victim to the disposal of the body. \u003ci\u003eExecution\u003c\/i\u003e is everything you ever wanted to know about the ultimate penalty---and a lot you never thought to ask.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt includes such hair-raising categories as: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         Cave of Roses: A rare Swedish method of execution in which the victim was confined to a cave full of snakes and poisonous reptiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         Bastinado: Involved the victim being caned gently and rhythmically with a lightweight stick on the soles of the feet until the mental collapse and eventual death of the victim.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         Sewn in an Animal's Belly: A living person is sewn into the belly of an animal and left to die.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         The Spanish Donkey: This method of torture consisted of seating a victim on top of a wall that resembled an inverted \"v\" with weights attached to the ankles, the weights slowly increased until the victim's body split in two.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         Iron Chair: The victim is tied to an iron armchair and pushed nearer and nearer to a blazing fire.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e·         Sawn in Half: Victims are secured in a standing position, pinned between two wide boards fixed between a stake driven deep into the ground while two executioners (one on each side) would wield a long, two-handled saw downwards through the boards.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eExecution\u003c\/i\u003e is a unique fascinating look at the grim and gritty history of sanctioned death.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47124838187248,"sku":"9781466838376","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781466838376_p0.jpg?v=1769891317","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781466838376","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}