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Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy
The “powerful and moving” true story of a Long Island family torn apart by drugs, violence, and the unbridgeable divide between generations (Kirkus Reviews).
George Diener, World War II veteran and traveling salesman, and his wife, Carol, had old-fashioned values and ordinary aspirations: a home, a family, the pleasure of watching their two sons grow up. But in February 1972, an unthinkable tragedy occurred in the basement of their Nassau County residence, shattering their hopes and dreams forever.
George and Carol doted on their shy eldest son, Richie. But at fifteen, the boy fell into a devastating downward spiral. He started smoking marijuana, shoplifting, and hanging out with drug dealers, and was soon arrested for assault and expelled from school. By the time his parents sought psychiatric counseling for their son, Richie was addicted to barbiturates and given to violent outbursts and threats. The boy George and Carol knew was long gone. Then, one winter evening, Richie came at his father with a steak knife and a suicidal cry of “Shoot!”
Edgar Award–winning author Thomas Thompson delivers a “scary, harrowing” account of a turbulent era in American history when the gulf between young and old, bohemian and conservative, felt wider and more dangerous than ever before (The New York Times Book Review). A tragedy of Shakespearean proportions, the devastating account of George and Carol Diener’s nightmare was adapted into The Death of Richie, a television movie starring Ben Gazzara, Eileen Brennan, and Robby Benson as Richie.
George Diener, World War II veteran and traveling salesman, and his wife, Carol, had old-fashioned values and ordinary aspirations: a home, a family, the pleasure of watching their two sons grow up. But in February 1972, an unthinkable tragedy occurred in the basement of their Nassau County residence, shattering their hopes and dreams forever.
George and Carol doted on their shy eldest son, Richie. But at fifteen, the boy fell into a devastating downward spiral. He started smoking marijuana, shoplifting, and hanging out with drug dealers, and was soon arrested for assault and expelled from school. By the time his parents sought psychiatric counseling for their son, Richie was addicted to barbiturates and given to violent outbursts and threats. The boy George and Carol knew was long gone. Then, one winter evening, Richie came at his father with a steak knife and a suicidal cry of “Shoot!”
Edgar Award–winning author Thomas Thompson delivers a “scary, harrowing” account of a turbulent era in American history when the gulf between young and old, bohemian and conservative, felt wider and more dangerous than ever before (The New York Times Book Review). A tragedy of Shakespearean proportions, the devastating account of George and Carol Diener’s nightmare was adapted into The Death of Richie, a television movie starring Ben Gazzara, Eileen Brennan, and Robby Benson as Richie.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1973
About the author
Thomas Thompson
158 books82 followersHe was born in Texas and graduated from the University of Texas in 1955. He then worked as a reporter and editor at the Houston Press.
Thompson joined Life Magazine in 1961 and became an editor and staff writer. While at Life he covered the JFK assassination and was the first writer to locate Lee Harvey Oswald's home and wife. Among his stories were coverage of the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, in which he revealed the group's extensive drug use; an in-depth look at Frank Sinatra and his alleged Mafia ties; and the 40th and 50th birthdays of Elizabeth Taylor.
His book Hearts (1971) concerned the rivalry between Houston surgeons Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley at the dawn of the heart transplant era. Richie: The Ultimate Tragedy Between One Decent Man and the Son He Loved (1973) was the story of a Long Island man who killed his drug-addicted son. This was made into a TV-movie called The Death of Richie. Thompson's most successful book was Blood and Money (1976). It was based on a true story of scandal and murder. The book sold four million copies in fourteen languages. Thompson also wrote Serpentine (1979), the story of convicted murderer Charles Sobhraj. Thompson wrote one novel, Celebrity (1982), which was on the national best-seller list for six months. That novel became the basis for a five hour mini series in 1984.
Thompson received the National Headliner Award for investigative reporting. He was also the 1977 Edgar Award winner for Blood and Money.
"Thompson first wrote Western stories for pulp magazines in 1940 after stints as a sailor, a nightclub entertainer, a secretary and a furniture salesman. He later published hundreds of articles in national general-interest magazines and wrote 25 Western novels, including “Range Drifter,” “Shadow of the Butte” and “Bitter Water.” (latimes.com)
He was a co-founder and president in 1957 of Western Writers of America and later received two of that group’s Spur Awards for his writing. Thompson was a life member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame."
Thompson's family believed that the liver disease that caused his death was contracted in the Far East while investigating the Charles Sobhraj saga. When he became ill, Thomas was teaching writing at the University of Southern California.
Thompson joined Life Magazine in 1961 and became an editor and staff writer. While at Life he covered the JFK assassination and was the first writer to locate Lee Harvey Oswald's home and wife. Among his stories were coverage of the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, in which he revealed the group's extensive drug use; an in-depth look at Frank Sinatra and his alleged Mafia ties; and the 40th and 50th birthdays of Elizabeth Taylor.
His book Hearts (1971) concerned the rivalry between Houston surgeons Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley at the dawn of the heart transplant era. Richie: The Ultimate Tragedy Between One Decent Man and the Son He Loved (1973) was the story of a Long Island man who killed his drug-addicted son. This was made into a TV-movie called The Death of Richie. Thompson's most successful book was Blood and Money (1976). It was based on a true story of scandal and murder. The book sold four million copies in fourteen languages. Thompson also wrote Serpentine (1979), the story of convicted murderer Charles Sobhraj. Thompson wrote one novel, Celebrity (1982), which was on the national best-seller list for six months. That novel became the basis for a five hour mini series in 1984.
Thompson received the National Headliner Award for investigative reporting. He was also the 1977 Edgar Award winner for Blood and Money.
"Thompson first wrote Western stories for pulp magazines in 1940 after stints as a sailor, a nightclub entertainer, a secretary and a furniture salesman. He later published hundreds of articles in national general-interest magazines and wrote 25 Western novels, including “Range Drifter,” “Shadow of the Butte” and “Bitter Water.” (latimes.com)
He was a co-founder and president in 1957 of Western Writers of America and later received two of that group’s Spur Awards for his writing. Thompson was a life member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame."
Thompson's family believed that the liver disease that caused his death was contracted in the Far East while investigating the Charles Sobhraj saga. When he became ill, Thomas was teaching writing at the University of Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 20, 2024
4.0 stars — I’m a huge Thomas Thompson fan (as evidenced by the 5 star reviews I gave the previous 3 books I read by him). With the completion of “Richie,” I have only two more to go before I’ve read all of his books (since I don’t read Westerns). I have spaced them out because the quality of writing is so good I don’t want to not have any of his books left to look forward to (I’m still sad that I have read every Pat Conroy novel and will never get the chance to read another one for the first time).. “Richie” a 1972 non-fiction account of the volatile and tragic relationship between Richie and his father, George, even though dated, is still worth reading today. Thompson truly possessed the gift of being able to write a good story. His research on all his books, including “Richie” was second to none. His writing style was very conversational yet detailed in a way that really makes you feel like you know the characters in his book. The first 95 percent of the book is the foundation and build-up to the tragic event itself. However, as a reader I didn’t feel cheated because the details of the relationship between father and son really help you understand why the tragedy was unavoidable. The only reason “Richie” didn’t receive a full 5 star rating was because I had to skim read several early parts of the book that were outdated about drugs during that period etc. that were extremely boring. However, when Thompson gets into the details of the father-son relationship the book picks up major momentum and (as usual with a Thompson book) I couldn’t put it down. A big thumbs up from me.
August 10, 2014
This is one of the most difficult book reviews I've written as a librarian. I grew up in the same town has Richard (Richie) Diener. I first met him in our 3rd grade class. I was one of his classmates who called him "carrot top" due to his bright red hair. It wasn't taunting or teasing from me, back then he was just a nice, quiet boy in my class with red hair. I seemed to have lost track of him once we all entered Woodland Jr. H.S. Forty-two years after our graduation from EMHS '72, I finally read the book. I feel there were many broad generalizations made about life in East Meadow, the families, and students who attended the high school with Richie. I'm thankful that I grew up unaware of the underlying drug culture that was occurring during that time, at least according to the author. Clearly the dynamics leading up to that eventful day in February of 1972 were sent in motion many years before. It's unfortunate that Richie, like so many others, fell through the cracks. There's a strong message here, that sadly, should still be heeded today.
July 12, 2019
What a fascinating story and very relatable for me as I grew up in the 60s. You'll get not only the story of the personal tragedy of this family but also a history of the rise of marijuana and other drugs in the 60s. Bonus - the author is top notch. I can't wait to read another book by Thomas Thompson.
February 23, 2016
Impossible to put down. The author draws you right into the lives of this utterly ordinary family and shows you what drugs did to their household. This brought back grim memories of my own teen years which were right behind Richie's chronologically, but it seems especially unfair that this family did absolutely nothing to bring disaster on themselves -- the household was solid, kids weren't neglected, the school system was good and they didn't even live in a scary neighborhood. It shows what can happen.
May 21, 2016
This is an oldie but a goodie. It's the story of a family that is torn apart by the drug addiction of the son. It was written in the 70's when times were different and there wasnt as much knowledge and resources as there are today. I was sad that the story ended the way it did but I wont give the ending away.
October 10, 2016
How good. How well written. Thomas Thompson is one of my favourite authors. He was a nonfiction writer who managed to write non fiction as if it were novels. He was so good at making the reader connect with the characters in his books and make them want to know what happened. Make them relate.
My first book I read written by him which was in 2007 and it was Blood and Money. My review alas of that book is not very detailed plus very short. The only interesting thing I wrote is that quote" his writing is so good. The author really lures you into the story"end of quote.
What I think I should do is re read that first book. I now wonder why I gave it 4 stars. Perhaps it was long.
Then I read Serpentine in the end of 2013 and that was when I fell in love with the author's writing. How I loved that book. Definitely a 5 star book!
So then I began searching for other books he had written. I discovered the author passed away in the eighties but there were more books so I added them to my wish list.
Then a few months ago I bought 2 of his books. This one and Celebrity which the latter I still have to read. (yay)
Okay I am going to add spoiler tags but before I do. Try to get your hands on a copy but also try not to know what this book is about!
Better only read this spoiler if you have already read this book
August 28, 2012
I read this in the mid-70's when I was around 14 or 15 years old. I recall it had a devastating effect on me at the time and that's why I have given this a 5 star rating. I think recalling something I read 36 years ago is reason enough for 5 stars!
I just found the list I made of books I read in 1974 and I had already read this one twice at that time.
I just found the list I made of books I read in 1974 and I had already read this one twice at that time.
February 5, 2015
One of the best books I've ever read. Kept me on the straight and narrow.
April 26, 2021
Horrible tragedy
The story of Richie Denier is one of the saddest ever told. What a wasted life. How has his father continued?
The story of Richie Denier is one of the saddest ever told. What a wasted life. How has his father continued?
January 8, 2017
One of the benefits of the e-book publishing boom is the reissuing of old, out-of-print books. Several books by the late author Thomas Thompson have been published in e-form and I just reread two of his classics, "Richie", and "Blood and Money". I had read both books when they were originally published in the 1970's and I found they have both stood the test of time. I'm going to review them together; both are true crime books but they differ in scope. One, "Richie", is a very personal story of one family, which is torn apart by one son's use of drugs and his death at the hand of his father in a final horrific scene. The other, "Blood and Money", is a sprawling tale, set in Houston, and is the story of many people who are touched by a woman's death and the murder of her husband a couple of years later.
"Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy", is the story of a suburban Long Island family, caught up in the horrors of drug addiction and ends with the murder of the son by his father. Thompson examines the lives of the Diener family - George and Carol and their sons Richie and Russell - and the society in which they lived. George and Carol Diener had met and married after WW2 and took their places in the post-war boom. They moved from crowded New York City to the more pastoral area on Long Island, where George bonded with his older son, Richie, in shared interests. That closeness was torn apart when Richie moved into adolescence and discovered drugs. His use of all sorts of drugs - but mostly "downers" - made the life in the Diener family close to unbearable. George and Carol looked for help in the schools and the court system of Nassau Country. This was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when the drug epidemic was beginning and they received no guidance.
What do parents do when their children become strangers? When the purchase and consumption of drugs become the kid's primary activity? When their child hangs around other drug users? George and Carol Diener responded by ratcheting up measures meant to curtail Richie's drug use. Richie was caught up in his spiraling drug use and committing crimes while on drugs. The parents bemoaned the society where they saw drug using all around them and little help offered. But did George mean to kill his son when he was threatened by Richie that evening on the basement stairs? He shot to kill, and kill he did. He was later taken before a grand jury which declined to charge him with any crime.
Thomas Thompson's look at the Diener family is intensely personal. He doesn't make excuses for either father or son, but rather let's the reader try to draw his own conclusion. It's a masterfully written book.
"Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy", is the story of a suburban Long Island family, caught up in the horrors of drug addiction and ends with the murder of the son by his father. Thompson examines the lives of the Diener family - George and Carol and their sons Richie and Russell - and the society in which they lived. George and Carol Diener had met and married after WW2 and took their places in the post-war boom. They moved from crowded New York City to the more pastoral area on Long Island, where George bonded with his older son, Richie, in shared interests. That closeness was torn apart when Richie moved into adolescence and discovered drugs. His use of all sorts of drugs - but mostly "downers" - made the life in the Diener family close to unbearable. George and Carol looked for help in the schools and the court system of Nassau Country. This was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when the drug epidemic was beginning and they received no guidance.
What do parents do when their children become strangers? When the purchase and consumption of drugs become the kid's primary activity? When their child hangs around other drug users? George and Carol Diener responded by ratcheting up measures meant to curtail Richie's drug use. Richie was caught up in his spiraling drug use and committing crimes while on drugs. The parents bemoaned the society where they saw drug using all around them and little help offered. But did George mean to kill his son when he was threatened by Richie that evening on the basement stairs? He shot to kill, and kill he did. He was later taken before a grand jury which declined to charge him with any crime.
Thomas Thompson's look at the Diener family is intensely personal. He doesn't make excuses for either father or son, but rather let's the reader try to draw his own conclusion. It's a masterfully written book.
January 16, 2020
It was a chore to finish this book, and I'm disappointed in it. While it covers an absorbing story about a fatally dysfunctional family, and is written by "one of the finest journalists of his era", who has received awards for his writing according to the short bio at the end of this book, it did not live up to Thompson's reputation.
First of all, he cites no sources, but speaks knowingly about people's inner thoughts and motivations, even the victim's and he's not around to talk. Not very scholarly, and doesn't inspire trust in this reader.
Another fault of this book is Mr Thompson's repeated use of the word "retarded" when he writes about a charity Richie's mother was involved with. Even in the 70's, I believe this description of people with developmental disabilities had been deemed politically incorrect, and should have been not used, or at least edited out of the final work.
And, of course, there's lots of unnecessary information, repetition and descriptions of similar incidents that could have been condensed.
So, in all, a miss for me.
First of all, he cites no sources, but speaks knowingly about people's inner thoughts and motivations, even the victim's and he's not around to talk. Not very scholarly, and doesn't inspire trust in this reader.
Another fault of this book is Mr Thompson's repeated use of the word "retarded" when he writes about a charity Richie's mother was involved with. Even in the 70's, I believe this description of people with developmental disabilities had been deemed politically incorrect, and should have been not used, or at least edited out of the final work.
And, of course, there's lots of unnecessary information, repetition and descriptions of similar incidents that could have been condensed.
So, in all, a miss for me.
April 4, 2018
This author is known for writing stories based on true-to-life incidents. I was surprised to learn that he also wrote "Serpentine" which I read years ago and truly enjoyed (the tale of an international criminal ~ very interesting). But I digress.
As noted in the title, this is the sad saga of Richie and his father, and the drugs that came between them. I am afraid this is redundant in our society. The communication breakdown between the son and the parents comes to a regrettable and unacceptable conclusion.
As in "We Need to Talk About Kevin", the parents are completely helpless against whatever demons are in this boy's head. There is no blame here, but there is the life-long burden of guilt and shame that can never be erased.
As noted in the title, this is the sad saga of Richie and his father, and the drugs that came between them. I am afraid this is redundant in our society. The communication breakdown between the son and the parents comes to a regrettable and unacceptable conclusion.
As in "We Need to Talk About Kevin", the parents are completely helpless against whatever demons are in this boy's head. There is no blame here, but there is the life-long burden of guilt and shame that can never be erased.
February 13, 2018
I loved this book when I was in my early teens, maybe for the wrong reasons.
August 27, 2018
Thomas Thompson absolutely crushes it as an author. I wish this guy wrote 50 books. This story is tragic but a must read if you are a fan of true crime.
July 7, 2019
Good read
Not your typical true crime as I was expecting but a really good read. Tragic story well researched and well written.
Not your typical true crime as I was expecting but a really good read. Tragic story well researched and well written.
September 16, 2019
Utterly Captivating non fiction novel. Feel so lucky to have read this.
January 7, 2020
I just can't imagine ;-(
July 7, 2019
This book was so good !! An outstanding account of this true crime. I found it gripped me the whole way through and it was so bloody sad all round as well. I hadn't heard of the case itself but after I finished it I looked the family up on Google and when I saw Richie's photograph I recognised him. So somewhere or someplace I've known about him deep in the old recesses.....
For me, I really don't see his dad had any alternative in the end. The parents both tried getting assistance to help with him and his addictions but it didn't seem there was much help to be had. His school wasn't a great ally, either, not even realising he'd missed 2 months of one particular class ! I had never heard of courts getting involved with recalcitrant kids before, however. Maybe it is something parents in these times ought to consider, especially with the surfeit of one-parent families nowadays struggling to control their offspring. Something similar available here might help with these knifecrime murders we're currently experiencing among the nation's youth.
Richie and his family were pretty much ideals of the American Dream yet things still went tragically wrong. He certainly had 2 parents interested in him, loving him and in his early years with his dad I thought it was a lovely relationship they shared, one any lad would envy. Both parents seemed to have great values, too.
The book was originally released back in 1973 but this digital version isn't without mistakes. In the acknowledgement passage at the start the word docters was written, which made me gasp, I have to say !! Further in, melancholv was written as opposed to melancholy, which was clearly what was meant, then cruption and not eruption and hear not year ! The author/copywriter also committed the cardinal sin of spelling a person's name wrong, too.....suddenly write Deiner and not Diener. Careless in the extreme. A lot of words were just dropped from sentences altogether, "....asking punishment" or "pocks in fender and doors." There were of course the obligatory apostrophe mistakes usually seen in digital books and we also had rogue hyphens used....was-pleased or tone-rising.
Often books I read written by American authors have a habit of using some truly godawful English (to my way of thinking) but it seems to be just the way they do it there. This line, ".....several black youths rang her front-door bell in mistake" or "....growing familiar with the dismaying sight of a young person sitting across from his desk in suspicion of using or selling drugs...."
There was quite a bit of drug slang used, too, though I managed to figure most of that out.
One paragraph near the end made me cry and it seemed at times the old Richie was still in there somewhere and could be redeemed. There was no real explanation given to understand why he had the odd straight weeks here and there in his latter life....clearly a choice he was making. It was just a total shame for all involved that he couldn't control himself in the end.
For me, I really don't see his dad had any alternative in the end. The parents both tried getting assistance to help with him and his addictions but it didn't seem there was much help to be had. His school wasn't a great ally, either, not even realising he'd missed 2 months of one particular class ! I had never heard of courts getting involved with recalcitrant kids before, however. Maybe it is something parents in these times ought to consider, especially with the surfeit of one-parent families nowadays struggling to control their offspring. Something similar available here might help with these knifecrime murders we're currently experiencing among the nation's youth.
Richie and his family were pretty much ideals of the American Dream yet things still went tragically wrong. He certainly had 2 parents interested in him, loving him and in his early years with his dad I thought it was a lovely relationship they shared, one any lad would envy. Both parents seemed to have great values, too.
The book was originally released back in 1973 but this digital version isn't without mistakes. In the acknowledgement passage at the start the word docters was written, which made me gasp, I have to say !! Further in, melancholv was written as opposed to melancholy, which was clearly what was meant, then cruption and not eruption and hear not year ! The author/copywriter also committed the cardinal sin of spelling a person's name wrong, too.....suddenly write Deiner and not Diener. Careless in the extreme. A lot of words were just dropped from sentences altogether, "....asking punishment" or "pocks in fender and doors." There were of course the obligatory apostrophe mistakes usually seen in digital books and we also had rogue hyphens used....was-pleased or tone-rising.
Often books I read written by American authors have a habit of using some truly godawful English (to my way of thinking) but it seems to be just the way they do it there. This line, ".....several black youths rang her front-door bell in mistake" or "....growing familiar with the dismaying sight of a young person sitting across from his desk in suspicion of using or selling drugs...."
There was quite a bit of drug slang used, too, though I managed to figure most of that out.
One paragraph near the end made me cry and it seemed at times the old Richie was still in there somewhere and could be redeemed. There was no real explanation given to understand why he had the odd straight weeks here and there in his latter life....clearly a choice he was making. It was just a total shame for all involved that he couldn't control himself in the end.
January 13, 2017
One of the benefits of the e-book publishing boom is the reissuing of old, out-of-print books. Several books by the late author Thomas Thompson have been published in e-form and I just reread two of his classics, "Richie", and "Blood and Money". I had read both books when they were originally published in the 1970's and I found they have both stood the test of time. I'm going to review them together; both are true crime books but they differ in scope. One, "Richie", is a very personal story of one family, which is torn apart by one son's use of drugs and his death at the hand of his father in a final horrific scene. The other, "Blood and Money", is a sprawling tale, set in Houston, and is the story of many people who are touched by a woman's death and the murder of her husband a couple of years later.
"Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy", is the story of a suburban Long Island family, caught up in the horrors of drug addiction and ends with the murder of the son by his father. Thompson examines the lives of the Diener family - George and Carol and their sons Richie and Russell - and the society in which they lived. George and Carol Diener had met and married after WW2 and took their places in the post-war boom. They moved from crowded New York City to the more pastoral area on Long Island, where George bonded with his older son, Richie, in shared interests. That closeness was torn apart when Richie moved into adolescence and discovered drugs. His use of all sorts of drugs - but mostly "downers" - made the life in the Diener family close to unbearable. George and Carol looked for help in the schools and the court system of Nassau Country. This was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when the drug epidemic was beginning and they received no guidance.
What do parents do when their children become strangers? When the purchase and consumption of drugs become the kid's primary activity? When their child hangs around other drug users? George and Carol Diener responded by ratcheting up measures meant to curtail Richie's drug use. Richie was caught up in his spiraling drug use and committing crimes while on drugs. The parents bemoaned the society where they saw drug using all around them and little help offered. But did George mean to kill his son when he was threatened by Richie that evening on the basement stairs? He shot to kill, and kill he did. He was later taken before a grand jury which declined to charge him with any crime.
Thomas Thompson's look at the Diener family is intensely personal. He doesn't make excuses for either father or son, but rather lets the reader try to draw his own conclusion. It's a masterfully written book.
"Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate American Tragedy", is the story of a suburban Long Island family, caught up in the horrors of drug addiction and ends with the murder of the son by his father. Thompson examines the lives of the Diener family - George and Carol and their sons Richie and Russell - and the society in which they lived. George and Carol Diener had met and married after WW2 and took their places in the post-war boom. They moved from crowded New York City to the more pastoral area on Long Island, where George bonded with his older son, Richie, in shared interests. That closeness was torn apart when Richie moved into adolescence and discovered drugs. His use of all sorts of drugs - but mostly "downers" - made the life in the Diener family close to unbearable. George and Carol looked for help in the schools and the court system of Nassau Country. This was in the late 1960's and early 1970's, when the drug epidemic was beginning and they received no guidance.
What do parents do when their children become strangers? When the purchase and consumption of drugs become the kid's primary activity? When their child hangs around other drug users? George and Carol Diener responded by ratcheting up measures meant to curtail Richie's drug use. Richie was caught up in his spiraling drug use and committing crimes while on drugs. The parents bemoaned the society where they saw drug using all around them and little help offered. But did George mean to kill his son when he was threatened by Richie that evening on the basement stairs? He shot to kill, and kill he did. He was later taken before a grand jury which declined to charge him with any crime.
Thomas Thompson's look at the Diener family is intensely personal. He doesn't make excuses for either father or son, but rather lets the reader try to draw his own conclusion. It's a masterfully written book.
April 22, 2017
Richie: A Father, His Son, and the Ultimate America Tragedy, originally published in 1973, tells the story of an event that occurred in Nassau County (Long Island, NY) in1972. I was not familiar with the case, and True Crime is my “guilty pleasure” genre...
If you are familiar with this story, either from news accounts, the earlier edition of this book, or the TV Movie (spoiler alert!) The Death of Richie, your experience reading this will be different from mine. I was not familiar with the events, so for me it was both a true crime narrative and a thriller, because I had no idea what would happen in the end.
The story involves George Diener, who was a “salt of the earth” kind of guy: World War II veteran and traveling salesman, he is the epitome of the stereotypical member of the “older generation” who found themselves puzzled and appalled by the youth movement of the late 60s and early 70s (drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll). He and his wife, Carol, had old-fashioned values and found pleasure in the simple things, including watching their two sons growing up in a middle-class Long Island suburb.
If you have had a family member or close friend whose life has spiraled out of control due to drugs, the story will be familiar, and you may find yourself mentally shouting at the parents to take some action as their son Richie’s life goes downhill. Richie was a golden child, shy by most standards but close to his parents as a child. But at the age of fifteen, everything changes as he “got in with a bad crowd” and began having incidents related to a deep dive into drug addiction. He turned violent and repeatedly was in trouble for both drug-related and violent crimes, and his parents were increasingly at a loss as to how they could help him.
Sadly, in 1972, their dreams for their son were extinguished by a tragic event in their home.
Thomas Thompson, who also wrote another true crime classic, Blood & Money, is a master at writing true crime and this story captures the incredible gulf between the young and old was at its peak. A good read on several levels, and a must for true crime fans. Five stars.
If you are familiar with this story, either from news accounts, the earlier edition of this book, or the TV Movie (spoiler alert!) The Death of Richie, your experience reading this will be different from mine. I was not familiar with the events, so for me it was both a true crime narrative and a thriller, because I had no idea what would happen in the end.
The story involves George Diener, who was a “salt of the earth” kind of guy: World War II veteran and traveling salesman, he is the epitome of the stereotypical member of the “older generation” who found themselves puzzled and appalled by the youth movement of the late 60s and early 70s (drugs, sex and rock ‘n roll). He and his wife, Carol, had old-fashioned values and found pleasure in the simple things, including watching their two sons growing up in a middle-class Long Island suburb.
If you have had a family member or close friend whose life has spiraled out of control due to drugs, the story will be familiar, and you may find yourself mentally shouting at the parents to take some action as their son Richie’s life goes downhill. Richie was a golden child, shy by most standards but close to his parents as a child. But at the age of fifteen, everything changes as he “got in with a bad crowd” and began having incidents related to a deep dive into drug addiction. He turned violent and repeatedly was in trouble for both drug-related and violent crimes, and his parents were increasingly at a loss as to how they could help him.
Sadly, in 1972, their dreams for their son were extinguished by a tragic event in their home.
Thomas Thompson, who also wrote another true crime classic, Blood & Money, is a master at writing true crime and this story captures the incredible gulf between the young and old was at its peak. A good read on several levels, and a must for true crime fans. Five stars.
March 29, 2021
Excellent read
Get down on a personal level with a family in turmoil. A story of drug progression and the crimes that escalate with them. A tragic story.
Get down on a personal level with a family in turmoil. A story of drug progression and the crimes that escalate with them. A tragic story.
February 8, 2021
Tragic
5 stars for this informative retelling of an early 1972 crime/family drama in NY.
Richie, the story of a young, shy and socially awkward child who was uncomfortable in his own skin.
Vulnerable and looking to belong to a group where he would no longer be an outcast, Richie befriends the local high school dropout, Brick.
Drugs quickly became the two boys favorite past time, when drugs were just beginning to really circulate in the media.
Proverbial denials on Richie's part of " I can quit anytime" mantra followed quickly with " do whatever to fit in" places Richie in some precariously dangerous situations.
Thomas Thompson was a very detail oriented journalist and researcher who left no stones unturned. His retelling of this once newsworthy story is impressive, informative and personal.
Fabulous information filtered throughout, covering the introduction of drugs( pot, uppers, downers, opium & heroin)& how quickly the youth of that timeframe were consumed by a good time.
A very tragic and sad ending, but also an eye opener to the issues with the law back in the 1970's.
5 stars for this informative retelling of an early 1972 crime/family drama in NY.
Richie, the story of a young, shy and socially awkward child who was uncomfortable in his own skin.
Vulnerable and looking to belong to a group where he would no longer be an outcast, Richie befriends the local high school dropout, Brick.
Drugs quickly became the two boys favorite past time, when drugs were just beginning to really circulate in the media.
Proverbial denials on Richie's part of " I can quit anytime" mantra followed quickly with " do whatever to fit in" places Richie in some precariously dangerous situations.
Thomas Thompson was a very detail oriented journalist and researcher who left no stones unturned. His retelling of this once newsworthy story is impressive, informative and personal.
Fabulous information filtered throughout, covering the introduction of drugs( pot, uppers, downers, opium & heroin)& how quickly the youth of that timeframe were consumed by a good time.
A very tragic and sad ending, but also an eye opener to the issues with the law back in the 1970's.
November 19, 2018
The ultimate tragedy is Richie's drug abuse/addiction of barbiturates during the 1970's coupled with the inability of his family to find the help they needed to get Richie into treatment earlier into his addiction. Richie's story involves the breakdown of the family as he became more dangerous to himself and others. Thomas Thompson presents an accurate picture of street drug availability during this period, the crossroads common with many loved ones in these situations, and the frustration of having insidious drug use within our communities coupled with the inability to effectively help the addict.
Barbies have fallen out of favor as either treatment or abuse drugs. But, there was a huge shift to pain prescriptions that helped to create the current drug addiction epidemic. We have also learned more about what happens to the brain when a person takes drugs and the long term effects in other brain chemicals and circuits. This still does not make it easy to understand why some people become addicted to drugs while others do not.
True story with a tragic ending.
Barbies have fallen out of favor as either treatment or abuse drugs. But, there was a huge shift to pain prescriptions that helped to create the current drug addiction epidemic. We have also learned more about what happens to the brain when a person takes drugs and the long term effects in other brain chemicals and circuits. This still does not make it easy to understand why some people become addicted to drugs while others do not.
True story with a tragic ending.
December 1, 2019
Another terrific Thomas Thompson book! After reading Blood and Money, I wanted to read another book by this author. Ritchie did not disappoint. I graduated from high school in that same generation that the central character grew up in and while I, of course, was quite aware of all the drugs on the street, I had no idea on how many pills were on the street and pharmaceutical companies selling them to anyone willing to buy (and peddle them to our American youth). The author is very descriptive on this subject which was eye-opening. I look back and realize that I was lucky to have parents who knew the importance of keeping us busy with jobs and activities after school (weeknights and weekends) to the point that there would have been no time for us to be 'bored' and engaged with drugs. Every parent (and teen) should read this tragic book. It's a good primer as to what NOT to do. So sad that there were/are many kids who became (become) over their heads with drugs. I feel sorry for the kids and the parents.
August 6, 2017
The only thing I have against the author is blaming marijuana as a "gateway" drug using the logic that because Ronald Reagan took millions of tons of grass off the street, more people started using pills. For some reason, in the authors mind, this is proof that marijuana is illegal and will lead to users using harder drugs. But this increase was due to people not having access to pot. Seemed like prohibition logic.
The book was a page turner, a real "can't put it down" book. I wanna know if Fritz also died at the end. Glad i'm done with it really so now I can look up the actual case.
The book was a page turner, a real "can't put it down" book. I wanna know if Fritz also died at the end. Glad i'm done with it really so now I can look up the actual case.
August 25, 2018
Truly an American Tragedy
Richie is another outstanding, classic true crime book from Thomas Thompson. This one breaks my heart. George, Richie's father, was born a few years after my parents. I was in college when Richie entered high school. Maybe "there, but for the grace of God," contributes to my reaction to this book. Thompson did an excellent job. It reads like a novel. The parents became like someone in my neighborhood. Their tragedy is very real, without any melodrama.
Richie is another outstanding, classic true crime book from Thomas Thompson. This one breaks my heart. George, Richie's father, was born a few years after my parents. I was in college when Richie entered high school. Maybe "there, but for the grace of God," contributes to my reaction to this book. Thompson did an excellent job. It reads like a novel. The parents became like someone in my neighborhood. Their tragedy is very real, without any melodrama.
July 25, 2019
Devastating
This tragedy is heartbreaking. These parents tried to get help in every way possible. A!l systems failed them. Although in the 70's this book may be even more relevant today because the drug crisis continues to explode. Different drugs but same devastation left in their wake. The resources to fight this drug problem and help for families struggling with dry addictions be improved. The reader will feel the anxiety build, the desperation set in, the hopelessness and fear take over a family, and feel the pain at a tragic ending.
This tragedy is heartbreaking. These parents tried to get help in every way possible. A!l systems failed them. Although in the 70's this book may be even more relevant today because the drug crisis continues to explode. Different drugs but same devastation left in their wake. The resources to fight this drug problem and help for families struggling with dry addictions be improved. The reader will feel the anxiety build, the desperation set in, the hopelessness and fear take over a family, and feel the pain at a tragic ending.
February 6, 2020
A decent book, not exceptionally well-written, showing the destruction of drug addiction on a family and how badly it can end. It felt as if the writer was trying to give an objective account, but his own bias showed through at times. I don't believe a son standing with a knife in his hand screaming abuse at his father was a "cry for help". I certainly don't think Richie was unloved.
The book left me feeling very sad. When a youngster picks up that first drug, he never knows if he would end up one of those who will end up an addict. Such unnecessary destruction of lives.
The book left me feeling very sad. When a youngster picks up that first drug, he never knows if he would end up one of those who will end up an addict. Such unnecessary destruction of lives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2019
Conseguí esta novela en una tienda de libros antiguos, comencé leyéndola con paciencia y en momentos plácidos y tras las ciento cincuenta páginas continué a toda prisa, ensimismado y con muy poco gusto. Sólo acabé la historia por la misma razón por que uno se asoma a mirar a un atropellado en la calle. Luego pasé varias noches investigando la escasa informacion que han archivado sobre esta familia hasta que decidí olvidarlo para siempre.
February 5, 2020
A very sad but true story of a man who shot and killed his son and got away with it, documenting everything that lead up to it during a time when drugs took control of the kids in a middle-class neighborhood and parents were left very little options as to how to get them back. Understandable, yet tragic. So much of what caused the dynamics of this late-1960s/ early-1970’s drama was not discussed in public at the time it happened.
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