It’s been over ten years since John Safran first exploded
onto my radar in his hilarious and confronting John Safran’s Music Jamboree. While the brilliance and daring of
that show has stuck with me (as well as snippets from his subsequent
documentaries and shows) it was with some hesitation that I approached his
debut book, Murder in Mississippi.
Hesitant not because it was a true crime book, but because my previous exposure
to Safran’s work showed a certain bulldozer subtlety when it came to him
presenting what he saw as the facts and motivations of those he interviewed.
If Safran’s television work is his wielding of a bulldozer,
Murder in Mississippi is his driving through the Dandenong Ranges in a sleek,
responsive luxury car; powering through corners, coasting for the scenic reveals,
and performing perfect handbrake turns in gravel to get the adrenalin pumping.
In short, Murder in Mississippi is exhilarating,
stunning and leaves you unsure which way is up or out when you’re done.
It’s an odd premise for a book, summarised succinctly on the
cover “The true story of how I met a white supremacist, befriended his black
killer and wrote this book.” Already Murder
in Mississippi was sounding a little surreal and quirky like Safran’s
previous work, but curiosity had me opening the book and fascination had me
reading it at 0315 in the morning.
A quick synopsis: Safran met Richard Barrett (the white
supremacist) while filming Race Relations,
toured his offices, attended an awards ceremony and then pulled a stunt that is
jaw-dropping in its intent and bravado. A year later Barrett was murdered by a
young black man named Vincent. Murder in
Mississippi details the history between Safran and Barrett, and then
chronicles Safran’s travel to Mississippi (passive-aggressive airport signs and
all); his meeting of key law officials, the accused’s family, white
supremacists, black journalists/activists and assorted Southerners, all before
he is contacted by the confessed murderer, Vincent. Transcribed telephone
conversations between Safran and Vincent are included, and are a source of
bafflement and fascination for both Safran and the reader in trying to work out
how a man ended up dead and another ended up back behind bars.
Through the weirdness, the zigzagging opinions and lack of
easy answers in Murder in Mississippi,
Safran’s prose is liquid, sharp, surprising, precise – like cutting your tongue
on a piece of ice in your drink. He shares his confusion, amusement and stubbornness
at the proceedings and spectacles he is part of in Mississippi – he also
presents his own conclusions and observations with a subtlety, clarity, depth,
humour and consideration that make Murder
in Mississippi an outstanding debut, as well as a phenomenal true crime and
humanistic read.
Recommended to: Bigots,
racists and close-minded individuals (wishful thinking, I know)
Humans over the age of twelve
(eight with some careful omissions)
Readers of engaging, thought-provoking
books
True-crime
genre novices to aficionados
Not recommended for: Bigots,
racists and close-minded individuals (realistically and sadly)
Pollyanna-type personalities
People who are allergic to laughing
Anyone who cried during Milo &
Otis or any tissue product advertisement
Rated: PG (some vulgar slang, racist comments, and
frank, mature discussion of racism and stereotypes)
Note: I was absolutely delighted to be part of a combined
interview Q&A with Murder in Mississippi
author John Safran and other Murder in
Mississippi readers through The Reading Room – watch it here.
