Raw Deal: Horrible and Ironic Stories of Forgotten Americans

This book simply blew me away.Tragic in every sense of the word.The story of one of our most brilliant inventors hides among its pages.He jumped out of a 10-story window because corporate greed ruined his life.The story of the only human being in history with a 300 IQ. He suffered because a country full of Babbitts forced him to conform.Unable to do so,he died a pauper's death at 46.Too bad he pioneered the concept of Black Holes in the late 1920's and quite possibly rivaled Einstein in the realm of quantum physics.There are many more.All are Americans who suffered terribly.Simply one of the best books I ever read.It is worth it's weight in gold purely for obscure conversation value among friends who believe the lies thier schools taught them.

I have purchased Ken's Guide to the Bible, and I liked his writing so much I got this book. I was not dissapointed! I always knew that the "underdog" never has gotten the recognition that they deserve....this book fixes all that. Its chock full of stories about people who really meant well (some of whom could have really changed the world for the better with their passions), but then get caught in the crosshairs of Big Money companies when their plans don't "go with the flow", and threaten the established system's moneymakers. You know that this kind of stuff happens all the time, and its only right that these poor souls get at least some semblance of respect in death, something that was denied them in life. Some of these stories will almost bring a tear to your eye, knowing that these victims recieved the full brunt of corporate vengeance and governmental greed. Imagine a situation where an entire *company*, or and entire division of *government* is trying to take YOU down because of an invention you created that can make something that they have done obsolete (or because your trying save peoples lives by alerting them to something illegal and unsafe their doing), then be glad that it happened to someone else when you read about the hell that they go through as a result! Keep these stories in mind the next time you hear about some guy being squashed underfoot from big buisness....and know that stuff like this has, is, and will continue to happen! Kind of short, but a great read.

This book is so well written. I wish so deeply that others will pick up a copy so that the people Ken Smith writes about shall not be forgotton in death as they were in life.

A fantastic collection of extreme and bizarre biographies, detailing the lives of down-trodden little guys getting brutally shafted, the way that little guys usually do. This book is a testament to the greed, ignorance and indifference to suffering of human beings. Ken wisely refrains from infusing too much personal opinion, and just lets these well-written short stories speak for themselves. It is left to the reader to make the plausible extrapolation that such injustices are still being perpetrated today. The only forces that have ever motivated human beings to abandon personal goals and attempt to improve the world are not the hollow and sanctimonious words of moralists, ministers and holy books encouraging people to "Love their neighbours" and "Do good deeds", but flaming and outrageous injustices. This book provides examples of these in abundance. Certain to awaken the moral sense of all but the most greedy and hard-hearted among us, this book is sure to bring a tear to the eye of every CEO and politician in the land. Please read this book and when you've finished, give the book to someone else to read. Alternatively, if you think that Ken Smith deserves a few more cents in royalties for his hard work, then buy them a brand new copy instead. As the final words on the back cover says: Some things are just not right!