About the Project
How it started
In my senior year of high school my class was shown a documentary about the Leopold-Loeb case. I was intrigued, but it wasn’t until I picked up a book on the case a year or so later that my interest really took root. I began to read all the books about the case that I could find, and when that wasn’t enough to satiate my curiosity I read the trial transcripts and psychiatric reports, but they still didn’t come close to answering my many questions. I began to travel across the country, spending countless hours in archives reading letters, diaries, newspaper articles and dissertations, slowly learning more about this case which was becoming increasingly more fascinating to me.
My decision to write a biography on Nathan Leopold came after years of such research. When I was still only a few years in I hoped with every new book published and every documentary released about the case that someone would talk about Leopold’s later life. But each new work always focused on his crime, perhaps with a few sentences mentioning that Leopold had been paroled, moved to Puerto Rico and died. Eventually I decided that if I wanted to read a book that delved into Leopold’s later life I would have to write it myself.
What this book is about
Through research from new sources, I hope to uncover for readers the entirety of Leopold’s life. From his childhood summers spent on his family’s country estate to his days climbing trees looking for rare birds in Puerto Rico’s El Yunque rain forest, I want to get beyond the well-trod narrative of 1924 to really explore the man beneath. Who was Nathan Leopold? Who did he become? And why did he murder a child when he was only 19 years old?
My current journey
Right now I’m working on finishing up my research and writing a manuscript. I want to thank the dozens of incredibly supportive people who have generously donated their time, letters, pictures and memories to help me get a better understanding and ensure that this book will be as well-rounded and accurate as possible.
About me
I am an archivist currently working for Backstage Library Works. When my free time is not monopolized by researching Nathan Leopold, I volunteer at the Gerber/Hart Gay and Lesbian Library and Archives, planning exhibits and organizing collections.