Before the internet made trips to the library and bookstores less necessary for research, I collected quite an eclectic and disturbing array of books to aid me in my writing. Often the darker side of it. Here is a sample of some of the titles.

Practical Homicide Investigation...not for the squeamish--it has pictures.

Satan...no interviews with the dude, unfortunately.

Deadly Doses: A Writer's Guide To Poisons...not to be left near the Bartenders Guide.

The Book Of Execution...seriously twisted. Those medieval pain professionals were some sickly creative guys and gals.

Hunting The Dead...not a sportsmen's guide.

Everyday Life In Early America...they had it rough. No Diet Pepsi.

A Dictionary Of Yiddish Idioms...Oy!

The Effects Of Nuclear Weapons...there are no good effects in here. I looked.

Medicine For Mountaineering...how to catheterize your buddies if necessary.

There are more. Many, many more. But I always feel a little dirty after perusing what I consider light reading.