Andrei Chikatilo was born in 1936 in an area of Ukraine that belonged to the USSR. Chikatilo's family was poor, living in a one room house and making ends meet as collective farmers. In the area post-Holodomor, Chikatilo and his family never had enough to eat. Chikatilo experienced World War II, which was traumatic in general, but especially for a child. He was beaten for wetting the bed and was often bullied by bother children. Chikatilo was impotent, which caused him multiple issues with women. Chikatilo became a teacher, giving him access to victims. His first known sexual assault was committed in 1973, and his first known murder was committed in 1978. Chikatilo guessed he killed over 55 women from 1978 to 1990 but was only convicted of 52.

This book is on The Last Podcast on the Left reading list. If you are a fan of the podcast, this is a good reference book with a lot of details that weren't covered in depth on the episode. If you are into serial killers and true crime in general, this is a solid book about this person. A lot has been made about his psychological profile and what influence his childhood may have had on his later crimes. I think it is very important to note the effects of famine and war on a child, and, while this may not have been the actual root cause, the experiences couldn't have possibly helped someone who was very clearly disturbed.