Unheard Witness

The Life and Death of Kathy Leissner Whitman

By: Jo Scott-Coe

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

In 1966, Kathy Leissner Whitman was a twenty-three-year-old teacher dreaming of a better future. She was an avid writer of letters, composing hundreds in the years before she was stabbed to death by her husband, Charles Whitman, who went on to commit a mass shooting from the tower at the University of Texas at Austin. Kathy's writing provides a rare glimpse of how one woman described, and sought to change, her short life with a coercive, controlling, and violent partner.

©2023 Jo Scott-Coe (P)2023 Tantor

Sad story

This is truly a very sad story. Kathy’s life was filled with hope and promise, after an ideal, loving and nurturing youth. She was bright and popular and could have had a wonderful marriage with any number of young men. Why her father was persuaded by Charlie (murdering husband) to allow his daughter to marry him, was not noted, which was very obvious because both parents didn’t necessarily care for Charlie and they were only 19. I’m aware that the book was written based on all of the letters from Kathy to and from Charlie, her mother, father and in-laws, along with some phone conversations, all around. However, the extreme monotony of Kathy’s self-degradation in her letters to Charlie had me skipping over much of those parts. Soon, I just wanted to be done with the book but wanted to finish listening as well. I don’t understand why, in the very start of the marriage, while Kathy was STILL her strong, self confident and firm in her abilities to go off to college knowing what kind of life she was going to have - why she didn’t get away from this narcissistic a-hole. He showed her his true colors VERY early on in the marriage. Why her mother didn’t either physically go and get Kathy or send her money and/or buy her a ticket to fly home? Her parents knew that she was very unhappy and her brother Nelson never liked Charlie from the minute he met him. Please note, I am not blaming the parents for Kathy’s death. As a parent of 3 grown men, I know that you couldn’t stop me from saving them from harm.
Also, the narrator was the wrong choice for this book.

A New Lens for Examining Male Rage and Mass Murder

A New Lens for Examining Male Rage and Mass Murder

Ms. Scott-Coe does an excellent job of capturing the life of a young woman through her letters, diaries and personal observations of friends and family members, and makes readers feel as though we personally know Kathy Leissner Whitman. This book embodies Kathy's spirit and charm at a time in her life when the world promises so much - a college education, romance and marriage - but all of that comes to a tragic end with the violence that sweeps up Kathy and 15 other fatalities and 31 others injured. Typical controlling male patriarchal values of the early 1960s dominate Kathy's world which is tightly bound up by her multiple duties as a wife, student and later as a teacher.

Tanya Eby does a fine job of narrating this outstanding book.

Mixed feelings on this book

Offered much insight into subtle and hidden domestic abuse, overall good story. Dragged out a bit. I almost couldn’t tolerate the narrator, and had to “turn her off” for the day many times. I would go back to continue listening, but only after having a pause from her voice. On the other hand, had the narrator done this any other way I am not sure the listener would have gotten a clear picture of Kathy’s sad denial of her situation. No criticism to Kathy here…Hopefully this story will serve as a lesson to those who still suffer domestic abuse. If the signs are there, read them! They are there to save your life.