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80 reviews for:
Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the Fbi, 1933-34
Bryan Burrough
3.86 AVERAGE
80 reviews for:
Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the Fbi, 1933-34
Bryan Burrough
3.86 AVERAGE
This book will take you on a cross country road trip with John Dillanger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. It was amazing. Its one of those books that is packed with facts but you are having so much fun you don't realize you're learning. Burroughs hit it out of the park with this book.
reads quick, albeit lengthy. I would complain about there being too much on the Barker family but then I learned they arrested Dock Barker at the apartment where I lost my virginity, so I guess it was all worth it in the end
challenging
slow-paced
i enjoyed this book. It took me about 2 weeks to read it because I've been on vacation, had guests, super busy at work, etc. which was a shame because its the type of book you could polish off in a few sittings. The author writes very well and clearly was fascinated by the subject -- it was a pleasure to read, which makes me think it was a pleasure to write.
The premise of the book is really to examine the public enemy era of 1933-34 -- many of the famous criminals were active at the same time (Dillinger, Karpis, Barker Bros, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, George Kelly, etc.) and some even were friends. Who knew that Bonnie Parker wasn't really a criminal? That Baby Face Nelson was actually a psychotic murderer who happened to rob people on the side? That Ma Barker was basically just a simple woman bound to keep near her kids and not the mastermind movies often portray her to be? Anyone interested in the boot leg and depression era should find this book worth their time -- all the mystique surrounding bank robberies, mob, machine guns, whorehouses, gangs, molls -- is all in there.
There is a lot on the history of the FBI, which I also liked. They've come a long way from their beginnings, that is for sure. I was more interested in the criminal aspects than the crime fighting aspects, but the author did a good job showcasing the internal politics and challenges of moving to a national model of crime enforcement without bogging the story too far down on the antics and annoyances related to J. Edgar Hoover (whom incidentally, I found myself disliking more than ever after reading this book).
A weakness for me was I never really understood why some of these prominent "public enemies" even got sucked into crime. I.e. George Kelly who was partially college educated and came from a good family. The author says that Karpis wasn't motivated by money and living a luxurious lifestyle, but more about making big scores and the glory that came with. He didn't really live high on the hog, but was really restless so he never enjoyed his scores. I wanted to know what drove him to think like that?
The treat though is at the very end where you find out what happened to some of the lesser known characters. It is amazing to me that our government put some of these people's wives in prison (for long periods) for "harboring" their husbands, but not actually doing anything to participate in their crimes. I was amazed to read Karpis was actually paroled from prison after something like 33 years -- he lived out his life in Canada and Spain. These days you can get a life sentence for dealing drugs and they don't let you out!
All in all, this book is an investment of some time (due to length) but worth the effort.
The premise of the book is really to examine the public enemy era of 1933-34 -- many of the famous criminals were active at the same time (Dillinger, Karpis, Barker Bros, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, George Kelly, etc.) and some even were friends. Who knew that Bonnie Parker wasn't really a criminal? That Baby Face Nelson was actually a psychotic murderer who happened to rob people on the side? That Ma Barker was basically just a simple woman bound to keep near her kids and not the mastermind movies often portray her to be? Anyone interested in the boot leg and depression era should find this book worth their time -- all the mystique surrounding bank robberies, mob, machine guns, whorehouses, gangs, molls -- is all in there.
There is a lot on the history of the FBI, which I also liked. They've come a long way from their beginnings, that is for sure. I was more interested in the criminal aspects than the crime fighting aspects, but the author did a good job showcasing the internal politics and challenges of moving to a national model of crime enforcement without bogging the story too far down on the antics and annoyances related to J. Edgar Hoover (whom incidentally, I found myself disliking more than ever after reading this book).
A weakness for me was I never really understood why some of these prominent "public enemies" even got sucked into crime. I.e. George Kelly who was partially college educated and came from a good family. The author says that Karpis wasn't motivated by money and living a luxurious lifestyle, but more about making big scores and the glory that came with. He didn't really live high on the hog, but was really restless so he never enjoyed his scores. I wanted to know what drove him to think like that?
The treat though is at the very end where you find out what happened to some of the lesser known characters. It is amazing to me that our government put some of these people's wives in prison (for long periods) for "harboring" their husbands, but not actually doing anything to participate in their crimes. I was amazed to read Karpis was actually paroled from prison after something like 33 years -- he lived out his life in Canada and Spain. These days you can get a life sentence for dealing drugs and they don't let you out!
All in all, this book is an investment of some time (due to length) but worth the effort.
Interesting to learn that the source information the authour used for this book had only recently been de-classified. Even though you have been hearing stories and seeing movies about John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, this is the real story.
It is funny to see the Feds and the Gangsters making major goof-ups. The big shoot outs are great reads.
The book is WAY better than the movie. It is ironic that the book makes a big point about how Melvin Purvis was just the public face. He got all the credit for taking down Dillinger because he was the guy that would talk to the press so that the real work could get done. I was surprised to read that it was a Mormon who actually deserves the credit.
I was highly shocked that the movie gave full credit to Melvin Purvis! There were news articles in the Salt Lake newspapers pointing this out while the movie was in theaters.
It is funny to see the Feds and the Gangsters making major goof-ups. The big shoot outs are great reads.
The book is WAY better than the movie. It is ironic that the book makes a big point about how Melvin Purvis was just the public face. He got all the credit for taking down Dillinger because he was the guy that would talk to the press so that the real work could get done. I was surprised to read that it was a Mormon who actually deserves the credit.
I was highly shocked that the movie gave full credit to Melvin Purvis! There were news articles in the Salt Lake newspapers pointing this out while the movie was in theaters.
It is a very detailed, informative overview of The War on Crime from the side of the public enemies and the FBI. It is entertaining and engaging.
A fantastic read about the bank-robbing gangs of the 1930s. Burrough thoroughly researched this book about the Barkers, Bonnie & Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and John Dillinger (including newly released FBI files). The book is also the story (as the subtitle suggests) of the beginnings of the FBI and its rise to prominence. Burrough writes in such an engaging way that it practically reads as a novel.
The most spectacular crime wave in American history, the two-year battle between the young Hoover and the assortment of criminals who became national icons: John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and the Barkers. In an epic feat of storytelling and drawing on a remarkable amount of newly available material on all the major figures involved, Burrough reveals a web of interconnections within the vast American underworld and demonstrates how Hoover’s G-men overcame their early fumbles to secure the FBI’s rise to power.
The story of men struggle for power, G-men (brave, courageous and stubborn) vs John dillinger (notorious, fearless, cruel and leader) when came face to face , even after get caught, John never ever frightened by it and he break the jail everytime he was put behind bar. The things were going out of hands and they need proper plan to win against Dillinger, he was so fearless that once he visited FBI office when FBI was just a program started with men who are able to crack notorious cases and criminals. Most of them died someway of the other but G-men need special team with modern tech to defeat dillinger and he was killed when he came out of film premiere.
The story of men struggle for power, G-men (brave, courageous and stubborn) vs John dillinger (notorious, fearless, cruel and leader) when came face to face , even after get caught, John never ever frightened by it and he break the jail everytime he was put behind bar. The things were going out of hands and they need proper plan to win against Dillinger, he was so fearless that once he visited FBI office when FBI was just a program started with men who are able to crack notorious cases and criminals. Most of them died someway of the other but G-men need special team with modern tech to defeat dillinger and he was killed when he came out of film premiere.
Good. Full of details and little known facts. Gets slow in some parts.