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directorpurry's review against another edition
2.0
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
So I will say some of this is colored by my inability to really get into audiobooks. I find I get very distracted and might miss something, so I usually only listen to audibooks of novels I know very well.
That said. The writing was interesting. I didn't really know very much about the bombings before coming in, so it was cool to learn some completely new history.
But what really threw me off was D. W. freaking Griffith.
I have a degree in film. I know he did a lot of amazing things for the medium. He was an innovator and both stylistically and technically very skilled.
He's still a PoS. I hate him. He was pretty racist. He was painfully into teenage girls.
And this book glorified a lot of what he did. There was a ton of information about what good he did for the film medium, but also some very uncomfortable tongue in cheek comments, like, "Oh that rascal, he sure liked that girl who looked like a 14 year old! It's okay, though, because she was 16!" Can you not?? There was little to no criticism of Griffith until the very end of the epilogue and by that point, I found it was too little too late.
Really, he wasn't even particularly relevant to the story, to be perfectly honest, so I would have been happy to see him gone.
In general, Blum offered very little of his own criticism, which didn't really work in this particular instance. I felt like there needed to be much more or practically none to make it really work.
I didn't come into this book knowing about the plot, so I would say I learned quite a bit from it. It's an easy read and not very long, so if you're looking for a quick bit of true crime that's not about a serial killer or a murder (specifically), this might be one to try out!
So I will say some of this is colored by my inability to really get into audiobooks. I find I get very distracted and might miss something, so I usually only listen to audibooks of novels I know very well.
That said. The writing was interesting. I didn't really know very much about the bombings before coming in, so it was cool to learn some completely new history.
But what really threw me off was D. W. freaking Griffith.
I have a degree in film. I know he did a lot of amazing things for the medium. He was an innovator and both stylistically and technically very skilled.
He's still a PoS. I hate him. He was pretty racist. He was painfully into teenage girls.
And this book glorified a lot of what he did. There was a ton of information about what good he did for the film medium, but also some very uncomfortable tongue in cheek comments, like, "Oh that rascal, he sure liked that girl who looked like a 14 year old! It's okay, though, because she was 16!" Can you not?? There was little to no criticism of Griffith until the very end of the epilogue and by that point, I found it was too little too late.
Really, he wasn't even particularly relevant to the story, to be perfectly honest, so I would have been happy to see him gone.
In general, Blum offered very little of his own criticism, which didn't really work in this particular instance. I felt like there needed to be much more or practically none to make it really work.
I didn't come into this book knowing about the plot, so I would say I learned quite a bit from it. It's an easy read and not very long, so if you're looking for a quick bit of true crime that's not about a serial killer or a murder (specifically), this might be one to try out!
simplyparticular's review against another edition
3.0
Blum did a good job making each of the main personalities, although flawed human beings, someone to root for. The biggest takeaway for me was the sheer amount of corruption in the legal and criminal justice system at that time.
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
4.0
I love histories of smaller events which have broader impacts--this, then, is a marvelous examination of a major labor-management fight and domestic terrorism, the emergence of Hollywood film production and the politics of early news media. And in the foreground are three men who, I must admit, I almost did not want to know so well. D.W. Griffith is now best known for Birth of a Nation, but the larger impacts he made on the industry are fascinating, while the womanizing and psychological manipulation of his actresses is distressing to read. Worse, seeing one of my idols, Clarence Darrow, reduced to humanity at the near-pathetic end of his career was frustrating and enlightening. And while I knew little of William Burns, the detective who uncovers it all, I was impressed with Blum's even-handed praise and criticism of all three men. On top of it all, Blum paints a compelling story at the same time, and I found myself anxious to discover how the "Crime of the Century" would play out.
librarianonparade's review against another edition
4.0
In the early morning of October 1 1910 the offices of the Los Angeles Times were destroyed in a massive explosion, and twenty-one people were killed. The attack came in the middle of a bitter conflict between labour and capital, with running battles between strikers and scabs, rancorous editorials in the press, whole cities taking sides, and numerous similar explosions in Idaho, Illinois and Indiana among others.
This book follows three key personalities: William J. Burns, the famous detective and later first head of the Bureau of Investigation, the forerunner to the FBI, who was hired by the City of Los Angeles to find the guilty parties; Clarence Darrow, the crusading lawyer hired to defend the McNamara brothers; and D.W. Griffiths, the innovative director of Birth of a Nation, who launched the careers of Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish among others.
It's a fascinating story, particularly the chapters dealing with the investigation into the explosion, and the three characters at the heart of the story are all lively and larger-than-life. The D.W. Griffiths connection is a bit tenuous - he had very little to do with the investigation at all - but his story is just as interesting. I could hardly put this book down, and it's particularly topical now, when so many parallels with the first decade of the previous century are apparent: conflict between labour and capital, terrorist outrages, the role of the movies and entertainment in shaping political beliefs, debates over the means justifying the ends in criminal investigations. Things don't change much in a 100 years, it seems.
This book follows three key personalities: William J. Burns, the famous detective and later first head of the Bureau of Investigation, the forerunner to the FBI, who was hired by the City of Los Angeles to find the guilty parties; Clarence Darrow, the crusading lawyer hired to defend the McNamara brothers; and D.W. Griffiths, the innovative director of Birth of a Nation, who launched the careers of Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish among others.
It's a fascinating story, particularly the chapters dealing with the investigation into the explosion, and the three characters at the heart of the story are all lively and larger-than-life. The D.W. Griffiths connection is a bit tenuous - he had very little to do with the investigation at all - but his story is just as interesting. I could hardly put this book down, and it's particularly topical now, when so many parallels with the first decade of the previous century are apparent: conflict between labour and capital, terrorist outrages, the role of the movies and entertainment in shaping political beliefs, debates over the means justifying the ends in criminal investigations. Things don't change much in a 100 years, it seems.
johnnygamble's review against another edition
4.0
Slight and breezy in good ways, even handed and interesting. An likable attempt at the Erik Larsen style combo of crime and related history.
krisrid's review against another edition
5.0
This was an absolutely fantastic read! As thrilling and interesting and colourful as any historical fiction story you care to mention - except this is REAL history - it happened!
In the very early morning of October 1, 1910, the Los Angeles Times newspaper building was destroyed by a massive explosion. When the rubble was sifted and the situation reviewed, 21 people were dead, many more injured and the Times building a charred, smoking wreckage. And this is just the start of the story!
The book goes on to chronicle the extensive investigation into what was determined to be an intentionally set bomb, and what was described as "the crime of the century".
The author uses three key people who were deeply involved in the case to tell the story:
Billy Burns - former Secret Service man and known as America's greatest detective [he was compared to Sherlock Holmes for his ability to solve complicated crimes], Billy happens to be in Los Angeles on the day the bomb explodes, so the city of Los Angeles begs him to find those responsible and bring them to justice. A self-important and arrogant man - although undoubtedly a brilliant detective - Billy ultimately can't refuse the case [although at first he tries hard to do exactly that] and throws everything he has into solving the crime.
Clarence Darrow - famous attorney, and well-known defender of lost causes, Darrow gets involved once the alleged bombers are caught and put on trial for the crime. Darrow is also unwillingly drawn into the case, as he is tired and discouraged about the impact all his legal dedication has had on the world, and is contemplating a quiet retirement in Chicago with his wife Ruby. But Darrow is strong-armed, cajoled and, eventually threatened into taking the case, for which the accused will be hanged if convicted.
D.W. Griffith - Griffith was a film-maker in the fledging movie industry who's ability to bring issues and impacts, heros and villians, and emotional connections to the massess in ways that simply weren't possible until people began paying a nickel to go into a darkened theatre and enter another world has a surprising impact on the way the Times bombing case plays out.
The book is really a comprehensive snap-shot of a specific point in the history of the U.S., and the author does a tremendous job in really bringing the time to life for the reader.
The bombing investigation eventually reveals that the bombing is related to the ferocious, and often deadly battle raging at that time between unions and capitalistic business owners, both trying to maintain and increase their power in the work equation of the times. All those investigated and ultimately accused in the bombing are involved in some way in the labour/management equation. And it becomes apparent that the battle over who will control working conditions in America has a great deal to do with the bombing.
We also get an exciting insider view of the development of the movie industry, and how it went from short movies to the epics we see today. Along the way, we meet Mary Pickford - the first movie "star" - and the Gish sisters. We see the evolution of making movies, and the vision of a director who could create an entire film inside his head before putting it on film.
The interconnections, and impacts these three characters have on each other - both directly and indirectly - and their larger impacts on the bombing case and the evolution of the United States as a whole are truly engrossing. I didn't want to put the book down once I started it, because it is well-written, the characters are so engrossing and interesting, and the story really is better than fiction! I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
In the very early morning of October 1, 1910, the Los Angeles Times newspaper building was destroyed by a massive explosion. When the rubble was sifted and the situation reviewed, 21 people were dead, many more injured and the Times building a charred, smoking wreckage. And this is just the start of the story!
The book goes on to chronicle the extensive investigation into what was determined to be an intentionally set bomb, and what was described as "the crime of the century".
The author uses three key people who were deeply involved in the case to tell the story:
Billy Burns - former Secret Service man and known as America's greatest detective [he was compared to Sherlock Holmes for his ability to solve complicated crimes], Billy happens to be in Los Angeles on the day the bomb explodes, so the city of Los Angeles begs him to find those responsible and bring them to justice. A self-important and arrogant man - although undoubtedly a brilliant detective - Billy ultimately can't refuse the case [although at first he tries hard to do exactly that] and throws everything he has into solving the crime.
Clarence Darrow - famous attorney, and well-known defender of lost causes, Darrow gets involved once the alleged bombers are caught and put on trial for the crime. Darrow is also unwillingly drawn into the case, as he is tired and discouraged about the impact all his legal dedication has had on the world, and is contemplating a quiet retirement in Chicago with his wife Ruby. But Darrow is strong-armed, cajoled and, eventually threatened into taking the case, for which the accused will be hanged if convicted.
D.W. Griffith - Griffith was a film-maker in the fledging movie industry who's ability to bring issues and impacts, heros and villians, and emotional connections to the massess in ways that simply weren't possible until people began paying a nickel to go into a darkened theatre and enter another world has a surprising impact on the way the Times bombing case plays out.
The book is really a comprehensive snap-shot of a specific point in the history of the U.S., and the author does a tremendous job in really bringing the time to life for the reader.
The bombing investigation eventually reveals that the bombing is related to the ferocious, and often deadly battle raging at that time between unions and capitalistic business owners, both trying to maintain and increase their power in the work equation of the times. All those investigated and ultimately accused in the bombing are involved in some way in the labour/management equation. And it becomes apparent that the battle over who will control working conditions in America has a great deal to do with the bombing.
We also get an exciting insider view of the development of the movie industry, and how it went from short movies to the epics we see today. Along the way, we meet Mary Pickford - the first movie "star" - and the Gish sisters. We see the evolution of making movies, and the vision of a director who could create an entire film inside his head before putting it on film.
The interconnections, and impacts these three characters have on each other - both directly and indirectly - and their larger impacts on the bombing case and the evolution of the United States as a whole are truly engrossing. I didn't want to put the book down once I started it, because it is well-written, the characters are so engrossing and interesting, and the story really is better than fiction! I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
lyricallit's review against another edition
2.0
The first part of the book was more interesting than the latter. Once the men were caught, the to and fro of the legal battle was a bit boring. I was expecting more of a dramatic climax, but instead it feels like it just fizzled out.
theinkdarksea's review against another edition
3.0
This is a rare case of me enjoying the audio book more than I believe I would have enjoyed the written tome. While I adore historical non-fiction of this sort (i.e. Charlatan, The Devil in the White City), one of the habits that frustrates me is when the author fills in all of the empty spaces with actions that cannot possible be known. For example, at one point, Clarence Darrow leans back in his chair and looks up into the heavens and his mental state and the action are described clearly. It just comes across as an over-use of the imagination in a historical account. In text this may have frustrated me enough (alongside the extensive use of simile- so many similes), but as an audio book it lent itself to the rhythm of the story-telling.
markk's review
3.0
With the predominance of September 11 in the modern imagination, it is sometimes difficult to remember that Americans have dealt with terrorism before. At the start of the last century, the nation experienced a succession of bomb attacks, one of the deadliest of which was the bombing of the offices of the ‘Los Angeles Times’ This attack, and the subsequent investigation of it, is the subject of Howard Blum’s book. His narrative focuses primarily on three men: William J. Burns, the lead detective investigating the case; film director D. W. Griffith, and famed attorney Clarence Darrow, who subsequently defended the accused men.
An accomplished journalist, Blum uses the events surrounding the bombing to open a window into American life at that time. Though his focus never wavers from the investigation and trial spawned by the bombing for more than a couple of pages, his brief digressions add color and depth to the story he is telling. The resulting book reads almost like a novel in some places, entertaining while recounting the dramatic events of the case. This is a book that true-crime fans and people interested in the era will enjoy, both for its retelling of this often-overlooked episode and for the capable way in which it is retold.
An accomplished journalist, Blum uses the events surrounding the bombing to open a window into American life at that time. Though his focus never wavers from the investigation and trial spawned by the bombing for more than a couple of pages, his brief digressions add color and depth to the story he is telling. The resulting book reads almost like a novel in some places, entertaining while recounting the dramatic events of the case. This is a book that true-crime fans and people interested in the era will enjoy, both for its retelling of this often-overlooked episode and for the capable way in which it is retold.
librarianonparade's review
4.0
In the early morning of October 1 1910 the offices of the Los Angeles Times were destroyed in a massive explosion, and twenty-one people were killed. The attack came in the middle of a bitter conflict between labour and capital, with running battles between strikers and scabs, rancorous editorials in the press, whole cities taking sides, and numerous similar explosions in Idaho, Illinois and Indiana among others.
This book follows three key personalities: William J. Burns, the famous detective and later first head of the Bureau of Investigation, the forerunner to the FBI, who was hired by the City of Los Angeles to find the guilty parties; Clarence Darrow, the crusading lawyer hired to defend the McNamara brothers; and D.W. Griffiths, the innovative director of Birth of a Nation, who launched the careers of Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish among others.
It's a fascinating story, particularly the chapters dealing with the investigation into the explosion, and the three characters at the heart of the story are all lively and larger-than-life. The D.W. Griffiths connection is a bit tenuous - he had very little to do with the investigation at all - but his story is just as interesting. I could hardly put this book down, and it's particularly topical now, when so many parallels with the first decade of the previous century are apparent: conflict between labour and capital, terrorist outrages, the role of the movies and entertainment in shaping political beliefs, debates over the means justifying the ends in criminal investigations. Things don't change much in a 100 years, it seems.
This book follows three key personalities: William J. Burns, the famous detective and later first head of the Bureau of Investigation, the forerunner to the FBI, who was hired by the City of Los Angeles to find the guilty parties; Clarence Darrow, the crusading lawyer hired to defend the McNamara brothers; and D.W. Griffiths, the innovative director of Birth of a Nation, who launched the careers of Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish among others.
It's a fascinating story, particularly the chapters dealing with the investigation into the explosion, and the three characters at the heart of the story are all lively and larger-than-life. The D.W. Griffiths connection is a bit tenuous - he had very little to do with the investigation at all - but his story is just as interesting. I could hardly put this book down, and it's particularly topical now, when so many parallels with the first decade of the previous century are apparent: conflict between labour and capital, terrorist outrages, the role of the movies and entertainment in shaping political beliefs, debates over the means justifying the ends in criminal investigations. Things don't change much in a 100 years, it seems.