A review by lisanussd
Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts by Julian Rubinstein

4.0

This was a well-researched fascinating book. The author spent hours interviewing many of the people featured in this book. The biography is about Attila Ambrus who becomes know as the "Whiskey Robber." Attila's biography is written in the backdrop of Hungary post communism. The author expertly paces Attila's story in the complex development of Hungary's new political direction. It was a slow read for me because, although well written, was a story of a man who had addictions and eventually turned to robbery.

At the end of the book, all of Attila's robberies are listed, so at about 2/3 a way through the book, I felt like I had read about enough of Attila's robberies because the cycle was disheartening. Attila gambled his money away and then drank heavily and robbed another bank.

I don't read a lot of biographies, but I read a lot of historical fiction, but this was a treat because of how much the author presented the life of Attila in the backdrop of that time period.