True Crime Books

This review is not going to be long and drawn out. Quite simply this is the best book I have read dealing with the Russian mafia. It deals very extensively with Mr. Serio's experiences in the former Soviet Union. The only thing better then reading this book would be to take one of his classes or attend one of his lectures. Either way, this is a must for anyone wanting to take a look into the rising global power that is the Russian mafia. Enjoy, and buy two copies! It makes a great gift if you've got organized crime investigators as friends.

WHAT IF SCENARIOS

Joseph Serio is no neophyte when it comes to the obfuscation of Soviet and Russian crime and justice statistics. His internship tenure at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and his earlier book, USSR Crime Statistics and Summaries: 1989 and 1990, (OICJ Press, 1992) provide critical insights into the processes of compiling, replication and analysis of crime statistics by the Communist and post-Communist governments. It is clear that the central dilemma of what we know - or think we know - about the Russian mafia is intimately connected to the business of the production and consumption of information (impression management). This book is not your standard remuneration of comparative statistics and turgid didactic of comparative crime. Rather, it launches into a cognitive challenge at deciphering historical demographics, national character, culture, mores and, importantly, how to create what if scenarios in the quest of defining and better understanding both the Western purview and the Russian mafia of today. This book is one of the finest examples of contextualizing the content and embodiment of Russian Mafia available. It belongs on the desk of every dedicated analyst, researcher, and critical essayist studying the gut and underbelly of organized crime in the context of our post-modern times.

Jess Maghan, PhD
Chester, CT

This is an important book, not only because it tells us something about the state of affairs in Russia, but also because it gives insight into things popular history is content to pass over. We like labels and select details that fit comfortable paradigms. We want bite-sized stories of human drama from the media that fit, rather than question, our preconceived notions. But history is messier than this and books should go beyond the obvious. They are a chance to get it right. That's exactly what Joe Serio tries to do. He lived in the former Soviet Union for seven years witnessing the country and culture form many different angles. He was the only American to work in the Organized crime Control Department of the Soviet police and has been a consultant to "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," CNN and the BBC. He also played harmonica in a Russian rock `n roll band.

As comprehensive as this book is (with footnotes, flow charts and a thorough index) it is very readable. It is divided into three parts. The first deals with the term "mafia" as applied to the Soviets, the nature and number of crime groups in that country, and the role of the media. Part two examines key issues in the rise of criminal organizations and gives some perspective from the past 400 years that helps us understand the long-term context of the problem. Part three takes a close look at criminal organizations, business, and law enforcement--three spheres inextricably linked in a struggle for power in Russia. I love it when the author says, "There's little in the former Soviet Union that can't be found in the West including organized crime, extensive corruption, fraud, demoralizing poverty and biased media." In other words a look at this other side of the world also gives us a glimpse in the mirror at ourselves.

He explains that in the Russian language, there are two different adjectives for what appears in English as the single word "Russian." The first, "russkii," means humble, homely, sacred--it is definitely feminine. The second, "rossiiskii," is grandiose, cosmopolitan and secular--it is masculine. This latter term stems from nationhood formed by empire building. We Americans (who are pretty good at heart) understand this dichotomy, particularly when our own country is disdained by others because of its role as superpower and self-proclaimed enemy of terrorism. An idealistic, military role our political leaders embrace that seems at odds with the less presumptuous values of the "common man." In any case, Serio's point in addressing the "mafia" label is that, "the invasion of the mafia that was spoken of so often was really a cancer that grew from within the rotting body of the host organism." It is precisely the country's flawed structure that makes crime in the former Soviet Union so dangerous: "The major problem was that the rules of the mafia-like Communist Party and the rules of the traditional criminal world became the rules of the whole society."

I can remember in the early seventies visiting Sofia, Bulgaria, and seeing first hand the godfather-like authority of party officials extending far beyond the governmental system or their official positions. Why wouldn't that remain and, in fact, assume even greater importance when the political structure collapsed? And so the criminal underworld and the criminal upperworld started to merge. Of course that kind of oppression knows no boundaries, and it seems to me the only way to fight it is to more thorough better understanding. The Soviet Union was never a superpower. It had military strength but not the infrastructure (that was sacrificed to build that military strength). It was convenient for our politicians to identify those people as "the enemy" but various populations of the USSR were (and continue to be) its victims. Rather than a cut and dried, the good vs. the bad scenario, players today are "hopelessly entangled in a game where the line between legality and illegality is far from clear."


I don't know what that means for businesses, tourists, and even governments who now interact with that part of the world, but comprehending the past, understanding the larger context of existing problems and appreciating the things that keep us in ignorance of one another, is a start.

This book was a great read! I started reading and couldn't stop until it was finished. Mark Fuhrman is a top notch author, he really constructed an excellent book here.

Be careful not to do too much research about the Moxley case before reading this book, it may ruin the ending for you.

This is an okay book. Furman repeats alot of the info over and over. I didn't even finish the last few pages as they started out the same as everything we already read.

The problem with this book is that Heir Furhman takes the credit for solving the crime. This couldn't be further from the truth.

If you want to read the most factual account of this murder, read "Conviction" by Len Levitt.

However, I believe that if Mr. Skakel can't recall if he committed the murder, how can anyone else be so sure.

Let's face it, Mark Fuhrman is not somebody that I consider reliable. Dominick Dunne, another old man bent on revenge over his daughter's murder, goes after the Kennedy family. Okay, I'm not saying that Michael Skakel did it or not because he was convicted of the crime but the story's not over until the case was done in the court of law. I believe the book came well before the guilty verdict which was too soon and judgmental. Yes, the Kennedys have a lot of power and money but Greenwich is still a place where people drive expensive cars, live in mansions, and are completely out of touch with reality. I don't believe Fuhrman anymore than I believe Dunne because they're totally ready to convict based on little evidence, hearsay, and gossip.

My book is called Murder In Greenwich and it is about a murder of a 15 year old girl named Martha Moxley.The book is written by Mark Fuhrman.The case was never solved but i think its an excellent book because it gave alot of details.It also show pictures of where the murder occurred and also of Martha Moxley.The author is also an excellent writer.I recommend this book if u like Mark Fuhrman books or mystery books!I would not recommend this book to people that dont like murders or blood. ~~~~BY TORI SORIANO 16 YEARS OLD LINCOLN CITY OR!!!~~~

This book was ok but not near as good as until the twelfth of never. that book really gives you more of an inside look into the life of Dan and Betty Broderick. This book is a quick read if you are looking for a light read on the story and not a lot of details.

Betty Broderick. Where oh where to start with this case? This was a murder case that spoke to us on so many levels, made us all shake our heads, turn our noses up, and secretly fear our own insecurities and what we are capable of.

Betty and Dan were high school / college sweethearts, who started off with such hopes and dreams that they would have a wonderful life together. Their family started almost immediately after they married (their first of 5 children arriving nearly 9 months to the day they married). Dan went to medical school and later law school while Betty raised the kids and did the primary bread winning as a school teacher. Once Dan had completed his education, he accepted a job with a California law firm and they moved to the west coast. From there he began to build his career to become one of the most successful and wealthiest men in town, and Betty could quit working to dedicate all her time to her kids.

It wasn't, however, a fairy tale. Dan and Betty's relationship was troubled from the beginning. They would eventually divorce, and it was anything but a peaceful affair. Betty went from being a "normal person" to a pathetic, psychotic hysteric. Dan began to cheat with Linda, and would eventually marry her. Betty's hysteria went from reasonable to destructive (driving her car through the front door of the house which got her thrown into a psych hospital, for example). It all came to a head when she bought a gun, snuck into her ex husband's house one morning, and shot both him and Linda while they slept. Now she's behing bars.

It's so hard to take sides in something like this. You see so clearly what Betty wanted and what was taken away from her. Yet you also see what Dan wanted, and what was taken away from him. Not to mention Linda. And the kids. And their friends, and their families. So many marriages start off so innocently and with such hopes, and so many end so bitterly. Where are those two people who were so in love once in the wedding pictures? Their partnership fell apart. But then again, as I have seen, the majority of people I have seen marry never should have. They were not right for each other. And sometimes we have to realize that and leave the marriages. It's when one doesn't want to that you will get a crazy story like this. Divorce is never pleasent, that's for sure, and you will face terrible times as you realize you have just had the rug ripped out from under you. But, have some dignity. If not for yourself, for your family and friends.

And, Betty, as far as I am concerned, has a genuine element of evil in her. I understand her sense of despair, her jealousy of the other woman, etc., but she has caused such chaos. It would not could not end until someone died. Dan and Linda had to die before Betty's rage was satisfied. To this day she has expressed no remorse over the fact that the both of them are dead. She says "Dan wanted me dead, but I'm alive". Alive to rot in prison, alive to have lost everything, and alive to be a sad joke to many.

I first saw the television film adaptation which was pro-Dan and Linda all the way. They never showed Dan and Linda bad-mouthing Betty. In the film, Betty was portrayed brilliantly by Meredith Baxter but she played her as a demented, sore loser who never got over losing Dan, her man. In the book, we read more about Betty's feuding which was more like a World War and Dan's indifference to his former wife's well-being. He tossed her aside when he found a suitable replacement like hiring and firing but Betty didn't go easily or ever. She was obsessed with Dan and Linda and defeating them no matter what the cost. The book dispels that Dan was a wonderful husband and father only when he was forced too by Betty dumping the kids off one by one. Betty was smart, attractive, and wittier than some of the most professional comedians according to one of her close friends. She discharged by her husband rather because he decided to have a younger model and version. Now, I don't condone Betty's actions when she shot and killed them in their sleep. Of course if I was Linda, I would run away as fast as I could. Yes, you're in love but look at his first wife. I don't understand why Dan disowned his daughter Lee Gordon Broderick upon his death maybe for siding with Betty over Dan. Dan never liked to lose in life but he lost in death. There is a website where you can't leave flowers and notes on Dan and Linda's graves because it has been misused. That blockage is usually reserved for dictators and serial killers. I think Linda was in way over her head when she married Dan not seeing this coming and thinking that Dan could save them both. I remember in the film where a senior secretary played by Debra Jo Rupp warned Dan about how to treat people fairly when she saw Linda rise above her. It was a poignant moment in the film and maybe showed a side of Dan's egotism that he can handle everything. Like I wrote, there are no winners from this situation. I feel sorry for the children the most for suffering through the loss of their father, stepmother, and their mother's role in their murders.

I became introduced to this case through court TV and many documentaries, and all I can say is WOW!!!! No matter what you feel about the victims or Betty, you have to feel for the children who were put through this. I was heartbroken while reading this book. It has the same feel of the book I read for the movie "Goodfellas" and you do sort of feel caught up in the mess. It's sad really, but it's a teaching lesson if you look it at in a positive light.

I feel like a professional as far as this case goes. LOL I have stated before that after seeing the totally pro Dan and Linda movie (The Betty Broderick Story) I started reading and watching everything about this case, including the court tv show, A&E Justice Story, MNCBS Headliners etc...While I will grant that Betty murdering them was over the top, some of the stunts of Dan and Linda were over the top too. You also have to keep in mind that Dan was the one whose "friends" were the lawyers and judges, not Betty. In spite of friends saying she could have gone to another county to find a lawyer, it really was not as easy as all that. The woman was completly blind-sided by this man she had worked so hard for. It truly was a sad, sad story.This book was quick, but did not have many details and certainly not reserched as the book by Bella Stumbo was. It was okay and added maybe a little more insight to the case but not much.

It's obvious that this book is cobbled together from drafts of several authors with different writing styles which isn't all that annoying in itself. However, the chronic repetition of the same information is. That said it's still worth finishing the read. It's certainly a sad indictment on the media industry and justice system in the USA.

Even though I had followed the case at the time, I still read this in two nights flat - it's that good. This is an important book, heck it's an important story, particularly for "white people". I write that with hesitation, but heck that's the truth. How come "white" has almost become a term of abuse? "White boy" certainly has. And that's just it. They only reason this tall tale, this ridiculous hoax, went this far, affected so many lives, pushed so many people to the edge of their existence (could you post a $400, 000 bond for your son, whilst your wife is having a nervous breakdown) is that these were "white boys". Thus it was open season. Read with horror as these boys, because of making one mistake, one error of judgement, inviting a stripper to perform a private function in their home, lost their coach, their season, their house (many slept in their cars), were hounded off campus or formally expelled, threatened both verbally and by mail - all this after fully cooperating with the police, turning over all the physical evidence in their house without question, voluntarily took DNA tests - and it still took months and months, hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps millions (the lawyer fees of the indicted three estimated at $100,000 a month), an extraordinary display of loyalty and togetherness between their teamates, their relatives and neighbors and some great lawyers (their lawyers are to me, all heroes - one, Kirk Osborn, sadly died of a heart attack during the ordeal) to finally shake off the blatantly false allegation of a mentally unstable criminal supported by a madman whose daytime job was District Attorney. So we both cheer when they are finally vindicated by then wonder - is America crazy right now or what? What is this war on "white men" by the feminists, the race hustlers, the homosexuals, the Latinos and everybody else. I remember reading a post on a blog after this arose from a white male: "All the more reason just to keep your head down, get your sh** done in the daytime, and retire for the evening behind a locked door" - this is the reality for countless "privileged white males" in many parts of America today.

I couldn't recommend this book highly enough. If you have teenage sons or daughters preparing to go to college, they need to read this book.

This is a real page turner of a book. I was familiar with the work of Don Yaeger since he used to write for Sports Illustrated. He does not disappoint! I thought I knew the story but I wasn't even close to knowing the full story. He really brings it home and you feel like you know the person he writes about.

Mike Pressler, the coach who lost his job, gives a first person account of the events that took place and is fascinating. You will enjoy this book, trust me!! GO DUKE!

Gerard Zemek (husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry")

Exceedingly well written book. I have not stopped talking about it. This is not just a simple story of a high profile case. It focuses on how innocent people were directly affected in their every day lives by scandalous lies. The media never revealed this side of the story. It's unimaginable how this horrific mess could've happened. You can't stop but think what you would do had this happened to you. I was paralyzed reading what these people went through. You will truly be shocked, in disbelief to no end. I commend all the people who courageously stuck by and weathered the storm with all those who were unfortuneatly (directly and indirectly) involved. How utterly defiant, inexplicably brave. It just goes to show you the truth will always prevail. "It's Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the Lives It Shattered", is inspirationally AMAZING!!!

Coach Mike Pressler knows better than most of us how it feels to be in the center of a raging inferno of politically correct rage--where truth and justice have no place.

In 2006, he was abruptly fired from his job as coach of Duke University's lacrosse team after three of his players were accused by a demented black female stripper of gang rape. These charges fed perfectly into a fanatically obsessed scenario found at most universities of white male treachery, black victomhood and feminist paranoia.

Duke President Richard Brodhead, his motor-mouth assistant, John Burness and board chairman, Bob Steele, quickly jumped on the politically correct bandwagon and let the public know that they were throwing the players into the raging inferno.

The administration refused to look at any of the exonerating proof of innocence of the accused that was continually offered to them by the defense attorneys.

The administration instead threw its support behind the psychopathic District Attorney Mike Nifong who knew early on that the rape charges were a hoax. The stripper, Crystal Mangum, had made the identical charges three years before against another group of men, but these, too, proved to be false.

The raging storm against the trio of young men grew stronger when the usual anti-white racists came out of the woodwork. Like the NC Chapter of the NAACP, the New Black Panthers Party, the local Pot Bangers group, made up of left-wing faculty and students. Racial arsonists like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson flew down to Durham, NC, to scream about white racist rapists and poor defenseless black women.

This reminded many of us ironically that Al Sharpton engineered an identical hoax in l986 when he spent a year pushing the notorious Tawana Brawley rape hoax in New York state. She accused a gang of white men of raping her. A grand jury said the charges were totally fabricated but in the meantime, Sharpton and Jackson had destroyed lives right and left. Brawley was never charged for her crimes. Sharpton received a slap on the wrist and has never apologized.

The authors reveal how corrupt members of the Durham police department, the district attorneys office, judges and many members of the black community of the city pushed their goal of railroading the trio of boys into prison for life. To hell with the truth.

The media coverage was so vicious, especially the New York Times, that it often felt as if all the news reports were being written by Mike Nifong and Al Sharpton.

At Duke, a gang of 88 faculty members (or a gang of 88 bigots) took out a full-page ad praising the protestors and urging them to "turn up the volume." Many of the teachers had lacrosse players in their classes and openly taunted them into admitting their guilt. None of the teachers ever apologized for their actions. Many were actually promoted, along with black activist students who had sent threatening e-mail to Coach Pressler.
President Brodhead was just recently lavishly praised by his board of directors for his handling of the rape hoax--and for for his unwavering support of the demented Mike Nifong.

When Pressler begged the administration to wait for the truth to come out before firing him and cancelling any appearances of the lacrosse team for a whole year, Duke's Athletic director, Joe Alleva told Pressler: "It's not about the truth." In those four words, you have revealed the heart of the people heading Duke University. And of all the other criminals who passionately pursued imprisonment for life for three young men who just happened to be white.

A 113 year old murder mystery equal to the tale of Lizzy Borden and almost every bit as violent as the actions of "Jack the Ripper." The Burning of Bridget Cleary by Angela Bourke becomes a contemporary 19th century postscript of the "Salem Witch Trials."

Unlike those cases of notoriety, the main suspects in this case were ..."Irish Fairies!" Irish Fairies that is, with the assistance of poor Bridget Cleary's husband (and several family members).

In 1895, Michael Cleary beat, and then set his wife, Bridget on fire in their "salubrious Irish cottage." Michael took it upon himself to "exorcise" the Fairies from her with a good dose of cleansing fire and just for good measure, added an accelerant of paraffin oil from a near by lamp. Surely the Fairies vacated the premisis after that but, unfortunately ... so did the life of Bridget.

Superstition, premeditated murder or, lustfull kiling...you be the judge.

The reality of a hangman's noose ironically over shadowed the world of demonic fairies and Michael Cleary (and family members) withdrew their plea of "Not Guilty" and opted to plead to the charge of "Manslaughter"( at least, the suffix portion of that word describes the real act).

For that plea, Michael Cleary received 5 years and was subsequnetly released early for "Good Behavior."

Angela Bourke did a superb job of introducing the reader to the cultural aspects of Irish lore, and superstition (especially in Chapter 2). She weaves this world of Fairies and Celtic superstions throughout the book and it's tragic story. However, much of her information seemed out of order and tended to bogg down the flow of the case story that she was trying to portray. It was as though, the book became a mixture of college text, and historical biography. Despite the interesting information put forth by the author, the book is not necessarily a smooth read. Had Ms. Bourke utilized a different style of writing, the story would have been much more exciting to follow.

If, you are a student of turn of the century murder cases, or a collector of Celtic lore, then this book would be a good one to have at least, for reference material.

Just in time for Halloween, I finished reading The Burning of Bridget Cleary. The book is a very good narrative and analysis of the mysterious death of 26-year-old Bridget Cleary on March 15, 1895 in Ballyvadlea, Ireland. Apparently Bridget was believed by her family to have been taken away by "the fairies" and a sickly changeling left in her place. In the course of trying to determine if the Bridget in his house was really his wife, her husband Michael exploded into a rage and Bridget either caught fire or was intentionally ignited. Author Angela Bourke expertly places us in the politics and culture of the time, helping us to understand what might have caused seemingly rational people to behave in a way that is nearly inexplainable. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, folklore, true crime, the supernatural, or sociology.

This should have been a compelling story. Instead the reader has to piece the details of the crime together as the author goes off on endless tangents. These tangents are supposed to illustrate historical and folklorical Ireland. The crime surely could have been a very fascinating read if it weren't for the abundance of nonsense that overhwelms it. Some of the history and folklore is certainly relevant but there is much too much. I found myself skipping through stories of Oscar Wilde (?!) just to get to the next portion of the murder tale. This book is unclear and verbose at the same time. A decent true crime writer could very easily have made this incredible story into a readable account..even while including history.

You would hardly believe that this is not a novel. The story is gripping and the author's telling of it is masterful. Bourke not only relates the facts of the case, she evokes the spirit of the age. What is more, she skillfully portrays how folk beliefs and superstitions are intimately intertwined with power and the status quo. In a quasi-religious kind of way, the folk beliefs of the community in the novel form the basis of control. In our 21st century world, driven by empirical evidence, the rule of rational law is paramount. In the absence of such laws, folk beliefs functioned to shape society and were used to legitimise the punishment of those who stepped outside the bounds of the status quo. This book is truly fascinating and a must-read for anyone interested in human belief systems and the way they shape society. On top of what we can learn from it, it is also just a truly wonderful story, horrific, poignant and altogether human.

THE BURNING OF BRIDGET CLEARY catches the eye immediately with its eerie (hardcover) illustration of a ghostly woman floating in midair superimposed over a man's stern, shadowy face. Lovers of all things Irish will find this horrifying true story of the life and death of Bridget Cleary of County Tipperary particularly disturbing, set as it is in the bucolic Irish countryside of the late 19th Century.

Visitors to Ireland will be aware of what author Angela Bourke calls "townlands." An inexact term, it describes rural places that are not on any map. Certainly not towns, nor even villages or hamlets, these places consist of a few adjacent farmsteads and perhaps a freestanding house or two, set off from other such places by fields, and perhaps by a large boulder carved with the name of the place. Populated by only a few families, who living cheek-by-jowl for hundreds of years are interlinked but independent, such places exist "there but not there," a reality which has informed the Irish mind and character for generations.

Ms. Bourke, a lecturer in Irish history, uses the death of Bridget Cleary as a paradigm for cultural change and disruption. Bridget Cleary died in 1895 because the "modern" Social Darwinist linearly organized, scientific, English-speaking and aggressively concrete universe of the late Victorian era butted heads with the "traditional" non-linear, symbological Gaelic-speaking world it was supplanting.

At first glance, Bridget and Michael Cleary would seem to have been thoroughly "modern." Both Michael and Bridget were educated and literate. She was a trained dressmaker who owned her own Singer machine. He was a tradesman, a cooper, who worked in a large commercial brewery. For their time and place they were affluent. They lived in the newest and most modern house in Ballyvadlea, a place in the south riding of County Tipperary.

There were a few disquieting elements in their lives. They were childless after six years of marriage, the focus of much stigma in staunchly Catholic Ireland at the time. They were close friends with William Simpson, the despised local "Emergencyman" or landlord's agent, a Protestant. Ballyvadlea, though only a few miles from the modernized town of Fethard, still had a percentage of primarily Irish-speaking inhabitants amongst its small population.

Bridget was contemporaneously described as "very pretty" (the local collective memory nowadays describes her as "sexy"), and stylish (she made her own fashionable clothes and wore gold earrings). She was also described as "stubborn" and "headstrong," probably a difficult and somewhat vain young woman. These traits could not have endeared her to the people of Ballyvadlea, mostly her rustic relatives, among whom she had grown up. There were also backbiting whispers that the attractive, engaging Bridget might have been having an affair with the handsome, dandified William Simpson, a rumor which, even if untrue, would have caused outrage in their spouses, both of whom were older.

In March 1895, Bridget caught a cold which soon developed into a serious respiratory infection. The odds are that today's modern medicine would have stopped the illness in it's tracks. Antibiotics not having been discovered, the Clearys were forced to rely on an assortment of patent medicines, and sought the aid of the local Health Service Doctor, a notorious drunk, who did not come when called.

In the interim, the untreated Bridget became more and more "demanding" and "excitable." This is understandable, considering that any minor illness could become a life-threatening condition very easily in that time and place. Bridget was no doubt frightened at the possibility that she might die. Unfortunately, Michael Cleary's father passed away suddenly at this point, adding to the overall level of tension in the house.

The five days the doctor stayed away allowed Bridget's illness to run rampant. Finally arriving, he prescribed some medication and went on his way. When Bridget did not improve, Michael revisited the doctor, a confrontation which ended in a shouting match. Disgusted, Michael chose to visit the local "quack doctor" (traditional herbalists were so called because of their association with farmyards). When the quack visited Bridget, whom he knew well, he reacted to her appearance and behavior by saying, "That's not Bridgie!" a comment which soon convinced the locals that the woman in the sickbed was not Michael Cleary's wife but a fairy changeling.

Bridget Cleary's "treatment" then degenerated into a kind of exorcism, which involved forcing her to ingest various foul decoctions of herbs, dousing her with unspeakable liquids, subjecting her to ongoing verbal and physical abuse, the drawing and twisting of her body, and the infliction of pain by various methods in order to drive away the changeling. In the end, her husband immolated her.

The contemporary press leaped on the lurid tale of "The Tipperary Witch Burning" with as much interest as the story would excite today on any media network. Bridget's death made headlines throughout the world. Ms. Bourke argues convincingly that the horrified reaction of the Great British public to the "primitive" mentality demonstrated by Michael Cleary (and by extension in the British mind, all the Irish) was a major element in defeating the Ireland Home Rule bill then before Parliament.

Bourke is also convincing in demonstrating that the burning of Bridget Cleary had more than just political ramifications. It was a pyrrhic victory of the timeless and magical world of ancient Irish traditions over the regimented modern world of the emerging twentienth century. It was specifically a patriarchial act: The men of that traditional world acted to punish a young woman who had stepped beyond the invisible but very real bounds that constrained females in their culture. It is telling that the people of Ballyvadlea let the British authorities themselves bury Bridget, a lifelong neighbor and relation.

Now remembered mostly in a Tipperary children's rhyme, THE BURNING OF BRIDGET CLEARY is a fascinating look at a world in the midst of transition.

I find it truly amazing that ANYBODY could withstand 6 months of the undercover police work Joe Pistone indured, let alone 6 years. His insight into the inner-workings of the Mafia was very informative,interesting and frightning. A good read. Get it.

Okay. I read the first book. But other than a few extra sentences what was so different about this one? It's a good thing the Bonnanos are my favorite family to read up on (all the dysfunction).But honestly, there is nothing all that new here, just a few corrections and clearing up the movie difference.

If you've already read "Donnie Brasco", there's really nothing here that you need. Pistone rehashes some of his time undercover, and then goes on to re-report the same mob news that's been reported over and over for the past decade. Really, there's nothing here to justify the cost. No new photos, very little new information of interest, save Pistone's opinion on more modern mobsters and a few undercover snippets from his other later operations. His clear opinion that the Commission Case led to the dismantling of the modern American Mafia is a bit overstated, as well, being mentioned continually during his ruminations on the state of the modern mob. Overall, you can miss this one, without actually missing all that much.

Former FBI Agent Joseph Pistone and former Delaware Deputy Attorney General Charles Brandt, have teamed up to write this true Crime Thriller which is based on six years of undercover work by Pistone, a/k/a Donnie Brasco. Donnie Brasco went "under" the same year Teamster Boss, Jimmy Hoffa was killed (1975). Brandt wrote about Hoffa in his 2004 book, "I Heard You Paint Houses". Pistone, likewise, has written about his fascinating work in previous books.

"Unfinished Business" is fast paced and heart-stopping. And troublesome. When he was undercover, Donnie Brasco determined that, if necessary, he would KILL an innocent person rather than blow his cover. In fact, he did beat the crap out of two thugs to maintain the façade. However, he claims he probably saved their lives. One wonders.

Donnie Brasco "went under" as a jewelry thief. The FBI actually trained him in the field; it didn't take much; as few thugs know about jewelry. I would like to have heard more about the psychology or reason(s) Joe Pistone was selected for this dangerous operation. Whatever the reason(s) for his selection, it was a stunning success. But it lasted much too long and recklessly endangered Pistone's life and numerous investigations. Pistone stayed under so long because he wanted to achieve "made man" status before surfacing. Fortunately, his handlers pulled him out before it was too late.

Pistone's efforts coupled with talented, ambitious and determined federal prosecutors, exposed and decimated the Mafia's operation in New York and other U.S. Cities. Among the prosecutors Pistone worked with are Rudy Giuliani (2008 Presidential Candidate) and Michael Chertoff (now Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security). Pistone and men like Giuliani, Chertoff and others, helped along immeasurably by the Witness Protection Program, mandatory minimum sentences and RICO Statutes combined to deliver a breath-taking blow to organized crime in New York and elsewhere. To this day, the Mob continues to suffer from the efforts of these brave, bright, hard-working men.

In many respects this book (after page 75) reads like a series of victory laps. The narrative explicates the dramatic success that Pistone's efforts brought to criminal prosecutions outside New York as well as a number of prosecutions in and around New York including the "Pizza Connection" cases, the "Mafia Commission" case, the Lucchese Family prosecutions, and cases as recent as 2006 involving the so called rogue "mafia cops". The "rogue" cops were convicted and will probably die in jail. These are all tremendous victories for the government and it will apparently be a long time before the mafia can make a recovery, if ever.

But Pistone's efforts were not appreciated by everyone, including fellow agents and especially one supervisor who gave him such a difficult time that Pistone actually quit the FBI for a time. After being undercover for 6 years (1975-1981), he would testify in a number of trials; usually with devastating results.

I found the first 75 pages most engaging, Watching Donnie Brasco sweat and weave his way through the mob is thrilling and scary beyond any comparison. He could have been "whacked" at any time. For any reason. For "disrespect". For being a traitor to the mob. For no reason. The word "whacked" must appear 200 times in the text. Fortunately, it doesn't apply to Mr. Pistone. YET. Killings were often performed by Zips; hoods imported from Italy to do messy work. Hoods with a curious morality. Listen to this excerpt regarding one Zip, Luigi Ronsisvalle, age 47 and imported from Catania, Sicily with a fourth-grade education:

Luigi confessed to 13 murders the way you or I might confess to having eaten the last slice of cake in the refrigerator. His first slice of cake was at 18 in Sicily. His last slice was the 1979 pay-for-hire shooting of a restaurant chef who had allegedly raped a Brooklyn father's 14-year-old daughter. The girl's father had gone to the Mafia instead of the criminal justice system seeking the death penalty to avenge his child. Luigi walked into the restaurant and asked to see the chef. The chef said, "That's me," and Luigi blew him away on the spot.

Luigi explained his hits to the jury in English with a heavy Italian accent. "That was a job. It had nothing to do with destroying people....If you give me $30,000 to kill a person, you kill him, not me."

Pressed further about the 13 hits, Luigi explained further: "I'm-a no kill. I'm-a the messenger. The bullet Kill. I'm-a just-a the messenger"

The troubling aspect of this book is that one of the principal crime fighters, FBI Agent, Lin DeVecchio, was recently indicted for murder by a Brooklyn prosecutor. That case is still (July, 2007) working its way through the court system and while numerous FBI agents have lined up behind the defendant in support of him, the defendant is in a great deal of trouble and may be, and hopefully will not be, convicted of serious crimes (like murder) which could put him away for the rest of his life.

Early on in the book, Pistone explains that he was willing to take an innocent life if necessary and at the end of the book former FBI Agent DeVecchio is being charged with murder. My guess is the now indicted FBI agent wishes Pistone had not been so candid in revealing that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect his undercover identity. The question now is what was DeVecchio prepared to do. And what did he do, if anything.

The Epilogue is odd. It is one page and is a requiem, if you will, "of Mafia men I associated with and hung out with who got whacked......(there's that word again)". No wonder then that there was, and may still be, a $500,000.00 contract on Pistone's head.

I missed the first book, so this is tying up ends I didn't know were still loose. Even if you didn't read the author's original book, this sequel is still full of enough fun Mafia tales to keep you entertained. I saw the movie so long ago, I can't recall it now. But this made me want to take a second look. If you like true crime and La Cosa Nostra inside looks, then this is for you.

This is a true gripping epic that makes you feel the wind in your hair and the sand in your teeth. A non-fiction masterpiece,

I have been interested for along time in the factual details of Major Robert Rogers' activities during the French and Indian War (Seven Years War). I have lived in New England all my life and many of my ancestors arrived in New England from Old England during the earliest of colonial times. Some of them took part in the events of the French and Indian War. I first saw the 1940 Spencer Tracy movie on TV when I was just a youngster. Later when I was a bit older but still a boy I remember the TV series. I think it starred George Montgomery. So quite a bit of fiction has crept into the story of Rogers over the years. Yet, I always wanted to have the facts seperated from the myths. This book has all the facts on Rogers between two covers. Yet, it is much more than just a summary. The accounts of Rogers and his Rangers and their military missions during the French and Indian War seem to be fully covered and explained in an easy to follow and often vivid narrative. Also outlined are the major events of the Seven Years War in the North American Theather. It was after all a war that had several theaters around the globe and has been called the first world war. The bibliogrphay and notes are also valuable because anyone wanting to read further has now a referecne list.

In the book "White Devil", author Stephen Brumwell takes you to the French & Indian War. Where we read about the Abenaki Indians and their brutal ways, and another side the Abenaki's not always heard of. Brumwell gives you the history of the infamous Rogers Rangers, and their historic raid on St. Francis which will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read this book about Robert Rogers and his band of Rangers. I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody looking for a wonderfully detailed and historical novel of the French and Indian War, and Robert Rogers, the Father of America's Special Forces, and the United States Army Rangers.

-George

Very well reasearched, interesting, sweeping narrative. Highly recommended for everyone who is interested in the French and Indian War.Nothing to add.

The author provides a terrific history of George Rogers and his Rangers along with a finite history of the French and Indian War. The author writes a very readable account of the French and Indian War primarily about Rogers and his Rangers who go well into the wilds behind enemy lines on raids and reconnaissance missions against the French and their Indian allies. These Ranger companies were virtually alone and totally unsupported in their forays risking not just capture but also violent deaths by the French's Indian allies, primarily the St. Francis Abenakis who at one time were the terror among the English settlements. While covering the overall campaign in America, the author covers in detail Roger's amazing exploits. Of particular note is Rogers and over 200 Rangers making a strike against the Abenakis' town over 100 miles from their landing point and then after being discovered having to change direction traveling over 200 miles over rough wilderness terrain while being pursued by the vengeful Abenakis and the French. Incredible hardships and an amazing story of survival and after this harrowing exploit, Rogers goes back into the wilderness to fight again. The War against the French and their Indian allies is violent particularly if their prisoners are not of value or if vengeance is preferred. Capture did not necessarily end up being better than a quick death in combat. The author includes a fascinating discussion of the alliances between the various tribes and the French and English. The first chapter of the book starts off with a thrilling description of the capture and imprisonment of the Johnson family of settlers and their experience traveling through the wilderness with their captors and their experience in captivity. The author describes Rogers as a man highly capable, a leader and motivator in war but literally without a business rudder in peace suffering financially and choosing the wrong side during the revolution due to pension and perhaps mistreatment by his countrymen after the French and Indian War. This is an engrossing book, fraught with adventure with some shocking detail on how the Rangers survive their most brutal campaign. This book is an immensely entertaining history where the truth goes beyond the legend. Spencer Tracey's 1940 classic movie, Northwest Passage, is the subject of Rogers' attack on the Abenakis and the harrowing journey of his Rangers to escape, a movie well worth seeing.

This is probably the weakest book on the topic I have read. The hardest to deal with is the author's weak writing style and use of profane misogynistic gutter language. This language used in context of describing the behavior and mentality of the subject might be of value, but the author seems to be some kind of wannabe outlaw and is using language that is inappropriate for a study of the subject. Couple this with shallow journalism and no real analysis and you have a trite and offending book not worthy of the bathroom collection. I read 70 pages, scanned the rest and chucked it in the bin.

This is sort of a weird book. Yves starts the book writing in the style of a wannabe Hunter S. Thompson and then decides that he may as well just start "writing". I would say that the abrupt transition starts in maybe the first 80 pages.

I believe that Yves Lavigne is probably the most knowledgeable author in the world about the major motorcycle clubs, other than insiders like Barger (or even Wethern) or undercovers like Queen or Dobyns (through authors), or in-touch contacts like Thompson.

But Yves has some sort of agenda that makes him report every myth and fantasy that has EVER been posited as if it is a FACT. It doesn't take long to tire of this book if you have read everything else, because you have to believe, based upon acquired knowledge, that 30% of what he says is suspect, at best.

I respect Lavigne for his obviously superior knowledge of the topic as a whole. But read every other account and determine for yourself if he has some personal agenda, even if it is as simple as money.

Long live the Big Red Machine! 8181818181818181818181.......

This is one of the most difficult books to read from a stylistic standpoint. It is choppy and seems to bounce all over the place. The editor of this book should be fired - there is way too much extra "stuff" in the text. There is so much fluff that should have been cut out that would have made this a lot easier to read. The author's choice to use slang (to the point of vulgarity) did not go over so well with me either. I understand that this is a book about the Hell's Angels - there is going to be a lot of choice language in it, but he continues to refer to the slang when describing items that are not HA quotes. I don't think this was a necessary device considering the type of book this is - it would have worked for a fictional piece, but not for something as factual as this.

There are many other books out there on the topic of the Hell's Angels or Outlaw Mototcyle Gangs. I would suggest starting elsewhere if you are looking to read about the topic. This book as some interesting parts of it, but you'd be better looking at another title.

The guy that wrote this book was really trying to show how cool he is. I mean the the way he wrote it was over the top. You can tell he was trying to prove something. I have read Sonny's book and others and they much better written.
This guy skips around, repeats things he's previously talked about in the book. And the way he talks to the reader is just crude. I mean, sure he's dealing with a rough subject, but come on, use better english.
And I know what I am talking about. I lived the underground life for many years. I knew people like this, and this writer is someone who has never lived this life. He writes like a person who has never been around the people he is writing about.
This book is an over the top, stereotypical view of the big red machine written by a total sidewalk commando, or rather keyboard commando.
This book could have been a much better or clearer view of the HA than it is, but the writer's crude "trying to prove how cool I am" vocabulary, unfocused chapter organization, and other poor writing errors make this book a real dud. I'm still reading it, it's not so horrible that I put it down, but it came close.
This book should have never been published the way it is. The publisher should be ashamed.

Could NOT put the book down. Was on vacation up IN the Yukon riding on the Yukon Queen DOWN the Yukon River. And probably missed lots of great scenery because was reading this book. Read it in less than 24 hours. What a great writing style and format!!
One, after reading it, should then see the Charles Bronson/Lee Marvin move about it... The book of course gives alot more details and background but the movie is great too.
Reading the book makes you want to go out and buy a bowie knife and build a cabin!

It was a bitterly cold December 26, 1931 when four members of the RCMP approached the small cabin of a mysterious trapper named Albert Johnson. There sole intent was to question Johnson about a complaint made by a neighbouring trapper concerning traps that had been tampered with. But without a word, the trapper fired upon the constables, injuring one. Shortly thereafter, Johnson had disappeared into the bush, thus instigating an epic manhunt that would last close to fifty days, and span some 150 miles.

Forty years later, author Dick North set out to document the story, and, more importantly, try and cast light on the identity of the mysterious Albert Johnson. Relying heavily on eye-witness accounts, North pieces together an interesting, sometimes rivetting story. But admittedly, there are limitations, and in the end, much is left to conjecture.

North concludes that Albert Johnson was more than likely a man who also went by the name of Arthur Nelson, and who for seven years prior to his death supposedly trapped and prospected in northern Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Alway quiet and "non-commital" this Arthur Nelson came and went mysteriously, and exhibited traits quite similar to that of the Mad Trapper.

Although disdained by some--especially women, around whom he evidently was extremely shy--many were understanding of his peculiar loner idiocincricies. But, provided that this Arthur Nelson is in fact Albert Johnson--which appears to be fairly likely--he apparently grew increasingly paranoid and suspicious of people. All of which led people to believe that he was hiding something. And as is always the case, there is much speculation as to what it was.

The author addresses this at the end of the book, but given that there is little evidence to work with, it's left to the reader to decide: was he a murderer, illegal immigrant, or simply a misanthrope caught up in events beyond his control?

All and all, a very interesting book and thrilling read, but in order to get the fully story--supposedly--of who the Mad Trapper was, one has to read Trackdown, which was published in 1989.

Trackdown is the result of twenty-odd years of North's obsessive research into the identity of the Mad Trapper. In the first part of the book, North addresses several theories of who the Mad Trapper could have been, but in each case he manages to uncover evidence that dismiss these individuals.

The turning point in his hunt comes when he was contacted by the North Dakota State Historical Society. As it turns out, there is a small article in a county history stating that the Mad Trapper may have in fact been a man by the name of Johnny Johnson.

Born Johan Konrad Jonsen in Norway in 1898, Johnson had emigrated to the USA with his parent at the age of six. Life in Dakota was a constant struggle and brought the family little gain, so at a young age Johnson reverted to crime. This resulted in several prison sentences before finally in 1923 he disappeared, presumably heading north into Canada.

Initially, I was very skeptical about this theory; to me, there was little resemblence between the three mug shots of Johnny Johnson, the 1930 Ross River photo showing Arthur Nelson and the pictures of the dead Mad Trapper. But as I read on, North did put together a compelling argument, and the more I read and the more I studied the pictures, the more plausable it all became. Interestingly, the Johnson family had in fact been in contact with the RCMP several years after the incident; Johnson's mother, having seen the picture of the Mad Trapper, was certain that he was her son. But the RCMP dismissed this claim, as it did all other such claims, leaving the mystery unsolved.

While North's argument seems plausable, I was still left with a nagging sense of doubt. While his evidence is compelling, it is far from conclusive and could quite easily be picked apart by someone with the time and resources to do so. One way to solve the matter would of course be to exhume the Mad Trapper and take DNA samples and conduct other forensic tests. North, believing that the body would still be in reasonably good shape, attempted to do this; but these efforts were stymied by the locals.

So although North presents a compelling argument for Johnny Johnson being the Mad Trapper, the case is not closed. The myth lives on.

Thes is a very interesting story.It is well written and well researched.It was also done by Rudy Weibe and Thomas P.Kelley.
Kelley also wrote "the Black Donnellys".His style was much different;more along the lines of a Pulp fiction writer;where the story is essentially the same,but greatly embellished with fictional conversation,descriptions of events and details whenever needed to tell the story as excitedly as possible.
In Johnson's Case, he had every right to refuse entry to someone without a warrant.It may not have been smart on his part,and no doubt really angered the law.So on the return visit the law was going to get him regardless;blow him away if necessary (they were armed and equipped with explosives to do it).What Johnson's mental state was ,who knows,except those who came to get him;and they tried.Don't forget they really had nothing on him at this point except their pride was damaged because of his resisting. What really happened ;there,s only their side of the story. At this point Johnson was in a no win situation and the law knew it,and so did he.I remind you again,the law was in total control when they set off this chain of events.
In the case of the Black Donnellys ;they opened their door to the demand of a constable and posse and 4 defenseless people were murdered and their home burned down on top of them.
These are two very sad stories in Canadian history ;neither one resolved,but both deserve to be known.
Without books like these, stories like these, would be swept under the carpet.
This is real history;not the stuff about trappers exploring a river in a canoe and asking students what they were called.
This brings to mind what a War Correspondant once said;
"Don't believe a politician or anyone in uniform."

Awesome read, very well written with plenty of facts to back up Mr. North's work. You appreciate his passion for a definitive answer to who A.Johnson truely was. It is sad that the Canadian's refused to solve the mystery. Nevertheless, I am one of the believer's John Johnson was the Mad Trapper.

This book has been a big seller for many years... and the inspiration for motion pictures such as CHALLENGE TO BE FREE. No one knew who the "Mad Trapper" was til author Dick North tracked him down -- all spelled out in this and a later book,"Trackdown." You'll thrill to this tale of a powerful but desperate human being who led the Canadian Mounties in an incredible chase through the lofty Richardson Mountains in the dead of winter.

The Mad Trapper was the inspiration for still another book about the frozen north -- MARK OF THE WHITE WOLF, an e-book out of Blue Knight Enterprises in Hyde Park, NY.