5 comments about Elmer McCurdy: The Misadventures in Life and Afterlife of an American Outlaw.

1. Svenvold's book adds little, if anything, to the body of facts surrounding McCurdy's brief criminal career, and his much-longer postmortem career as a sideshow attraction. Early on in the book, the writer admits this.
   Nevertheless, it is entertaining reading, as Svenvold retraces McCurdy's pre- and post-mortem travels in the manner of a New Journalist.
   His reportage about the world of the carny and sideshow makes the book worth reading, but if you are seeking anything NEW about McCurdy, this is not the place to find it. Some readers may find Svenvold's writing a bit too self-conscious, and indeed there are passages in which it appears that Mark Svenvold, not Elmer McCurdy, is the subject of the book.
   Buy it anyway.



2. It's not often that one sees a biography written in such a literate, even poetic manner. Mr. Svenvold has taken the tale of the hapless outlaw, Elmer McCurdy, in a new and interesting direction: rather than reporting his life and times (and ignominious post-mortem "career") in a cut-and-dried manner, Mr. Svenvold has woven an incisive, at times deadpan-hilarious commentary on the fading Wild West, the rise of sideshows and exploitation flicks, theme tourism and other illustrations of just how low the entertainment taste of the American public can go. Notwithstanding Mr. Svenvold's concerns that he was just another in the long line of the day-glow corpse's "exploiters," he has written the equivalent of a decent burial for poor dead Elmer. Highly recommended.



3. What a crazy mixed up pile of stuff! I like Westerns,Ripley's Believe it or Not!,truth is stranger than fiction stuff,unusual characters,history,oddities,greatly miss the old freak shows that travelled with the carnivals,real life outlaws,and you name it.History is full of this stuff and to me much more fun to delve into than fiction.While the author didn't seem to come up with too much on old Elmer;probably because his short and non-illustrious produced very little;he sure found enough to spin around what he did have to create a good interresting read.I believe the period after the Civil War until the start of the 2WW produced some of the most interresting characters and times in American history.That was all before the do gooders, politically correct,boring and otherwise anal-retentive got everything under control.But then again, they probably prefer reading about some corporate business scam to the gangster days of Capone and all. Since this was the first thing I've read by the author I'll be looking to find something else from him.From what he did with this story I am sure he'll be giving us some more good stuff in the future.



4. Poor Elmer! This is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. If you are interested in the history of the amusement business; old west; mummies; trains; outlaws;
   this book is a must have! This book is easy to read and has quite a lot of photograhs.



5. I was given this book as a gift for my birthday by a friend of mine who said that it was one of the weirdest books that he has ever read. He was right. The story of Elmer McCurdy is definitely a weird and truly American one. This should make a great Tim Burton/Johnny Depp movie, although it would be difficult to pull off the task of having the main character be a corpse for 70%-75% of the movie. Reading about how poor Elmer failed in his crimes made me LOL as the 21st Century cliche goes and reading about his strange afterlife and how he was exploited by generations of hucksters was interesting to say the least. Even though Elmer (or his corpse) had a minor part, it was facinating to read about the Bunion Derby, the only cross-country foot race. All in all, a very good read.

1 comments about Last of the Bighams.

1. Although one cannot accuse J.A. Zeigler of being a creative writer, his account of this horrifying family is definitely an interesting one. I live in the town that the Bighams lived in, and practically everyone here has read this book as well as the now out-of-print "A Piece of the Fox's Hide" by Katherine Boling. Who came before Charles Manson? Jim Jones? Jeffrey Dahmer? The Bighams!

5 comments about The Truth About Wyatt Earp.

1. Mr. Erwin's book becomes almost tedious when one tries to plow through all the documentation and disparities surrounding the many versions of the story. But, with patience and attention, the true story comes to light, blowing most of the others out of the water.



2. I checked out Mr Erwin's book, (You can't tell a book by its cover!) and planned an evening of enjoyable reading.

   I first want to thank Mr. Erwin for his great effort and research. Saying that ...

   Richard E. Erwin has apparently set forth what he believes are the true facts. However unless you're a lawyer or one of those college professors whose writings are unreadable except to one of their own kind you will NOT enjoy this.

   Without studying his book as you would one of your old history books just before a test, you likely will not be able to figure out what facts Mr. Erwin sees as true and false. They may be found within his book, but you better start a blank truth table as well as a flow chart and begin completing it as you read each sentence.

   Perhaps, Mr Richare E. Erwin can pursuade someone such as Steven Ambrose or Kenneth Davis to put his trurh into their words.

   Perhaps Mr. Erwin can do so himself without the lawyerese. I would likely enjoy such a book. And it would probably sell well at museums and tourist areas in the Western United States.




3. This is one of the best books on Earp that has been writen. It is easy to read and is hard to put down. The facts are there and are well documented.



4. I looked forward to reading this book, and like one reviewer, looked forward to a pleasant evening of reading. This book is painfully researched and definitely not an enjoyable read. I have no doubt the author knows what he is writing about, but unless you are really an Earp fanatic, you will not enjoy a pleasant read about a colorful western persona. The book would have been much more enjoyable if the author had presented his version of the history of Wyatt Earp first. It was very distracting with the constant reporting of descrepancies he found in other texts in every chapter, and at least for novices, would have been appreciated at the end of the book as a summary of research.



5. Any bright High School kid could have compiled this book as Richard Erwin obviously did, by taking snippets of everything previously written on his subject (unless it didn't prove his pre-selected conclusions) and pasting them onto the page with his own, not too well-informed opinions, added. Nothing new. Much erroneous. A typographical nightmare of misspellings and erroneous words. Save your money.

No comments about Roy Shaw Unleashed.

1 comments about The First Detective: The Life And Revolutionary Times Of Eugene-Francois Vidocq Criminal, Spy and Private Eye.

1. The winds of fortune blow hot and cold for our hero Vidocq as he pursues careers ranging from the criminal to those of crime busting. However, Vidocq is a shrewd, intelligent individual that refuses to be pigeonholed by either of these pursuits. Prepare to be surprised and delighted by the many twists and hairpin turns of this exceptional man's unbelievable life.

No comments about Mob Girl: A Woman's Life in the Underworld.

1 comments about The Cross & the .357 Magnum.

1. This Book was amazing; it gave me strength to move foward in my life and no matter what happens always have the lord in your hearts!!! Thanks Philip for everything your family are such inspiration!!!
   
   
   Shawn Wells

2 comments about Mr. Chairman: Power in Dan Rostenkowski's America.

1. This book is very well written. Easy to read for even those of us who may not be "politicaly oriented". Gave me a great insight and understanding of American politics. Definitely would recomend it! Covers a time span from early Chicago to present day.



2. Author Jim Merriner covered politics for the Chicago Sun-Times, and he brings that insight -- and razor-sharp writing -- to this book. There are two biographies of Rostenkowski out right now, and for some reason, reviewers and bookstores have given more prominance to the other book. But Merriner's book is the better of the two. It is written by a pro who knows politics, knows Chicago and, despite his years as a newspaperman, has an aversion to cliches. Rostenkowski's story is an engrossing one, and Merriner does it justice.

3 comments about The Bandit King: Lampiao of Brazil.

1. If you just love the American Western heroes you must read about Lampião and Maria Bonita's life, something like Bonnie & Clyde story with many similarities betweem their stories. Even with some research problems, the book gives a human and real overview about the true story. A must read book if you want to understand the spirit of the most influential people in the Brazilian etnical formation, the northeast people.



2. This is the only book so far on Lampiao in English. It is a riveting account. Besides his ugly side toward informants who ratted on him, Chandler mentions Lampiao had a humane side toward those who supported him and his brigands. Chandler also describes some of the tactics the Bandit King used to elude the "volantes" (police) --- walking backwards over their footprints, and wearing animalskins on their shoes to avoid leaving footprints, among others. But for how long can one continue to literally get away with murder?? The atrocities he committed on his enemies are squeamish to read (I won't mention them, here). For these gory acts, it is no wonder he and his gang met their grisly end in Angicos. Also, the book is very descriptive about life in Northeastern Brazil during the 1920's and '30's. While reading, I've tried to envision these isolated areas with their arid, rough terrain. An interesting, yet, at times, disturbing, biography.



3. "Greatest" is a mixed compliment, since many bandits are violent, even sadistic sociopaths. But most bandits' careers lasted one, two, perhaps three years at most before being snuffed out by the (so-called) forces of law and order. But Lampaio (Virgulino Ferreira) was a successful bandit for 16 years, from 1922-38 in Northeast Brazil, a drought-prone region of great poverty and inequality that was long a fertile breeding ground for banditry. By that standard alone, he surely was one of the greatest. He was extremely shrewd and resourceful, and one reason for his longevity was that he avoided clashes with armed opponents whenever possible, though he could fight well when he had to.
   
   Chandler superbly recreates the life and times of Lampiao, and due to the timing of his investigations this effort is unlikely to be surpassed. His 1970s research led him to many people who knew or encountered Lampaio, and his oral data becomes more valuable with each eyewitnesses' passing. Chandler also uses a wide range of other sources, including police reports and other archival materials, newspaper articles, photographs, folktales and songs. Lampiao was among the best-documented bandits ever, partly because of the growth of various modern media during his lifetime, but also because he was something of a publicity hound, clearly relishing his notoriety and even negotiating with a film producer to play himself on screen (too bad it never happened!). But make no mistake: he was a very dangerous criminal, and an outlaw's life in the harsh Nordeste backlands was anything but romantic. Brazil's modernizing Vargas regime of the 1930s eventually tired of the disorder and bad press associated with banditry, and directed sufficient resources toward combating the phenomenon. By 1938 when he was betrayed, ambushed and beheaded, Lampiao was a throwback to an earlier era.
   
   One of the strengths of "The Bandit King" is Chandler's skill in addressing broader issues raised by Lampaio's career. The best-known is the question of social banditry. The archetypal social bandit for English readers is, of course, Robin Hood, and the myth of social bandits has them "robbing from the rich to give to the poor." This rarely happened in history, and the author uncovered little reliable evidence that Lampaio ever redistributed wealth---except to himself, his band and supporters. But Chandler partially redefines social banditry by noting that bandits often were admired by the powerless who were at the mercy of corrupt officials and vicious policemen. Violent men who resisted an oppressive state could thus be heroes even to those they declined to help directly, and might even victimize. This book also fully documents a crucial but neglected aspect of successful bandits: they received protection from landowners and other powerful patrons, who might employ them to do their own dirty work. Lampaio would not have survived as long as he did without hideouts and material support provided by men whose word was law in their own lands.
   
   BJ Chandler has produced a rare work: a thoroughly scholarly book that compels popular attention. "The Bandit King" is very well-written and exciting, though some readers will flinch at the accounts of brutality. Barring discovery of new sources, it is likely the best, if not last, word, and compares well with the finest Brazilian scholarship. More information on the Nordeste and its bandits is in R. Chilcote ed., "Protest and Resistance in Angola and Brazil," J. de Castro, "Death in the Northeast," and J. Guimaraes Rosa, "The Devil to Pay in the Backlands," a major Brazilian novel. On social bandits, the classic if controversial study is E. Hobsbawm, "Bandits," which receives a telling critique in an African context in D.Crummey ed., "Banditry, Rebellion and Social Protest in Africa." An insightful Mexican study is P. Vanderwood, "Disorder and Progress."

No comments about On the Doors.