Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 Summary and Reviews

Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34
by Bryan Burrough

Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34
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Book Summary Information

Author: Bryan Burrough
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-06-28
ISBN: 0143035371
Number of pages: 624
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Book Reviews of Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34

Book Review: 200 Pages Too Long
Summary: 2 Stars

On and on and on and on and on and ...a disappointing book because of its long-winded, rambling style, this effort should be about 200 pages shorter. Especially annoying is Burrough's obvious glee when pointing out what he believes to be the shortfalls of FBI investigative techniques and accomplishments IN THE 1930s! Hoover and all the G-men are portrayed as complete baffoons while the criminals are, to an extent, glorified. Although the author claims in the "Author's Note" that most of the material in the book has been authenticated and verified, some of it stretches the imagination. He is frequently given to recounting documents or conversations in which he includes a number of "..." references. Just what was left out? Something that didn't bolster his case relative to how inept the FBI was? There is a snippet of review from Time on the cover that says the book is "ludicrously entertaining"--as the definition of "ludicrous" is "ridiculous", I'd say that they got the first part right. This is a tedious and overall relatively boring work about what should be an exciting subject. Particularly absurd in a book that claims to be based on such intensive research is the author's numerous references to "Irving Park Boulevard" in Chicago when, as any Cub fan knows, it is "Irving Park ROAD". Much too long and much too dull.

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