The Westies: Inside the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob
by T. J. English
Our Price: $59.89
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.70 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: T. J. EnglishEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1990-03-19
ISBN: 0399135405
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Book Reviews of The Westies: Inside the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob
Book Review: Good but "Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting" better.
Summary: 4 Stars
As you can see, "The Westies" tells the story of the last days of the Irish Mob in Manhattan's West Side. The upcoming film by Martin Scorcese is based on the first half of the book "The Gangs Of New York", which was an attempt to chronicle the rise to power of these same Irish gangs. (The first half of "The Gangs Of New York" deals almost exclusively with Irish gangs). Both books are good, but they don't explain the fighting traditions or rituals of the Irish gangs, they simply describe these gangs and their violence in a sensational way. They tell you what they did, but now why and in many cases the traditions the describe are not understood by the authors. Hurley's book remedies these problems by providing first hand accounts of Irish gangs and their fights, written by a semi-reformed 19th century Irish stick-fighter named William Carleton. "Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting" vividly describes Ireland's street fighting culture which was governed by a code of honour which Hurley rightly calls 'Shillelagh Law'. This code became the foundation for the code of the Irish gangs in New York and other American cities, and eventually, for the non-Irish gangs which came to follow. The flashy clothes, the spectacular violence, the street slang, all of the things we associate today with gangs and the mafia were found first among the Irish gang members in Ireland. (The use of the word "mob" to describe organized crime for example, comes from the days when the Irish gangs in NYC were the muscle behind Tammany Hall and through them the democratic party in NYC. WASP's used to refer to the Irish "mobsters" and their strong arm tactics at polling booths, and through riots, etc., as "mob rule"). If you are Irish or have an interest in Irish gangs get "The Westies", get "The Gangs Of New York", and see Scorcese's film. But to really understand the origins of these gangs and the hype behind the myth, get Hurley's "Irish Gangs And Stick-Fighting" - you'll be glad you did.
True Crime Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in True Crime Books
Death Dealers: A Witness to the Drug Wars That Are Bleeding Americaby Yves Lavigne
Harpercollins Canada; Published: 1999-03; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Palestine Twilightby Edward Fox
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2002-06-17; Paperback; Book
My Life Among the Serial Killersby Helen Morrison
Wiley; Published: 2005-02-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.50
A Wife's Revenge (St. Martin's True Crime Library)by Eric Francis
St. Martin's Paperbacks; Published: 2005-06-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops:
Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolutionby T. J. English
William Morrow; Published: 2008-06-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Black Dahlia Avenger: The True Storyby Steve Hodel
HarperCollins; Published: 2006-07-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.05
Price in other shops:
Bones: A Forensic Detective's Casebookby Douglas H. Ubelaker, Henry Scammell
Harpercollins (Mm); Published: 1993-10; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.00
The Forger's Spell: A True Story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the Greatest Art Hoax of the Twentieth Century (P.S.)by Edward Dolnick
Harper Perennial; Published: 2009-06-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.70
Price in other shops:
Mafia Wife: My Story of Love, Murder, and Madnessby Lynda Milito, Reg Potterton
Avon; Published: 2004-03; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.42
Masters of Deception: The Gang That Ruled Cyberspaceby Michelle Slatalla, Joshua Quittner
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.25
Price in other shops:
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Murder Machineby Gene Mustain, Jerry Capeci
Dutton Adult; Published: 1992-08-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $87.78
Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empiresby Selwyn Raab
Thomas Dunne Books; Published: 2005-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $58.94
Kill the IrishmanABE; Release date: 2011-06-14; DVD
Best price: $9.77
Price in other shops:
Black Mass: The Irish Mob, The FBI and A Devil's Dealby Dick Lehr, Gerard O'Neill
Public Affairs Press (DC); Published: 2000-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.75
Price in other shops:
Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolutionby T. J. English
William Morrow; Published: 2008-06-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Hitman: The Untold Story of Johnny Martorano: Whitey Bulger's Enforcer and the Most Feared Gangster in the Underworldby Howie Carr
Forge Books; Published: 2011-04-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.01
Price in other shops:
Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Familyby Nicholas Pileggi
Simon & Schuster; Published: 1985-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $57.99
Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish-American Gangsterby T. J. English
William Morrow; Published: 2005-02-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $36.75
Murder Machine (Onyx)by Gene Mustain, Jerry Capeci
Onyx; Published: 1993-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangsterby T. J. English
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 2006-02-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.92
Price in other shops: