Customer Reviews

And All the Saints

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In 1892 Leeds, England Owney Madden was born to Irish parents who decided to cross the Atlantic and make their fortune in New York. However, Owney's dad died before he left the British Isles, but his mother went ahead with their dream. Accompanied by her three children, she moves to New York's Hell's Kitchen.

By the time Owney turned ten, he belonged to the Gophers, an intimating Irish gang. His prime lesson in Hoodlum 101 was that the real money existed in politics. So he turned to Jewish gang leader and Tammany Hall big shot Monk Eastman as his mentor. Advancing to Hoodlum 201 and 301, Owney learned the art of a well-placed bribe and what to do when the heat became too hot. He was involved with bootlegging during Prohibition and later turned to show business. Ultimately even after the Feds gave him an advanced lesson on closing the books, Owney cut a few last deals before moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas where he died in 1964.

This biographical fiction blends the known facts of Madden's life with delightful period vernacular and tidbits into a strong account of one of the more famous twentieth century gangsters. Readers who enjoy tales like the Untouchables or Scarface will want to read Michael Walsh's fast moving story that is so loaded one must keep saying this is fiction as it seems as if the author interviewed and quoted the gangster. Where is Robinson or Raft with Mae West to play herself because this character and book will fascinate the audience including Hollywood.

Harriet Klausner

Owney Madden's first experience with crime occured on a beautiful autumn day when a young thug literally stole the family's dinner right from his mother's hand. Owney decides right then and there that no one will ever steal from him again.

This compelling fictionalized autobiography reveals the life of infamous Irish gangster Owen Madden. In 1902, at the age of ten, his impoverished family sets sail for New York City, minus his father who died from an injury sustained in a boxing match before their ship sailed from England.

Young Owney soon joins up with Jewish Tammany boss, Monk Eastman. Monk is fond of him and the two become almost inseparable. He takes Owney under his wing and begins to teach him "the trade."

In true gangster lingo and style, Owney works his way up through the ranks of the mob, planning one day to be at the top himself. The ruthless Madden takes care of his mother, younger brother and sister while pursuing and cultivating his life of crime. He escapes to the rooftops of their tenement building where he tenderly cares for his pigeons, but also uses these birds to practice how to quickly kill something painlessly.

Owney soon begins to rub elbows with some of the most notorious gangsters. In his 30's, Madden gets sent "up the river" to Sing Sing Prison, where he continues to make new contacts and also pursues his business dealings. Prohibition presents a blessing to Owney, who becomes a brewing king once out prison.

He buys his own clubs so he can control what and who will enter. He owns and turns the famous Cotton Club in Harlem into the best club of its time.

Owney also hires and makes famous singers and actresses like Lena Horn, Valentino, Joe Lewis, Mae West and George Raft. Duke Ellington also begins his career in Owney's Cotton Club.

Walsh's detailed writing and research brings this time period and its characters to life and paints not only a picture of gangster life, but portrays life on the streets in New York City. The corruption of the police, the pay-offs and hush money and the people of this era are revealed on the pages.

At times, Owney Madden is quite a sympathetic character. He reveals his loyalty to others, his family and his principles, but he also kills as easily as one might kill a fly.

Madden was protected by cops and journalists who turned a blind eye to his business dealing for free drinks and other benefits in his club.

In his retirement years, he moves into Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he meets a young Bill Clinton and gives his nod of approval to this ambitious young man. Wracked with emphysema and other ailments left from many surgeries to repair bullet wounds, Madden suffers in his old age. His life and legacy come to an end along with the gangsters of this colorful and tempestuous era.

"And All the Saints" is a superior true crime tale, tightly wrapped up in a semi-fictional autobiography. The subject is Owney Madden (a.k.a. "The Killer", a.k.a. "The Duke of the West Side"). Madden was the last of the great Irish-American gangsters and had a long career, whose high point was the New York City of the 20s and 30s. Author Walsh discovered some of Owney's papers / ledgers, constructed the bio and artfully stirred in some blatant "writers license". The result is a realistically resonating story. The first person narrative is the argot of a hardened hood. Think of a good actor/actress who maintains a foreign accent throughout a film. (Do not think, for example, of Julia Roberts' performance in "Michael Collins"). The scope of AAS is broad indeed, making it hard to write a concise review. OM ran with the major bad guys of the early to mid- 20th century: Luciano, Costello, Lansky, Diamond and even Capone are all here. He owned Harlem's famous Cotton Club, discovering Duke Ellington and Lena Horne. He controlled politicians and boxers and helped form the initial Crime "Commission". Madden's range of contacts borders on the breathtaking. As stated above, AAS is written in the authentic-sounding idiom- full of pithy and cynical comments on life in the raw. This reviewer was born in Hells Kitchen-Owney's turf-and AAS captures that halcyon Irish -American scene. Also, a sliver of the old neighborhood still exists! Saint Michael's Church and Owney's apartment house at 440 West 34th Street are still standing. AAS is highly recommended; the only reservation is to its' very "New York"- especially Irish New York- milieu. That is enough to warrant the subtraction of a star. Even so, one wonders why a movie studio has failed to snap AAS up. In the hands of a talented director and proper cast, a great movie is entwined here. The closing word from this reviewer is to urge my Amazon friends to be adventurous, AAS is not Ann Rule true crime but it is very good among the genre. And yes, the guy is my namesake. There aren't that many of us Owneys and they are certainly not making any more Owney Maddens.

A good first-person account of Owney madden's criminal life. The author portrays himself as Owney and describes his life--good and bad.

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