Customer Reviews

The Brotherhoods: Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Arthur Veno is actually American born and was even at the infamous Hells Angels Monterey incident in 1969 as a teenager. Now Arthur lives in Australia, which he has called home for almost 30 years, and his curiosity in what could be best described as "patch clubs" has almost been a life long interest.

The Brotherhoods is more about biker patch clubs in Australia, but a lot of the clubs he deals with have international standings. In his book Arthur talks a lot about the relationships between patch clubs and the police, and while not condoning what these clubs "can" do, he finds that most of the trouble we hear about is due to police heavy handedness. For the most part the patch clubs just want to get out and have fun, but when you start poking at a hornets nest (the clubs) with a stick (the police) there will always be trouble. He also talks about a lot of the terminology that the clubs use as well as typical processes you have to go through to become a member in these clubs which is highly interesting.

Strangely Arthur has never been an actual member of a biker club and he doesn't even particularly like bikes himself, yet he has major contacts within most of the major clubs in Australia including the Hells Angels and the Gypsy Jokers, commonly playing the role of mediator between the clubs and the police. A number of the stories that Arthur tells in his book may get him into hot water with some or all of the patch clubs he knows, and he acknowledges this while writing the book. In fact on numerous occasions in the past he has feared for his safety and life while being involved with the clubs, so his future may indeed become interesting after this book.

I did find his writing a little on the academic side and somewhat repetitive at times, which is why I awarded four stars instead of five, but he does have a PhD in social psychology and has spent most of his life in universities, so the writing style isn't surprising. If you are looking for a book which could be best called a study of patch clubs then you can't look past The Brotherhoods. If you are after a book full of raw and bloody accounts of biker lifestyle, then I would highly recommend "Hells Angel, The Life and Times of Sonny Barger" by one time Hells Angels president Sonny Barger. In fact, I highly recommend reading the two books one after another, just as I did.

This book is one of the finest examples I have ever seen about the world of the 1%ers. Written by Professor Author Veno an expert in Police and Justice Studies along with Human Rights and also a man thats spent years hanging out with club members and actually being friends with members of the Hells Angels, Gypsy Jokers. The Mad Professor as he became known draws on personal experiences of spending time with the men of the Outlaw Bike World. Professor Veno has seen firsthand the violent nature of the bike world but has also seen the violence of the police and the instigation they try to cause in the bike world. Constantly trying to demonize the clubs to bolster public support and to bolster their funds. The professor wrote this book to be an unbiased account and sociological study of the world the 1%ers live in on a daily basis. It truly is a wonderful book for showing what the 1%er world is and is not and what is actually just myth. It tackles the concept of a criminal organization and what really defines that phrase which is so constantly used by the police to describe the Outlaw Motorcycle World

This book is one of the few that I have read that didn't have the sensationalistic jargon attached to it that so many other's of it's type often do. It was just a good, solid and informative read. Although I feel that the author defenitely has/had an agenda, it was, in my opinion still a well written tome. It was also refreshing to get the view from the other side. If you are interested in the outlaw motorcycle culture at all, I think it is a must read.

I found this book first-rate. It was exciting from cover to cover. Arthur Veno, takes you through the lives of Outlaw Bikers or bikies as he refers to them. Some of the customs he speaks about made my jaw drop. I was sorry to see the book end. If you love reading about the biker culture, this is the book for you.

Fair reading. Takes place in Australia, so things are a little different here in the USA. The author is pretty knowledgable and took a long time to research the material. The book is more like a text book than for entertainment.

The book does provide some good information, slightly dated but informative none the less. However, the sole concentration of this writing is on the Australian 1% community. The title is slightly misleading.

Dear reader or internet-surfer,

I am happy to report I have just finished reading Arthur Veno's book 'The brotherhoods: inside the outlaw gangs of Australia'. I found it very pleasant to read and packed with excellent information, revealing a lot about the author and his depth of knowledge on the topic. I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge on a scary subject. The framework of this book is logical and easy to follow allowing greatest access to information on bikee gangs of Australia. I can only imagine the difficultly in writing such a book given the political and social context. I believe the author has a very balanced perspective increasing the overall appeal of this book. I found the writing style to be clear, presenting information in a forthright and accurate way, although on the odd occasion the message was encrypted. I don't want to over analyze this book as I only wish to convey that it was really fantastic to read. So thanks to the Author and all those involved!

PS - I have never been compelled to write a review before.

Professor Veno has done what most scholars could not do in their life time. He has earned the trust of the motorcycle community. In this book, Arthur tell the story if tring to get the Police to listen and understand the way our comminity thinks. As he call it, our sub-culture is foreign to most people. To have the Bikies accept him and talk about the inter- workings of this life style tell me that he is a good man.
This is good History for the world Down Under.

The author is very knowledgeable, but he writes like an apologist for OMG's or Bikies as he calls them in Australia. The majority of his arguments defending the bikers is based on statements from the members in the club, so people who live on the fringes and flaunt the law are given instant credibility by him. Reads like a textbook, but not an informative one. His bias shows through and through, a little more objectivity would not hurt his next book.

This is a great book with loads of informationabout the motrocycle scene and the motorcycle clubs such as Bandidos,Hells Angels Gypsy Jokers and other australian motorcycle clubs.The author who is a psychologist dual citizenship and started life in U.S.A would make one wonder how someone who was not a patch wearer and did not have a motorcyclewould be the premier independent expert on these clubsand gangs.

Because of the authors curiosity and the right circumstances he happen to be a couple events that have shaped the effects and thepublic view of motorcycle clubs one of the being hollister.
Even though alot of this book deals with the clubs in Australia it covers a wide of area of info this author getting this info because a good relationship with the different clubs because he told it like it was the bond was a such they even gave the name of the mad professor. He covers many subjects like the process that one goes from being a club hang around to a full patch member. Explains the interest people have for the bikes and the lifestyle , how the clubs veiw eachother and sometimes the consolidation and thwe wars that happen between the clubs.Also the club structure and the responsibilites of the different officers,their views on drugs and of their dealings with the police.

He also helps to dispels alot of myths half-truths that are put out by the media the police and sometimes by the clubs themselves. Again a great book