Customer Reviews

The Brothers Bulger: How They Terrorized and Corrupted Boston for a Quarter Century

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

Many hours can be spent scouring all sorts of documents in order to gain the same amount of information Howie Carr presents in his book. Howie has gathered and distilled all his knowledge on the subject into this handy tome. Anyone moving to Massachusetts and in need to catch up on the seedy past of this Commonwealth need not go too far. And if that someone is still willing to move to Massachusetts even after reading this book, then he or she will be ready to strike up a conversation with any of the locals and fit right in. Regular listeners of the Howie Carr Show will delight in the amount of detail Howie goes into. Over the years, Howie has told many a crime tale but the book goes way beyond what he can cram into 15-minute segments. A fine read, but also an abridged encyclopaedia of crime in its own right.

Howie Carr has written a tell all book about the chronic corruption taking place in Massachusetts. I have to agree with one of the previous reviewers with regards to the FBI. They don't want to capture Whitey. He can probably put the whole FBI in prison. The only hero in this book is Keating who had the guts to stand up to Billy Bulger. I stay awake at night, thinking about the State cop who committed suicide after Billy Bulger ruined his life for doing his job. After reading this book and all the others about corruption,I hope Whitey, Billy ,Kevin Weeks,and Johnny Martorano rot in hell for eternity. A great read

Carr gives a whirlwind view of Boston gangsters and politics and
shows how the likes of H. Paul Rico and John "Zip" Connolly
helped Whitey Bulger, and the "everything is a deal, no deal
too small" political climate served Billy well. From murdering girlfriends who knew too much to hobnobbing with the likes of
Kennedy and Kerry at that annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast,
the Brothers Bulger got away with murder and corruption. A few
amusing anecdotes, like how Gerry Anguilo, upon being informed
that a fellow gangster was dead, shouted, "He can't be dead!
He owes me $30,000!!" Can't make up stuff like that.

Fans of Carr's column and radio show should be delighted.
He has more photos and information at his various websites.

As a recent Boston-area resident and politiphile -- not to mention a casual listener to the Howie Carr radio program -- I confess to being pre-conditioned for interest in this book. Picked it up a Boston-area book signing, and have no regrets.

To be fair, however, 'The Brother Bulger' (TBB) requires a sufficient amount of ramp-up time until you feel as if you're following Carr's whirlwhind style. Akin to his radio program, Carr drops you right into the action, with the reader left trying to get his/her literary bearings before the book starts to truly make sense.

At that point, however, what a ride it is! The cast of characters in this book are a virtual 'who's who' of Boston politics, the incredible web of causation of individual actions (from mob peon to Governor) amazing to piece together. Simply put, I cannot perceive these individuals nor the city of Boston the same way after reading TBB. Not from a better nor worse sense, rather now as an insider looking out, versus vice-versa. Somewhere in NYC and New Orleans, historians of Tammany Hall and Huey P. Long are both smiling.

Of course with any book of this nature, some of Carr's accounts should be perceived as perspective vs. fact -- especially with Carr's initimate role in covering the Bulgers for decades while at the Boston Herald. Would be interesting to read the Weeks account to truly corroberate TBB's statements.

If you grew up in South Boston this is "Inside Baseball" and a lot of it will be very familiar, with Carr filling in the details and motives. A real page turner outlining the back stabbing treachery employed by both of South Boston's infamous son's as they followed their dual paths to the top. If Whitey hadn't killed 19 people (and probably way more than that)the question of "Who is more treacherous - Whitey or Billy?" might be more of a jump ball. But treacherous or not Billy was loyal to South Boston and lots of people wouldn't have decent jobs to support their families if it wasn't for him. Patronage is not a new component of political life, Billy just perfected it to an art form. This book also seems to be a more accurate portrayal of what actually happened than the hubris and revisionist history that seems to be prevalent in a lot of auto-biographical gangster books. But note to Howie Carr: South Boston High is on G Street, not H Street. Also there are places in the book where you seem to deliberately omit names, opting instead for a general description of the speaker or source etc... Why? The theory that Whitey is gay and used to be a male hustler in the Back Bay seems hard to believe and I wonder if Howie is just busting Billy's stones but who knows? Some of the facts in this book are stranger than fiction so I guess anything is possible. Read the book. It's very good.

People reviewing this book seem to think Billy Bulger is not corrupt and this book slanders him. Uh huh.....Just a few things regarding that slime.. the fact that he took at least 1 phone call that we know of from his killer brother after he was on the lam, he invoked the 5th at the comittee assembled to try to get info,he has said he was disinclined to cooperate with authorities and would never be "helpful to anyone against him."...William Bulger has no more right than any other American to defy a Congressional subpoena. Further, as someone who holds a position of public responsibility -- indeed, one who has profited from public positions for most of his adult life -- he has a duty to uphold due process and respond to whatever demands it makes on him.
Also the states biggest crime figure was one brother, and the other ran the state. And it gets better. The gang had a club house. The house was next door, not down the street, or near, but right next to.....Massachusetts Senate leader Billy Bulgers house..tell me he knew NOTHING about what these people were involved with. RIIIGHT. Don't get me started on his obgoing lawsuits where he has been trying to sweeten his annual six-figure pension by $32,000

His second brother jackie lied to grand juries investigating his fugitive brother and lost his pension as a court clerk because of it. Now ONE brother is involved with the fugitive and has taken his phone calls but the other brother has not? No freakingw ay..the whole family stinks to high heaven and they all should share a cell togther, but that sadly will never happen. I really dont think the FBI wants to catch Whitey because they do not want him to air all their dirty laundry..if he is prosecuted he may say things that will shake the FBI to their foundations..and that will never do.

the Boston Globe has long been a cover up machine for Boston political corruption including the Bulgers and Kennedys. It's amazing the paper continues to ignore facts expressed here and in other similar tomes. If it wasn't for people like Carr the corruption and murders would go unreported

An amazing story of absolute political power matched with absolute criminal power.

Well written and worth the price!

Extreme detail and well written. I've read all the others, not sure I'm interested in "Brutal". As you would guess, Howie knows this topic best and it shows. It's no wonder it's a best seller.
If you don't want to buy it, borrow it or get it at the library.

I found this to be a most interesting book. For me, it tied together about 100 seemingly unrelated events into a logical and understandable chronology of crime and corruption. My only issue with the book, and this may say more about me than anything else, was the huge number of names - and sometimes very similar names - I had a hard time keeping them straight. You don't know the players without a scorecard.

Great job Howie, what's next?