Customer Reviews

Fallen Angel: The Unlikely Rise of Walter Stadnick and the Canadian Hells Angels

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I suppose this is what passes for proper journalistic research now but honestly this book is so fraught with errors and mistakes anyone would be much better off not buying it if you're looking for real information about the Club or Walter Stadnick.

Here's a couple examples that are very basic and can be easily checked by anyone with a Web connection and access to Google's home page.

Langton describes the prospecting process, the way in which a prospective new member becomes a full member, by saying the prospect begins by receiving the center patch and top rocker; the Death Head and name of the Club, Hells Angels. Once accepted as a full member the prospect receives his bottom rocker, containing the location, completing the full set of Colors.

Actually this is exactly opposite of how it is done, a prospect earns the right to wear the bottom rocker as a prospective member and only when accepted as a full member does he receive the center patch and top rocker.

In a second glaring mistake Langton claims the Lowell Mass Chapter was the first outside of California, the first Chapter outside of California was in Omaha, Nebraska, founded in 1966.

These basic factual and easily verifiable errors lead one to question, rightly, the validity of everything Langton writes. Also, much of the text is reminiscent far beyond being merely derivative of Yves Lavigne's questionable work on the Club written in 80s and 90s. In fact, some of the passages appear to be copied and pasted from Lavigne's books. Remember Langton is or was a writer for the Toronto Sun, and that should tell you all you need to know about his journalistic ethics and skills.

If you're looking for a good book with real information about the Club, try Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels, written by Sonny Barger.

There is something about secret organizations that has always deeply fed my curiosity. As Chief Wiggum says to his son Ralph, "What is your fascination with my forbidden closet of mystery?" Be it fraternities or Skull & Bones or most especially, motorcycle gangs, every detail is a nugget of info to be savored.

Mr. Langton gets so deep inside the mind of Walter Stadnick and so deep into the life of the hyper-secret Hells Angels, he provides an amazingly clear window into the workings of the organization. Observations both great and small give civilians a taste of this nomadic and dangerous existence.

The topic of motorcycle gangs continues to be pressing and current, especially in light of the murders in Shedden over this past weekend. The story of this Hells Angel is important knowledge.

I knew Nurget and had the pleasure of riding with him in the mid 70's when I lived in Hamilton. He was a fun, smart and happy guy. I was surprised that he made such a name for himself. Langton seems to jump around throughout the whole book, leaving the reader confused at times. Perhaps he could have got some help writing the book from a real writer. It is obvious he sides with the police authorities, giving a very one sided view of the biker lifestyle. He has made several errors pertaining to the biker culture and some of the events that took place.

The author have gone though a great deal to find the facts in hundreds of events during many years. He covers hundreds of people. Hundreds of crimes and killings. He could have picked a few events, clubs or people and written their full story. Instead the book hops between people and clubs, between centuries and continents like a school book. Theres no story, but namedropping enough to confuse anyone. Stadnik is one of hundreds of figures skidding though events, none of them with depth. People are shot and stabbed, but you find it difficult to care, since none is in the book for more than a page, and you dont get to know them. It feels disorganised. If it was in cronical order, or at least with chapter names reveiling what every chapter will cover it would be easier. Perhaps its interesting and understandable for the surviving few who were there. If your looking for facts its fine, but its too packed with facts for me. I need a story.

This book provides a lot of information on Walter Stadnick and the Canadian Hells Angels along with information on lesser clubs in Canada. The author, Jerry Langton, however, has made numerous disturbing errors in reporting on certain aspects of the Hells Angels and other clubs. Langton reports on page 26 that prospective members (prospects) are awarded the top rocker (Hells Angels) along with the center patch. Langton then states that the prospects recive the bottom rocker which identifies the chapter's geographical location upon earning full membership. THE OPPISITE IS TRUE for the Hells Angels and ALL OTHER CLUBS! It is hard to believe that Lanfton could make such an obvious error in his writing.

Langton goes on to say that newly minted members are forced to endure a ritualistic ceremony wherein [...] ect.... are spewed on the colors (patched vest) and that the new member is forbidden to wash it. This is absoulutely untrue. No Hells Angel would desecrate the patch and show such disrespect. The fact that Langton would believe and further this myth is a statement to his lack of knowledge.

Also, on page 224, langton refers to the Outlaws patch having a Deaths Head center refered to as "Charlie." This is true of the Hells Angels. The Outlaws center patch is a pair of crossed pistons. I would suggest that the next time langton writes a book, he should have someone with knowledge of the subject matter proof-read his work.

Hmmm...as with LaVigne's books about the Angels (which should be classified as fiction), this one is also somewhat dubious if only for the fact that it is written by another Canadian, but this one is-gasp!-a journalist! Much of this tale , while interesting, is unnecessary. What is fascinating is how many times Stadnick evades the law or getting into any serious trouble, although it could just be that the law enforcement is sub-par. For rabid readers of biker books only.

good book with great, little known info about the Angels and there members

Not only is the author a bad writer.....jumping from timeline to time line...not able to tell a story in order.....he tries to pose the Hell's Angels as the bad guys. Anyone with a solid head on their shoulders will see thru his rhetoric and realize HA is a stand up orginization that takes care of business like any normal person would. The crimes they were accused of, weren't crimes at all......they were simply the exercising of human rights against agressors that would try to deny said so rights......in fact in the entire book, i found no fault with the Angel's actions, and applaud them for their efforts.