Customer Reviews

The Man Who Got Away: The Bugs Moran Story: A Biography

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Finally, the untold story of George "Bugs" Moran. Previously largely a footnote to the life of Al Capone and recalled mainly as the guy who lost his gang in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Moran was a legend in his own time yet has always remained a man of mystery whose birth and background were early obscured by rumor and misinformation. Thanks to Rose Keefe, a wonderful writer and researcher and one of the rising stars of historical crime, we now have the complete and fascinating account of his life, from his Minnesota childhood to his equally intriguing post-Prohibition career as an independent criminal. An excellent companion to Rose's previous biography of Dean O'Banion (Guns and Roses, also highly recommended) and a marvelous uncovering of one of America's underworld legends that will leave you dying for more. Rose has captured The Man Who Got Away--something even Capone couldn't do!

This thing is freaking impressive to say the least!!!!
Big thick,full of rare photos, some of which have never seen the light of day.(Moran,Gusenberg etc....).
Historians and authors thought they knew Moran!!!Boy, what a shock to say the least!I like my gangster stuff and i like it as accurate as possible.
Keefe once again delivers the goods hands down.
Well worth the investment and this book will surely become a reference guide for all future gangland writers.
This gives the same impact to Moran and the Northsiders as what Kobler and Schoenberg gave to Capone.So many interesting anecdotes on Drucci,Weiss,Weiss' father,James Clark ,Colosimo and other various little known players.Interesting never revealed stuff on Ted Newberry,Willie Marks.

Well worth the wait!!I will savour this one slowly!

This book is a well-researched, fascinating study of the life of the gangster known as George "Bugs" Moran. I liked this book because it dealt with the subject in an intelligent manner. It focused on little-known aspects of Moran's career as the dark horse of the Chicago Outfit. It also encompassed the town of Chicago as a landscape that hosted this violent era.

For students of the 1920s and the Chicago bootleg era, this book is a "must read." I highly recommend it, as a serious study of the Roaring Twenties, Al Capone, the St. Valentine's Massacre, and the gangsters' role in 1920s Prohibition.

It's not very often that I've read a book and finally put it down thinking that my perspective on a subject has been changed. I was a huge fan of Rose Keefe's "Guns and Roses", but "The Man Who Got Away" is destined to be a True Crime classic. Featuring an excellent forward by writer Rick Mattix, this book explodes the rampant myths about Bugs Moran and his crimes. In addition, the photo gallery has dozens of previously unpublished photos, and the manuscript has added spice and authenticity courtesy of insights provided by Moran's heirs. For the first time I feel like I really know Bugs Moran... and the conditions that created him.

Highly recommended.

Rose Keefe has done it again - a beautifully written and scrupulously researched biography of one of Prohibition's most prominent figures. As with her splendid biography of Dean O'Banion, Keefe has exploded the tabloid myths about George Clarence "Bugs" Moran, including the longstanding canard that he was a slow-witted bungler whose only useful contribution was the muscular violence he brought to the North Side Mob. And be prepared to delight in her discoveries relative to Moran's status as the quintessential Irish-American gangster.

One can only hope that this author's investigative and journalistic skills will be brought to bear on ever more of Prohibition's fascinating figures - a population that has long been shrouded in the myths of Hollywood stereotype. This is a great book and a valuable historical contribution.

Researcher and historian Rose Keefe's biography The Man Who Got Away: The Bugs Moran Story will delight fans of Chicago gangster days and history. While the focus is on Bugs and his stormy career as an independent outlaw, Al Capone and other partners in crime are also covered. Moran was a cunning survivor who was street-smart and savvy: though associated with ruthless crime, Moran also had a good side. A lively story evolves - all factual, despite the fact that The Man Who Got Away reads like an exciting novel.

Rose O'Keefe is a superb researcher. As with "Guns and Roses" she has once again crossed a 70-year void to get behind the headlines and reveal the full story of Bugs Moran's life and times.

The way to write True Crime is firstly to dispell the myths; secondly to report the facts and lastly to tell a good story. From the very first page to the last, O'Keefe does all three exceptionally well

Bugs Moran always fascinated me because of his adaptability: he loses the majority of his top guns in the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, yet he persists in making his living as opportunity strikes. You have to admire someone with that strength of will: this is not only a book about one of Chicago's most enigmatic gangsters, it's also a study in one man's survival despite the odds. For the True Crime buffs, you will find fascinating details about the gangster setup during Prohibition. And then there's Moran himself: where he was the morning of the Massacre, why he escaped, and how he survived in the aftermath.

If you enjoyed Keefe's "Guns and Roses" you will LOVE this book. An amazing tale of Chicago's dark side, full of personal stories and detailed facts. Through her in-person interviews, Keefe gives our favorite gangsters personalities and feelings rarely seen. This book puts to rest many of Gangland's greatest mysteries and settles many rumors. Grab a thick notebook, because you're going to want to take notes while reading this one. It's destined to be one of gangland's all time favorite mob-cyclopedias!

I've been waiting for a book about George 'Bugs' Moran to come out for years. I was about ready to write one myself, but am glad I didn't, as I don't think I could have come close to matching Rose Keefe in writing style and ability to dig up amazing historical facts.

The information about Moran's childhood and his post-Massacre years is astounding. I could not put this book down. He did not begin and end with the North Sider years (1920-1929) and now that I know the whole story, I feel sorry for how George Moran has been treated by history.

Highly recommended. The details about such periphery characters as Willie Marks, Ted Newberry, and James Clark were especially enjoyed.