Customer Reviews

Public Enemies: America's Criminal Past, 1919-1940

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a must read book for anyone seeking the truth about our countries past criminal history. William J. Helmer and Rick Mattix's knowledge of such people as Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, etc. is astounding. I have learned more by reading this one book then all the other books I have read put together. The pictures in this book really bring it to life.
I will be anxiously awaiting their next book which I am sure will also be a must read!

I have been interested in Depression-era gangsters and outlaws for years and have written on the subject myself. This is the best one-volume reference work on the subject to date. The author's scrupulous research is refreshing in a field where "facts" are often repetitions of dubious legend. The material here rings true. The annotated bibliography is excellent. Lots of original material, well organized, authoritative, and fun.

Very good overview of gangsters and bank robbers of an earlier era, but a substantial portion of it consists of long lists of criminals with too-short bios and equally long (and boring) "chronologies of crime," again with very little detail.

Between the lists are a number of fascinating articles on various criminals and related subjects. Has an oustanding annotated bibliography, and I'd recommend it for that alone. If you're interested in this subject (and you must be or why would you be reading this?), the bibliography will point you towards a lot more excellent reading material.

Worthwhile, but actually would have been better if those lists were fleshed out beyond a couple of sentences for each entry.

I've always enjoyed reading about the mobsters of the Depression era, like Babyface Nelson, Al Capone, Pretty Boy Floyd, John Dillinger, etc. I've never seen so many crimes & criminals of that era covered so well in one book. In fact, out of all my gangster books I'd have to say this one is my favorite. It has a great chronology of crimes, criminals & crime control from 1919-1940, great photos, very informative text, a helpful bibliography, & even a list of gangland murders in Chicago! William Helmer & Rick Mattix have truly blessed us crime buffs with an outstanding book!

If you plan on purchasing any crime books soon, make this one you do buy. Entertaining as well as full of little known crime lingo and phrases. An excellent addition to your home library. William Helmer and Rick Mattix have complied one of the most factual volumes on outlaws and gangsters I have seen. I have found this book to be most accurate and a excellent research tool. Need to know where the phrase "Taken for ride" originated from? You'll find it here.

Piles of names of what I assume are gangster, I don't know, the authors do an awful job of explaining what this is about. I want my money back

Can't believe i didn't give a my favorite reference book a review.This thing is filled with facts and anecdotes relating to outlaw and gangsters of the depression era.Thompson guns,mafia,Chicago gangland murder listings with a neat book review in the back.I used mine to run my site and i used it well.It's now ragged.Looking forward to the new updated edition coming out next spring.Helmer and Mattix are truly literary hitmen!

The dynamic duo of Helmer and Mattix have developed an almanac of a virtual "who's who" of personalities and events in the criminal world during and after the "Great Depression" era. Emphasis is on the exploits of the Barker Gang and Al Capone, and his Chicago influences. I would highly recommend this to all interested readers of America's criminal past!

Mike Koch, author of "The Kimes Gang."

I love this book, and not just because I know the authors personally ;) As a True Crime writer myself, I value almanacs like this one as an information resource. Written in a lively, engaging style, "Public Enemies: America's Criminal Past, 1919-1940" is a must for any serious researcher's library.

Public Enemies by Rick Mattix and William Helmer is an extremely valuable source of information for crime readers and future historians. I highly recommend this book to all readers interested in criminal activities during the early nineteen hundreds. This is the greatest collection of criminal chronology I have ever encountered. I consider this book to be very resourceful, educational and well illustrated. I give Public Enemies a Five-Star rating for notable accuracy and distinctive thoroughness.