Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34Penguin, 2009 M04 29 - 624 pages In Public Enemies, bestselling author Bryan Burrough strips away the thick layer of myths put out by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI to tell the full story—for the first time—of the most spectacular crime wave in American history, the two-year battle between the young Hoover and the assortment of criminals who became national icons: John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and the Barkers. In an epic feat of storytelling and drawing on a remarkable amount of newly available material on all the major figures involved, Burrough reveals a web of interconnections within the vast American underworld and demonstrates how Hoover’s G-men overcame their early fumbles to secure the FBI’s rise to power. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 80
Page
... , well spoken, bright, and from solid families—men like himself. He got them. In a matter of weeks Hoover cleared out the deadwood, stopped patronage hiring, and instituted a meritocracy. Applicants were screened on “general.
... , well spoken, bright, and from solid families—men like himself. He got them. In a matter of weeks Hoover cleared out the deadwood, stopped patronage hiring, and instituted a meritocracy. Applicants were screened on “general.
Page
... stopped when he got to the bank's front door and took out his keys and opened it. His footsteps echoed on the marble floor as he crossed to the teller cages. The moment he stepped behind the cages, three men wearing handkerchiefs across ...
... stopped when he got to the bank's front door and took out his keys and opened it. His footsteps echoed on the marble floor as he crossed to the teller cages. The moment he stepped behind the cages, three men wearing handkerchiefs across ...
Page
... stopping the brothers for stealing scrap metal, no doubt to help their father. According to Clyde's sister Nell, their first arrests came after they stole a flock of turkeys from an East Texas farm; stopped by police in a truck full of ...
... stopping the brothers for stealing scrap metal, no doubt to help their father. According to Clyde's sister Nell, their first arrests came after they stole a flock of turkeys from an East Texas farm; stopped by police in a truck full of ...
Page
... stopped Clyde for speeding. Their notoriety, however, was limited to Dallas, where their crimes were frontpage news. Outside Texas they remained all but unknown. In March 1933 Clyde's brother Buck was paroled from prison and ...
... stopped Clyde for speeding. Their notoriety, however, was limited to Dallas, where their crimes were frontpage news. Outside Texas they remained all but unknown. In March 1933 Clyde's brother Buck was paroled from prison and ...
Page
... stopped and honked the horn. “Everybody out of the car,” W.D. ordered. The officers lined up against a bridge rail. Clyde covered the men while W.D. walked to the far end of the bridge and talked to someone in a car parked in the ...
... stopped and honked the horn. “Everybody out of the car,” W.D. ordered. The officers lined up against a bridge rail. Clyde covered the men while W.D. walked to the far end of the bridge and talked to someone in a car parked in the ...
Contents
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL | |
BIBLIOGRAPHY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | |
1 | |
A STAR IS BORN 10 DILLINGER AND NELSON 11 CRESCENDO 12 DEATH IN THE NORTH WOODS 13 AND ITS DEATH FOR BONNIE ... | |
PRAISE | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
agents apartment appeared arrested arrived asked bank Barker began beside Bonnie Bremer building bullets Bureau called Chase Chicago City Cleveland Clyde Connelley Cowley Crime Dallas detective Dillinger Dillinger’s door drive drove East face files fired Floyd followed four Frank front gang gave Hamilton hand head Hoover Indiana inside John Kansas City Karpis Kelly kidnapping killed knew later leave living looked massacre Meter Michigan minutes months morning moved named needed Nelson never night Oklahoma opened parked passed Paul pistol police prison pulled Purvis reached remained returned road robbery running sheriff shot side station stay stepped stopped story Street talk tell thing thought told took town turned waiting walked wanted watched weeks window