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Reviews
Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob by Dick Lehr
dizzybell06's review against another edition
2.0
I was really interested in this story, but I felt like I was just reading facts. The story seemed to skip around a lot and add in information from previous years at moments that got a little confusing. There were to many people and stories to keep track of. I also feel like the book fell flat at times and that information was added in to fluff up the book more. At times I was really into the book, but at other times my mind wondered elsewhere. I liked the premise surrounding this book and how it all played out, but do not feel as though the book was written in a way that made it easy to get through.
cbreese's review against another edition
4.0
A thorough account of the myriad crimes, and crooked dealings of Whitey Bulger and his gang with the FBI. I had to take a break from this book for a while because it was just so dark, but it's well researched and written and gives you a complete understanding of what transpired over decades. It also includes an update from the original book to include the capture of Bulger in 2011 and subsequent trial.
callieisreading's review against another edition
4.0
The Southie of the 1970's and 1980's was run by a gangster named Jimmy "Whitey" Bulger, who took over the Winter Hill Gang after its leader, Howie Winter, was put behind bars. Whitey and his right-hand man, Stevie "The Rifleman" Flemmi, controlled everything that happened there, from gambling, to drugs, to weapons. Beyond a penchant for violence and a ruthless reputation, the thing that kept Whitey and Stevie out of trouble with the law was a close friendship with Michael Connelly, a high-ranking member of the FBI in Boston who had grown up admiring Whitey as a kid in Southie. This friendship was mutually beneficial, as Whitey and Stevie provided information to the Bureau regarding the LCN, La Cosa Nostra, or the Italian Mafia, eventually to basically the nullification of the LCN in Boston. On the other side, Connelly protected his guys, tipping them off to potential wiretaps, pointing investigations in other directions, and according to Whitey and Stevie, giving them the green light to commit basically any crime, short of murder (which didn't stop them, Whitey is currently on trial for 19 killings). The experience of reading Black Mass was intensified as I followed Whitey's trial along, with parts from the book frequently coming up in the case. Made for a very exciting couple of days.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I thought there were some editing problems, but not enough to kill it for me, or really even distract me from the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I thought there were some editing problems, but not enough to kill it for me, or really even distract me from the story.
emmagoldblum's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.75
ambermain90's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this was going to be a how to book about becoming a gangster. It was really more about corrupt FBI agents and how the gangsters influenced agents. Not what I was expecting.
jhalloran99's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this book was a struggle, but I had to finish it considering it's been on my to-read list for about a decade. Lehr and O'Neill thoroughly investigated and researched the case of Bulger, Flemmi, Connelly, and Morris, but Jesus, they read like a text book. I think I must have been reading their articles in the Globe growing up everytime my dad tried to force the newspaper on me. Snoozefest.
I will say I found it funny how when this was written in 2000 the "roving bug" was considered the "most dangerous government intrusion" in light of the more recent discussions around the Patriot Act. Privacy? A thing of the past.
This book scared me. I've always known the general story of Bulger, but the extent of the corruption in this case really makes me doubt the system.
I will say I found it funny how when this was written in 2000 the "roving bug" was considered the "most dangerous government intrusion" in light of the more recent discussions around the Patriot Act. Privacy? A thing of the past.
This book scared me. I've always known the general story of Bulger, but the extent of the corruption in this case really makes me doubt the system.
wayfaring_witch's review against another edition
3.0
Started off skimming, but slowly got pulled into the rich history in this book.