Book Description

In 1975, one year after Patty Hearst and her captors robbed Hibernia National Bank, a second kidnapping took place far from the glare of the headlines. Virginia Holman's mother, in the thrall of psychosis, spirited her two daughters to a cottage on the Virginia Peninsula, painted the windows black, and set up the house as a MASH unit for a secret war. A war that never came. The family -- captive to her mother's schizophrenia and a legal system that refused to intervene -- remained there for more than three years.

"What sets this book apart," the Hartford Courant observed, "is Virginia's voice...brave, smart, tough." Reviewers nationwide have praised Holman's "riveting," "endearing," and "wryly humorous" story of a young girl caught in the whirlwind of madness -- a girl who chooses a brainwashed heiress as her role model. Holman's memoir vividly and brilliantly evokes the interior worlds of the sane and the insane and the delicate membrane in between. An essential exploration of identity, captivity, and love, Rescuing Patty Hearst will inspire readers' faith in the resilience of one family's spirit to survive and thrive even in the direst of circumstances. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stunning, beautifully written
I'm stunned by the impact this book had on me. Virginia Holman's beautifully written memoir is remarkable and gripping. The author's story traces the development of schizophrenia in her mother when the author was just a girl. I was fascinated and horrified how her mother's delusions began to play into the girl's own childhood fantasies. In one terrifying scene, you wonder whether the child herself has also slipped over the edge of reality. As she grows older, she has to confront the awful impact of her mother's disease on the family. While it is painful to witness the trials this family had to endure, there is also a warmth and love that bonds the family together. Ms. Holman's honest telling of her story is a tribute to her own strength and the strength of her family. This memoir is a valuable contribution to those who wish to understand the impact of mental disease on the family and should serve as a touchstone for those who have family members afflicted with mental illness. ... Read more

Book Description

This startling and unsentimental recollection of childhood and coming of age in the back alleys and bustling streets of San Francisco's Chinatown reveals the sinister and pervasive influences of organized crime. Delivering an almost-casual expose into the underworld of an urban Chinatown, "Chinese Playground: A Memoir" traces author Bill Lee's maturation from innocent child in a troubled family to a street punk, gang member, and college graduate struggling to break free of his involvement in escalating violence. In a dark journey spanning forty years, Lee fights an ongoing battle against relentless childhood demons and nightmares, ultimately coming to terms with his past and peace with himself.

Lee's personal accounts of two high-profile murder incidents are engrossing. The 1977 Golden Dragon Massacre in San Francisco that left five dead and eleven wounded, was carried out by his blood-brothers who were engaged in the most violent Asian gang war in U.S. history. A decade later, a mad gunman killed seven and injured four at ESL, a high-tech firm in Sunnyvale, California where Lee was employed. An unlikely hero emerges as he accepts his fate, employing his street instincts to save co-workers during the murderous rampage.

A moving look at the murky histories of Lee's parents -- both Chinese immigrants -- adds depth to this story and poignantly points to typical family dysfunctions that contribute to confusion, fear and aggression in young people. The author's early recollections are seen through the eyes of an innocent boy who was nearly aborted and sold away. As a young gang member, his pain and fears are hidden beneath a tough, macho facade as he contends with gambling, drugs, extortion and murder. Entering adulthood, Lee's street savvy and dark view of the world manifests itself into an aggressive, win-at-any-costs attitude which he unleashes in Silicon Valley. Lee faces his biggest challenge when he returns to the streets of Chinatown in search of his runaway son and confronts his own dark past. Lee's determination to heal his soul and transform his life is inspiring.

This book is a provocative read providing valuable insight into the Chinese-American culture, organized crime, distressed families, at-risk youths, personal recovery, Bay Area history, and Silicon Valley. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

All I needed to know
WOW!!!!! This book was shared with me by my husbands cousin. He knows of my frustrations and my always unanswered questions of my husband and in-laws. You see my husband as well as his family grew up in Chinatown San Francisco in the 60's and 70's and few still remain. I had always questioned my Father in Laws reasons for moving his family out of there as he has made it very clear that he has always wanted his children to marry Chinese and not any others.He also would never answer any questions on or about his childhood etc. My husband has always said its just the way it was and was always telling me please dont ask to many questions (its a respect thing). My husband did read this book also and knows of many of the key characters. When he finished it he said "You get it now?" And yes I do. He was able to share with me all of the family (secrets) history without shame or fear. Thank you Mr. Lee for giving him the courage to release all of this that has been bottled up for so many years. Also Thank you for helping me to better understand and respect my Father-in-law and his past.

An accurate portayal of life growing up in SF's Chinatown
Bill Lee's work is important to the history and culture of San Francisco's Chinatown in the 60's and 70's. It tells tales of events which might otherwise go untold. The media presents its stories as a slice of life. The book however presents an in-depth look at the life of a Chinatown youth. As such, we are given an understanding of the situations that surround our daily lives. Professors and Intellectual scholars such as Sanders and Nee in all their wisdom would never be able to attain such a solid grasp of the subject matter. This is an important read, and no doubt should be used as curricula in urban studies and ethnic college level course. Asian American Urban kids are at risk. They must not be allowed to fall through the cracks to society's underbelly. Parents should read this to better understand the problems which their kids face. Bill Lee, thanks for giving these kids a voice.

How new generation can relate also.
I was born in San Francisco. It isn't like that anymore as you can see, I didn't live in Chinatown but regularly go to my Grandma or grandpa after school in chinatown. I lived in Japantown til I was six years old. I moved to Oakland ever since.

When I brought this book, I didn't know what to expect, but when I read about his life, I could really relate to his childhood. Not as extreme as his was, but I can really relate, and how I would turn out if I was still in San Francisco. Would probably be the same as him with those family issues like that. Can turn a kid to look at their enviroment for support. I too am Toishanese, does that mean most toishanese parents are stubborn and ignorant? I don't know.

And the Enviroment in Oakland is no different. Kids want to be goo wak jais and hard ghetto punks.

excellent book
this is a very well-written book for a non-fiction plot. It was recommended to me by a friend and I have to say the plot was not boring, the author was very descriptive in his writing. Don't miss out on this.

Very powerful
Yeah-- so forget about some of the editing problems-- this book is a must read! There are so many similarities between this and cultish groups. It doesn't matter if you're a poor kid in Chinatown or a rich kid in a brainwashing group-the lessons remain the same:One's inner voice--thinking for onesself and then of course--running away when you can --are universal stories. We have seen it in Nazi Germany, with Waco, in Chinatown and in Jonestown. KIDS of all ages should read this truly eye-opening account of how easy it is to get pulled in to an ideology that then kills its own.... ... Read more

Book Description

On March 11, 1985, a van was pulled over in Warsaw for a routine traffic check that turned out to be anything but routine. Inside was Marek Kaminski, a Warsaw University student who also ran an underground press for Solidarity. The police discovered illegal books in the vehicle, and in a matter of hours five secret police escorted Kaminski to jail. A sociology and mathematics major one day, Kaminski was the next a political prisoner trying to adjust to a bizarre and dangerous new world. This remarkable book represents his attempts to understand that world.

As a coping strategy until he won his freedom half a year later by faking serious illness, Kaminski took clandestine notes on prison subculture. Much later, he discovered the key to unlocking that culture--game theory. Prison first appeared an irrational world of unpredictable violence and arbitrary codes of conduct. But as Kaminski shows in riveting detail, prisoners, to survive and prosper, have to master strategic decision-making. A clever move can shorten a sentence; a bad decision can lead to rape, beating, or social isolation. Much of the confusion in interpreting prison behavior, he argues, arises from a failure to understand that inmates are driven not by pathological emotion but by predictable and rational calculations.

Kaminski presents unsparing accounts of initiation rituals, secret codes, caste structures, prison sex, self-injuries, and of the humor that makes this brutal world more bearable. This is a work of unusual power, originality, and eloquence, with implications for understanding human behavior far beyond the walls of one Polish prison.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not just "another applied game theory book"
Kaminski is this amazing guy who ran a famous underground publishing house in Poland /but even dissidents in Czechia, Moravia and Hungary will proudly display books which came out of his firm /, spent five months in prison for doing it, but 17 years down the line ends up at the Institute of Mathematical Behavioral Sciences at UCI. Where he finally decides to put together the skills with the experiences and writes 'Games Prisoners Play,' not your typical applied game theory book. The reader is instantly immersed in the world of communist prison subculture and, perhaps surprisingly, finds it's not a world of unpredictable sadists, rapers and madmen. Even when they swallow metal, inject diseases into their blood and develop an incomprehensible form of communication - argot, they're just optimizing. Playing games of incomplete information and making rational decisions. Or at least their behavior can be interpreted as such. Don't get me wrong, they do have a spiritual life as well - they write poetry, carve chess figurines out of bread, paint their bodies in tattoos, brew tea between joking and story telling. But it's for their capacity constant analysis, updating beliefs and processing newly acquired information that by the end of the book you believe Kaminski saying that when he was dismissed he nearly regretted leaving because he felt his research was not yet complete. Now, that's what I call academic commitment! ... Read more

Book Description

All His Dreams for Wealth and Power Came True.
Then the Nightmare Began.

As a young man in his twenties with an insatiable thirst for money and power, Jorge Valdés worked his way up inside Colombia's powerful Medellin drug cartel. His key position as head of U.S. operations brought him into direct contact with presidents, generals, Hollywood celebrities, hired killers, and kidnappers. This Cuban immigrant, raised in poverty, was living the high life in more ways than one.

Then an incredible thing happened: Jorge Valdés encountered a person much more powerful than the strongest drug lord, someone who offered something more satisfying than women, drugs, money, prestige, or power.

Coming Clean: The True Story of a Cocaine Drug Lord and His Unexpected Encounter with God offers an insider's view of the drug industry and the greed that drives it. More important, it weaves a compelling story of forgiveness, renewal, and hope.
... Read more

Reviews (13)

New Beginnings
From the very first page the reader is drawn into this first person account of the life of Jorge Valdez, former drug smuggler and money launderer.This is a compelling story of intrigue, corruption, power, and greed.

Valdez describes the culture, family life and values of a Cuban family trying to find their dream in America. Valdez emigrated from Cuba with his family when he was 10 years old. He was an honor student and was planning a career in banking and accounting.
A series of events changed his life. He became involved with a drug cartel. By age 20, Valdez was in charge of the entire U.S. operation that included smuggling, distributing drugs, and money laundering.
Valdez eventually got caught and spent a total of 11 years in federal prison. The account of his family's support during his trial and imprisonment is especially touching.

The story is written by author Ken Abraham. The reader is given insight into the world of drug dealers, the prison system, and Valdez's personal ethical values. The book is a well-written account of the dramatic change in the life of Jorge Valdez. This is the testimony of a man freed from the power of sin by the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Vignettes of fellow prisoners help the reader understand the consequences of bad judgment and wrong choices. The story takes you behind prison walls. The contrast of life in prison before and after Jorge's conversion give solid evidence of a man changed by the power of Christ.
While in prison Jorge earned an undergraduate degree from Southeastern Bible College and most of his credits for a graduate degree from Wheaton College. After his release Valdez completed his graduate studies at Wheaton College and went on to Loyola University to earn a doctorate in New Testament theology.
Valdez has made himself vulnerable in this honest portrayal of his strengths and weaknesses. It is a story of depravation, faith, forgiveness, and a new start. I am looking forward to another installment relating the miracles of Coming Clean Ministries in Tyrone, a nondenominational Christian ministry. This ministry seeks to intercept youth who are on destructive paths by redirecting their lives to become productive members of society.

I Was Truly Touched
While going through a difficult time in my life, I happened upon this book. This story of redemption is so powerful that it actually deepened my faith. I thought, "If this person can be changed through faith, then so can I." Since reading Coming Clean I have become more reliant on my faith and much more aware of my choices. This book was not only a thriller of a read, but a story that has mattered on a much deeper level for me.

I would especially recommend this book for teens and college age readers who are under the constant assault of the immoral deadening messages of a society spun out of control with permissiveness and entitlement.

Excellant...
I had saw him telling his story on TV, a Christian channel. I was moved because I came from a drug family with my own ideas of having my own empire and rulership. I have experienced my own drama and blows in life because of it. I was shocked to see there was a book.

Men like this need to stand up and tell the truth. Let it be known that the drug world is very real not some fantasy you see on TV and video games. Kids and teens need to know...this stuff is nothing to mess with. Don't play in an adult world and not think you won't have to suffer the consequences.

Excellent story for those who lived it and know there not alone and for those who have no clue what the drug world is about. It's also great for those who have any plans on entering the drug world. You need to know the facts.

This is a very good story from beginning to end.

Very Spirtual
I am not a book reader, George gave me a copy of the book when I visited him in Atlanta and the following week I was on vacation in Florida picked up his book and read the entire book could not find a stopping point may God continue to bless his works as he is now touching so many lifes. It took Jesus Christ plus a lot of courage George to write this book.

A compulsive memoir. Be prepared to lose a night's sleep!
When I saw this book on the shelf at my local library, I assumed this would just be some preachy, manipulative work in which a drug dealer tries to make his past vanish by finding God. As a lapsed Catholic I found this concept rather weak, but I picked up the book with a (reasonably) open mind, and started reading.
By the time he was in his twenties Jorge Valdes was a cocaine dealer on the rise, dealing to the rich and famous, the living embodiment of wealth and power and luxury; leading a life most of us can imagine only in our wildest dreams. The life of the rich with all the negative excess that goes with it: drugs, pornography, prostitution, infidelity, murder, double-crosses, torture, kidnapping. Enough drama and suspense for a Robert Ludlum novel. The only difference is, this is the real deal. But, as Valdes soon disovers there is a price to all this; and he finds the courage and committment to steer his life onto a new, positive path.
Reading this stirred my intense interest in the good and evil that all human beings are capable of, what Karl Jung called "the shadow". Obviously some of the content of this book is tough to take (Especially Valdes' graphic account of him and an associate being tortured by police for refusing to leak info), but the honesty with which Valdes tells his story and the glimpse the reader gets into his former life makes for fascinating and sometimes horrific reading.
Even though I gave up my religious faith long ago, I still found myself moved by Mr Valdes's committment to his beliefs and how dramatically his life has changed for the better because of his faith. COMING CLEAN is quite simply a remarkable story. I challenge anyone to read this book and finish it without feeling affected. A very moving and powerful work that could only have come from the pen of someone who has lived and breathed the life... and survived to help prevent others from making the same mistakes he did. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

The Original Public Enemy #1
The bank robbing spree of John Dilliniger is the work of legends. Never has a single criminal been so intensely targeted by the government. Amid the corruption of Northwest Indiana that allowed Dillinger to break free from jail and prosper, many stories were created. G. Russel Girardin and William J. Helmer attempt to sort the facts in "Dillinger".

The stories of Dillinger are told chronologically based on the facts known at the time Girardin wrote his manuscript. His storytelling is reasonably accurate and entertaining. It follows Dillinger from his youth to the dissolution of his gang after his death. The one objection I have with this book is Helmer's addition. Rather than add new information to Girardin original manuscript, Helmer chooses to tack on additional information at the end of the book in the form of end notes. Obviously, the flow of the reader's continuity is interupted.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who are interested in Dillinger. The world may never know the whole truth, but the most accepted version of the truth is here.

The Truth About Dillinger
Contrary to what one anonymous reviewer from Indianapolis, who obviously did not read the book, has written, there are no invented stories in this book. None of the facts have been changed except for revision of erroneous old popular legends. What's more, the book was not written by "I.U. Profs." I know because I helped with the research. Unlike the speculative fiction of Jay Robert Nash, this is about as close to the truth on Dillinger as we're ever likely to get.

Dillinger, The Untold Story
Dillinger : The Untold Story by G. Russell Girardin, William J. Helmer is by far one of the best stories written about the John Dillinger Gang. Based on a Girardin's 600 page manuscript written in the 1930's as well as an extraordinary insight by Helmer. The book gives a detailed look at the inside facts and events surrounding John Dillinger's last days and the aftermath that follows. This very resourceful book includes the locations of Dillinger haunts in Chicago. I highly recommend this book.

Some stories are good, some not so good...like this one
IU profs set out to tell the true story of John Dillinger. Alot of the facts are true. Some of the facts have been "Changed" for whatever reason. They want you to believe the FBI story that they got their man. Fact is...The guy they shot was the wrong height, Did not have scars that John had, and his eye color was wrong. You can change a lot of things, but height and eye color are not among them. (John had grey eyes, the corpse had brown eyes.) If you can locate a copy of a 70's book Dillinger Dead or Alive? It is a much better read, and goes into the story of an old guy who sent letters to the Indianapolis Star, He had John's handwriting, and knew things only John Dillinger knew. It also identifies the corpse as John Lawrence, a smalltime hood that was a Dillinger wannabe.

The Definitive Dillinger
Using new data gathered from personal interviews and ancient FBI files, Girardin and Helmer have crafted the most complete and accurate biography we're likely to see on Depression America's foremost public enemy. A virtual "Dead Sea scrolls" of Dillingeriana! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Gripping, myth-demolishing and humane - an important work.
A really important work that strips mercilessly away many of the hoary myths that have stuck barnacle-like to the subject of American organized crime. The tale that emerges is no less gripping for that; Indeed the struggles personal and financial that dogged this less than omnipotent Lansky become all the more compelling and human. This is not a reading that finds total acceptance, and time and the inherent shadow-dwelling of organized crime mean that the absolute truth will never be nailed down, but Lacey's conclusions (that the post-Kefauver view of the Mafia as a coherent, nationally structured organization with Lansky the criminal mastermind at the centre of events, his overseas bank accounts overflowing with untouchable millions is simply not sustainable), the product of good research and common sense, are hard to refute. A tendancy to chide Lansky for not taking the turns in life that Lacey (probably erroneously) believes were open to him is one slight irritant, but that apart the book is an essential step in restoring balance to accounts of the Mafia's wealth, power, indestructability and even existence as popularly held. No more talk of $300 million!

A well written whitewash
After I read this book I couldn't help but smile. This is the ultimate whitewash book. After having spent years of investigating Meyer Lansky and his criminal world, I can honsetly tell you, this is not a book about Meyer Lansky. This is a book about Robert Lacey misunderstanding Meyer Lansky. Laceys information comes mostly from Lanskys family, then especially from his disabled son, Buddy Lansky. What Lacey should've done is look more into the work Hank Messick did on Lansky. Messick got his information from the underworld itself and interviewed gangsters, prosecutors and FBI men. Lacey overlooks these sources. Let's be realistic here. Lacey claims Lansky poured all his money into The Riviera Hotel in Havana. This is a ridiclious claim!. Lansky was known to spread his money all over the place. His specialty was laundering mafia money through mob controlled banks (like Bank Of World Commerce) or through Swiss bank accounts. Lansky had used these methods since the '30s. He made a fortune from his bootlegging enterprises and it is well known Lansky skimmed more money from Vegas then probably any other mob figure. Top mafia informant, Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno, one-time underboss of the L.A. Cosa Nostra Family repeatedly emphasized Lanskys strong hold on the skimming in Vegas. "Meyer Lansky and his group skimmed more money then anybody in the world. From Las Vegas alone, they got 300 million easy!". That's a direct quote from Fratianno himself. Of course Lansky wasn't stupid and he would have many people believe that he indeed lost everything in Cuba. Hank Messick used to say, Meyer Lansky didn't own property, he owned people. And as far as the mystery surrounding Lansky, you have to look at the people around him. Appearantly men like Alvin Malnik missed Laceys eye. If you wanna know about Lansky, then read Hank Messick or "Mogul Of The Mob" by Uri Dan and Dennis Eisenberg.

Criminal revisionism
I can only assume the applauding professional and amateur reviewers were swept away by Lacey's evocative descriptions of Lansky's surroundings and cultural background. Lacey's detailed study is, I will readily admit, finely wrought, but this book should have been sold as fiction. Besides totally whitewashing Lansky, "Little Man" is peppered with countless factual errors (e.g. Joe the Boss Masseria was not waiting for a late lunch when he got hit in 1931-- he'd already eaten a huge lunch), many of which bolster the author's fantastic characterization of his subject. Where is there any discussion of Lansky's operation in Covington, Kentucky? Why is Murder, Inc. mentioned only three times in this book when Lansky was crucial to Siegel and Lepke's killing-for-hire enterprise? I certainly understand a biographer's decision to lionize his/her subject, but this exoneration of a well-documented monster is criminal.

Who Do You Think You're Kidding Bobby?
After reading Mr. Lacey's fanciful account of the life and times of Meyer Lansky, I can honestly say I haven't seen this much whitewash since "Tom Sawyer." Did Mr. Lacey actually expect me to believe that Meyer Lansky was little more than an unscrupulous business man and not one of the founding architects of modern organized crime. Right! Okay! What color is the sky in your world Lacey? And I suppose Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was a singing waiter in Queens? Benjamin Siegal (I won't use the name he hated) was a streetcar driver? Perhaps time has inflated the legend surrounding these men, but the fact remains, these men built an empire on the bodies of their enemies and consecrated with the blood those who stood in their way. To sweep their contributions to organized crime under the carpet like so much dust in not only irresponsible, but dangerous in fostering the idea that organized crime is not a viable threat to our society. In the future I would recommend Mr. Lacey write children's books. They are far more suited to fantasy than the men who took gangsters out of the backrooms and into the boardrooms!

Scholarship, mostly.
This is a solid piece of cut-and-paste research and the best one-volume on Lansky. But it won't satisfy those who have read Lacey's sources and are looking for something new. What was it about the wiseguy lifestyle that made it attractive, especially to the sons of immigrants? Why did Lansky need the discipline of omerta? There's no insight into Meyer's personality, just facts. Lacey does not have all the facts. He doesn't mention that Bugsy Seigal was skimming, ripping off his partners, and had left a fortune with Jimmy the Greek for safekeeping. But Lacey puts big issues into perspective: the disorganization of organized crime; the lack of scope in Lansky's genius; the misinformation in reputable newspapers; the distortive and corrosive effect of secrecy on politics; and Meyer's lack of luck, in life and love. No wonder; Lansky valued being a stand-up guy over life or love, and paid the price for it. His motivation was simple: to get out of the ghetto. Those who have been there know the dynamics of this imperative and the power it has over those who accept the challenge "by any means necessary" as a method of survival. Lacey doesn't get it; and so, while he avoids easy answers and moralistic traps, he misses the juice of what made Lansky sizzle. ... Read more

Book Description

In the late 1970s, author Warren Fellows and two of his friends had the perfect scheme: they would traffic heroin between Australia and Thailand, concealing it flawlessly in high-tech, invisible compartments in suitcases. The money was there, and the process seemed foolproof--especially because they hadn't gotten caught in all their prior attempts at smuggling. But in 1978, all that would change, and Fellows would spend the next twelve years of his life enduring violations of his human rights of unimaginable hideousness.

Fellows, convicted in Thailand, spent these twelve years in Bangkok's infamous Bang Kwang prison, witnessing atrocities committed by both prison officials and his fellow inmates. He survived countless torturous beatings, was forced to eat rats, and endured solitary confinement under terrifyingly inhumane conditions. On a daily basis, Fellows also witnessed the torture and execution of those around him, their screams as common as the insects and vermin in his cell. Many of the prisoners in Bang Kwang turned to heroin--the vice that landed Fellows there in the first place--to escape their daily nightmares, and the prison guards often helped feed this deadly addiction.

Fellows, now a free man, has lived to write about these twelve ghastly years. He has captured the filth, pain, anger, hopelessness, and torture of life in a Thai prison with vivid, engrossing detail and brutal honesty.
... Read more

Reviews (58)

Harrowing but not especially well written
Warren Fellows tells a tale definitely worthy of being told, one with an embedded moral lesson, but one lacking descriptive power and emotional poignancy. Many of the scenes from his life, in and outside the prison, are told matter of factly and sometimes his use of cliches is distracting. The daily occurrences in the prison are not substantively discussed in this book, only the tradegies and tortures of his incarceration. This makes the 10 years he spent in Thailand's prison system seem to go by in a flash. He does relate many of the horrors he endured and makes us aware of the inhumanity of prison life. Anyone who reads this book must commend Warren Fellows on his ability to withstand atrocities seemingly unbearable. This book is a fast read and anyone who has seen Midnight Express will be reminded of the images portrayed in that film. The ending of the book is the most emotive as Mr. Fellows struggles to cope with his return to the 'real world'. His survival of his ordeal is certainly amazing.

Infinity
Fellow's written experience has taken me beyond my human capacity to imagine if I wasn't told. The book was very descript,interesting and well written for a novice reader of prisons,crime and third world differences . I recommend this book to women and men. My son is only 10 years old .I am saving it for when he gets older. Fellows has touched my mind. I can't stop thinking of the book,the characters and the setting. I recommended and will pass the book on ,only to sensitive,well deserving people. It is a fantastic story. Bravo Warren to survive. Its a reader --perserverence,humbleness and integrity is behind every page. I read it in three days.

Still serving a life sentence
This is a very revealing biography of unspeakable human abuse delivered to the prisoners from Thailand's prisons. It is barely tolerable to turn the pages and comprehend that such treatment was provided by other human beings. His words fall on us, reading in the safety of our worlds, out of touch of such unbelieveable nightmares. There is no way we can really understand what Warren went through. I feel it was a huge sacrifice to relive these events so his experience could be told and in the wake of such terror, it deserves recognition and continued efforts to pressure Thailand authorities to alter these practices. One can argue that he took the risks and his luck ran out. After the fact, this is pointless to me, as his punsihment so outweighed the crime. It deserves contemplation as to how other nations press these third world countries to inflict such illogical sentencing, but the politics are dense and convuluted.

It is obvious after reading this book that Warren Fellows served a life sentence after all.

you will be unable to put this book down
In fact, I (like many of the other reviewers listed here) plowed through this book in about a weekend. It was stark, haunting, sad, and powerful. Although what you read is shocking, the author hasn't seemed to dramatize his story. Rather, his experience is told frankly and without embellishment, but with no attempt to sanatize or obscure the truth. He does a great job of explaining the physical and mental trials he endured and makes little excuse for what he did that landed him there.

bunch of lies
I was there!I got life sentence for just about the same crime and spend six years in Big Tiger {Bang Kwang Prison}from 1990 till 1996 meeting many guys who remembered Mr.Fellows.I am not a perfect guy but I like the truth and reading His book,titled in Australia"Damage Done",I was shaking with outrage.Not because of twisting the truth but lack of loyalty towards foreign prisoners remaining there.Enter the false report about lack of drinking water made by Mexican to some Human Rights organization and consequences of this act:refusal of pardon-three of them are still there-thirteen years after founding guilty of commiting a crime which is only a fraction of what I and MR.Fellows did.If I was to rebut all the claims made by Mr.Fellows in His book,I would have to write a book myself and what a inspiration is His "Damage Done".Damage done indeed!
English is my second language and I would need professional help to write my story.One day maybe I do so. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1998 a quiet young man and his flamboyant mother were arrested for the murder of a wealthy New York City widow. Suddenly, the nation was mesmerized by the story of Sante Kimes and her twenty-four-year-old son Kenny, an Oedipal team of scammers who left a trail of blood, lies, and larceny from coast to coast.

Reviews (56)

Son of a GRIFTER
To Most people when you hear the words Memoirs you think of some cheese autobiography that you know will be self servent,at least thats what I think,but not in this case. Son of a GRIFTER is a all to real and consuming story that keeps your fingers flipping and your heart breaking. A grifter is cold blooded person that is indifferrent to passion or pain such a person can clean your bank account out and not even care that you have kids to feed. Kent Walker takes you in deep into the mind of a grifter in this case the grifters are his family,his mother Sante Kimes,Ken Kimes(his step father)and Kenny Kimes his half brother. They say you are a product of your environment, well read the book and then ask your self what would I have done given the same siuation,its easy to sit back and say right is right but when your own mother is cunning,greedy,evil and those are her good qualities its a wonder how this man survived. This book details how one son was lucky enough or was graced with a gardian angel that would whisper in his ear and the other was victemized by his maternal mother,murder,sex,the jet set life and money all mixed into one cocktail that was consumed by two of the most notorious con artist in america. Its amazing how much we humans can love and that quality is in Mr.Walker instilled in him is his love for his brother and mother that touch my soul, If theres a Hollywood big shot out there give me a call all mortgage the house and well get this to screen. out!

Eating Her Young
I had been waiting for a book on Sante and Kenny Kimes for some time. SON OF A GRIFTER was fascinating at first, disgusting at finish.

I was disgusted that the police apparently ignored Kent Walker for years when he attempted to turn his amoral mother in.

Walker deserves credit for trying to stop her, or rather use other people to stop her, and he does appear to have broken away from Sante's malign influence (would a con man run a vacuum cleaner distributorship? The things have to WORK) but I was disturbed at some of the subtexts in the Silverman murder.

Sante Kimes apparently taught her son Kenny that 'other people were not important' but Walker describes her as a bigot and anti-Semite. Irene Silverman was Jewish. No mention is made of how this might have marked her as a potential victim to these people.

Walker also glosses over the probable fact that his brother and mother committed incest. The implications are there, however.

Sante Kimes is a woman with a hole in her soul who destroyed everyone and everything she touched. Ken Kimes was little better--this is really a story of TWO sociopaths who raised one monster and one human being. I can recommend this book to fans of true crime, if that is a legitimate term, but it will make you despair for the human race.

If you thought your life was bad, read this!
This was one of the most gripping books I have ever read. Written by the other son of Sante Kimes, it is a true tale of surviving against the fierce burden of a severely dysfunctional family. I have nothing but admiration for Kent Walker, who had to go through such a wierd life with his sociopathic mother. But, the real value of this book is that it helps to see how difficult it is to find your own path in spite of all the family attachments we grow up with. Of course Mr. Walker's life is an extreme example, and one that I would not wish on anyone. However, it is such a gift that he wrote this book, and it took great courage. I wish I could personally thank Mr. Walker for writing this book, and I encourage everyone to read it.

The Boy Who Could Not Say No
Interesting, wittily written tale of the "other", elder son of Sante Kimes. Kent Walker tells the story of his upbringing by a psychopathic monster. Sometimes his story is inconsistent, even hypocritical. Mr. Walker states he is sure that his mother loves him and would do anything for him - she sometimes threw him huge birthday bashes, threatened to have a boy who beat him up expelled from school (although never followed through) and intervened by schmoozing with Army big wigs to have him accepted into Flight School - although six months later she demanded that he leave his dream to come to her "rescue" (she was arrested for enslaving maids).

Mr. Walker also claims that his mother is "hot-blooded", not cold-blooded - although she punched him in the mouth when he was eight years old (requiring stitches and leaving a numbness that never went away) because Sante had been caught shoplifting. She blamed the assault on the store manager who caught her and had the audacity to demand her merchandise back. The police for some reason bought Sante's story and arrested the innocent woman, while Sante went on her merry way with her stolen merchandise.

In the habit of burning down houses for insurance money, Sante sent her young son back into a house for a folder she "forgot" - the explosion came as he was coming down the steps with the requested item. Sante also beat him with wire hangers, tried to destroy the relationship between Mr. Walker and his girlfriend (later wife), poisoned his wife, and endangered his child. However, Mr. Walker continued his relationship with his mom.

Mr. Walker states that his mother was great 95% of the time; it was only one day a month that things were horrible - however, every day, she and his step-father drank and had heated arguments. Sante enslaved, physically, mentally and verbally abused illegal aliens, stealing their passports and identification. Mr. Walker even helped a few of them escape, but he really didn't think she was that bad, although the trial later proved he must have been in la-la land. Sante stole her own best friend's wallet while she visited. Sante Kimes ruined both close friends' and stranger's lives and reputations, destroying their credit and sending innocent people to jail. She is a liar, thief, con artist, and multiple murderer - yet Mr. Walker felt compelled to laugh when she verbally abused an overworked waitress. He belittles others (his father, his step-father) for enduring her abuse and manipulations for so long - but it seems that Mr. Walker endured it for the longest - for these admitted reasons: love and greed. His stepfather was a millionaire and backed him in business. However his stepfather was also a thief, and an admitted murderer (Sante's accomplice). He wouldn't "give" Sante a checking account - so she continued to shoplift, run scams (he participated), manipulate her son's life, and alienate her husband from all of his relatives. Sante insisted that they were trying to kill her and kidnap Kenny, the "heir". After Ken Kimes died (was he poisoned by Kenny and Sante?) first Mr. Walker tells us there WAS money in the stepfather's accounts, found out there was NO money, then towards then end, there is money in the accounts - which Mr. Walker believes he is entitled to. Did he ever pay back all those loans or the money he stole out of Mr. Kimes pants' pockets?

First, Mr. Walker lays the blame for how Kenny turned out squarely on Kenny's dad - as Sante was in prison when Kenny was 10 - 13 years old, and "according to shrinks" that is when a child's moral code is formed. Later when Kenny is actually committing crimes (murder etc.) with his mother, it's his mother who is to blame for Kenny's actions - he is being manipulated! And even though Mr. Walker tried numerous times to get Kenny to leave his mother, and start his own life, even offering him a job, Kenny refused saying he enjoyed the lifestyle and luxury comforts the scams gave them. Kenny made fun of Mr. Walker's "holier than thou" attitude, and told him he should join them. Suddenly, when Kenny was in prison, it was all Mr. Walker's fault that Kenny ended up there. Mr. Walker was the one guilty for his brother turning out the way he did. He said it was all his fault, and he should have tried harder!

One discrepancy that bugged me was Mr. Walker's description of the dress his mother wore to several parties one certain night in D.C. He describes it as white "fringe" over her décolletage. However, the picture clearly shows a white dress with a high ruffled neck, ruffled bodice, and long, leg-of-mutton sleeves - sort of a Little House on the Prairie in White look. If Mr. Walker can't see this dress for what it is, what else is he not seeing clearly?

There is not enough in the book about Sante's background, because apparently he either didn't try to get interviews with relatives, or they refused. Mr. Walker doesn't really know what the truth of Sante's childhood is, but something pretty bad had to have happened in order for her to become what she did. But what? Since Sante is nothing but a liar or until somebody reliable from her past talks, I guess we'll never know.

Mr. Walker believes the sentences are too harsh for the crimes committed by his brother and mother. After at least four murders and countless other ruined lives, including both of her sons, it appears that Sante and Kenny got off easy.

After reading this book, one can tell that Mr. Walker still has issues that need to be addressed. If you are interested in the study of psychopaths, I suggest "Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us," by Robert D. Hare. Sante fits right in with the rest of them, especially her reasoning, or lack thereof.

A truly dysfunctional family...
Written with insight by Sante Kimes eldest son, Kent Walker, this is a story of an extremely dysfunctional family. Sante Kimes and her youngest son, Kenny Kimes, committed various crimes, starting with shoplifting and fraud, and working their way up to murder. It is an unbelievably sickening and twisted tale, but fascinating nonetheless. It is indeed fortunate that Sante and Kenny were both convicted of their many crimes, and will probably never see the light of day. ... Read more

Book Description

First time in paperback: The acclaimed life of the "mad monk" who wielded immeasurable influence over the last Czar and his family

Grigory Efimovich Rasputin-drinker, thief, womanizer-arrived in St. Petersburg in 1903 as if from the medieval past...tattered, black-clad, muttering. By the time of his sensational murder thirteen years later, the peasant was the "beloved Friend" of Czar Nicholas and Empress Alexandra, with a seemingly supernatural power to stop the bleeding attacks of their hemophiliac son, Alexis.

Drawing on confidential police reports, cabinet meeting memos, and many documents only now available, Moynahan sheds new light on Rasputin's life and disputes some of the widely held details of his death. The Detroit Free Press hailed the book as "truly mesmerizing....The text is based on carefully documented historical research, but the story rolls along like a good novel with rising suspense and an array of colorful action as vast as Russia itself." ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Worth reading!
The book has a few dead spots but Brian Moynahan does a great job of describing the life and times of Rasputin. He capably tells the history surrounding the czarina's close confidante and teases the reader with bits of "gossip" (read the book and you'll see!) I found the book to be very thorough and well written. Rasputin is one of the most mysterious characters in the history of the world and this book does him justice. For any person who enjoys reading about mythical figures like Rasputin should pick this book.

fun read
Although it has its errors, this is an engrossing biography about Rasputin. Full of new information and little-known facts, it's not afraid to shy away from the nitty-gritty, it's not afraid to give us the dirt on this guy, without all the false romanticism about Rasputin being so saintly and such. But this is an honest portrait of Rasputin, giving him credit where credit is due. I like this gritty lurid style of writing, which doesn't downplay or leave out the salacious sensationalistic stuff. There is no doubt that you will be convinced of Rasputin's iron hold on the Russian royal family due to his supposed supernatural powers, which included healing the Tzar's hemophiliac son and heir to the throne, Alexei. But, alas, there would never be a new Tzar, as through his scandalous public and priavte life Rasputin unwittingly contributed to the Romanov dynasty's fall. I recommend this book especially to people who enjoy reading a good bio about unusual personalities from the past.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Titilating Tale...
...but worthless as a historical biography. This book is a collection of the most salacious gossip from the latter days of the Romanov Empire. It is both entertaining and gives some insight to the "mood" of St. Petersburg at that time, but is filled with "inaccuracies", from references to Rasputin's youth as a time of living in primitive poverty to refering to him as a monk to descriptions of a life style of unrestrained, wild debauchery. In fact, his father was a land owner, Rasputin grew up in a nice home in a town that benefited from being located by rivers (making commerce an important part of the town), was never a monk, remained married to the same woman, brought his two daughters to live with him in St. Petersburg so they could have an education, and for a complex set of reasons, allowed himself to be a scapegoat. While he admitted to "falling into sin", those incidents were a very small part of a very complex and interesting person/life.

Biased, foul-mouthed trashy biography
There used to be (or still is if you are a conspiracist) a lot of mystery surrounding Rasputin and the collapse of the Russian Empire during WWI. I became intrigied after seeing the HBO version of Rasputin and swept away by the magic of Rasputin in Edvard Radzinsky's account (be it true or false...). I felt compelled to find out more and this book came highly recmmended at Amazon so...

Moynahan starts off with the clear, descriptive and simple writing style of the brilliant book on the last Romanov's by Robert K. Massie. Then somewhere in the middle of the book, he descends abruptly into a vitrilic foul-mouthed tirade at Rasputin - which is in shocking contrast to the start of the book. As the chapters kept on unfurling with this pure vitriol, my respect for the biographer and patience with the book deteriorated. Then suddenly, towards the end, Moynahan suddenly finds compassion for Rasputin in his (sensationalised) theory for Rasputin's death. However, Moynahan had lost my respect by then and the book was thrown into the bin - I couldn't bring myself to even subject it to the people at my local library where I usually donate books.

... If you want to read a masterpiece on a good biographer turned bad - this is the book for you. If you want to learn about Rasputin, there are other books on the market which are infinetely more informative!

Rasputin and the fall of the House of Romanov
A beautifully written book, the characters in this vivid drama of tsarist Russia under Nicholas II and Alexandra come alive and are fleshed out. Rasputin, in spite of his lechery, drunkeness,and exhibtionism was charming with children, including the hemophiliac tsarevitch Alexis (usually called Alexei) For the first time ever, I felt a twinge of pity for Rasputin. The tsar and tsarina come to life too. Though decent in private, in his public affairs Nicholas was deceitful, vascillating, and jealous and Alexandra was a virago who wore the pants in the family, meddled in public affairs and lead her husband around by an invisible ring in his nose. Together they progressed from one dreadful mistake to the next. They governed Russia with stupidity, isolated as they were from the Russian people.They were almost surreal, tucked away in their sweltering cocoon.

This book is superb. It is a page-turner. You will become so immersed in the lives of the Russian people at the turn of the last century that you'll forget where you are. And you will discover that Rasputin, dispite his monstrous faults, is very human. ... Read more

Book Description

Are you one of the millions of television and movie viewers who scours the shelves for Mafia movies—both new and old? Do you ever wonder how much of these Hollywood dramas are real? Do they accurately capture this remarkable—and often sordid—world?

The Everything® Mafia Book takes you away from fiction and tabloid and introduces you to the true-life accounts of the major players in the American Mafia. From Al Capone to John Gotti, you’ll learn to separate truth from myth and gain a better understanding of America’s most notorious crime families.

Features colorful information on:

·The Sicilian Mafia
·The Mustache Petes
·The "real" Untouchables
·The mob and politicians
·The five New York "Families"
·Infamous rats

Packed full of real-life photographs and up-to-date gangster information, The Everything® Mafia Book will have you understanding—and speaking—Mob "Slanguage" in no time! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Everything Mafia Book; not quite everything
This book is an excellent peripheral examination of organized crime from its beginnings to its current state.

For beginiers, this book will teach lessons and stories about the tentacles of organized crime and explain the overall themes and issues.

For mafia experts, this book is nothing more than a regurgitation of issues and theories lacking the supporting facts and details of heavy investigation.

direct&straight to the point
alot of Books try to paint a certain Picture about the Mafia but this Book just comes at you directly&doesn't miss a beat.you get the 411 on who did what when&where&How.if you are interested on Mafia Culture&whatnot then this is the Book for you.

Breezy and Informative Overview
I was drawn to this book because of its catchy cover with the crime scene tape. I was pleased that the interior lived up to the alluring cover with its compelling and informative narrative. I especially appreciated the author's whimsical touch in chronicling the colorful history of a bunch of hoodlums. He displayed a delightful sense of humor without glorifying the mob, as some of these books do. If you are looking for a single title to give you a fast overview of the shadowy Mafia, I highly recommend this book. In addition to Mafia history, there are get quirky chapters devoted to the "Leadership Lessons of Don Corleone" and "The Mafia on Television." Overall, the book was an enjoyable, edifying read from cover to cover, without getting lost in the sometimes intricate world of organized crime. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Mac deserves credit becauase credit is due!
I first wanted this book because I read some select excerpts on his website www.whenmoneygrewontrees.com and I liked what I read. I first bought the book because I was captivated by the whole scandle with Ralph Baker and all the drug money. When I first started reading the book, I was truely amazed because this all happened in my back yard. He wrote about people I knew and even my girlfriend's grandma and aunts & uncles. When I liked only 72 pages to read in the book, I invited David Mac to a benefit pie auction for one of the Cousins that he wrote about in the book. Well, Mac showed up and bought many pies and sold books. He donated all the profit from the books to the Cousins and also held a book signing. So, please buy this book...you won't be sorry. Its the best book I've ever read.

Former Madison County resident reader
I loved the way the story was told. I was a former Madison County resident that turned to worse drugs that David Mac wrote about and walked away from them before things got so bad but truly believe they are as bad or worse than he depicted. I witnessed them first hand!! I also witnessed the way back roads Madison County lives and LOVED it. I would return in a heart beat if the situation came back to me. I wish he would write a book about those people who did walk the straight and arrow path after going through what we have went through and now that he is in that situation, maybe look into book #2!! I didn't know it was pulled from the shelves but thank God I got my copy before it did. What's up with that?????!!!!

When Money Grew On Trees
Good reading for a redneck who lived in Madison County.

Well...
As for the story, I think it's a bit far-fetched...But, being from 'Booger' County, I am tempted to believe most of it...

My main problem with this book is the writing. I truly think that I can find a word spelled incorrectly on at least 85% of the pages. Was there an editor?

When Money Grew on Trees: The True Tale of a Marjuana Moonsh
Although it can't be said if everything in the book is true, knowing Madison County and Sheriff Baker I venture to say that most of the book is true. Once started it is very hard to put it down. Since the book is no longer available it was pure luck that I was able to obtain one. Now, I'd love to see a second book come out to tell us why there is a law suit for this publication, why it was yanked from the shelves and WHO was so offended by it to cause this to happen.....someone in a high place I can only imagine.....What an interesting real life 'soap opera' in our little community of Booger County. ... Read more

Book Description

The Broadway Books Library of LarcenyLuc Sante, General EditorMcGoorty is master billiards writer Robert Byrne’s racy account of the life of Danny McGoorty, a billiards champion of that bygone era when cue artists were often scam artists and pool rooms were held to be dens of iniquity.Hustler and hobo, womanizer and fashion plate, McGoorty was at once eyewitness to Capone’s Chicago and the feats of greats like Willie Hoppe and Willie Mosconi.In an all-American voice at once sarcastic, profane, humorous, and chock full of colorful lingo, he relates his colorful and seedy life and times with a unique style and brio.

Reviews (5)

Pool's Fool
This book is one of the few biograghy's i've read that had a true voice of the subject. Gritty, smutty, vulgar and incitful.It tells the tale of the wayward life led by one of this country's greatest pool and billiards players, witten from audiotapes by Robert Byrne, Mcgoorty comes to life.

If vulgar doen't bother you
This is another wonderfully written book by Robert Byrne. It shows the vivid life of a pool hustler/hobo/drunk/real person that was in his prime in the 1920's-1950's. If gives a real sense of McGoorty and his life in what apear to be his own words. He also shares extremely colorful insight, his opinion, into several famous and well known professional billiard players and World Champions of his era. It is full of real life experiences during those times; however, the language and crude tone are very vulgar. If you're not offended it is an enjoyable interesting read.

A unique read
Quick review: Very unique voice. Was a pleasure to read. Excellent Social Anthropological details contained within. Highly recommended. Made me want to learn 3 cushion.

Essential Americana
McGoorty, billiards legend, tells all. Not quite on the same plateau as, for example, Mezz Mezzrow's 'Really the Blues', but definitely up there in the modest pantheon of books unafraid to celebrate lowbrow Americana in all its primal glory. McGoorty's glorious world of the 1920s and 30s is gone now, but thankfully we have a few books like this to remind us what it was like.

Booze, Broads and Billiards
I had a feeling that I would enjoy this book and I was right. I was unable to put this book down. This is now my all time favorite. A fascinating true story about the life of Dan McGoorty that I am glad was able to live on in print. Whether you are into pool or not, you will find this colorful story quite interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

Carmela Soprano has set the gold standard for our image of the American mob woman: a loyal materfamilias devoted to her family and her church, not to mention her exquisite Italian cooking. But beyond the teased-out hair and frosted nails, she is smart, savvy, and, at times, morally conflicted about her role in her husband's world. Clare Longrigg gets to the heart of this complex existence in No Questions Asked, an investigation of the real women in today's American Mafia.

Longrigg delved into the hidden depths of America mob society and discovered a subculture of powerful women in the midst of the Mafia patriarchy. From New Jersey to Chicago, Miami to LA, she interviewed the wives, mothers, daughters, and mistresses of "made men" to find out how they functioned in this deadly underworld. Some are irresistible attracted to dangerous men—like Camille Serpico, who married her first husband's killer, and Lana Zanicchio, daughter of the reputed Bonanno family consigliere, who calls her terrifying father a "real man." Others, like Brenda Colletti, take part in criminal activities alongside their men, covering up for them with the police and plotting mob hits. And there are those who rebel, like Betty Tocco: to save her own son from a life of crimes, she conspired with the Feds to send her mob boss of a husband to jail for two hundred years.

Longrigg profiles this fascinating cast of characters and their sacrifices, as well as their own uses and abuses of power. Looking at the women born into the Family and those who are inexplicably attracted to it, Longrigg portrays their struggles with identity, self-confidence, and conscience. Based on her unique access to those women behind the Mafia, Clare Longrigg offers the first unprecedented glimpse into a fiercely private, lethally complicated world. ... Read more

Book Description

"Mothers everywhere weep for lost sons, and children everywhere long for absent parents, but the families of those on death row suffer without sympathy or comfort. In Capital Consequences, King thoughtfully describes the anguish of these families as an execution date draws near and challenges the belief that creating another saddened and grieving family is a legitimate consequence of the death penalty."—Robin M. Maher, Esq., director, American Bar Association Death Penalty Representation Project

"There are few, if any, books like the one Ms. King has written. I hope that people will not turn away from the hardness of these accounts, but will take them in and respond accordingly."—Richard C. Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center

Those who support capital punishment often claim that they do so because it provides justice and closure for the victims’ families. In Capital Consequenc