Fugitives: The True Story of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker

by Emma Parker, Barrow Cowan, Nell, Ann Fortune (Editor)

Originally published in 1934 and rushed to press only three months after Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker met their bloody end, Fugitives: The Story of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, offers a behind the scenes glimpse into the lives of two of America’s most infamous criminals.

The story is told by their family members who often met them in secret locations and dreaded the news of their deaths daily. While some researchers question many of the facts in the original book, it does contain letters, diary entries and more that that will help the reader draw their own conclusions about this deadly duo.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Crime

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 1934

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Abigail McKenna]

Clyde and Bonnie were making themselves famous or infamous, depending on the viewpoint. Their daring escapes, their breath-taking speed, the boldness with which they came and went, were becoming legends up and down the land. Pretty Boy Floyd was crowded into oblivion; Machine Gun Kelly was an also-ran. Bonnie and Clyde had the center of the stage and were to keep it till they died.

I don't know how to rate this, if I'm honest. It feels wrong, somehow, to give five stars to someone's pain. The writing was excellent, easy to read, surprisingly funny at points. It also hurt, a lot, knowing what was coming. It was exactly what I hoped it would be. So yeah, if I was going to rate it, it would be a high rating, but I don't think I will. This whole situation just breaks my heart, tbh.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clyde Barrow's sister and Bonnie Parker's mother tell the true story of their rise and fall. Although this book hit the shelves mere months after Bonnie and Clyde met their end, it is a well edited and well-balanced look at the life the pair led together as they robbed and shot their way through Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana during the Great Depression. They do not sugarcoat, they do not justify, they do not apologize. They tell the story as they lived it and as they heard it from the actual participants. If you're at all interested in the story of Bonny and Clyde, unfiltered by the Hollywood lens, this book should be your first stop.

[Eddie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Interesting to get the family perspective around some of the events. Understand and appreciate that some of the family will want to protect Bonnie and Clyde, however, found the book to be open and honest. Was a good read.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonnie & Clyde

Interesting to read this from the families point of view. No matter what they did, Bonnie and Clyde were still loved by their families. Considering the era they lived In and the roads they had to travel, its almost a miracle they survived those 2 years together. They knew life was limited but they lived and loved while they could. And they always found ways to visit family,no matter what.
My heart hurts for what the families had to deal with, knowing that at any time the two could be killed. The Barrow family had already lost Buck to death by police. It was only a matter of time before Bonnie & Clyde were shot like someone used them for target practice.

[Wendy Way · Rating 5 out of 5]

As if the family is speaking to you

This book is not so much a historical account as an attempt by family to humanize the famous outlaws. It is very fluid and easy to read. The book is a testament to “the other side of the story”. The side where Bonnie and Clyde loved, lived, and hoped despite the impossibility of ever having a happy ending.

[Kayler Rose Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. Very informative and an up-close view from family members of Bonnie and Clyde.

[Melanie Reasor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written! Easy read. Story is accurate and told by their family.

[Sarah D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I decided to learn more about this infamous couple I wanted something more reliable than newspaper stories and books written by people who never personally knew Bonnie and Clyde. That's why when I found this book on Amazon I was thrilled! Written by Bonnie's mom and Clyde's sister it seemed like a perfect read. And so it was. It the foreword both families state that this book was not written to make the couple look better and to depict them as innocent victims but rather to show them as people they knew and as a discouraging example for everyone who thinks that being a criminal means leading a high celebrity style life. I think they succeeded in this endeavour. Both because as a reader I felt like I was truly able to see them as real people with their own good and bad sides and because this book is full of truly horrible stories about their life on the run. The scene where they were wounded and had to swim across an icy river in late autumn and then try to dry their clothes on the bank made me shudder. It's terrible to even imagine being in such a situation let alone living it for real. That being said I don't forget how many people they killed and the misfortunes they suffered were their own fault. However I felt rather sorry for them as well. It seems like boredom and thirst for adventures put them on this crooked path initially but eventually they turned into these hardened criminals who could kill anyone if necessary. It was sad to read it but I liked the book very much. It gives a perfect insight into this pair's life. It was very fascinating to learn how the two met, to read Bonnie's diary and to learn more about their existence before they became famous criminals. 5 out of 5 stars +++++

[Roberta Mellberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad People in Love

If you have an interest in Clyde and Bonnie ( Bonnie never came first with people who knew them) this is another book you need to read. No one knew them more than their family so the reader gets it straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s not the best book on the subject but it does add details left out of the other books.

[Avery Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

took me awhile, but i finally finished it. hearing true events come from family members of the two hit way harder than i expected.
10/10

[Erin Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

while i don’t condone the actions of Bonnie & Clyde, this book provides tragically beautiful insight into the lives of these famous outlaws

[Holly Brazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a speedy and non descriptive read. If it had been an account by anyone other than people who knew them then it would not have recieved a 5* review from me, but it was published 3 months after the death of Bonnie and Clyde by people who loved and spent time with them so it is a piece of history in it's own right...ofcourse its biased and only begins to scratch the surface of Bonnie and Clyde.

I read this book already with the knowledge of Jeff Guinns book "Go together together...the true untold story of Bonnie and Clyde" (it is a must read to understand the full story) It was interesting to look into how the families felt about their loved one on the run.

It really is a sad story of survival with a pinch of luck about two humans with a completely unglamorous lifestyle who do not live up to the legend that they have become.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the most telling books on the life of Bonnie and Clyde. Although, you cannot trust this book to be unbiased and completely truthful, because it was written by Bonnie's mother (with the help of an editor) to make Bonnie not look as bad. However, this book is the authoritative source on Bonnie and Clyde's early lives. A must read for anyone interested in the notorious Barrow Gang.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Clyde and Bonnie book

All of the real Clyde and Bonnie books I've read (knight, phillips, Davis) led me to believe I was gonna believe this one was a bunch of hooey, but I loved it. Yes some of the dialogue seemed contrived, but there were personal insights that the other books were lacking and you leave it with a really strong sense of them as people.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written 3 months after their deaths by family members. It gave a good insight to what the family was thinking and feeling.