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Boomtown: The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas
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25 copies available
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The true story of the corrupt and violent town of Borger, Texas in 1927--and the legendary Texas Ranger tasked with taming it.
Texas, 1927.
Just a year after the town of Borger, Texas was founded, the press called it “the wickedest in the state" for good reason. The town, sprung into existence overnight to support the oilfields, had become a lawless haven for bootleggers, pimps and gamblers, run by a crooked city hall.
That environment attracts some of the most unsavory characters in prohibition America, including a gang of murderous bank robbers who head into Borger to spend their money on booze, gambling and prostitutes. In the span of weeks, the gang kills three law enforcement officers, bringing the worst heat legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. His arrival threatens to break even this hardest boomtown in America--if it doesn't kill him first.
What follows is one of the most thrilling and violent untold stories from the era of gangsters, lawmen and vice. Author Joe Pappalardo brings to life a town previously lost in the haze of history.
Texas, 1927.
Just a year after the town of Borger, Texas was founded, the press called it “the wickedest in the state" for good reason. The town, sprung into existence overnight to support the oilfields, had become a lawless haven for bootleggers, pimps and gamblers, run by a crooked city hall.
That environment attracts some of the most unsavory characters in prohibition America, including a gang of murderous bank robbers who head into Borger to spend their money on booze, gambling and prostitutes. In the span of weeks, the gang kills three law enforcement officers, bringing the worst heat legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. His arrival threatens to break even this hardest boomtown in America--if it doesn't kill him first.
What follows is one of the most thrilling and violent untold stories from the era of gangsters, lawmen and vice. Author Joe Pappalardo brings to life a town previously lost in the haze of history.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 21, 2026
4 people are currently reading
5491 people want to read
About the author
Joe Pappalardo
19 books63 followersJOE PAPPALARDO is the author of the critically acclaimed books Inferno: The True Story of a B 17 Gunner’s Heroism and the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History, Sunflowers: The Secret History and Spaceport Earth: The Reinvention of Spaceflight . Pappalardo is a freelance journalist and former associate editor of Air & Space Smithsonian magazine, a writing contributor to National Geographic magazine, a contributor to Texas Monthly, and a former senior editor and current contributor to Popular Mechanics. He has appeared on C-Span, CNN, Fox News and television shows on the Science Channel and the History Channel.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 11, 2025
I am always a sucker for a good history book that explores an area that I am wholly unfamiliar with, so Boom Town seemed right up my alley as a Midwesterner who has only scant knowledge of Texas history outside of the Alamo.
While the author clearly did his research, I found that this book simply had way too many characters to keep track of. Names were tossed around like confetti and without any real true descriptions of each individual, I quickly lost track of who was whom. The lines between who the "good" guys were and the corrupt Borger officials seemed to blur constantly.
Although I appreciated the chronological order of events, I also felt this book would have been better served broken up into smaller bite size chapters that focused on a single event or group of people. The constant flip flopping between different robberies, shootings, and boxing matches made everything snowball into one big pile of VERY BAD THINGS HAPPENING without a lot of context.
Overall, an interesting read with a lot of information, but I feel like it needs better formatting for a more generalized audience. Also, I am not sure if the finished book (I read an eARC) will have pictures, but that would surely help identify some of the main players with a lack of descriptors in the text.
Thank you to NetGalley, Joe Pappalardo, and St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
While the author clearly did his research, I found that this book simply had way too many characters to keep track of. Names were tossed around like confetti and without any real true descriptions of each individual, I quickly lost track of who was whom. The lines between who the "good" guys were and the corrupt Borger officials seemed to blur constantly.
Although I appreciated the chronological order of events, I also felt this book would have been better served broken up into smaller bite size chapters that focused on a single event or group of people. The constant flip flopping between different robberies, shootings, and boxing matches made everything snowball into one big pile of VERY BAD THINGS HAPPENING without a lot of context.
Overall, an interesting read with a lot of information, but I feel like it needs better formatting for a more generalized audience. Also, I am not sure if the finished book (I read an eARC) will have pictures, but that would surely help identify some of the main players with a lack of descriptors in the text.
Thank you to NetGalley, Joe Pappalardo, and St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Book: Boomtown: The True Story of Wickest Town in Texas
Author: Joe Pappalardo
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. I’m not going to lie. This is was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing of this book is very misleading. I could not get into this title. The topic matter didn’t interest me as much as I thought it would. It’s a very well researched book, but it ended up not being for me.
In 1927, the newly founded town of Borger emerged almost overnight to serve the booming oilfields of the Texas Panhandle. Within a year, it had earned a reputation as the most corrupt and dangerous town in the state. Bootleggers, gamblers, and pimps operated openly, protected by a dishonest city government that allowed crime to flourish. The lawless atmosphere drew hardened criminals from across the country, including a ruthless gang of bank robbers who came to Borger to spend their stolen money on alcohol, gambling, and prostitution. Over the course of several weeks, the gang murdered three law enforcement officers, pushing the crisis beyond local control. The escalating violence prompted the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who later became nationally known for leading the posse that tracked down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Hamer faced a town steeped in corruption and brutality, where restoring order would require confronting both powerful local interests and heavily armed criminals.
I’m not going to lie. This was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing made it sound like a nonstop, action packed true crime story focused tightly on one explosive showdown. That is not what I felt like I got.
The book is clearly very well researched. There is a lot of detail about the time period, the town, and the people involved. You can tell the author put in the work. I can respect that. For readers who love deep historical dives and a broader look at the era, this might really work.
For me, though, I could not fully get into it. The topic did not end up being as interesting to me as I expected. I kept waiting to feel pulled in, but that connection never really happened. At times, everything did not feel fully connected. The narrative jumped around, and there were moments when the subject became difficult to follow. I found myself rereading sections to try to keep track of who was who and how everything tied together.
This is not a bad book. It just was not the right book for me. I went in with one set of expectations and got something different. Other readers may appreciate the depth and historical scope more than I did, but in the end, this one simply was not for me.
Overall, this was another miss for me.
This book comes out on April 21, 2026.
Author: Joe Pappalardo
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. I’m not going to lie. This is was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing of this book is very misleading. I could not get into this title. The topic matter didn’t interest me as much as I thought it would. It’s a very well researched book, but it ended up not being for me.
In 1927, the newly founded town of Borger emerged almost overnight to serve the booming oilfields of the Texas Panhandle. Within a year, it had earned a reputation as the most corrupt and dangerous town in the state. Bootleggers, gamblers, and pimps operated openly, protected by a dishonest city government that allowed crime to flourish. The lawless atmosphere drew hardened criminals from across the country, including a ruthless gang of bank robbers who came to Borger to spend their stolen money on alcohol, gambling, and prostitution. Over the course of several weeks, the gang murdered three law enforcement officers, pushing the crisis beyond local control. The escalating violence prompted the arrival of legendary Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer, who later became nationally known for leading the posse that tracked down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Hamer faced a town steeped in corruption and brutality, where restoring order would require confronting both powerful local interests and heavily armed criminals.
I’m not going to lie. This was not the book that I thought I was going to be reading. The marketing made it sound like a nonstop, action packed true crime story focused tightly on one explosive showdown. That is not what I felt like I got.
The book is clearly very well researched. There is a lot of detail about the time period, the town, and the people involved. You can tell the author put in the work. I can respect that. For readers who love deep historical dives and a broader look at the era, this might really work.
For me, though, I could not fully get into it. The topic did not end up being as interesting to me as I expected. I kept waiting to feel pulled in, but that connection never really happened. At times, everything did not feel fully connected. The narrative jumped around, and there were moments when the subject became difficult to follow. I found myself rereading sections to try to keep track of who was who and how everything tied together.
This is not a bad book. It just was not the right book for me. I went in with one set of expectations and got something different. Other readers may appreciate the depth and historical scope more than I did, but in the end, this one simply was not for me.
Overall, this was another miss for me.
This book comes out on April 21, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Boomtown: The True Story of the Wickedest Town in Texas." by Joe Pappalardo will soon be published by St. Martin's Press. They have provided me with an ARC for my review. My first impression is that this is a fascinating look at crime and political corruption in the Oil Patch in Texas during the period of time generally known as the "Roaring Twenties." Those of you familiar with the period of Prohibition, during which alcohol was a target of massive government persecution, will be well aware of the widespread chaos and institutional trauma which marked public life during this period of time. If you have ever heard of Bonnie and Clyde or Eliot Ness and his "Untouchables," you already have a pretty good sense of the tone of the times. In "Boomtown," we see how the social trends initiated by the mass upheaval attendant upon Prohibition affected one particular region, the Oil Patch in Texas. The town at the center of the complex web of crime and political corruption was Borger, Texas, and it appears to be a pretty good example of how the stresses present in American society writ large, played out in one region of Texas. The cast of characters includes a number of Texas governors, an assortment of unsavory criminal types, ranging from murderers to gangsters and madams, and law agencies ranging from the Texas Rangers, most conspicuously represented by Ranger Frank Hamer, who would later rise to fame as one of the two lawmen who ambushed Bonnie and Clyde shortly after the events in the book occurred, and assorted sheriffs, deputies and patrolmen. Just looking at this mix, it is pretty obvious that the potential for monumental mayhem, which left no one looking particularly blameless, was always omnipresent. If you want a look at
this period of American history this is illuminating. What is more, there is no reason to believe that, given similar circumstances we might all experience something like this again. Certainly there is no shortage of political corruption in this country, and only the willfully blind would posit that
our system of jurisprudence and law enforcement could never descend into this kind of mess. "Boomtown" is an enlightening tale with broad implications for our understanding of our own history, both in the past and in the present.
this period of American history this is illuminating. What is more, there is no reason to believe that, given similar circumstances we might all experience something like this again. Certainly there is no shortage of political corruption in this country, and only the willfully blind would posit that
our system of jurisprudence and law enforcement could never descend into this kind of mess. "Boomtown" is an enlightening tale with broad implications for our understanding of our own history, both in the past and in the present.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2 out of 5 stars
I would describe this book as a year in the life of a bunch of random people in the town Borger, Texas. At no point did I have any idea what was going on in this book. It has such an odd set up and a lack of coherency. Each section begins with a day and a location and continued chronologically through 1927. This on its own is a perfectly fine way to organize a book. It provides a clear timeline and helps the narrative move smoothly. The problem here is that there is no narrative. A new person is introduced in each section (which is about a page long) and not enough is shared to make the (lack of) story engaging.
The sheer number of people introduced in this book is overwhelming. Many of the people mentioned only appear once, and I did not think they added anything to the story. I was annoyed the whole time I was reading this book. I was never drawn in and because of that I questioned everything I read. At one point there was a quote from an article about the birth of a baby which I found no connection to anything. This book contains a bunch of random bits of people’s lives that were only connected by geographic location.
One major problem I have with this book is the recreated conversations between real people. Pappalardo himself states in the beginning of the book that he is uncomfortable with making up quotes to move a story along. This is even more frustrating because the book is dialogue heavy. Dialogues that may or may not have ever happened. Pappalardo claims that the conversations move the story along, but what story? I am not sure what tale is being told here. This is not the way to write a history book.
I have nothing positive to say about this book, and the more I write, the more I think that 2 is a very generous rating.
I would describe this book as a year in the life of a bunch of random people in the town Borger, Texas. At no point did I have any idea what was going on in this book. It has such an odd set up and a lack of coherency. Each section begins with a day and a location and continued chronologically through 1927. This on its own is a perfectly fine way to organize a book. It provides a clear timeline and helps the narrative move smoothly. The problem here is that there is no narrative. A new person is introduced in each section (which is about a page long) and not enough is shared to make the (lack of) story engaging.
The sheer number of people introduced in this book is overwhelming. Many of the people mentioned only appear once, and I did not think they added anything to the story. I was annoyed the whole time I was reading this book. I was never drawn in and because of that I questioned everything I read. At one point there was a quote from an article about the birth of a baby which I found no connection to anything. This book contains a bunch of random bits of people’s lives that were only connected by geographic location.
One major problem I have with this book is the recreated conversations between real people. Pappalardo himself states in the beginning of the book that he is uncomfortable with making up quotes to move a story along. This is even more frustrating because the book is dialogue heavy. Dialogues that may or may not have ever happened. Pappalardo claims that the conversations move the story along, but what story? I am not sure what tale is being told here. This is not the way to write a history book.
I have nothing positive to say about this book, and the more I write, the more I think that 2 is a very generous rating.
November 19, 2025
I give this book 3.5 stars out of five, and I've gone back and forth with myself on whether to round that up or down. I may change my mind again at some point.
The good: the author has done a ton of research on this town and the events of 1927, and it shows. He's looked at newspapers, personal accounts, and census records, among other documents, to flesh out the massive cast of characters that populated Borger in the late 1920s.
The problem: there is a massive cast of characters, and the author gives us tons of information about many, many people, and it's a bit like drinking from a firehose. I'm still not sure how some of the characters he lingers over relate to crime in Borger, or in one case to Borger at all, and I think it might have been better for the author to focus his attention to detail on a smaller cast. Not every minor character needs full backstory on page.
Overall: I feel that the book fails to live up to the tagline and description, of the wickedest town in Texas and the legendary lawman sent to tame it. The town seems to have been full of garden variety boomtown/Prohibition-era corruption, and the lawman in question didn't exactly do anything legendary in Borger. If you're interested in the history of Texas, the Texas Rangers, or the oil boomtowns, you very well might find this book interesting. But if you go into it expecting wily criminals, gunfights, and heroics, you might find yourself disappointed.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
The good: the author has done a ton of research on this town and the events of 1927, and it shows. He's looked at newspapers, personal accounts, and census records, among other documents, to flesh out the massive cast of characters that populated Borger in the late 1920s.
The problem: there is a massive cast of characters, and the author gives us tons of information about many, many people, and it's a bit like drinking from a firehose. I'm still not sure how some of the characters he lingers over relate to crime in Borger, or in one case to Borger at all, and I think it might have been better for the author to focus his attention to detail on a smaller cast. Not every minor character needs full backstory on page.
Overall: I feel that the book fails to live up to the tagline and description, of the wickedest town in Texas and the legendary lawman sent to tame it. The town seems to have been full of garden variety boomtown/Prohibition-era corruption, and the lawman in question didn't exactly do anything legendary in Borger. If you're interested in the history of Texas, the Texas Rangers, or the oil boomtowns, you very well might find this book interesting. But if you go into it expecting wily criminals, gunfights, and heroics, you might find yourself disappointed.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Book review - Non fiction - Historical - True Crime
I just finished Boom Town - The True Story of the Wickest town in Texas by Joe Pappalardo and here are my musings.
Did you know Borger Texas in 1927 was the most violent town? It was to support the oilfields but instead became a haven for pimps, gamblers and bootleggers run by a corrupt city hall. YIKES!
Frank Hamer was brought in to curb the criminal activity in the town.. The man who brought down Bonny and Clyde.. A man who would give his life for justice…
Dudes I had no idea this town was a hob of danger and I actually had no idea who Frank was. I am so glad I got a copy of this book because DANGGG IT… WAS… AMAZING!
I really enjoyed the writing. I also could tell, after falling down a history rabbit hole, and the book was well researched but dang, there were a lot of people to keep track of and that was a tad annoying. Also the format… It could have been laid out better. It was crazy how it was all lump together and it felt a little cramped and if you are new to historical books…. This may put you off.
I also think pictures of each person would have helped because I had no idea what any of these people looked like. Real shame!
It was a really interesting topic though but it was a lot of info.
3.5 stars
I just finished Boom Town - The True Story of the Wickest town in Texas by Joe Pappalardo and here are my musings.
Did you know Borger Texas in 1927 was the most violent town? It was to support the oilfields but instead became a haven for pimps, gamblers and bootleggers run by a corrupt city hall. YIKES!
Frank Hamer was brought in to curb the criminal activity in the town.. The man who brought down Bonny and Clyde.. A man who would give his life for justice…
Dudes I had no idea this town was a hob of danger and I actually had no idea who Frank was. I am so glad I got a copy of this book because DANGGG IT… WAS… AMAZING!
I really enjoyed the writing. I also could tell, after falling down a history rabbit hole, and the book was well researched but dang, there were a lot of people to keep track of and that was a tad annoying. Also the format… It could have been laid out better. It was crazy how it was all lump together and it felt a little cramped and if you are new to historical books…. This may put you off.
I also think pictures of each person would have helped because I had no idea what any of these people looked like. Real shame!
It was a really interesting topic though but it was a lot of info.
3.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The promotional materials promise a story that’s interesting and even exciting: how the man who would one day bring down Bonnie and Clyde went about taming the most violent and corrupt oil town in Texas during the late 1920s. For me, the telling of that story left much to be desired.
While the author’s research--much of it newspaper-based--seems comprehensive, indeed exhaustive, the wholesale inclusion of all that research overwhelms the tale the author is trying to tell. The text sets forth an eye-numbing array of names and events, often seemingly unconnected and, even more often, difficult to remember and/or place in context. And yet, despite all this detail, or maybe because of an over-reliance upon it, I got very little sense of most of the individuals involved, beyond whether they were reform-minded or crooked and corrupt. Indeed, I found it so difficult to engage with this story, and felt so perpetually “lost in the weeds,” that I gave up at the 25% mark.”
Those keenly interested in crime and corruption in Texas/Oklahoma oil towns during the late 1920s may find much to interest them here. Unfortunately, I could not.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
While the author’s research--much of it newspaper-based--seems comprehensive, indeed exhaustive, the wholesale inclusion of all that research overwhelms the tale the author is trying to tell. The text sets forth an eye-numbing array of names and events, often seemingly unconnected and, even more often, difficult to remember and/or place in context. And yet, despite all this detail, or maybe because of an over-reliance upon it, I got very little sense of most of the individuals involved, beyond whether they were reform-minded or crooked and corrupt. Indeed, I found it so difficult to engage with this story, and felt so perpetually “lost in the weeds,” that I gave up at the 25% mark.”
Those keenly interested in crime and corruption in Texas/Oklahoma oil towns during the late 1920s may find much to interest them here. Unfortunately, I could not.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Boomtown tells the story of Borger, Texas in 1927, the year after the town was founded. The book delivers on its promise of tales of lawlessness, with all sorts of stories of crimes, corruption and wild behavior. While the research that supports these stories is well-documented and there are individual stories that are very interesting, as a whole, the book failed to pull me in. There were more people to keep up with than I would have liked, and their stories started to run together. In my opinion it would have been well-served to have a central point of view for the various stories or maybe the various chapters, whether it be the chief of police, a reporter, the governor, or somebody else. I had no idea as to what separated one chapter from the next. I also would have loved to have some context for the crime rate of this boomtown in comparison to others that sprung up during that same time. Was this town really any wilder than any other? I really do not have a clue.
Sadly, this book was not for me. I could see it being fascinating for people who live in the area or for people who have a general interest in the challenges of fast-growing start up towns.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Boomtown. The above opinions are my own.
Sadly, this book was not for me. I could see it being fascinating for people who live in the area or for people who have a general interest in the challenges of fast-growing start up towns.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Boomtown. The above opinions are my own.
October 29, 2025
Book Review: Boomtown by Joe Pappalardo
Boomtown is the kind of nonfiction that smells like gunpowder and bad whiskey. It’s the true story of Borger, Texas, a 1920s oil town so wild it made the devil blush and the Texas Rangers sigh.
Pappalardo dives headfirst into the chaos with the glee of someone who enjoys the grime a little too much. The result is history written like noir: corrupt sheriffs, shoot-outs, bootleggers, and just enough moral decay to keep things interesting.
When it’s good, it’s really good; sweaty, cinematic, fast. When it’s not, it edges into pulp, as if the author couldn’t decide whether he was chronicling history or pitching a series to HBO. But he owns the style, footnotes the speculation, and never loses momentum.
Gritty, smart, occasionally over-dramatic, but never dull. If you like your history served dirty with a bullet chaser, welcome to Boomtown.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my unbiased and honest review.
Boomtown is the kind of nonfiction that smells like gunpowder and bad whiskey. It’s the true story of Borger, Texas, a 1920s oil town so wild it made the devil blush and the Texas Rangers sigh.
Pappalardo dives headfirst into the chaos with the glee of someone who enjoys the grime a little too much. The result is history written like noir: corrupt sheriffs, shoot-outs, bootleggers, and just enough moral decay to keep things interesting.
When it’s good, it’s really good; sweaty, cinematic, fast. When it’s not, it edges into pulp, as if the author couldn’t decide whether he was chronicling history or pitching a series to HBO. But he owns the style, footnotes the speculation, and never loses momentum.
Gritty, smart, occasionally over-dramatic, but never dull. If you like your history served dirty with a bullet chaser, welcome to Boomtown.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my unbiased and honest review.
January 9, 2026
Thank you to Goodreads, the author and at martins press for the opportunity to read this book. My husband was surprised that I entered a contest for this. It is not my normal reading. But I like to push myself out of my comfort zone sometimes. I enjoyed that this book read more like a story than a bunch of facts strung together, complete with conversations. I definitely learned something about boom towns and the Texas rangers. And I am so glad I live in a time of sewer systems, plumbing, reliable electricity, and trash services. That being said, it was not the kind of book that o would normally be drawn to. As such it didn’t make as much of an impression on me as it will on others who are more historical nonfiction readers. I was happy to have the opportunity to read it and have already thought of people who I know who would enjoy it. But it was not really for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have zero knowledge of Texas history basically whatsoever. I know that crazy stuff happened in oil towns, generally speaking, but the wild west is a wild question mark to me. I enjoyed hearing the stories of the Borger residents, but there were just too many of them to follow. In this book, the town of Borger acting as a central character did not make sense to me. I wish I could have seen this story through the eyes of a single character. Maybe Governor Moody, maybe Asa Borger. But the sheer size of the ensemble cast meant that I really struggled to keep folks straight. I had to start taking notes on who was who. Maybe if you're deep into Texas boomtown history, this would be more your speed.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Boomtown
By Joe Pappalardo
This is the story of Borger, TX and the men and women who lived and worked there when it was a town for hell raisers back in the 1920s. It is an interesting story for any history buffs interested in how the oil booms led to the growth of no-hold-barred towns like Borger. While some accumulated great wealth, others were ruined. The unscrupulous practices and shady dealings employed by everyone from the politicians to the fight promoters and land speculators made for a helluva ride.
This book would appeal to those who want a true picture of how this town became what it was and the men who made it happen.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC.
By Joe Pappalardo
This is the story of Borger, TX and the men and women who lived and worked there when it was a town for hell raisers back in the 1920s. It is an interesting story for any history buffs interested in how the oil booms led to the growth of no-hold-barred towns like Borger. While some accumulated great wealth, others were ruined. The unscrupulous practices and shady dealings employed by everyone from the politicians to the fight promoters and land speculators made for a helluva ride.
This book would appeal to those who want a true picture of how this town became what it was and the men who made it happen.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I was really interested to hear the story of the founding of the town of Borger, which I've seen referenced in numerous other books I've read about Texas history and the Texas Rangers.
While there are plenty of facts and interesting stories laid out, I found the sheer volume of characters introduced to be tough to follow. Things pick up and maintain momentum at times, only to shift back to a completely different topic. The varying levels of law enforcement gets a bit convoluted too, especially with certain individuals switching between departments and allegiances along the way.
While there are plenty of facts and interesting stories laid out, I found the sheer volume of characters introduced to be tough to follow. Things pick up and maintain momentum at times, only to shift back to a completely different topic. The varying levels of law enforcement gets a bit convoluted too, especially with certain individuals switching between departments and allegiances along the way.
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February 14, 2026I had the opportunity to visit Borger, Texas a couple of times for business purposes about a decade ago. Little did I know that little Borger had such a dynamic, violent, and altogether shady past. As an amateur history buff I enjoy a great history read: "Boomtown" by Joe Pappalardo is a very detailed informative read. I would not categorize the book as a captivating read. Chapter after chapter tells the story of a dramatically corrupt boomtown ( and thus the title ) during file boom times in the 1920's in the wilds of west Texas. If you wish to learn about a town seeped in prostitution, in bank robberies, and political corruption this book is for you.
Solid but not spectacular...
Solid but not spectacular...
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a free copy of, Boomtown, by Joe Pappalardo, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Borger, Texas was well known for not being the safest or greatest place. The 1920 and 1930 were a wild time in the wild west, prohibition prostitution, murder and more unsavory things went on. Texas Ranger Captain Frank Hamer tried to stop the crime and violence. I have never heard of Borger, Texas or Frank Hamer, before reading this book, this was an interesting read.
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