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Love Give Us One Death: Bonnie and Clyde in the Last Days
Bonnie and Clyde are the most famous outlaw pair in American history, children of the Dust Bowl, illicit lovers whose criminal run inspired fear and admiration in a country desperate for antiheroes. Frank Hamer, the legendary Texas Ranger, was hired to stop them. The story of their death on a lonely Louisiana back road, as well as their bloody and short life together, is a story of a nation reaping the results of environmental degradation, injustice, and greed.
"In Love Give Us One Death, Jeff Jones pieces together a story we think we know, about desperate lives and American violence. As the tale unfolds, we see its larger dimensions: the spiritual shadows and compulsive needs from which our nation springs and through which it has found its many forms of speech. This is historical fiction raised boldly to the level of myth."
—Tracy Daugherty, Final Judge
“The language throughout the novel is absolutely stunning. Characterization, historical setting, ambience are all accurate and depicted with great clarity. A terrific achievement.”
—Mary Clearman Blew
"This is just a damned fine piece of work."
—Robert Wrigley
Winner, George Garrett Fiction Prize
Winner, Idaho Author Award
Nominee, German Design Award 2018
Longlist, Crook's Corner Book Prize
"In Love Give Us One Death, Jeff Jones pieces together a story we think we know, about desperate lives and American violence. As the tale unfolds, we see its larger dimensions: the spiritual shadows and compulsive needs from which our nation springs and through which it has found its many forms of speech. This is historical fiction raised boldly to the level of myth."
—Tracy Daugherty, Final Judge
“The language throughout the novel is absolutely stunning. Characterization, historical setting, ambience are all accurate and depicted with great clarity. A terrific achievement.”
—Mary Clearman Blew
"This is just a damned fine piece of work."
—Robert Wrigley
Winner, George Garrett Fiction Prize
Winner, Idaho Author Award
Nominee, German Design Award 2018
Longlist, Crook's Corner Book Prize
- GenresHistorical FictionCrime
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2016
7 people are currently reading
1225 people want to read
About the author
Jeff P. Jones
6 books38 followersJEFF P. JONES was educated at the University of Colorado at Denver, the University of Washington, and the University of Idaho. He’s a MacDowell Fellow, a Bread Loaf Fellow in Fiction, and his writing has won a Pushcart Prize, as well as the Hackney, Meridian Editors', A. David Schwartz, Wabash, and Lamar York prizes. LOVE GIVE US ONE DEATH, his debut novel, won the George Garrett Prize in Fiction. BLOODSHOT STORIES, his debut story collection, won the Sunshot Book Award.
His handbook WRITING FOR THE READER: PRACTICE IN PROSE CRAFT is available on Kindle and as a paperback through Amazon.
His handbook WRITING FOR THE READER: PRACTICE IN PROSE CRAFT is available on Kindle and as a paperback through Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 20, 2017
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
The story of Bonnie and Clyde has become the stuff of legends and in his debut novel, American author Jeff P Jones has given us his version, part fact and part fiction, of this tale.
This book is presented as a documentary style account of their meeting and subsequent life together, through snapshots and fragments. These are interspersed with testimonies from various contemporary commentators. There are also some of Bonnie’s poems which add a contrast to some of the bleaker content.
It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the tale as the timeline moved between highlights of the couple’s life together and events as they unfolded on the day of their death. I also struggled a little with large sections of prose which were often broken up by no more than a paragraph or two on the page. Whilst the content was interesting, the presentation was daunting. At other times, there were only a few words on the page; possibly to emphasise the importance of the information and maximise its impact.
I particularly appreciated the author’s gritty descriptions of life in poverty stricken Dallas of the 1920s/30s. He often wrote in the third person but occasionally in the first, with a few sections in play script or court record format. It is therefore very difficult to pigeonhole his style but I suspect that is exactly the intention.
Jones has employed a variety of literary mechanisms. One of which is worthy of particular note. It is well documented that Bonnie suffered a catastrophic injury to her left leg during a car accident. In the immediate aftermath, Jones talked of ‘the leg’ when referring to Bonnie. This was an excellent way of getting across the severity of the situation and I admire him for his ingenious use of metonymy.
Jones has a very balanced view of the couple. Not shrinking away from their crimes but at the same time showing a degree of sympathy for them. He compares Clyde to a latter day Robin Hood and gives us insights into his polarised personality. He strips away the glamour and shows us what life was probably like during their hand-to-mouth existence with foreshadowing of the inevitable conclusion to the story.
We also have a glimpse of Bonnie’s humdrum existence filled with boredom before she met Clyde. She craved excitement and adventure but what she ended up with was a life devoid of moral compass. In spite of this, Jones allows us to see her sensitive side as she grieves for her niece and nephew and we are also given a tantalising piece of information which only an exhumation could verify.
It is clear that no one will ever know the full story but Jones gives us a plausible account of the lives of two misfits who met, fell in love and ultimately died together in a maelstrom of bullets.
I struggled at first with this book but I’m glad I stuck with it, as it’s a thought-provoking and at times disturbing read. It was rather too clever for me in places and as such, I’m not totally sure I fully appreciated all its nuances but I did find it fascinating and accordingly, I award four and a half stars.
The story of Bonnie and Clyde has become the stuff of legends and in his debut novel, American author Jeff P Jones has given us his version, part fact and part fiction, of this tale.
This book is presented as a documentary style account of their meeting and subsequent life together, through snapshots and fragments. These are interspersed with testimonies from various contemporary commentators. There are also some of Bonnie’s poems which add a contrast to some of the bleaker content.
It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the tale as the timeline moved between highlights of the couple’s life together and events as they unfolded on the day of their death. I also struggled a little with large sections of prose which were often broken up by no more than a paragraph or two on the page. Whilst the content was interesting, the presentation was daunting. At other times, there were only a few words on the page; possibly to emphasise the importance of the information and maximise its impact.
I particularly appreciated the author’s gritty descriptions of life in poverty stricken Dallas of the 1920s/30s. He often wrote in the third person but occasionally in the first, with a few sections in play script or court record format. It is therefore very difficult to pigeonhole his style but I suspect that is exactly the intention.
Jones has employed a variety of literary mechanisms. One of which is worthy of particular note. It is well documented that Bonnie suffered a catastrophic injury to her left leg during a car accident. In the immediate aftermath, Jones talked of ‘the leg’ when referring to Bonnie. This was an excellent way of getting across the severity of the situation and I admire him for his ingenious use of metonymy.
Jones has a very balanced view of the couple. Not shrinking away from their crimes but at the same time showing a degree of sympathy for them. He compares Clyde to a latter day Robin Hood and gives us insights into his polarised personality. He strips away the glamour and shows us what life was probably like during their hand-to-mouth existence with foreshadowing of the inevitable conclusion to the story.
We also have a glimpse of Bonnie’s humdrum existence filled with boredom before she met Clyde. She craved excitement and adventure but what she ended up with was a life devoid of moral compass. In spite of this, Jones allows us to see her sensitive side as she grieves for her niece and nephew and we are also given a tantalising piece of information which only an exhumation could verify.
It is clear that no one will ever know the full story but Jones gives us a plausible account of the lives of two misfits who met, fell in love and ultimately died together in a maelstrom of bullets.
I struggled at first with this book but I’m glad I stuck with it, as it’s a thought-provoking and at times disturbing read. It was rather too clever for me in places and as such, I’m not totally sure I fully appreciated all its nuances but I did find it fascinating and accordingly, I award four and a half stars.
December 22, 2016
It’s not hard to see why Love Give Us One Death by Jeff P. Jones is award winning. This historical fiction about the infamous Bonnie and Clyde is an eye opener for anyone who has seen the 1967 glamorized Hollywood account starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. The story of the real-life Bonnie and Clyde isn’t all about fast getaways in fancy cars, witty one liners, and dapper clothes. Jones creatively presents this outlaw couple through a distinctly clear and unforgiving lens.
While Love Give Us One Death is fiction, Jones expertly blurs the line between fact and fabrication. With a mix of intriguing prose, testimonials, depositions, speculation, poetry, and a 1930s comic strip, Love Give Us One Death captures the imagination and shows the reader who the real Bonnie and Clyde really are: two people flaunting their freedom and living precariously and recklessly. Jones doesn’t hold back in showing us exactly how unglamorous their life on the lam really was. Bonnie and Clyde and the occasional sidekick hardly bathed, ate like feral vagabonds, and often holed up to patch their wounds so they could rob and kill another day.
The book’s structure is choppy and fitfully paints a gruesome picture of a fearless couple barreling toward disaster. This structure perfectly mimics the haphazard and violent last few years of Bonnie and Clyde. I’ve always been fascinated by this gangster duo ever since I watched the 1967 movie years and years ago (and having nightmares of that terrifying shoot-‘em-up scene at the end that seemed to last forever) and seeing their bullet-ridden car in a museum when I was a kid. I know the car toured the states back in the day, but I recently found out there are many fakes out there as well, so I will never know if the one I saw was real or not (still gives me chills though).
I have to say the cover art is bold, mesmerizing, and completely grotesque. I can’t look away!
Side Note: About the part in chapter 6 where Bonnie has the conversation with Charles Floyd (Pretty Boy Floyd), and he tells the story about switching babies around at a revival, and parents taking them home like that without knowing until later – there’s a similar scene in The Virginian (1902) by Owen Wister. I wonder if there’s any kind of connection?
***
“Just to be next to him would mean adventure.” ~ chapter 1
“You’ve been my world for as long as matters. I wasn’t anything before I met you.” ~ chapter 5
“It’s no use second guessing fate. We’ll just be together until the end finds us.” ~ chapter 6
“There’s no use acting like we don’t all know how this is going to end.” ~ chapter 6
“We run to keep running, that’s all. There just aint no other way.” ~ chapter 6
While Love Give Us One Death is fiction, Jones expertly blurs the line between fact and fabrication. With a mix of intriguing prose, testimonials, depositions, speculation, poetry, and a 1930s comic strip, Love Give Us One Death captures the imagination and shows the reader who the real Bonnie and Clyde really are: two people flaunting their freedom and living precariously and recklessly. Jones doesn’t hold back in showing us exactly how unglamorous their life on the lam really was. Bonnie and Clyde and the occasional sidekick hardly bathed, ate like feral vagabonds, and often holed up to patch their wounds so they could rob and kill another day.
The book’s structure is choppy and fitfully paints a gruesome picture of a fearless couple barreling toward disaster. This structure perfectly mimics the haphazard and violent last few years of Bonnie and Clyde. I’ve always been fascinated by this gangster duo ever since I watched the 1967 movie years and years ago (and having nightmares of that terrifying shoot-‘em-up scene at the end that seemed to last forever) and seeing their bullet-ridden car in a museum when I was a kid. I know the car toured the states back in the day, but I recently found out there are many fakes out there as well, so I will never know if the one I saw was real or not (still gives me chills though).
I have to say the cover art is bold, mesmerizing, and completely grotesque. I can’t look away!
Side Note: About the part in chapter 6 where Bonnie has the conversation with Charles Floyd (Pretty Boy Floyd), and he tells the story about switching babies around at a revival, and parents taking them home like that without knowing until later – there’s a similar scene in The Virginian (1902) by Owen Wister. I wonder if there’s any kind of connection?
***
“Just to be next to him would mean adventure.” ~ chapter 1
“You’ve been my world for as long as matters. I wasn’t anything before I met you.” ~ chapter 5
“It’s no use second guessing fate. We’ll just be together until the end finds us.” ~ chapter 6
“There’s no use acting like we don’t all know how this is going to end.” ~ chapter 6
“We run to keep running, that’s all. There just aint no other way.” ~ chapter 6
April 23, 2017
As a fan of the Bonnie and Clyde lore, I often look for new information, details, and stories about the famous couple. This book was very well-written, creative, and original and kept my attention throughout. I liked the inclusion of poems, first-person accounts, and the overview of the story. Though Bonnie and Clyde are familiar to all, this book adds to the story in a brilliant and original manner.
March 10, 2023
This is an excellent book.
I love the structure the author uses. Compiling an assortment of both fictional and actual documents to tell the story of Clyde Barrow, Bonnie Parker, their associates, and honestly the people in the areas in which they roamed. This literary technique also provided a way of immersing the reader in the landscape in which they all lived. It's easier to understand why so many people rooted for them...at least until the Easter Sunday killings.
Simply brilliant and I highly recommend it even if you're more of a nonfiction sort of person, it's quite cleverly done. And if you want to understand the author's creative thought process and research methods, read the afterword.
I love the structure the author uses. Compiling an assortment of both fictional and actual documents to tell the story of Clyde Barrow, Bonnie Parker, their associates, and honestly the people in the areas in which they roamed. This literary technique also provided a way of immersing the reader in the landscape in which they all lived. It's easier to understand why so many people rooted for them...at least until the Easter Sunday killings.
Simply brilliant and I highly recommend it even if you're more of a nonfiction sort of person, it's quite cleverly done. And if you want to understand the author's creative thought process and research methods, read the afterword.
September 25, 2017
I received a free copy of this book and reviewed it on behalf of Whispering Stories. Please follow the link below:
http://whisperingstories.com/love-one...
I awarded Love give Us One Death 4.5 stars.
http://whisperingstories.com/love-one...
I awarded Love give Us One Death 4.5 stars.
June 23, 2017
Jones is careful to emphasize the fiction portion of this Bonnie and Clyde tale. While many points of this lyrically-written historical fiction are taken from first-hand accounts, Jones brings the two young lovers to life in a way that is entirely his own. Considering how Bonnie and Clyde have entered into the realm of American legend, perhaps this approach is is the one to take.
The story weaves from the beginning of their fiery relationship to their deaths on a country back road in Louisiana. The format is more poetry than novel. Screenplays, transcripts, poems, songs, comic strips, police transcripts, journal entries, and letters are scattered throughout the story, most are Jones’ creations. The prose itself waxes poetic, turning the book into something of a ballad.
Jones sets Bonnie and Clyde’s tale against the real-life post apocalyptic wasteland of the Great Depression and the Dustbowl. Poverty, massive storm fronts, and the sense that the world is coming to an end (which is what it certainly must have felt like in the Midwest during the 1930s) roll into one chaotic fervor that mirrors the anarchy of Bonnie and Clyde.
I would recommend this book for historical fiction fans who don’t mind a bit of a dense read. The rhythm of the prose takes some getting used to, and it is slow to get started. Once you get into it though, you begin to appreciate the unique voice Jones has provided for his two antiheroes.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Love Give Us One Death is currently available for purchase.
The story weaves from the beginning of their fiery relationship to their deaths on a country back road in Louisiana. The format is more poetry than novel. Screenplays, transcripts, poems, songs, comic strips, police transcripts, journal entries, and letters are scattered throughout the story, most are Jones’ creations. The prose itself waxes poetic, turning the book into something of a ballad.
Jones sets Bonnie and Clyde’s tale against the real-life post apocalyptic wasteland of the Great Depression and the Dustbowl. Poverty, massive storm fronts, and the sense that the world is coming to an end (which is what it certainly must have felt like in the Midwest during the 1930s) roll into one chaotic fervor that mirrors the anarchy of Bonnie and Clyde.
I would recommend this book for historical fiction fans who don’t mind a bit of a dense read. The rhythm of the prose takes some getting used to, and it is slow to get started. Once you get into it though, you begin to appreciate the unique voice Jones has provided for his two antiheroes.
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Love Give Us One Death is currently available for purchase.
October 25, 2016
I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book as a Goodreads giveaway.
I found this book difficult to read at first. I was not sure what was going on for a while. It felt like there was too much "jumping around" in the book with the sections taking place on the day that Bonnie & Clyde were killed, then jumping back to the actual timeline of the story and the poetry and the excerpts from actual testimony/newspapers, it took me a while to be able to actually follow what I was reading.
After I got past the 'choppiness' of the book and some of the language that was used (which I assume is correct for the time period but sometimes difficult to understand if you are not familiar with that time period), I found myself enjoying the book. I felt the author was able to really portray the melancholy and hopelessness that Bonnie & Clyde most likely felt. I did enjoy the added poetry and real excerpts from people who knew them or were part of the team that finally caught them. I especially liked the Afterword where the author discusses when he took artistic license and when he stuck to the facts.
Overall, I would say that yes, the story has a bit of a rough start but it is definitely a book to read if you are at all interested in the story of Bonnie & Clyde.
I found this book difficult to read at first. I was not sure what was going on for a while. It felt like there was too much "jumping around" in the book with the sections taking place on the day that Bonnie & Clyde were killed, then jumping back to the actual timeline of the story and the poetry and the excerpts from actual testimony/newspapers, it took me a while to be able to actually follow what I was reading.
After I got past the 'choppiness' of the book and some of the language that was used (which I assume is correct for the time period but sometimes difficult to understand if you are not familiar with that time period), I found myself enjoying the book. I felt the author was able to really portray the melancholy and hopelessness that Bonnie & Clyde most likely felt. I did enjoy the added poetry and real excerpts from people who knew them or were part of the team that finally caught them. I especially liked the Afterword where the author discusses when he took artistic license and when he stuck to the facts.
Overall, I would say that yes, the story has a bit of a rough start but it is definitely a book to read if you are at all interested in the story of Bonnie & Clyde.
November 29, 2016
I received a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Love Give Us One Death is a mix of fact and fiction. This story of Bonnie and Clyde is an intentionally distorted account of real events. Jeff P. Jones has sprinkled in Bonnie's poetry as well witness retellings- real and imagined.
The story was slow for the first half. It took a long time for me to read because I didn't feel the momentum of the story. It was very dense and the abstract writing made it a little confusing. The timeline of events jumped around. Sometimes the author's prose got in the way of his storytelling. But the second half picked up and I couldn't put it down. It wasn't until this point that I realized the poetic nature of the book.
There's sadness in Love Give Us One Death. It makes the readers wonder what they did it all for as there's no glamour like in the stories told by the newspapers of the time.
Overall it was a good experience. I enjoyed the unique style of fiction.
Love Give Us One Death is a mix of fact and fiction. This story of Bonnie and Clyde is an intentionally distorted account of real events. Jeff P. Jones has sprinkled in Bonnie's poetry as well witness retellings- real and imagined.
The story was slow for the first half. It took a long time for me to read because I didn't feel the momentum of the story. It was very dense and the abstract writing made it a little confusing. The timeline of events jumped around. Sometimes the author's prose got in the way of his storytelling. But the second half picked up and I couldn't put it down. It wasn't until this point that I realized the poetic nature of the book.
There's sadness in Love Give Us One Death. It makes the readers wonder what they did it all for as there's no glamour like in the stories told by the newspapers of the time.
Overall it was a good experience. I enjoyed the unique style of fiction.
December 24, 2016
Love Give Us One Death Jeff P Jones
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed and killed on May 23, 1934 on a rural road in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
Texas officer, Frank Hamer had begun tracking them in February, and led a posse of six in daylight to their automobile.
Jeff Jones brings this past era to life IN TECHNICOLOR.
Fast paced, it recounts the story of Bonnie and Clyde in vivid expression.
The book cover at first puzzled me; but, after reading Jones'
historical fiction offering, I realized it was perfect.
Letters, poems, news clippings, photographs and testimonials were included.
Once I became accustomed to the format, I enjoyed this
"hair raising" ride.
Reading the afterword is a must.
4 ★
LibraryThing Members Giveaway
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed and killed on May 23, 1934 on a rural road in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
Texas officer, Frank Hamer had begun tracking them in February, and led a posse of six in daylight to their automobile.
Jeff Jones brings this past era to life IN TECHNICOLOR.
Fast paced, it recounts the story of Bonnie and Clyde in vivid expression.
The book cover at first puzzled me; but, after reading Jones'
historical fiction offering, I realized it was perfect.
Letters, poems, news clippings, photographs and testimonials were included.
Once I became accustomed to the format, I enjoyed this
"hair raising" ride.
Reading the afterword is a must.
4 ★
LibraryThing Members Giveaway
October 15, 2016
Jones' book is a fictional account of the fateful meeting, love affair, and death of the infamous Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The fictional narratives are interspersed with factual accounts of the pair's life as well (newspaper and eyewitness accounts) and pieces written by the outlaws themselves (poetry and statements). It is a very interesting book that anyone interested in the life and times of Bonnie and Clyde will enjoy reading. Thank you LibraryThing for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book!
October 15, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, Jeff Jones! I especially liked the imagery in it, as when you first describe one of the main characters in an almost mythical way as something not quite human and more monstrous. I look forward to reading other books written by Jeff. I highly recommend this book to the reading community! It's a great twist on perhaps a familiar story. Check it out.
November 21, 2016
I won an ARC of this book in a goodreads drawing.
A fictionalized examination of Bonnie and Clyde, as well as the Texas Ranger pursuing them, told from a multitude of perspectives, even some poetry and comics.
Some people dislike this sort of book, but I enjoyed it, even though I'm more of a John Dillinger guy when it comes to depression era bank robbers.
A fictionalized examination of Bonnie and Clyde, as well as the Texas Ranger pursuing them, told from a multitude of perspectives, even some poetry and comics.
Some people dislike this sort of book, but I enjoyed it, even though I'm more of a John Dillinger guy when it comes to depression era bank robbers.
January 21, 2017
I won a copy of this book.
I was excited to win this book. Growing up I'd heard stories about Bonnie and Clyde. Jones uses actual poetry, interviews, and writings from Bonnie, Clyde, their friends, family, and the law. Weaving all of this together, Jones' story seems more historical document, rather than a work of fiction.
I was excited to win this book. Growing up I'd heard stories about Bonnie and Clyde. Jones uses actual poetry, interviews, and writings from Bonnie, Clyde, their friends, family, and the law. Weaving all of this together, Jones' story seems more historical document, rather than a work of fiction.
September 27, 2016
I loved this book. Mr Jones, your writings made me feel as though I was right in the middle of the action. I could not put it down. I liked the interviews and I really enjoyed you including the "Afterword" section at the end of the book. Very well done sir.
September 7, 2016
This is a Goodreads win review. This is an excellent book about the era of Bonnie and Clyde, the tone of the country at that time and their ultimate demise.
December 22, 2016
"Shoot me," I begged. "Please just shoot me. If you love me, you'll shoot me."
"Baby, I aint got my gun."
First let me say that the cover of this book is A+. Great job to the author for his research. This book was intelligently written without being bland and perfectly descriptive right down to the type of roadkill passed during getaways.
I received a paperback copy of this book on LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review and I will say that it was a very entertaining read
"Baby, I aint got my gun."
First let me say that the cover of this book is A+. Great job to the author for his research. This book was intelligently written without being bland and perfectly descriptive right down to the type of roadkill passed during getaways.
I received a paperback copy of this book on LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review and I will say that it was a very entertaining read
January 25, 2017
I won this book on Goodreads. It is well written and has a inventive style of writing. It is entertaining and yet very gory at times. It was sweet and harsh, crazy and sane. Not all the facts are accurate but it really gives you an idea of who Bonnie and Clyde might have been.
December 5, 2020
I received this book free via Goodreads Giveaways.
It was an interesting perspective/interpretation of Bonnie and Clyde. The author did back up the fiction with fact, but there is still so much that is unknown.
It was an interesting perspective/interpretation of Bonnie and Clyde. The author did back up the fiction with fact, but there is still so much that is unknown.
September 20, 2017
A quick read about the real lives of infamous criminals Bonnie and Clyde. Their love story and life on the run. Enjoyable and informative.
March 13, 2017
This was a book I really wanted to win and read .Well ,I won it and have now read it and I really can't decide how to rate it.I do know I didn't like the writing style and I could have done without the poetry.It really did not tell anything about the pair .I know no more about them then I did before I read the book . It was more or less about them racing up and down the back roads .
January 13, 2017
The era of Prohibition and the time of the Great Depression immediately following were desperate times that highlighted the disparity between the rich and the poor; the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ spurring the rise of gangsters and bank robbers and a huge number of lesser outlaws who robbed to eat and to feed their families.
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were two of those outlaws. Spurred first by the challenge and the freedom of the open road, Clyde was quickly driven deeper into criminality by anger at the Texas State penal system. His main desire was to spend time with Bonnie Parker and to strike an embarrassing and telling blow at the Texas prison system. Bonnie Parker, on the other hand, was driven by her love for Clyde, the freedom of the road and her sense of fate to endure unimaginable hardships during their time on the run. The two of them, however, would polarize the populations of several states either for them or against them as they became pawns in a game of power and pride between the banks, law enforcement and the newspapers on one side, and everyday working people on the other.
Today, researchers are piecing together the dynamics of their story from scraps of documents and memorabilia to determine what really happened, for what deaths were Bonnie and Clyde really responsible, and whether the law enforcement response was responsible law enforcement or cold blooded retaliation.
Love Give Us One Death is a historic novel that does not tell the whole story. Instead it attempts to use the facts and narratives of a large number of documents, records and memorabilia to attempt to expose what Bonnie and Clyde may have been thinking and feeling in those difficult times as they tried to maintain their life on the run while staying in contact with family and friends. It brings to the forefront their mutual hatred and distrust of the law; a force they saw as created by the rich to oppress the poor. The book does a good job of getting into the minds and hearts of these two criminals/folk heroes, particularly when dealing with Bonnie’s severely injured legs and the various gunshot injuries sustained in gun fights with the law.
Love Give Us One Death is well worth reading for any fans or historians of Bonnie and Clyde, and for anyone else curious as to why two young people living in one of the most difficult times in American history would turn criminal…and whether they were really criminals at all or simply rebels against a world of desperation.
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were two of those outlaws. Spurred first by the challenge and the freedom of the open road, Clyde was quickly driven deeper into criminality by anger at the Texas State penal system. His main desire was to spend time with Bonnie Parker and to strike an embarrassing and telling blow at the Texas prison system. Bonnie Parker, on the other hand, was driven by her love for Clyde, the freedom of the road and her sense of fate to endure unimaginable hardships during their time on the run. The two of them, however, would polarize the populations of several states either for them or against them as they became pawns in a game of power and pride between the banks, law enforcement and the newspapers on one side, and everyday working people on the other.
Today, researchers are piecing together the dynamics of their story from scraps of documents and memorabilia to determine what really happened, for what deaths were Bonnie and Clyde really responsible, and whether the law enforcement response was responsible law enforcement or cold blooded retaliation.
Love Give Us One Death is a historic novel that does not tell the whole story. Instead it attempts to use the facts and narratives of a large number of documents, records and memorabilia to attempt to expose what Bonnie and Clyde may have been thinking and feeling in those difficult times as they tried to maintain their life on the run while staying in contact with family and friends. It brings to the forefront their mutual hatred and distrust of the law; a force they saw as created by the rich to oppress the poor. The book does a good job of getting into the minds and hearts of these two criminals/folk heroes, particularly when dealing with Bonnie’s severely injured legs and the various gunshot injuries sustained in gun fights with the law.
Love Give Us One Death is well worth reading for any fans or historians of Bonnie and Clyde, and for anyone else curious as to why two young people living in one of the most difficult times in American history would turn criminal…and whether they were really criminals at all or simply rebels against a world of desperation.
February 16, 2017
*received for free through Goodreads first reads
Not really to my taste, since I'm not a huge fan of fiction. I thought the storytelling aspect was well done and an interesting topic.
Not really to my taste, since I'm not a huge fan of fiction. I thought the storytelling aspect was well done and an interesting topic.
February 12, 2017
I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Historical Fiction is not my typical genre of choice. However, Jones did a great job writing this book. He accurately tells the story of Bonnie and Clyde in a captivating manner.
Historical Fiction is not my typical genre of choice. However, Jones did a great job writing this book. He accurately tells the story of Bonnie and Clyde in a captivating manner.
January 11, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in Bonnie and Clyde or 1930's history in general. I won it through the Goodreads giveaways and it was a pleasant surprise. It is not your typical historical fiction. The author uses multiple formats for telling the story of Bonnie and Clyde, poems, journal entries, eye witness accounts, and story telling. Congratulations to the author for winning the won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and an Idaho Author Award for this novel.
November 28, 2016
As a senior reader, I am not sure if I like this style of writing. I would have to backup and re-read paragraphs again to figure out what was going on. I also did not like the cover of the book. I suppose this also reflects the style of writing. But that being said, I did enjoy the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
I won this book through Goodreads for an honest opinion.
I won this book through Goodreads for an honest opinion.
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