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Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend
Bonnie and Clyde may be the most notorious--and celebrated--outlaw couple America has ever known. This is the true story of how they got that way.
Bonnie and we've been on a first name basis with them for almost a hundred years. Immortalized in movies, songs, and pop culture references, they are remembered mostly for their storied romance and tragic deaths. But what was life really like for Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the early 1930s? How did two dirt-poor teens from west Texas morph from vicious outlaws to legendary couple? And why?
Award-winning author Karen Blumenthal devoted months to tracing the footsteps of Bonnie and Clyde, unearthing new information and debunking many persistent myths. The result is an impeccably researched, breathtaking nonfiction tale of love, car chases, kidnappings, and murder set against the backdrop of the Great Depression.
Bonnie and we've been on a first name basis with them for almost a hundred years. Immortalized in movies, songs, and pop culture references, they are remembered mostly for their storied romance and tragic deaths. But what was life really like for Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the early 1930s? How did two dirt-poor teens from west Texas morph from vicious outlaws to legendary couple? And why?
Award-winning author Karen Blumenthal devoted months to tracing the footsteps of Bonnie and Clyde, unearthing new information and debunking many persistent myths. The result is an impeccably researched, breathtaking nonfiction tale of love, car chases, kidnappings, and murder set against the backdrop of the Great Depression.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2018
120 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
Karen Blumenthal
30 books149 followersKaren Blumenthal is a critically acclaimed author of narrative nonfiction for young people, who is fascinated by controversial subjects and social change. Her books include Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different; Tommy: The Gun that Changed America; Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History, and Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX. Her books have won a Sibert Honor and a Jane Addams Children's Book award and have been a finalist for YALSA's Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults award three times. She lives in Dallas, where Roe v. Wade originated. For more information, go to www.karenblumenthal.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
April 29, 2018
Let's blow the lid off of what people think they know about Bonnie and Clyde and what pop culture tells us! That's how I liken Blumenthal's idea for this book. Evident in her collected resources and source notes, she shares a fantastic narrative nonfiction sharing the fascination the public had and has with the team but also the truth behind the stories. And when there isn't a truth to settle on, she shares in a text box of fact or fiction for us to make up our minds (though in most of her writing, I'm biased to think that our version of them has swung so far into sensationalism that most of it is false).
The intriguing parts are her profiles, mini-obituary-like text boxes that share about the lives of those who lost them when crossing paths with the pair and their posse. And oh how most wouldn't know that the brother and wife were well involved as were several other men in most of these adventures.
Blumenthal talks politics, guns, images, family and beautifully introducing each chapter is a verse from Bonnie's own writing of "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" which she penned and was published when they perished. She was a star student in her younger years, winning a literary award for her disadvantaged school with her prowess. I adore that Blumenthal published it in its entirety at the end of the book.
The cover is going to be sensational and I can't wait to see the finished/final publication since I have an ARC. I am absolutely buying several and am more intrigued with the real life of Bonnie and Clyde rather than the romanticism.
The intriguing parts are her profiles, mini-obituary-like text boxes that share about the lives of those who lost them when crossing paths with the pair and their posse. And oh how most wouldn't know that the brother and wife were well involved as were several other men in most of these adventures.
Blumenthal talks politics, guns, images, family and beautifully introducing each chapter is a verse from Bonnie's own writing of "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" which she penned and was published when they perished. She was a star student in her younger years, winning a literary award for her disadvantaged school with her prowess. I adore that Blumenthal published it in its entirety at the end of the book.
The cover is going to be sensational and I can't wait to see the finished/final publication since I have an ARC. I am absolutely buying several and am more intrigued with the real life of Bonnie and Clyde rather than the romanticism.
Read
July 29, 2018Like pretty much everybody, I'm a huge fan of the 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde. And also like pretty much everybody, that was about all I knew about them. (At least until I read this.)
This is a good introduction to Bonnie and Clyde, but even if you're familiar with the movie, this is still a great read. There are pictures of them and their families, plus a picture of the car, post-shootout. (There's a picture of a bandaged Blanche and and a picture of a bandaged-and-very-injured Buck, but neither picture is very graphic; there aren't any pictures of Bonnie and Clyde after the fatal shooting.)
One thing I never really thought about was the effect that all the coverage (and the movie) had on their families. They were really close to their families and would often sneak back to see them. The families were also then kept tabs on and when Bonnie and Clyde died, their respective funeral homes were swarmed. (Also, Bonnie's mom was like, yeah, she's not going to be anywhere near Clyde now.)
It's meant for young adults, but the only point where that's really made clear is when Karen Blumenthal explains what a "party line" is.
This is a really fun and fascinating book. Recommended for anyone who wants to know a little more about the truth behind the legend.
This is a good introduction to Bonnie and Clyde, but even if you're familiar with the movie, this is still a great read. There are pictures of them and their families, plus a picture of the car, post-shootout. (There's a picture of a bandaged Blanche and and a picture of a bandaged-and-very-injured Buck, but neither picture is very graphic; there aren't any pictures of Bonnie and Clyde after the fatal shooting.)
One thing I never really thought about was the effect that all the coverage (and the movie) had on their families. They were really close to their families and would often sneak back to see them. The families were also then kept tabs on and when Bonnie and Clyde died, their respective funeral homes were swarmed. (Also, Bonnie's mom was like, yeah, she's not going to be anywhere near Clyde now.)
It's meant for young adults, but the only point where that's really made clear is when Karen Blumenthal explains what a "party line" is.
This is a really fun and fascinating book. Recommended for anyone who wants to know a little more about the truth behind the legend.
February 6, 2022
I went into this not knowing too much about these ill-fated outlaws other than that they were like sexy, romanticized lovers who went on a shooting spree and were killed in their car. I know they are legendary, and everyone's heard of them. This book tells you much of the story in a way that works for middle and high school-aged students; it would be a great choice for students who are tasked with reading a nonfiction book of their choice, which is what one of our ELA teachers assigns.
The inclusion of a blurb about each life of each of the victims (who they were, what they were like, and who they left behind after being thoughtlessly murdered in cold blood for their cars or money) kept you from romanticizing this couple in their ruthless and desperate adventure to keep themselves alive at all costs. I almost felt sympathy for Clyde knowing that petty crime that resulted in a harsh prison sentence that ruined him is likely the reason so many people lost their lives after he was released from prison, but not all victims of trauma and abuse become murderers. It really shouldn't be romanticized, but the sensationalism of the media and an award-winning movie certainly painted these criminals in a way drew the public to them and immortalized them in a way.
I found the contextual information about the time period to be especially interesting, including the details about how people put very little gas in their cars in the 30's and always left their keys in the ignitions and left their doors unlocked, which led to B&C robbing one car after another, only to run out of gas repeatedly, forcing them to start over. I couldn't believe that at that time, anyone could become a police officer with no qualifications necessary other than to swear that you know the difference between right and wrong (and they were underpaid and often had NO training!). I cannot imagine living in that time period!
The way the Parker and Barrow families reacted to their murderous children inspired interesting conversation about parenting and parental vs civic responsibility.
Overall, the book was really well done and is an interesting read for any student interested in history. Anyone reading the author's source notes at the end will get some library and library skills love, which is a much appreciated bonus!
The inclusion of a blurb about each life of each of the victims (who they were, what they were like, and who they left behind after being thoughtlessly murdered in cold blood for their cars or money) kept you from romanticizing this couple in their ruthless and desperate adventure to keep themselves alive at all costs. I almost felt sympathy for Clyde knowing that petty crime that resulted in a harsh prison sentence that ruined him is likely the reason so many people lost their lives after he was released from prison, but not all victims of trauma and abuse become murderers. It really shouldn't be romanticized, but the sensationalism of the media and an award-winning movie certainly painted these criminals in a way drew the public to them and immortalized them in a way.
I found the contextual information about the time period to be especially interesting, including the details about how people put very little gas in their cars in the 30's and always left their keys in the ignitions and left their doors unlocked, which led to B&C robbing one car after another, only to run out of gas repeatedly, forcing them to start over. I couldn't believe that at that time, anyone could become a police officer with no qualifications necessary other than to swear that you know the difference between right and wrong (and they were underpaid and often had NO training!). I cannot imagine living in that time period!
The way the Parker and Barrow families reacted to their murderous children inspired interesting conversation about parenting and parental vs civic responsibility.
Overall, the book was really well done and is an interesting read for any student interested in history. Anyone reading the author's source notes at the end will get some library and library skills love, which is a much appreciated bonus!
September 23, 2020
Richie’s Picks: BONNIE AND CLYDE: THE MAKING OF A LEGEND by Karen Blumenthal, Viking, August 2018, 256p., ISBN: 978-0-451-47122-2
“The road gets dimmer and dimmer;
Sometimes you can hardly see;
But it’s fight, man to man
And do all you can,
For they know they can never be free”
-- from “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde” by Bonnie Parker
“G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yeah G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin’ champagne
Livin’ my life
In the fast lane
And I won’t change
For the glamorous”
-- Fergie and Ludacris, whose music video for “Glamorous” includes a Bonnie and Clyde-like movie-making scene (2006)
Fifty summers ago, at the local drive-in, while munching popcorn in the backseat of my parent’s Rambler wagon, I watched Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway living and dying on the screen as Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. While it didn’t inspire me to become an armed robber and car thief, there was a huge dose of glamour and excitement woven into the award-winning film.
In laying out the real story of the legendary criminal couple, Karen Blumenthal has just robbed me of any remaining illusions that Bonnie and Clyde lived exciting, glamorous lives. Set in the middle of the Great Depression, this fascinating true crime story is overflowing with pain, misery, and, inevitably, no way out for the couple except feet first.
“The only money they had came from robbing small stores and filling stations and an occasional bank. They rarely had much, and cash was hard to hang on to, since living on the run was costly. Food came from cans or takeout sandwiches purchased at roadside cafés. When they could, they would drop their clothes off at laundries to be cleaned and circle back days later to pick them up. Other times, they gave Clyde’s family money to buy them new things to wear. In late 1932, when the U.S. Bureau of Investigation first started to track the couple, federal agents found their trail dizzying.”
Both in the course of telling the couple’s story, and through the back matter, author Karen Blumenthal reveals the challenges involved in gleaning the truth from the legend. As a veteran journalist, Blumenthal is up to the challenge of the story. Her work, both in readability and accuracy, could provide inspiration for aspiring researchers and writers of all ages.
One contribution to the criminal couple’s legend is a poem, written by Bonnie Parker in the months preceding her death, titled “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.” The author includes a verse of the poem at the beginning of each chapter, and the entire poem is included in the back matter.
Another of the author’s touches that I particularly appreciate is the inclusion, in sidebar format, of brief biographical information about each person gunned down by the Barrow Gang. This helps to humanize the steadily rising body count.
And the photos included in the book are fantastic! The legend of Bonnie and Clyde, in large part, grew from photographs of the young, good-looking couple, some discovered by lawmen in abandoned hideouts.
But what I’m most thinking about, after the inevitable ambush and bloody, bullet-ridden deaths of Bonnie and Clyde, are their families. Throughout the story, we see much of their immediate families and the connections between each outlaw and their parents. As a parent, I’m left wondering how, along that nature/nurture continuum, did Clyde grow up to be a robber and murderer? How did Bonnie grow up to be so excited by Clyde, and seem not to have a second thought about joining up with him to live a difficult life and horrible death?
Perhaps, “grow up” is a bit generous. The couple first meet when Clyde’s going on twenty and Bonnie’s just nineteen. Many of us grownups don’t have to think too deeply to recall our own bad behavior at that age. But what in one’s upbringing causes a young adult to become a Clyde?
The author concludes the story with a discussion of the legend, primarily focused around that famous movie I saw when I was an impressionable thirteen year-old. Most importantly, Blumenthal writes about the motivations of writers and movie creators, and how they can shape the historical record. This is another powerful lesson to be taken away from reading this extraordinary, and extraordinarily tragic biography, the vividness of which will both enthrall and repel tween and teen readers.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“The road gets dimmer and dimmer;
Sometimes you can hardly see;
But it’s fight, man to man
And do all you can,
For they know they can never be free”
-- from “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde” by Bonnie Parker
“G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yeah G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S
We flying the first class
Up in the sky
Poppin’ champagne
Livin’ my life
In the fast lane
And I won’t change
For the glamorous”
-- Fergie and Ludacris, whose music video for “Glamorous” includes a Bonnie and Clyde-like movie-making scene (2006)
Fifty summers ago, at the local drive-in, while munching popcorn in the backseat of my parent’s Rambler wagon, I watched Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway living and dying on the screen as Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. While it didn’t inspire me to become an armed robber and car thief, there was a huge dose of glamour and excitement woven into the award-winning film.
In laying out the real story of the legendary criminal couple, Karen Blumenthal has just robbed me of any remaining illusions that Bonnie and Clyde lived exciting, glamorous lives. Set in the middle of the Great Depression, this fascinating true crime story is overflowing with pain, misery, and, inevitably, no way out for the couple except feet first.
“The only money they had came from robbing small stores and filling stations and an occasional bank. They rarely had much, and cash was hard to hang on to, since living on the run was costly. Food came from cans or takeout sandwiches purchased at roadside cafés. When they could, they would drop their clothes off at laundries to be cleaned and circle back days later to pick them up. Other times, they gave Clyde’s family money to buy them new things to wear. In late 1932, when the U.S. Bureau of Investigation first started to track the couple, federal agents found their trail dizzying.”
Both in the course of telling the couple’s story, and through the back matter, author Karen Blumenthal reveals the challenges involved in gleaning the truth from the legend. As a veteran journalist, Blumenthal is up to the challenge of the story. Her work, both in readability and accuracy, could provide inspiration for aspiring researchers and writers of all ages.
One contribution to the criminal couple’s legend is a poem, written by Bonnie Parker in the months preceding her death, titled “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.” The author includes a verse of the poem at the beginning of each chapter, and the entire poem is included in the back matter.
Another of the author’s touches that I particularly appreciate is the inclusion, in sidebar format, of brief biographical information about each person gunned down by the Barrow Gang. This helps to humanize the steadily rising body count.
And the photos included in the book are fantastic! The legend of Bonnie and Clyde, in large part, grew from photographs of the young, good-looking couple, some discovered by lawmen in abandoned hideouts.
But what I’m most thinking about, after the inevitable ambush and bloody, bullet-ridden deaths of Bonnie and Clyde, are their families. Throughout the story, we see much of their immediate families and the connections between each outlaw and their parents. As a parent, I’m left wondering how, along that nature/nurture continuum, did Clyde grow up to be a robber and murderer? How did Bonnie grow up to be so excited by Clyde, and seem not to have a second thought about joining up with him to live a difficult life and horrible death?
Perhaps, “grow up” is a bit generous. The couple first meet when Clyde’s going on twenty and Bonnie’s just nineteen. Many of us grownups don’t have to think too deeply to recall our own bad behavior at that age. But what in one’s upbringing causes a young adult to become a Clyde?
The author concludes the story with a discussion of the legend, primarily focused around that famous movie I saw when I was an impressionable thirteen year-old. Most importantly, Blumenthal writes about the motivations of writers and movie creators, and how they can shape the historical record. This is another powerful lesson to be taken away from reading this extraordinary, and extraordinarily tragic biography, the vividness of which will both enthrall and repel tween and teen readers.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
January 2, 2021
Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, incarceration, police brutality, guns, shooting, robbery, mentions of sexual assault, smoking, drinking, mentions of drugs.
I've read many stories about Bonnie and Clyde over the years. I've been fascinated by their story since childhood and the 2012 musical about their lives is one of my top 5 favorite musicals. Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend is a great book if you're looking to learn more about the infamous Bonnie and Clyde.
As I said, I've read many stories about Bonnie and Clyde and watched many documentaries so much of this information already, from the first page I was completely hooked. What I also loved about this book was the inclusion of photography and the poems that Bonnie had written. The book included the obvious famous photos of the infamous Barrow Gang (Bonnie leaning on the car smoking, Bonnie and Clyde kissing, Blanche Barrow being taken away after she and Buck were found, mugshots, etc.) but it also included more photos that are not often used in books about the two. Each chapter started with a bit of one of Bonnie's poems, there were photographs of letters written by Bonnie (some supposedly written by Clyde), and there were sections of the book that were printed on paper that looked like the classic "wanted" posters. All of these elements added to the storytelling. I was originally going to listen to the audiobook of this, but I'm glad that I read my physical copy instead.
It also included lots of information about the Barrow and Parker families, as well as the men who took down Bonnie and Clyde on that fateful day in May 1934. I think that it's easy to just think of the glamourized version of Bonnie and Clyde that we know through media over the years, and I feel that things like that help to remind us all that they were real people and that what happened to them affected the lives of their families long after they're gone.
If you're interested in the story of Bonnie and Clyde and American history, I would highly recommend this book!
I've read many stories about Bonnie and Clyde over the years. I've been fascinated by their story since childhood and the 2012 musical about their lives is one of my top 5 favorite musicals. Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend is a great book if you're looking to learn more about the infamous Bonnie and Clyde.
As I said, I've read many stories about Bonnie and Clyde and watched many documentaries so much of this information already, from the first page I was completely hooked. What I also loved about this book was the inclusion of photography and the poems that Bonnie had written. The book included the obvious famous photos of the infamous Barrow Gang (Bonnie leaning on the car smoking, Bonnie and Clyde kissing, Blanche Barrow being taken away after she and Buck were found, mugshots, etc.) but it also included more photos that are not often used in books about the two. Each chapter started with a bit of one of Bonnie's poems, there were photographs of letters written by Bonnie (some supposedly written by Clyde), and there were sections of the book that were printed on paper that looked like the classic "wanted" posters. All of these elements added to the storytelling. I was originally going to listen to the audiobook of this, but I'm glad that I read my physical copy instead.
It also included lots of information about the Barrow and Parker families, as well as the men who took down Bonnie and Clyde on that fateful day in May 1934. I think that it's easy to just think of the glamourized version of Bonnie and Clyde that we know through media over the years, and I feel that things like that help to remind us all that they were real people and that what happened to them affected the lives of their families long after they're gone.
If you're interested in the story of Bonnie and Clyde and American history, I would highly recommend this book!
December 19, 2018
I found this book to be a compelling tale of two people who made some really bad decisions that lead eventually to their deaths. I'd heard of Bonnie and Clyde before, who hasn't? But I knew very little about them. This book answered many of my questions. Did it answer all of my questions? No, but then again no book can do that seeing as their is no way to completely know and understand Bonnie and Clyde's motivations. Blumenthal does an excellent job though of giving as clear a picture as possible of what is known (or thought to be known) about Clyde and Bonnie and what led them to become legends. Frankly, I found the story a rather sad one as Clyde and Bonnie made poor decision after poor decision that effected not only themselves, but their families and friends as well. It started as many such stories do with Clyde getting in trouble as a youth. His family's poverty undoubtedly had at least something to do with that in addition to the friends he spent time around. Unfortunately for Bonnie, her life changed forever once she met Clyde. Her unwillingness to walk away from him after he went back to a life of crime led her to her death. After reading about the shocking number of people they killed and the number of shootouts and robberies they were involved in (and there may have been more) I began to understand why these two became so famous. What boggled my mind is the end of the book where the author explains how people responded to Clyde and Bonnie. The thousands of people that wanted to see their dead bodies. The number of newspaper articles about them, the movies made, and books written. These two criminals received more attention than all of their victims put together. A sad commentary on American society is the fact that these two are still so famous yet their victims have been all but forgotten.
September 5, 2018
Since this book was not sensationalized it was a bit boring considering the notorious nature of the couple. Well written and well researched. I liked the incorporation of Bonnie’s poetry, it humanized her, despite the matter of factness of the text.
October 3, 2019
This book truly deromanticized the legend of the depression era mobster pair, Bonnie and Clyde, for me. They spend months on the run, sleeping in cars, desperately staying one step ahead of the law, robbing gas stations for relatively small change just to keep themselves going. I love the way Blumenthal structures the book by matching the chapters to excerpts from Bonnie's rhyming ballad, "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde". Who knew that Bonnie captured, so fluently and poignantly, the essence of her life on the run? The book occasionally overwhelmed me with dates, place names, and a huge cast of characters, and there is a lot of graphic details involving car chases, car crashes, gunfights, injuries, and general mayhem. These two larger than life figures, drawn into a life of crime at an early age, truly lived an action movie lifestyle. Blumenthal captures the exhaustion and tragedy of it all.
November 13, 2021
very honest and well researched biography of bonnie and clyde that is equal parts sensitive and respectful to the remaining parker and barrow family members and does not attempt to glamourise any of the heinous crimes committed. blumenthal did not guess or speculate when certain facts did make sense - anything that isn’t absolute fact is made clear to the reader.
April 16, 2025
maturing is realizing bonnie wasn’t born evil she was just in love. and she would do anything for that damned man to love her back.
i mean yeah Clyde was lowkey fione.. but that man was a master manipulator
she wanted a good life, she wanted to settle down with him, he HIT her when they were in arguments, and he probably convinced her that he was the only man who would love her like that which is BULL SHIT because bonnie was a baddie and stupid ass clyde fumbled that shit
but lowkey was a lil boring mostly because i did it for a project but also because I dont give a freak!🥺❤️
i mean yeah Clyde was lowkey fione.. but that man was a master manipulator
she wanted a good life, she wanted to settle down with him, he HIT her when they were in arguments, and he probably convinced her that he was the only man who would love her like that which is BULL SHIT because bonnie was a baddie and stupid ass clyde fumbled that shit
but lowkey was a lil boring mostly because i did it for a project but also because I dont give a freak!🥺❤️
February 21, 2019
First sentence from the prologue: Bonnie and Clyde. For decades, they've been as famous as any pair of outlaws could be. They're the ones who adored fast cars and faster living. The dangerous young couple with undying love for each other.
First sentence from chapter one: In truth, Bonnie Parker was just messing around the day her most famous photo was taken.
Premise/plot: Karen Blumenthal has written a biography of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow for teens. She explores how two poverty-stricken teens became hardened criminals and ultimately the stuff of legends. Her narrative does not glorify or romanticize their crimes. Blumenthal dedicates a sidebar for each and every person murdered by the Barrow gang. Reading about the men killed--who they were, how old they were, what they did for a living and why, who they left behind--kept things in perspective. These were not victimless crimes.
My thoughts: My interest in Bonnie and Clyde started a year or two ago. If the local community theatre had not performed the Bonnie and Clyde musical, then I never would have started reading books about this pair. I ended up LOVING the musical. It was an incredible performance. The actors did a fabulous job--in particular the actor playing BUCK. So when I saw there was a "new" teen biography about Bonnie and Clyde I knew I needed to read it.
I definitely thought Blumenthal did a good job. I would recommend this one over some of the longer books I've read--simply because it kept things moving.
First sentence from chapter one: In truth, Bonnie Parker was just messing around the day her most famous photo was taken.
Premise/plot: Karen Blumenthal has written a biography of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow for teens. She explores how two poverty-stricken teens became hardened criminals and ultimately the stuff of legends. Her narrative does not glorify or romanticize their crimes. Blumenthal dedicates a sidebar for each and every person murdered by the Barrow gang. Reading about the men killed--who they were, how old they were, what they did for a living and why, who they left behind--kept things in perspective. These were not victimless crimes.
My thoughts: My interest in Bonnie and Clyde started a year or two ago. If the local community theatre had not performed the Bonnie and Clyde musical, then I never would have started reading books about this pair. I ended up LOVING the musical. It was an incredible performance. The actors did a fabulous job--in particular the actor playing BUCK. So when I saw there was a "new" teen biography about Bonnie and Clyde I knew I needed to read it.
I definitely thought Blumenthal did a good job. I would recommend this one over some of the longer books I've read--simply because it kept things moving.
October 4, 2018
Read for Librarian Book Group
A great example of why people of all ages should be reading nonfiction books written for a young adult audience. From the first first sentence, this book is readable and engaging. I loved how it translated things of yesterday into today's terms. This happens most often with prices of things, but also now I know that a Model A car was approximately the same width as a Ford Focus.
Bluemnthal carefully illustrates the outlaws' story from different angles, taking time to pick through what details probably stem from legend rather than truth. The book also takes time to recognize the people who were murdered during Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree and they present their story as a complex one, rather than just a tale of bad criminals.
One small quibble. Given the attention to translating early-20th century things into modern day, I would have expected Bluemnthal to do the same thing when she mentions people's weight. Bonnie, Clyde, and their associates all grew up in extreme poverty at a time when Americans were smaller from birth to death. Currently, there is a lot of pressure for women and girls to obtain an extremely low body weight, so some context of why a historical figure weighed 81 pounds, and why that would not be the case today, would have been welcome.
Aside from that, this was another great example of the golden age of children's nonfiction we are living in.
A great example of why people of all ages should be reading nonfiction books written for a young adult audience. From the first first sentence, this book is readable and engaging. I loved how it translated things of yesterday into today's terms. This happens most often with prices of things, but also now I know that a Model A car was approximately the same width as a Ford Focus.
Bluemnthal carefully illustrates the outlaws' story from different angles, taking time to pick through what details probably stem from legend rather than truth. The book also takes time to recognize the people who were murdered during Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree and they present their story as a complex one, rather than just a tale of bad criminals.
One small quibble. Given the attention to translating early-20th century things into modern day, I would have expected Bluemnthal to do the same thing when she mentions people's weight. Bonnie, Clyde, and their associates all grew up in extreme poverty at a time when Americans were smaller from birth to death. Currently, there is a lot of pressure for women and girls to obtain an extremely low body weight, so some context of why a historical figure weighed 81 pounds, and why that would not be the case today, would have been welcome.
Aside from that, this was another great example of the golden age of children's nonfiction we are living in.
July 8, 2019
Bonnie and Clyde are perhaps the most notorious and celebrated outlaw couple in American history. They've been the feature of poems, films, plays, songs, and more. Karen Blumenthal works to separate fact from fiction in her book. She begins with who they were, how they met, and what they did and did not do. Blumenthal also writes about how the couple got to be the pop culture icons they are today.
I really like how Blumenthal gave space to all of the victims murdered by Bonnie and Clyde. Humanizing those men helps to dismantle the romanticized nature of Bonnie and Clyde's violent story. I also really like how Blumenthal begins her chapters with excerpts from Bonnie's poems. Having spent some time in Dallas, Kansas City, and Missouri (places frequented by the couple) really brought this book to life for me. Also, having recently finished The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson underscored the pop culture appeal of Bonnie and Clyde.
I really like how Blumenthal gave space to all of the victims murdered by Bonnie and Clyde. Humanizing those men helps to dismantle the romanticized nature of Bonnie and Clyde's violent story. I also really like how Blumenthal begins her chapters with excerpts from Bonnie's poems. Having spent some time in Dallas, Kansas City, and Missouri (places frequented by the couple) really brought this book to life for me. Also, having recently finished The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson underscored the pop culture appeal of Bonnie and Clyde.
August 27, 2018
Wow. What can I say about this book? Fascinating, interesting, informative, very well researched and I could go on and on. Before reading this book, my knowledge of Bonnie & Clyde was from the 1967 movie which I saw when I was 13 or 14. This book was enlightening. I had no idea how desperate living conditions were for people living in West Dallas, no running water, no electricity, etc. My parents grew up during the depression and told me stories about it, but they at least had running water and electricity, even when they did not have much food to eat.
I especially liked several things about this book: 1) the little biographies of the people murdered by Bonnie & Clyde, 2) the information about all the families affected by their crime spree, their families and the families of their victims, 3) the attempt by Karen, the author, to try to separate the real facts from fiction and lore and 4) the details about the appalling conditions in prisons at that time and the treatment of the prisoners.
I would highly recommend reading this book. It is written for the Young Adult (YA) market, but I found it well worth reading as an adult. It is a very readable, gripping book.
I especially liked several things about this book: 1) the little biographies of the people murdered by Bonnie & Clyde, 2) the information about all the families affected by their crime spree, their families and the families of their victims, 3) the attempt by Karen, the author, to try to separate the real facts from fiction and lore and 4) the details about the appalling conditions in prisons at that time and the treatment of the prisoners.
I would highly recommend reading this book. It is written for the Young Adult (YA) market, but I found it well worth reading as an adult. It is a very readable, gripping book.
August 16, 2019
The legend of Bonnie and Clyde has been romanticized over the years. In truth, they were involved in murders and robberies and destruction of property. Their entire families were involved in hiding them and lying for them. They slept in their stolen cars for months and were scarred and battered from the many shoot outs and wrecks they were involved in. The story is fascinating, but it is also sobering to learn the names and backgrounds of police officers and others that died at their hands. This volume is intended for young readers but it is perfect for adults too. The author has lots of additional resources on her website and that's good because this is exactly the kind of book that makes you want to follow up and learn more.
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October 11, 2018Although at times this feels a little repetitive, it is because that's the story of Bonnie and Clyde. Blumenthal offers up the history of both of these infamous criminals, but she does so with the backdrop of why it is they've gained such infamy and acclaim while committing heinous crimes. Interspersed are not only photos and other artifacts, but there are excellent pulled out short bios of those who were murdered by the duo. The book isn't sensationalized and that's a topic addressed right in the text; that might also be why the book as a whole felt a little stiff and repetitive. I don't think that's a bad thing, especially as it makes readers -- like me! -- pause and consider what the expectations are going on and what the response is when exiting the book.
Good, solid YA nonfiction from an author who is excellent at writing them.
Good, solid YA nonfiction from an author who is excellent at writing them.
August 4, 2019
his perceptive history/biography gives a well-rounded account of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, and the terror they caused on their crime sprees across the country. Blumenthal does a terrific job of explaining these two personalities (Bonnie's feverish loyalty, Clyde's bitter experiences in prison) without glamorizing or excusing their violent acts. Particularly notable are Blumenthal's descriptions of those murdered by Clyde and his various accomplices and the families traumatized by the deaths. A well-rounded, thoughtful work.
February 24, 2019
I don’t really like nonfiction books but this one was very enjoyable. I was already very intrigued by the lives of Bonny and Clyde but this book took it to a new level. I like how it was written and their lives were described like a fairytale. I also love how for each chapter there was a part of a poem Bonny wrote. Overall very enjoyable book that I highly recommend for fans of Bonny and Clyde and biographies in general.
December 9, 2018
This was a great book! I absolutely loved the way that the book told the story and how detailed it was! Would highly recommend for anyone interested in the couple's story.
February 7, 2019
I don't think of myself as an avid reader of nonfiction--this book was wonderful. I learned a lot and couldn't put the book down. I think young adult readers will also enjoy this story.
March 26, 2023
Very readable account of the notorious Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow that feels comprehensive with thorough research from a multitude of sources. I feel like this book is a great foray into getting a true picture of who the people behind the legend were and how they became legends in the first place. There are primary sources throughout the book including pictures and other documents. Pieces of the legend are spelled out and evaluated for the reader. The back of the book contains Bonnie's poem "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde"; a section on what happened to various family and gang members; and involved officers. I highly recommend this to those interested in the crimes commuted by the Barrow gang or actual people connected to it all.
February 8, 2021
The history of Bonnie and Clyde has always intrigued me. The very fact of their glamour, love, and crime. They were the kinds of criminals the world identified with—even loved. I had never read a full account of their story until I came upon this book. It was enjoyable to hear about their lives, their struggles. Honestly, I feel very sad for them, rather than admiring them. While they loved each other, they were deeply unhappy, and their relationship was very unhealthy. It's a tragedy what happened in the end, yet there were few options left to them.
This book gave me a clear account of their lives, their passions, and their experiences on the road, told through various accounts. It's a quick read/listen. I listened to this one, and it only took me a few hours to finish.
Read it if you don't know much about Bonnie and Clyde, except for the basics!
This book gave me a clear account of their lives, their passions, and their experiences on the road, told through various accounts. It's a quick read/listen. I listened to this one, and it only took me a few hours to finish.
Read it if you don't know much about Bonnie and Clyde, except for the basics!
August 1, 2022
I‘ve often heard about Bonnie and Clyde. But I didn‘t know who they were or what they actually did.
The story was very interesting and well structured with articles, photos, letters,…. I liked that not only the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow was portrayed, but also their familie members and people who were involved with them. Moreover, the book was very educational because of the American history during the Great Depression.
The story was very interesting and well structured with articles, photos, letters,…. I liked that not only the story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow was portrayed, but also their familie members and people who were involved with them. Moreover, the book was very educational because of the American history during the Great Depression.
February 8, 2021
An interesting history of a famous crime duo. I recently watched a movie from the perspective of the team that brought them down, and I realized I didn't know much about them, so I found this. They seem like pretty standard criminals, they just happened to come up during a time where that sort of thing became lauded due to incredibly poverty and some pretty nasty actions by government. Obviously being attractive always helps fame. But the longer they went on in their spree the worse they got.
April 5, 2021
This was a very solid audio book! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to a well researched and as accurate as possible account of the legendary Bonnie and Clyde. My starting knowledge was pretty slim, but now I’m confident I could discuss them pretty well. YA non-fiction is just so great sometimes!
October 13, 2021
This was a gripping read about a notorious pair of outlaws whose names I knew but I wasn't certain how they'd become infamous. A very sad tale of poverty, love, and murder. I appreciated that the author included pictures, names, and details about the many lives tragically snuffed out by these outlaws. Too often the outlaws are given celebrity status and their victims completely forgotten.
July 19, 2022
I didn’t know much about Bonnie and Clyde so this book was some good information about the duo. It’s nuts how much crime they were able to commit before getting caught and how much area they covered.
May 6, 2024
Super Interesting! I really liked how the author provided little blurbs about all of the victims.
October 9, 2018
On one January night in 1930, a young Bonnie Parker met Clyde Barrow when he showed up to visit one of her friends at their house. It was love at first sight when the aspiring actress and writer Bonnie met eyes with the skilled and charming Clyde Barrow. The two were completely taken with each other, but their relationship was far from ordinary.
As their love for each other blossomed, so did their involvement with the law.
Bonnie and Clyde were criminals.
For four years, Bonnie and Clyde worked together fighting the law; causing chaos, committing crimes, and evading punishment while living a life on the run. Wanted for countless counts of murder, kidnapping and burglary, the two built up a lengthy criminal record, yet always managed to escape the punishment for it, avoiding their deaths on multiple strokes of sheer luck. Quickly, they became akin to legends, and society took note.
BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal helps to tell their story, of how two teenagers-in-love turned into some of the most highly wanted criminals in American history.
This book serves as a lovely introduction to one of America’s most infamous couples. Karen Blumenthal does an absolutely phenomenal job of explaining who Bonnie and Clyde were, both before they met and as a couple, detailing their life together and piecing together a coherent and exhilarating narrative out of accounts of their crimes from witnesses, family members and friends alike.
Karen Blumenthal illustrates just how this killer couple came to be, by taking us through the journey at the very beginning. Each chapter explains Bonnie and Clyde’s whereabouts and actions during a certain time in their lives, and in addition, each chapter also includes additional relevant information outside of Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes that connect to that time period. Several photographs are included in almost every chapter showing Bonnie and Clyde’s antics, their family members, or even their prison records, depending on the chapter. There are obituaries of the victims that Bonnie and Clyde murdered right after the description of the crime, and “Legend Has It” segments which detail some of the relevant rumors that had spread about the pair as relevant to the chapter. Personally, I think this extra information enriches the book like no other.
Not only is this book a great introduction to those wanting to learn a little bit more about Bonnie and Clyde, it is also incredibly well-researched. A list of sources along with several notes from the author about these sources and Bonnie and Clyde conclude this book, and Blumenthal actively encourages the reader to interact with her sources and to contact her through her website (www.karenblumenthal.com) if they had any questions about them. (There is even a discussion guide for this book located on the webpage as well!) There are some academic works I’ve read that don’t hold the encouragement that Blumenthal places in this work. This shows not only her commitment and enthusiasm toward telling Bonnie and Clyde’s story, but also to telling the most authentic version of it possible.
I also appreciate Blumenthal’s honesty and drive to get as close to first-hand accounts of Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes as possible. Many of the accounts surrounding Bonnie and Clyde are highly fictionalized and romanticized, or there are contradictions in several differing accounts to what really happened, and Blumenthal does, when she can, acknowledges some of the discrepancies in the stories and separates fact from fiction.
This book is incredibly valuable not just because of the information it gives the reader, but because Karen Blumenthal is extremely invested in her work. Her dedication to telling an accurate and informative story shows on every page.
The only thing that I wish this book expanded on was the impact of Bonnie and Clyde in popular culture and the impact they have on society today. The book is called BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend, and yet, I felt the discussion of the “legend” they created was a little lacking and implicit --- especially when some readers may not know why these two are a legend to begin with.
Overall, I think this is a comprehensive introduction to who Bonnie and Clyde were and why they are still remembered in society today BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal tells the story of this killer couple, taking the reader along for the ride as the author chronicles their story, their life on the run, and ultimately, their demise. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in this couple or would like to know more about them.
(This book is recommended for ages 12 and up, but I will note that this book may not be appropriate for some readers in that age group. Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes along with their deaths are described in detail, so I would suggest a skim of the book itself to make sure it is appropriate for your child.)
Reviewed by Sheridan Nunnery
As their love for each other blossomed, so did their involvement with the law.
Bonnie and Clyde were criminals.
For four years, Bonnie and Clyde worked together fighting the law; causing chaos, committing crimes, and evading punishment while living a life on the run. Wanted for countless counts of murder, kidnapping and burglary, the two built up a lengthy criminal record, yet always managed to escape the punishment for it, avoiding their deaths on multiple strokes of sheer luck. Quickly, they became akin to legends, and society took note.
BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal helps to tell their story, of how two teenagers-in-love turned into some of the most highly wanted criminals in American history.
This book serves as a lovely introduction to one of America’s most infamous couples. Karen Blumenthal does an absolutely phenomenal job of explaining who Bonnie and Clyde were, both before they met and as a couple, detailing their life together and piecing together a coherent and exhilarating narrative out of accounts of their crimes from witnesses, family members and friends alike.
Karen Blumenthal illustrates just how this killer couple came to be, by taking us through the journey at the very beginning. Each chapter explains Bonnie and Clyde’s whereabouts and actions during a certain time in their lives, and in addition, each chapter also includes additional relevant information outside of Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes that connect to that time period. Several photographs are included in almost every chapter showing Bonnie and Clyde’s antics, their family members, or even their prison records, depending on the chapter. There are obituaries of the victims that Bonnie and Clyde murdered right after the description of the crime, and “Legend Has It” segments which detail some of the relevant rumors that had spread about the pair as relevant to the chapter. Personally, I think this extra information enriches the book like no other.
Not only is this book a great introduction to those wanting to learn a little bit more about Bonnie and Clyde, it is also incredibly well-researched. A list of sources along with several notes from the author about these sources and Bonnie and Clyde conclude this book, and Blumenthal actively encourages the reader to interact with her sources and to contact her through her website (www.karenblumenthal.com) if they had any questions about them. (There is even a discussion guide for this book located on the webpage as well!) There are some academic works I’ve read that don’t hold the encouragement that Blumenthal places in this work. This shows not only her commitment and enthusiasm toward telling Bonnie and Clyde’s story, but also to telling the most authentic version of it possible.
I also appreciate Blumenthal’s honesty and drive to get as close to first-hand accounts of Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes as possible. Many of the accounts surrounding Bonnie and Clyde are highly fictionalized and romanticized, or there are contradictions in several differing accounts to what really happened, and Blumenthal does, when she can, acknowledges some of the discrepancies in the stories and separates fact from fiction.
This book is incredibly valuable not just because of the information it gives the reader, but because Karen Blumenthal is extremely invested in her work. Her dedication to telling an accurate and informative story shows on every page.
The only thing that I wish this book expanded on was the impact of Bonnie and Clyde in popular culture and the impact they have on society today. The book is called BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend, and yet, I felt the discussion of the “legend” they created was a little lacking and implicit --- especially when some readers may not know why these two are a legend to begin with.
Overall, I think this is a comprehensive introduction to who Bonnie and Clyde were and why they are still remembered in society today BONNIE AND CLYDE: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal tells the story of this killer couple, taking the reader along for the ride as the author chronicles their story, their life on the run, and ultimately, their demise. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in this couple or would like to know more about them.
(This book is recommended for ages 12 and up, but I will note that this book may not be appropriate for some readers in that age group. Bonnie and Clyde’s crimes along with their deaths are described in detail, so I would suggest a skim of the book itself to make sure it is appropriate for your child.)
Reviewed by Sheridan Nunnery
September 28, 2019
I learned a few things about them that I didn’t know which was interesting.
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