A Brief History of Gangsters

by Brian J. Robb

The romanticised American gangster of the Prohibition era has proved an enduringly popular figure. Even today, names like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano still resonate. Robb explores the histories of key figures, from gangs in the Old West, through Prohibition and the Great Depression, to the likes of John Gotti and Frank Lucas in the 1970s and 1980s. He also looks at the gangster in popular culture, in hit TV series such as Boardwalk Empire. Although the focus is strongly on the archetypal American gangster, Robb also examines gangsters around the world, including the infamous Kray twins in London, French crime kingpin Jacques Mesrine, the Mafia Dons of Sicily, and the rise of notorious Serbian and Albanian gangs. Infamous Australian outlaw Ned Kelly makes an appearance, as does Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, while other sections provide details of the Chinese Triads and the Yakuza in Japan. Robb also explores the gangster in popular culture, especially in film and television. Recent hit TV series such as The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire and blockbuster movies like Public Enemies and Gangster Squad show that the gangster is here to stay.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crime

314 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2014

About the author

Brian J. Robb is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling biographer of Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, and Brad Pitt. He has also written books on silent cinema, the films of Philip K. Dick, Wes Craven, and Laurel and Hardy, the Star Wars movies, Superheroes, Gangsters, and Walt Disney, as well as science fiction television series Doctor Who and Star Trek. His illustrated books include an Illustrated History of Steampunk and a guide to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth (Winner, Best Book, Tolkien Society Awards). He writes and edits the Chaplin: Film by Film centenary blog site and is co-editor of the Sci-Fi Bulletin website. He lives in Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit dry and confusing due to chronology that skipped around and so many unfamiliar names. But the topic kept my attention. From the earliest days up to the 2000s, the history of gangsters unfolded

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more. I bit dull, I liked reading about all the gangsters but it could have been so much better.

[Matthew Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that gives a good foundation of understanding on gangsters and their history.

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book that centralizes everything you ever wanted to know about gangsters, however, it feels like reading a wikipedia page, thus the rating.