The Elusive Purple Gang: Detroit's Kosher Nostra

by Gregory A. Fournier

The Elusive Purple Gang: Detroit's Kosher Nostra is a concise history of one of America's most notorious Prohibition gangs. The Burnstein brothers and their associates were the only Jewish gang in the United States to dominate the rackets of a major American city. From their meteoric rise to the top of Detroit's underworld to their ultimate demise, this is an episodic account of the Purple Gang's corrosive pursuit of power and wealth and their inevitable plunge towards self-destruction.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2019

About the author

Originally from the Detroit area, I lived in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor during my college years before moving permanently to San Diego in January, 1979.

My wife and I live in San Diego county. I have two grown children from my first marriage, and soon I will have three grandkids. Everyone is doing well.

I'm thrilled to be pursuing a writing career after thirty-seven years in the English language arts classroom.

My novel, Zug Island, won a Finalist's Award from the 2011 USA Best Books competition in the multicultural category and a 2012 Los Angeles Book Festival Award Honorable Mention.

Life is good.

Reviews

[Edmond Gagnon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always heard about the Purple Gang and their criminal activities in Windsor during the rum-running days of the roaring 20's, but wasn't aware of their Detroit roots and exactly how bad-ass the group of thugs really was.
I gave the book 4 stars but feel it's worth only a 3.5. Where it's loaded with interesting facts and stories about long ago fabled Detroit mobsters, at times I found it too 'statistical' and a bit hard to follow with the numerous gang characters and their affiliates.
But for anyone who's interested in the Detroit-Windsor booze prohibition connection, I recommend giving this book a read. It also delves into the gang's connection to Al Capone and government corruption at all levels.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, when I started my research for my jazz age detective, I never made the connection between the Elvis’s “Jailhouse Rock” and a real Purple Gang. As I continue my research and own novel series I found this book useful and full of new information about prohibition. If you are interested in the 1920s this will be a great read.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting look at old-time organized crime

I've read many Mafia books that mention the Purple Gang in passing, but I didn't know much about them. The author does an interesting job putting the spotlight on this gang of Jewish bootleggers, kidnappers, robbers and just general all-around bad guys.

He tells the stories of the individual members of the gangs, their crimes, and how they connected and fought with other gangs, both in Detroit and in Chicago and New York. Their big money maker was bootlegging, getting alcohol from Canada across the Detroit River to the U.S.

He makes it clear that they were never lovable, fictional Damon Runyon types. These folks murdered, kidnapped, extorted, cheated. It didn't matter to them if innocent bystanders got killed. He talked about dirty cops and pointless murders. In the process the people and civic structure of Detroit suffered.

The author has written a clear-eyed, well researched and highly readable book about organized crime in Detroit in the early decades of the 1900s. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

[Debra Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot going on, and it was a challenge at times to keep track of all the "characters", but flipping to photos and short chapters helped.
I read this as my late Bubbe/Grandmother in law (we called her Bubba) shared how she dated a member of the Purple gang when she was young. Who was this fast Eddie?
Oh my!
Connections to other mobs, Capone, corruption all over the place in Detroit made it fascinating and educational. I'm glad I wasn't there, and also that Bubba met and married (from what I know) a nicer man.
Where did they go? Not exactly a spoiler that the end to prohibition cut down on a lot of their business.

[Squeaky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I certainly learned a lot about this band of felons!

[Karen Pridemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting but of Detroit history. I remember my Mom taking about the purple gang and being scared of them when she grew up.