The Pinkertons: The Detective Dynasty That Made History

by James D. Horan

In excellent used condition! Brilliant white pages ready for you to read.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

564 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

James David Horan was an American newspaper editor, author and novelist. Born in New York City, he studied at Drake College in Jersey City and at the New York University Writing Center. He wrote more then 40 books, primarily history or historical fiction, and was employed as Special Events Editor for the New York Journal American for many years. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his books, and a member of many organizations of writers and historians.

He and his wife, Gertrude Dorrity, had four children.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a lot of history. I was inspired to read this book out of a comment I had heard in a TV show or a quote in another book. I cannot remember for sure. This was a very different look at various aspects of history than I would normally read. Out of this this reading venture I have decided on a personal research project. Some very interesting stories contained in this read that are well worth the time.

[Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horan (much referenced and often disagreed with by MacKay, see Allan Pinkerton for that) and Swiggett here collate extracts of Pinkerton's Detective Agency files to present a very loose history of the Agency.

That's it. Hardly complete and rarely connected, just what the authors found interesting in the Pinkerton files from the Agency's first days up to about the 1920s (though there is very little after the turn of the century). Still, it gives a flavor of what the actual Pinkerton field reports looked like. I'm sure there is a more comprehensive history out there somewhere, but this is the best I've come across so far, particularly as regards readability. Horan and Swiggett don't get bogged down by details of historical fact, and they wear their rather quaint prejudices on their sleeves, so it's easy to read between the lines. Fast, sleek, and popular.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, in-depth, and well-written history of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. For a lot of historical facts, the author made it read like a story, especially the tales of catching the criminals. Horan did not defend every Pinkerton procedure as morally right, nor did he praise Allan Pinkerton as faultless (in morals or in judgment). Instead, he presented the information as free from bias as one can, only occasionally making moral judgments and honestly showing how the Pinkerton method created precedent for today's detective and FBI procedures.