Rating: 
Summary: This book should be titled the stinch of crappy writing.
Review: Mr. Kelly's tedious and boorish descriptive method of writing forced me to put this book down and take a nap after only ten minutes of reading. A high school student could easily write circles around Kelly.Let us get some things straight, first teamsters are not construction workers, the only jurisdiction they have in the Building Trades are truck drivers. There isn't a true construction worker that would correlate truck driving with swinging a hammer. Do a little research and you find out that Kelly was nothing more than a yes man for the Mayor who made some connections in the publishing business during his time at city hall.
Kelly's concepts of union politics are complete fiction based on gangster movies and 3rd rate reporters rather than reality. I believe he only twisted this little tale in an effort to titillate readers that already have preconceived notions of the labor movement. I found his creation full of tired stereotypes more likely generated by somebody working in the public relations office of the Associated Builders and Contractors than a former union construction worker. Myself being an Irish Catholic and a Construction worker that is involved in my union find the author guilty of stealing ...($$) of hard earned money out of my pocket. I recommend that you don't buy this bound collection of toilet paper but rather spend your money on something worthwhile such as Hoffa by Sloane. Better yet some Bukowski and a bottle of 12-year-old Jameson's I just hope that I can get store credit for this, the worst piece of literary fecal mater that I have read in ten years.
Rating: 
Summary: Hey;I really enjoyed it!
Review: This book grabbed my attention and held it to the end.Another reviewer rated it low saying he much preferred Tom Wofe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" which I gave up on half way through.So;I guess how good a book is depends on the reader.I doubt that my English teacher would agree with me;but then again it wasn't he who inspired my love of reading.I worked in Lower Manhattan in the early 70's and this book brought back a lot of memories.Kelly has also portrayed the Irish blue collar and middle class culture of NY very well.There may be some things that were not entirely factual;but so what! I've read Tyler Anbinder's "Five Points" and have seen "The Gangs of New York"and I guess one might say the same about them.Remember,this is a novel written to hold one's intrest,not a history book to record facts.
Rating:
Summary: Hey;I really enjoyed it!
Review: This book grabbed my attention and held it to the end.Another reviewer rated it low saying he much preferred Tom Wofe's "Bonfire of the Vanities" which I gave up on half way through.So;I guess how good a book is depends on the reader.I doubt that my English teacher would agree with me;but then again it wasn't he who inspired my love of reading.I worked in Lower Manhattan in the early 70's and this book brought back a lot of memories.Kelly has also portrayed the Irish blue collar and middle class culture of NY very well.There may be some things that were not entirely factual;but so what! I've read Tyler Anbinder's "Five Points" and have seen "The Gangs of New York"and I guess one might say the same about them.Remember,this is a novel written to hold one's intrest,not a history book to record facts.
Rating:
Summary: This guy can really write
Review: This book kicked ... . I was really impressed with the way the writer developed the characters and constructed the scenes. Some people write books. Tom Kelly, on the other hand, is a genuine writer. I already loaned it to a friend.
Rating:
Summary: This guy can really write
Review: This book kicked ... . I was really impressed with the way the writer developed the characters and constructed the scenes. Some people write books. Tom Kelly, on the other hand, is a genuine writer. I already loaned it to a friend.
Rating:
Summary: a hypnotizing read
Review: Tom Kelly's characters are so real I expected them to jump off the pages of The Rackets and stick a gun to my head - or at least ask for my vote. I picked up the book after a long trip at ten o'clock one recent morning. I didn't put it down until I was finished reading it twelve hours later. And I didn't want it to end - the ultimate sign of a great story.
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