The Dillinger Days

Rating:
Summary: Roaring Thirties!
Review: I can't comment on the veracity of Tolands account, so this review deals with the book's impact on someone reading about the 30's American Gangster era for the first time. The book is fast & furious. It has a style & pace that seems totally in sync' with the wild events & full-blooded characters involved. Dillinger & Company come alive here. The accounts were thrilling, detailed & totally enjoyable. Although the author is commendably non-judgemental, not unsurprisingly, Dillinger comes over as the Class-Act of the the mobs. Whilst he certanly had a style, I use the word "class" with some reservation! The rest were just out & out villians! I was pleased to see the lawmen get a fair share of the action. The dedication & bravery of these men is in the most part commendable & a credit to their profession. The thought of facing up to a gang, including such vicious characters as Baby Face Nelson & Homer Van Meter, armed to the teeth with automatic weapons, is chilling indeed. The bank escapes give the reader a good feel of the times. It seemed that a five minute chase from any city centre bank would find the fugitives deep inside a maze of unmade roads. An almost total lack of communication between law enforcers, plus State Line jusridiction restrictions made the already fraught pursuit of these characters difficult indeed. I thoroughly enjoyed the book & recommend it very highly. I also agree that it is a good "appetite whetter" for more books of similar genre.

Rating:
Summary: The Dillinger Days
Review: I give "The Dillinger Days" by John Toland 3-Stars for research and photography. Although this book is not the most accurate, it does display information that was available at the time of this publication. Today we have a better factual picture on events of the Dillinger era. Over the years many have bred mythology, speading fictitious imaginary stories creating false beliefs. However, I have to agree with historian and author Rick Mattix, The Dillinger Days is a good starting point for first time Dillinger readers. Good Book!

Rating:
Summary: Dillinger Days
Review: The Dillinger Days is an all around great read. Though predominantly a biography of famed bank robber John Dillinger, it is not exclusively about him. Instead, Toland writes about the Midwest crime wave of the 30's, and its principle characters. There are great portraits of Bonnie and Clyde, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Ma Barker Gang. Other less well known gangs such as the College Kidnappers are also brought to light. However, the best parts of the book deal with Dillinger, who is portrayed not as a violent, mindless thug, but as a complicated man who was always at odds with his own celebrity. This book is very readable, and really brings the 1920's to life.