‘Paddy Whacked’ gives untold story of Irish-American gangsters
It is very rare that St. Patrick’s Day ever gets recognized, except for the fact that it gives people a reason to drink green beer.
In order to honor St. Patrick’s Day, it only seemed reasonable to include a book review on Irish history, but this is not one to yawn at.
“ Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish-American Gangster” is not a typical history book on the Irish, but instead a history of the Irish-American gangster.
Author T.J. English’s history of Irish criminals focuses a great degree on the blurred boundaries between politics and crime among early Irish immigrants. Many of the immigrants were instantly recruited to a political machine or group by political fixers who found jobs for the immigrants, places to live and other essential favors in return for their vote as soon as immigrants set foot on new soil.
The book covers topics from the entrance of the new world as immigrants came to America to the political bosses and criminals who began to slowly take over towns through the use of persuasion and violence.
The introduction gives a great insight to the history behind why the Irish immigrants began to come over to America and why they slowly began to join the factions and mobs that took control of towns and cities.
English does a wonderful job bringing to life the most famous Irish-American gangsters, including Jack “Legs” Diamond, Dean O’Banion and Owney Madden. He also gives a re-encounter of the last great Irish-American criminal, James “Whitney” Bulger, a vicious Boston mobster whose career in organized crime was aided by renegade FBI agents.
“ Paddy Whacked” is a wonderful read for anyone who is interested in the history of crime in America. English sticks to the straight facts on the events and people and doesn’t insert his own opinions, which makes the book a more credible read.
As the idea of mobs and gangsters continues to disappear from the daily lives of society, books like “Paddy Whacked” will keep these stories from becoming the stuff of legend.