Here is the shocking true saga of the Irish American mob. In "Paddy Whacked," bestselling author and organized crime expert T. J. English brings... read full description
reviews
Dec 11, 2010
Steve
rated it: 
The focus of most true crime books is usually narrow, centering on a particular criminal and/or crime(s). Paddy Whacked is a different beast, much more ambitious, taking a healthy swipe at being something larger: a criminal history of a people and culture, starting in the mid-1800s, and coming up to the near present (2003). In this period, author T.J. English provides you with quite a few colorful characters, and mayhem galore. Given the nature of the subject, there's a healthy (but understan
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Jan 31, 2011
Kevin
rated it: 
John Morrissey, Mickey Featherstone, Jimmy Coonan, Danny Green, Whitey Bulger, they're all here. All your favorite Irish bad guys. An in depth look at the control that the Irish mob has been able to maintain from mid nineteenth century to the late twentieth. All topics are covered: the Kennedy assassination, the birth of the informant, the waterfront rackets, the reign of the Five Points. The amount of detail that English uses makes this read like a movie. If only all history books were written
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Apr 02, 2011
Michael
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This was a well researched and well written book that follows what the author calls the "Irish Mob" in the United States from its beginnings in New York City's Five Points section. English follows it all the way through Prohibition to the demise of what were, arguably, the last two real "Irish Mobs" in America; The Westies of NYC and the Winter Hill Gang of Boston, eventually led by the still fugitive James "Whitey" Bulger.
He describes how Irish gangs ca More...
He describes how Irish gangs ca More...
Jan 11, 2010
Ryan
rated it:
Much more fascinating that I expected it to be. Very suspenseful at times and some really great non-fiction narrative. The Westies gang of Hell's Kitchen that finishes the book, is particularly great, which should be expected as the author wrote an entire book about just them. The storytelling gets under your skin, and you start looking at the city life around you differently. It's not just a book about the Irish mobs, but also a look into the Irish immigrant experience and how they moved fr
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Sep 01, 2008
Rick
rated it: 
For all the acclaim it's received, I was very disappointed with this book. The general background on the Irish gangster seems well researched but when you get down to specifics the whole effort falls way short. Errors abound throughout (Bugs Moran was actually not Irish but the son of French-Canadian immigrants and Chicago's North Side mob could hardly be considered an Irish gang), fictional dialogue is employed throughout (thankfully sparingly), and the supposed long rivalry between Irish gangs
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Jan 31, 2009
Angie
rated it:
Very cool. It's hard to find non-fiction books in history that are not on the dry side. This wasn't the case. It was fascinating. Not that I dig organized crime, but it has it's dark allure. This book dives write into the Irish roots of it all. It touches on some of the Mafia, but it's mainly how the Paddy's really started "the mob"...why and how and where it's at today. Great stuff.
Oct 22, 2008
Matthew
rated it: 
I liked it. I found the bootlegging material was interesting, the Kennedy connections were intriguing, the Irish history made me want to learn more (I found my next book - Paddy's Lament - in his list of references), but as a whole it didn't fit together terribly well. I feel like it could have been better if he chose one topic and focused down on it, or came at it from 5000' above, but as he tried to do both, neither came off as good as it might have otherwise.
Don't get me wrong More...
Don't get me wrong More...
Aug 26, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
This is a fascinating book about the irish mob. I had no idea how much of american history was influenced by the mob. This book gets slow in parts because of all the players involved, but overall is well written and entertaining. However, I would recommend TJ English's other book - Havannah Nocturne - over this one.
Jul 05, 2011
.keli.
rated it:
I'm only about 1/4 of the way into this book, but I do really like it. It's a chewy read, not a quick one, but it's chock-full of facts about how the first mobsters got their start in America. Further down the line this book will take me to present-day Irish mob life, and I can't wait to read all about it.
Sep 01, 2009
Meghan
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I love books about gangsters & the mafia. I also love books about Ireland or the Irish. These book is BOTH. This is the story of the Irish American gangs all across the country, and the impact they had on the culture of 20th century America. Great names, great stories, a great read.
Jun 21, 2011
Patti
rated it:
By far the best history of the Irish mob in America that I have read. English keeps it historical and factual but adds a tone to his story that gives it an air of something your grandfather would tell you while you sat on his knee. It's engaging and interesting.
Apr 26, 2010
Topher
rated it:
A history of the irish gangs of America, from the earliest in Five Points until the last of the Westies (NYC) and Boston crews, as well as looking at the "dagos vs the micks" wars, and how the irish didn't end up culturally where the Mafia is today.
Apr 20, 2010
K8e
rated it:
It took me a very long time to read this book! It was a very interesting look into the lives of the Irish Mob from the last century or so. I think it took me about seven weeks to read it only in that, I would read a few pages, be introduced to ten people, only to find that several pages later, they got whacked... It dragged a little for me in the middle... It seemed it held the same type of storyline, introduce people, explain the no-good things they were up to, introduce the people that will
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Jul 24, 2011
Everyone needs an editor. T.J. English needs a better one. Not 30 pages in and already 3--THREE!--erroneous apostrophes have appeared in what appear only to be plurals. This might be overlooked when I'm not on edge studying for the bar (OK, realistically probably not, but perhaps tolerated?), but it certainly will not do currently.
Aug 04, 2011
Maiga
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Great history! This is "Gangs of New York" to "The Departed." Really useful information on the history of the police, political and electoral system.
Aug 21, 2007
Jennifer
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I read this book at the urging of a friend, who knows that i love all things irish... PaddyWhacked covers Irish gangs in America, from the 1800's mass immigration and the height of the Five Points (think "Gangs of New York"-- the book clarifies many of those characters), to the formation of the unions, the irish in local politics and how "the machine" worked, bootlegging and moonshining, interactions with the italian mafia, the rise of the Kennedys, the foundation of the FDNY
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Sep 17, 2008
James
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this was actually a really comprehensive look into the irish-american underworld and where it got started and where it (basically) ended, and gives pretty good insight into that realm.
however, it's not the most thorough (though to be so, it would probably be a LOT longer than its already 444 pages), which is a minor complaint seeing as how it is mostly an overview of the history of the irish mob, and, when it boils down to it, true crime is not necessarily my genre.
defini More...
however, it's not the most thorough (though to be so, it would probably be a LOT longer than its already 444 pages), which is a minor complaint seeing as how it is mostly an overview of the history of the irish mob, and, when it boils down to it, true crime is not necessarily my genre.
defini More...
Jul 03, 2007
OCNY
rated it:
The last true crime book I enjoyed as much was, well, TJ English's The Westies. His newest chronicles the history of Irish gangsterism in America, from 18th century potato famine immigrants to Boston bad boy Whitey Bulger. TJ English takes you on a terrific ride, through several major American cities (even Kansas City--who knew the dark side of the Irish were there, too?), enlightening you to think about history in a new way, ie, maybe the Mob really did have something to do w/the assassination
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Aug 15, 2011
great history on the building of the Irish mob infrastructure within the US that the Italian then over took
Oct 25, 2007
Michael
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A thorough historical account of the role of the Irishman in America's criminal underworld that spans over 100 years; from the Dead Rabbits gang of Little Five Points (NYC) to Papa Joe Kennedy in the mid-20th Century, and ending with Whitey Bulger in Boston. English does a respectable job of cramming what could have easily filled several large volumes into four-hundred and some odd pages. If you're a fan of history, this is very much worth your while. If you're an American of Irish descent, it's
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Dec 06, 2007
Jim
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Well, I rated this book a 3 but I did not have a chance to finish it (I got it from the local library) It is a good book and it showed me just how intolerant Americans were toward the irish and how POORLY they were treated at the hands of government and other races. It was very well written,though I found it slow at times and I almost feel the author wanted to show just how much research he had done to write the book (meaning it could have been a bit shorter)
and wanted to prove that.
and wanted to prove that.
Sep 18, 2007
This one was interesting. Especially the section about Boston and Joseph Kennedy. He ran in upper class society, but he was, no question, the boss of organized crime north of New York. Also it is clear the recent movie "The Departed" is based closely on the true story of Whitey Bulger of Boston. I had already read all the New York stuff in other books, but it was good too.
Aug 04, 2009
Catherine
rated it:
Colorful, journalistic style history of the Irish mob. I found much of the history to be an interesting read, though some of the facts had me making notes to doublecheck them. English has an interesting spin on the events though and I think the book is worth reading for what it covers of the Irish and other immigrant experience in the U.S.
Mar 14, 2008
Saved By Grace
rated it:
Had to read this for my Thesis. Long and full of bl o ody fights and a number of swearwords and everything. But very interesting. I WAS surprised to learn that Joseph Kennedy actually pulled some strings with the Irish Mob to get his son to be president.
That is true, right? English isn't just pulling my leg?
That is true, right? English isn't just pulling my leg?
May 01, 2011
R.Friend
rated it:
An engaging read covering well over a century of shenanigans. My only beef is with the excessively poor proofreading—at least one annoying typo every few pages. Aside from that, the chronology is handled well and English provides a great overview of each profile.
Feb 17, 2011
Patrick
rated it:
Thorough examination of the history of the Irish gangster in America. Entertaining, educational read for fans of history, true crime, and the underworld. There was some lazy proofreading in the last couple of chapters, but overall a great read.
