Whitey

The Life of America's Most Notorious Mob Boss

De: Dick Lehr, Gerard O'Neill

Narrado por: John Rubinstein

From the bestselling authors of Black Mass comes the definitive biography of Whitey Bulger, the most brutal and sadistic crime boss since Al Capone.

Drawing on a trove of sealed files and previously classified material, Whitey digs deep into the mind of James J. “Whitey” Bulger, the crime boss and killer who brought the FBI to its knees. He is an American original --a psychopath who fostered a following with a frightening mix of terror, deadly intimidation and the deft touch of a politician who often helped a family in need meet their monthly rent. But the history shows that despite the early false myths portraying him as a Robin Hood figure, Whitey was a supreme narcissist, and everything--every interaction with family and his politician brother Bill Bulger, with underworld cohorts, with law enforcement, with his South Boston neighbors, and with his victims--was always about him. In an Irish-American neighborhood where loyalty has always been rule one, the Bulger brand was loyalty to oneself.

Whitey deconstructs Bulger's insatiable hunger for power and control. Building on their years of reporting and uncovering new Bulger family records, letters and prison files, Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill examine and reveal the factors and forces that created the monster. It's a deeply rendered portrait of evil that spans nearly a century, taking Whitey from the streets of his boyhood Southie in the 1940s to his cell in Alcatraz in the 1950s to his cunning, corrupt pact with the FBI in the 1970s and, finally, to Santa Monica, California where for fifteen years he was hiding in plain sight as one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted. In a lifetime of crime and murder that ended with his arrest in June 2011, Whitey Bulger became one of the most powerful and deadly crime bosses of the twentieth century. This is his story.

It covered the life of Whitey!

It covered the life of Whitey! s
Simply covers it, from alpha to omega... I really enjoyed this audiobook!

Spellbinding

It hooks you taking you down a deep dark abyss leading you to the cold blue eyes and smile landing at the feet of the Prince of Darkness James J. “Whitey” Bulger.

Entertainingly written story

The story is accurate, detailed and well written. The story moved swiftly and was always entertaining along with being detailed and accurate.

The hypocrisy

The in depth facts of the case for all involved in such a public entity and life around the average citizen.

Amazing story of a mob boss

What did you love best about Whitey?

Truly a case of truth being stranger than fiction !!

Any additional comments?

Good narration and easy to listen

Whitey was misunderstood!

Pick in’ on Whitey. Give the guy a break. His mom loved him. That’s all for now.

History & Context

This is the entire life story of Boston’s boogeyman, including his disappearance and capture. Whitey’s dad and JFK’s dad knew each other? That makes sense.

simply "LOVED IT"

I saw the film "Black Mass" and wanted to know about this "Man". I wanted to know what made him the way he is known now. Now I have more insight and understand this was unfortunately his destiny. The stars were aligned for this Monster!!! I admit I was a wee bit prejudiced before reading this book. But the amazing way his story was written helped quell this predicament. I couldn't turn it off. I made excuses to listen as often as I could. I did other people's errands and cleaned my house more often than usual :). It flew by faster than I wanted. Oh my soooo good. I became the story covered within every word and every sound. After I finish writing this review I am off to listening once again. Enjoy!!!!!!!

Slow start but don't give up

Almost gave up at beginning. First three hours consist of Bulger family history and the history of the Irish in Canada and Boston. Also the CIA experiments with LSD in the 50s, which have been covered elsewhere. Read this book for Whitey Bulger, not a history lesson. I read Black Mass nearly 20 years ago and wondered if this title would be just padding. But it picked up after once Bulger hit his teenage years and began his life of crime. Real insights into Bulger's character and adds Bulger's 16 years as a fugitive.

Excellent in-depth book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book covers a lot of things that are in almost every other book about Whitey. There are parts that go farther then any other book out there. Also, there are times when they assume you know certain things about Whitey already. My advice would be to either listen to this one only, or get a smaller book about Whitey and have some basic knowledge about him already. If you already know a lot about Whitey, like I did, there is not much new. But it does go into a lot of personal things that I have not heard in other books, or that other books don't go into near as much detail.