“Whitey” by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill – The American Al Capone

When it comes to powerful old-time gangsters, it's mostly Italian and Sicilian names that come to mind (and perhaps a few Jewish ones), such as Al Capone, “Lucky” Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Vito Genovese and Joseph Bonanno, just to name a few. As you would expect though, they are far from being the only people to have taken organized crime to the next level.

Amongst the many other deadly crime bosses that came and went during the 20th century is one that won't soon be forgotten, especially by the American law enforcement agencies: James J. “Whitey” Bulger.

Seeing the necessity in chronicling his unusual life, reporters Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill decided to write a book about him, and it is very appropriately titled Whitey: The Life of America's Most Notorious Crime Boss.

To begin with, it ought to be mentioned that both Lehr and O'Neill have been touching on the subject of organized crime in Boston for decades. Many years ago, they risked their lives trying to tell the stories of corruption, of an FBI force that arrested the Italian gangsters while letting the Irish ones ply their trade free of any worries.

They have been trying to expose the web of corruption that was spun between businessmen, politicians, journalists, law enforcement agencies, and mobsters. Though they may not have achieved all they had planned for back then, it seems they have finally won the race and managed to break all the secrets out into the open.

There is a certain narrative element to the book, but on the whole it reads more like a rather strict documentary, one that goes along in chronological order and attempts to explore the nooks and crannies of Whitey, as well as organized crime in Boston at that time in general.

This means that certain parts of the book are more focused on the big picture rather than the man, but it seems like sooner or later it all ties to the main subject; such was his reach.

Those who are specifically looking to learn about Whitey's life, where he came from, his upbringing, adolescent years, ascension to power within the crime world, years at the top, his latter years spent as a fugitive hiding in plain sight... you'll find it all in here. Certain descriptions of his crimes lack detail and leave a bit up to the imagination, but in the end it doesn't make or break the grand portrait.

I mentioned before that the book is also about corruption and organized crime in Boston at that time, and those who are interested in the context will also be more than satisfied. Lehr and O'Neill have really done their research and discuss other players that had a role in Whitey's rise to power, such as Mike Barnicle, the columnist who basically wrote whatever he was paid to, depicting Whitey as more of a misunderstood Robin Hood figure, and the corrupt senator William Bulger.

All in all, while the book may lack a tiny bit in the entertainment factor, it's safe to say that very few other works out there, if any, come close to giving such a vivid and detailed portrayal of Whitey Bulger and the corruption which reigned in both politics and law enforcement agencies at the time. It's an engrossing lesson in history anyone interested in the subject will appreciate.

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Dick Lehr Personal site Dick Lehr is an American professor of journalism at the Boston University and worked as a reporter for the Boston Globe from 1985 to 2003. He was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting, and is the author of numerous acclaimed non-fiction books, including The Fence, Black Mass and its sequel, Whitey.

Gerard O'Neill Gerard O'Neill is an American newspaper editor who began his work all the way back in 1966 with Globe, and then became the top editor of the Boston Globe's investigative journalism group known as the Spotlight Team. He co-authored The Underboss and Black Mass, and received a number of awards including a Pulitzer Prize, the Hancock Award, the Loeb Award, and the 2000 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime.