Reviews (5)

A book with a hard-to-define style...
Was this meant to be a chronology? Or did Vague intend to write in clipped, newsreader style, much as the RAF itself was reported on the TV news? In any case, the book is difficult to follow for anyone who is not familiar with Baader-Meinhof and the Red Army Fraktion, and if you ARE familiar the information is presented in so many snippets that it would seem to me to be annoying.
Not the best thing you can find
This is a short chronic of the German terrorist group Red Army Fraction - not very detailed but quite accurate. One weak spot however - the author seems to have some understanding for this band of mad murderers, which is itself hard to understand - at least for me.

"I state here that none of us intend to kill ourselves."
It's been a long time since I've been astounded by a non-fiction book, but after finishing "Televisionaries: The Red Army Faction Story 1963-1993", I put the book down and just tried to absorb what I'd read. The Red Army Faction had its rather innocuous beginnings in Germany in the early 60s. The name was created as a sort of joke--a combination of the Royal Air Force and the Red Army. Founded by Horst Mahler (and his leadership was short), the members of the Red Army Faction (in reality, a handful of individuals) informally banded together ostensibly to protest the Vietnam War, the continuance of Fascism in the BRD, and to support the Palestinian cause. Initially, the RAF was quite harmless--it was all just theory. Several student organizations existed that opposed the political climate in West Germany, but their actions were mainly pranks. For example, the SDS (Socialist Student Movement) planned to lob custard pies at American VP, Hubert Humphrey. The student movements heated up rapidly after protests were staged against the Shah of Iran's visit to Berlin. In the first violence to occur, student, Benno Ohnesorg was shot in the head by the Popo (Political Police). Things rapidly escalated, and disintegrated from this incident. Read more

Subjects:  1. Baader-Meinhof gang    2. Germany (West)    3. History    4. History - U.S.    5. History: American    6. History: World    7. Terrorism    8. Terrorists    9. United States - 20th Century    10. History / United States / 20th Century    11. Political activism    12. USA   

Editorial Review

How do you rid a city of a brutal crack-trafficking gang whose members have held a seven-year reign of terror and murdered at least 60 people, many of them in public, without threatening the lives of your witnesses? Pull them up by the roots. In the early 1990s in New York City, a 19-year-old college student was shot to death while driving down a highway when the leader of the Red-Tops (also known as the Wild Cowboys) decided to test fire his new Uzi. What began as one policeman's search for an answer to this senseless murder eventually turned into an investigation into a vast conspiracy of crime, an investigation that involved police from Manhattan and the South Bronx and New York's only dedicated drug gang unit, the Homicide Investigations Unit (HIU). It turned out to be the biggest and one of the longest investigations ever conducted by the HIU (four years to bring the gang's leaders to prosecution, six months of trial), and was unusual in that it involved so many agencies.Read more

Reviews (11)

Gangbuster: How a street tough, Elite Homicide Took Down New
I once live on Beekman but moved before all the Redtop Yellow top saga really got moving, reading this book let me see what my brother and his kids lived through, Mr. Stone really captured the gang and there doings well

An okay read. . .
"Gangbusters" is an okay, but not a great book about criminals. You want a killer read about crime? Try "Black Mass: The Irish Mob, The FBI and A Devil's Deal" by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill. Now that's a wild book. And all true too.

A bit of reality...yes!
This book caught my eye because I remember when the Wild Cowboys weren't in books but instead running the streets of Washington Heights and they were known as the Lenny Boys.Being a native New Yorker from Washington Heights, i only saw the good side of the Lenny boys lifestyle...the money, cars, weed, and women.Oh yes, they were making money illegally but from seeing these guys in the streets no one would ever imagine that they were responsible for so many murders in NYC.Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Murder - General    3. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. True Crime / Espionage    7. True Crime / Murder   

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States   

Reviews (1)

Laurel and Hardy Location book a success!
This is one of the first books I read after moving to Los Angeles and I had blast driving around with another L&H fan finding the various locations. Wonderful book. Only problem is that there aren't more of them! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Cinema/Film: Book    3. Comedy films    4. Film & Video - General    5. Guidebooks    6. History and criticism    7. Los Angeles Region    8. Los Angeles Region (Calif.)    9. Motion picture locations    10. Our Gang films    11. Performing Arts    12. United States    13. Films, cinema    14. Hardy, Oliver    15. Homes and haunts    16. Laurel, Stan    17. USA   

Reviews (1)

most difficult ee book I have ever seen
This book literally has more equations than text. Maybe thatsRead more

Subjects:  1. Adaptive control systems    2. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    3. Robotics    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. System Theory    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Automatic control engineering    9. Science / System Theory   

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. General    3. Offenses And Offenders    4. Social Science    5. Social Situations And Conditions    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. True Crime / Espionage    9. Crime & criminology    10. True Crime / General   

Reviews (1)

Useful, readable
As a (former) Bay Area gang officer, I find that my personal experience validates Dr. Klein's research, surmises, and experience.I appreciate his moderate stance based on research rather than ideology.I have reread the work several times, and reference it constantly while performing any level of public education.I hope that the assertions on reducing cohesiveness are considered in forming community responses, and that Dr. Klein's thoughtful methodology becomes the norm, and not a threat to institutions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Linguistics    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. Law | Criminology and Criminal Justice    9. Organized crime    10. Social Science / Criminology    11. USA    12. Urban communities   

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Gangs    3. Juvenile delinquency    4. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    5. Other Miscellaneous Crimes    6. Sociology    7. United States    8. Violence in Society   

Reviews (1)

A winner you will not want to put down.
Way more than just the LA Crip/Blood stereotype.That's in there, sure, but Sean Donahue has also chosen really readable selections on soccer hooligans, neo-nazis and the skinheads who are NOT nazis, NY gangs of the 1800's, common street tough gangs, organized drug dealers, kidnap rings in El Salvador, Vietnamese gangs and two fascinating "anti-gang" pieces on a DA who turned to the dark side trying to bust up a gang, and a gang being decimated by drug addiction.It's fast-paced, exciting, and you'll find yourself staying up late to read "just one more" story.My only off-note: regrettably there is none of Hunter Thompson Hell's Angels work; I'd have swapped that for the Clockwork Orange excerpt.But you'll really enjoy what IS in there and probably learn something. About half the selections are full pieces, not excerpts, but the stuff pulled from bigger works is well chosen and you don't feel left hanging.It's just over 300 pages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Gangs    3. General    4. History    5. History: American    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - Urban    8. United States    9. United States - 20th Century   

Subjects:  1. California    2. Ethnic Studies - Hispanic American Studies    3. Female gangs    4. Gangs    5. Hispanic American women    6. Minority Studies - General    7. Oakland    8. Popular Culture - Counter Culture    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States - State & Local - West    12. Ethnography    13. Social Science / Minority Studies    14. Women's studies   

Reviews (2)

Not surprising that nobody read it
First, lets consider the source.Nina appears to be a very nice person and very attractive.But she is a liberal.She writes for the Boston Globe, not a publication who is tolerant of conservative views. This is akin to having Yankees fans review the Red Sox fans conduct.Its not only skewed but also deliberately contrived to create a sinister appearance and motive of the 'five'.
Learn about the internal makeup of the conservative movement
Being a Leftist, I didn't know much about how the conservative movement actually works.After reading this book, I think I understand it a little better.I had always known that the Republican Party is fractured, with religious conservatives and economic libertarians forming a coalition of people who have little in common with one another.This book showed me that there are even more divisions than that.Read more

Subjects:  1. Essays    2. General    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. Political Process - Political Parties    5. Political Science    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    10. Political Science / General   

Reviews (12)

GREAT GANG IDENTIFICATION BOOK!
Sach's book has been used here at our local high school for the last several years, when one of the city's juvenile probation officer brought it to identify a piece of school graffiti. Bought several copies for the teacher's lounge / library. A welcomed addition! Great illustrations, author knows his gangs. Excellent chapter written just for schools----includes an assessment tool to evaluate gang infiltration within your own school. Would highly recommend for anyone who comes into contact with gangs.

GREAT GANG IDENTIFICATION BOOK!
Sach's book has been used here at our local high school for the last several years, when one of the city's juvenile probation officer brought it to identify a piece of school graffiti. Bought several copies for the teacher's lounge / library. A welcomed addition! Great illustrations, author knows his gangs. Excellent chapter written just for schools----includes an assessment tool to evaluate gang infiltration within your own school. Would highly recommend for anyone who comes into contact with gangs.

Very Well Researched
A very well researched book, by a knowledgeable author. A few things were out of date, but with the fluidity of gangs, turf wars, etc. that can be expected. More books should be available for people to inform themselves, like this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Gangs    3. General    4. Juvenile Delinquency    5. Prevention    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. United States    10. Life Skills & Personal Awareness, General Studies    11. Organized crime    12. Social Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Baader-Meinhof gang    3. Civilization    4. Congresses    5. Europe - General    6. Europe - Germany    7. Europe, Central    8. Germany    9. History    10. History - General History    11. Radicalism    12. Social Science    13. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. True Crime    2. New York    3. Organized crime    4. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Gangs    3. Missouri    4. Revenge    5. Saint Louis    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Vendetta    9. Crime & criminology    10. Social Science / Criminology   

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Gangs    3. Social Science    4. Social Work    5. Sociology    6. United States    7. Law / Criminal Law    8. Social groups & communities    9. Social, group or collective psychology    10. USA    11. Violence in society   

Reviews (7)

East Side Dreams
Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine October 2002 VOYA East Side Dreams
The Midwest Book Review. May 7, 2002 Highly recommended reading for young adults
East Side Dreams is the debut book and memoir Art Rodriguez, of a Latino American who survived growing up on the rough side, at odds with a dictatorial father, and once an inmate of the California Youth Authority -- a prison system for young lawbreakers. Reflections on both happy and miserable times of his childhood, growing up, learning maturity and finally making a comfortable life for himself fill this heartfelt and revealing personal testimony. Highly recommended reading for young adults, East Side Dreams has justly earned the distinctions of being named the "Best First Book of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame", and has been honored as one of 200 Best Teenage Books in the United States by the New York Public Library System. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1950 or 51    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography & Autobiography - Cultural Heritage    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. California    7. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    8. Gang members    9. General    10. Hispanic American youth    11. Law & Crime    12. People & Places - United States - Hispanic/Latino    13. Rodriguez, Art,    14. San Jose    15. Social conditions    16. Childhood and youth    17. Hispanic American authors    18. Hispanic authors    19. Juvenile Nonfiction / Ethnic / Hispanic & Latino    20. Juvenile delinquents    21. Mexican-American authors    22. Rodriguez, Art   

Reviews (1)

Great Format for Acupunture & Herbal uses on Conditions/Diseases
This is a great reference tool.. even almost easy for a person who's only taken an introductory a chinese medicine class. The table of contents is listed by conditions/symptoms which is very effificent & fast reference tool. Each condition is then divided by specific causes whether it's from say in example the liver rather then the spleen. It's lists specific differences in symptoms to know which organs are affected & true source of the malady. It then tells you what acupunture/accupressure points to do even getting in to specifics such as add a point if another symptom shows up to also what herbal forumals to use. Most acupressure books only list one or 2 points to use on EVERYONE for each condition which is not always accurate. Knowing the exact cause & which organs are affected is the most important. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. Medical    3. Medical / Nursing    4. Medicine, Chinese    5. China    6. Family & Health    7. Traditional medicine & remedies   

Subjects:  1. Torrio, Johnny   

Reviews (1)

Very detailed and interesting
� The Shanghai Green Gang � is probably the best book in English available on the subject at the moment. It traces the origins of the Gang back to the Chinese professional trade federations and secret societies of old China and presents in detail its rise and criminal activities at its peak period, between the enforcement of the opium ban in 1919, until the Japanese invasion in 1937. Brian Martin, presented as a � Senior China Analyst for the Australian Government � argues successfully that the Green Gang , far formbeing a leftover from medieval China, as secret societies often tend to be seen, was a symptom of China's modernization, spawned by Shanghai's unique colonial status, booming economy, decaying administration and revolutionary undercurrents. Unsurprisingly, the story revolves around opium lord Du Yuesheng but this book still gives a comprehensive picture of the whole gallery of green gang bosses. The relationship between the gang and French authorities in Shanghai is well-documented, as well as the shift of the gang's activities from the French concession to the kuomintang spheres in the early thirties. A must-have for any old Shanghai book collector.
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Subjects:  1. 1888-1951    2. Asia - China    3. China - History - 20th Century    4. Du, Yuesheng,    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Organized Crime    8. Politics and government    9. Qing bang (Society)    10. Shanghai (China)    11. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    12. China    13. History / General    14. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    15. Tu, Yüeh-sheng