Product Description

Even among the Mob, the Westies were feared. Out of a partnership between two sadistic thugs - James Coonan and Mickey Featherstone - the gang dominated the decaying slice of New York City's West Side known as Hell's Kitchen in the 1970s and '80s. Excelling in extortion, numbers running, loansharking and drug-peddling, they became the most notorious gang in the history of organized crime. The then prosecutor Rudolf Giuliani called them 'the most savage organisation in the long history of New York street gangs'. Upping the ante on brutality and depravity, their speciality when it came to punishment and killings was dismemberment. Their reign lasted almost twenty - their end would come as their own violent natures got the best of them and precipitated a downfall as infamous as their rise. This revised and updated edition, brings the story of the Westies up to date with 'where are they now' snapshots of the men - and women - of the Westies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7032 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 528 pages

From the Back Cover
Even among the Mob, the Westies were feared.

Born out of a partnership between two sadistic thugs – James Coonan and Mickey Featherstone – the Westies dominated Hell’s Kitchen in the 1970s and ’80s.

They were, in the words of then-prosecutor Rudolf Guiliani, ‘the most savage organization in the long history of New York street gangs’. They excelled in extortion, numbers running, loan sharking, drugs. Upping the ante on brutality and depravity, their speciality was dismemberment. And it was their own violent natures that precipitated a downfall as infamous and bloody as their rise.

Now published in the UK for the first time, T. J. English’s bestselling true-crime classic has now been revised and updated, providing ‘where are they now’ snapshots of the men – and women – in the Westies, and of those who brought them down.

About the Author
T.J. English is a noted journalist and screenwriter, and is the author of three other books: Old Bones and Shallow Graves, Born To Kill and just published, The Havan Mob. He has written for numerous publications, including Esquire and Playboy, while his screenwriting credits include work on NYPD Blue and Homicide. The Westies was his first book, became a US bestseller and launched its author's career as an expert on the multi-ethnic nature of organised crime in America. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

A Brutal tour de force tale of The Irish Mob
The Westies not only captures the life and violent times of the notorious West Side Crew but, the experience of the Irish American Community in its most turbulent period. Spanning from the '30's and 40's to the mid-eighties, a time of great change for the Irish in America, it deals with the intrigue, violence and betrayal that underpinned the rule of Jimmy Coonan, his dealings with the Gambinos and the resentment it caused within the Westies. Throughout this it, reflects the social changes that followed the gentrification of Hell's Kitchen and the decline of its original community. The violence of the gang is not down played and makes for harrowing yet compelling reading, the irrational and barbaric murders committed by the group still stand out in a city with a very violent criminal subculture. in fact the gang's reckless attitude toward murder made even the Mafia wary of them. Well written and painstakingly researched, the book is invaluable to any self respecting student of organised crime and throws a light onto a little known but important chapter in the history of New York's Criminal history.

The best of it's breed
Real life crime. By far the best genre of writing, and this book is by far the best of it's bunch. The author tells the story through the eyes of one man, and while you are never encouraged to feel symapthy you are asked to understand his choices. As barbaric as the acts of violence are, they somehow seem justified considering the world that is being delved into. The only criticism, and it's not a major one, is that it helps if you are well read on New York crime, not that it stops your enjoyment but it helps in understanding some of the bit part characters. However, what sets this book apart is the way it ties in the Italian and Irish organised crime syndicates, you can see why they worked together, with the Italian organisation and the Irish propensity, and love, for violence they were a devastating combination.

Hmmm, Good this.......Very Good.
Well, what can I say? This book blew me away! I couldn't put it down from start to finish. The author's energy and detailed researching really make the whole story come across amazingly well. I only plumbed for the book on account I'm Irish myself and was curious to read about something ("The Westies")I'd never heard of. If you want a book that can make you gasp out loud on occasions, this is it! Utterly enthralling!