totse.com | Reccomend Me Good Books on Crime

Hobbes · #1 2007-04-15, 04:48

Yes, please do.

dDIzzIEe · #2 2007-04-15, 06:25

Check out In Danger; Or Life in New York: A True History of a Great City's Wiles and Temptations - True Facts and Disclosures by Howe and Hummel, 'the celebrated criminal lawyers.'

Quote:

This book is a comprehensive look at crime in New York City in the late 19th century. The authors write: "Despite the efficiency of our police and the activity of our many admirable reforming and reclaiming systems, crime still abounds, while the great tide of social impurity continues to roll one with unabated velocity." (p. iii) The authors go into depth in the history of prisons and punishment in the City, the activity of gangs, historical criminals, shop-lifting, robbery, abortion, divorce, black-mail, gambling, and slums. There is also a chapter in which the authors compare and contrast the City's detectives with the detectives in fiction. The book ends with stories of a number of interesting cases.
Book. 1886

(From a book review of another book:)

Quote:

''In Danger, or Life in New York: A True History of the Great City's Wiles and Temptations,'' which, pretending to be a stern moral warning, was in fact a crook's guide to ''blackmail . . . cardsharping and safecracking.''

Quote:

Howe and Hummel was a New York law firm, celebrated in the latter half of the nineteenth century and principally renowned for its active involvement in crime and corruption.

[...]

Bill Howe's persuasive abilities were the stuff of legend. Perhaps his most notable achievement was to get a client, Ella Nelson, acquitted on a charge of wilful murder. Howe admitted that the girl had been armed with a revolver, but successfully persuaded a jury that her trigger finger had accidentally slipped not just once, but four times.

Among Abe Hummel's most celebrated achievements was the discovery of an error in procedure that led to the release of 240 of the 300 prisoners on Blackwell's Island in a single day. On another occasion, the partners invoked a technicality that, had it been allowed, would have set free every prisoner awaiting trial, or recently convicted, of first degree murder in the state of New York, and made it impossible for the authorities to obtain further capital convictions for murder for a period of several months.

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howe_and_Hummel

If you desire more specific suggestions, you'll have to make a more specific enquiry...

Hobbes · #3 2007-04-15, 21:16

Theres a reason why you make my Top 5 favorite totse posters....

I'll ahve to check that book out.

To be more detailed, I wanted to do some reading about inner city crime, mostly the flow of guns and drugs and the micro economy that they create.

As well as the ins and outs of bank robbery and heist type crime.

A third topic would be scams and cons. I ask you specifically cause its very evident you know your shit. I have read what you have writen on Rorta and that ebook Escape you reccomended. Anything else that you hold as a personal favorite?

napoleon_complex · #4 2007-04-16, 01:09

Gangs of new York covers those aspects from a historical perspective. I know for a fact(I own the book) that it covers the start of the drug trade among new york gangs(including Chinese opium dens), prostitution, the rise of the gun in new york gang violence, and a chunk of the book is dedicated to talking about bank robberies/heists.

I've seen a book about the history of prostitution that might interest you, but I can't recall the name.

5150 · #5 2007-04-16, 03:45

http://crimemagazine.com/CrimeBooks/crimebooks.htm

Unabomber : Desire to Kill

Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member
by Sanyika Shakur

Taingo · #6 2007-04-18, 01:02

The Hannibal Lector series, or anything by Thomas Harris, I think his name is I could be wrong though.

ganjaninja · #7 2007-04-20, 22:52

George Pelecanos is one of the head writers on The Wire, and he also writes fantastic niggerish crime novels based in Washington D.C. His most popular books are probably King Suckerman, Soul Circus and Shame the Devil.

Black Flag · #8 2007-04-24, 07:59

Crime and Punishment?

legituser · #9 2007-04-24, 10:47

The life and crimes of Richard Ramirez.

Hobbes · #10 2007-04-27, 02:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by ganjaninja View Post

George Pelecanos is one of the head writers on The Wire, and he also writes fantastic niggerish crime novels based in Washington D.C. His most popular books are probably King Suckerman, Soul Circus and Shame the Devil.

Im chillin on Right as Rain right now. Its decent. Another book I am working my way through is Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, which is excellent.