Johnnie Death
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- Synopsis
- This exciting new novel, inspired by John Dillinger's life, rages with the raw power of a Kansas tornado. This is the legendary Johnnie, driven by crazy dreams, explosive violence, and a thousand hungry desires. This is the wild young man who lived a lifetime in a few short months of glory, a life filled with fat bank accounts and blazing guns - till the woman in red betrayed him.Powerful in language, towering in scope, this is Johnnie at his zenith - the stuff of legends and the soul of the American Dream.
- Copyright:
- 2012
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- ISBN-13:
- 9781440563256
- Publisher:
- F+W Media
- Date of Addition:
- 06/12/13
- Copyrighted By:
- William Schnurr
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Literature and Fiction, Mystery and Thrillers
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.
Reviews
4 out of 5
By Kyle Massey on Jul 11, 2013
Who's William Schnurr? I don't know either, but this appears to be the only book he wrote. But it's a good one, as he retells the story of John Dillinger, from the perspective of Shorty, John's best friend since childhood. Ever since I read Ron Hansen's "The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford" (not on BookShare, but if y'all are signed up for BARD, they've got it--READ IT!), I've always been on the hunt for more books of the same style: fictionalized, but highly factual, accounts of historical events, particularly those related to crime. So far, Johnnie Death probably comes closest. Schnurr does see fit to change names (Johnnie's last name is Donner in this book), but if you're familiar with the Dillinger story, you'll recognize the people and places. Shorty's narrating style is wry and rueful as he recounts their shared story, from their growing-up years in Indiana, to their nine-year prison stint for an ill-planned, poorly-executed robbery attempt, to their fourteen months of bank heists, shootouts with the law, and the national hysteria that ensued. There are plenty of comic adventures, as, left to his own devices, John's endeavors often turn into farces (sometimes deadly ones), and the cops, particularly the Feds, are portrayed as bungling idiots. Really the only drawback to the book is the writing style. For one thing, Schnurr LOVES adverbs, which often makes his writing seem clunky and awkward. But if you can get past that, Johnnie Death is highly enjoyable.