Book Review - Most Wanted

Most Wanted: Pursuing Whitey Bulger, the Murderous Mob Chief the FBI Secretly Protected

By: Thomas J. Foley and John Sedgwick
Publisher: Touchstone
Publication Date: May 2012
ISBN: 978-1451663914
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: May 2012

James “Whitey” Bulger was one of the country’s most horrific mobsters. The head of the Winter Hill Gang from South Boston, he ruled for several decades while the FBI looked the other way. Then, in the mid-90s, when the tireless investigative team led by Thomas Foley was closing in on Bulger, he was tipped off and fled. After sixteen years living as a fugitive with his girlfriend, he was finally captured and now awaits trail. This is the riveting behind the scenes story of Whitey Bulger, the bloody trail he left and how he was finally found, told by the man who led that investigation.

The author of Most Wanted, Thomas J. Foley knows the Bulger case like no other person in law enforcement and he breaks it all down in this book, from Bulger’s childhood, first scuffles with the law, to his growing power and murderous rampages. Accused of killing 19 people (and possibly more), Bulger was trouble from the start. While his brother Billy was studious and would later rise to the powerful position of president of the Massachusetts State Senate, Whitey's first arrest came early in life. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force after being charged with rape, and in 1956, after returning to Massachusetts, sentenced to twenty years for bank robbery. That would be the last Whitey would see of a prison for a very long time.

Released from prison after serving just nine years, Whitey continued his life of crime and in the 1960s, aligned himself with one of the local Irish gangs. A gang war was going on and Whitey, through manipulation and murder, rose to the top of the Winter Hill Gang. From there, he would reign through the 90s, controlling much of organized crime’s activities in Massachusetts.

Foley, the former head of the Massachusetts State Police, was also the commander of the SSS (Special Services Section) and was in charge of bringing Bulger and his right-hand man, Steve Flemmi, to justice. He recounts the attempts in the 80s to get Bulger, with sweeping ideas of bugging every home, car and restaurant where members of the gang were known to hang out. Unfortunately, Bulger was always one step ahead and bugs were removed faster than they were placed in hiding spots. In the 90s, with Foley in charge, the focus of the investigation was changed and attention was turned first to the lowly bookies; get them, surmised Foley, and they’d be able to go up the chain of command in the Winter Hill Gang. The author provides a fascinating look into how they went about getting various members, and how those members were convinced to testify (and why some refused).

Foley suspected early on that there was something going on with the FBI, and when his suspicions were proven, we see what the author had to deal with to keep his case alive. He was stymied almost every step of the way by the FBI, and particularly by John Connolly, Bulger’s FBI contact. Many men would give up and walk away but Foley was tireless, in part no doubt, because the victims’ families were desperate for help. Through testimony from Bulger’s accomplices, the reader will learn just what happened to many of the crime boss’s victims, how he liked to do the killings himself, and what was done with the bodies. Considered by some in South Boston as a sort of Robin Hood, this book brings to light the absolutely horrific, disgusting man Whitey Bulger was, and no doubt, still is today. Thanks to Foley’s efforts, he will finally be brought to justice when his trial starts later this year. Hopefully it will also bring some semblance of peace to those who suffered at Bulger’s hands.

Quill says: An eye-opening, fascinating look into the life of Whitey Bulger and how a team of dedicated law enforcement officers brought him to justice.

Book Review - No Crystal Stair

No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller

By: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Publication Date: February 2012
ISBN: 978-0761361695
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: May 5, 2012

More than anything Lewis wanted a bicycle, but there wasn’t any money for one. His father, John Henry Michaux, was a "smart Negro," but the money he made from his store wasn't enough for frivolous things like a bike. He told his son to pray "and the Lord will provide." Lewis did his own providing and went out and stole one. What was the sense of working when a boy could get one free for the taking? Lewis's mother, Blanche, who was "strung tight as a Banjo," made no effort to hide who was her favorite child and it sure wasn’t that thief Lewis. Lightfoot Solomon was her favorite; a boy who was "born for greatness."

When Lewis's mother was sent to Central State Hospital in Petersburg, Virginia for "nervous exhaustion," he began to act out even more than before. John Henry was exasperated by his fourteen-year-old son and was appalled when "The judge sentenced [his] boy to twenty lashes for stealing a sack of peanuts." Would the boy ever amount to anything or was he simply destined for a life of crime? His brother Lightfoot had little hope for him when five years later the boy ended up serving time on a chain gang. Blanche had high hopes for Lightfoot, but not that boy.

Lewis would never be like Lightfoot, but when he read copies of "Negro World" with his father, there was an inkling of what he could be, how his life would change. Marcus Garvey wrote that they needed "to take pride in our race, embrace our history." Lewis grew closer to his father and began to embrace Garvey's ideas. When John Henry died, his wayward son took a cool thousand and headed to Philly. Brother Norris was not far behind, nor was Lightfoot's comment that Lewis had partnered with the Devil. Trouble was indeed on the horizon and it wasn’t long before Lewis lost an eye when he was a bit too brazen with a police officer. He claimed that "sometime's it's a good idea to stay quiet," but would he? Could he?

Lightfoot began preaching about God, while Norris became a pool shark and Lewis did some thinking. He was reading about and listening to the likes of Garvey and Frederick Douglass. Now they had something worthwhile to say. Not that Lightfoot's Church of God didn't but Lewis, who would one day be called "The Professor," believed that his people needed to read. They needed to read "books for black people, books about black people here and around the world." It was all about education, all about empowerment. With five books and a hundred dollar loan from the brother who wanted to write him off, Lewis started the National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem. Was he a fool or would his dream become reality?

An unlikely hero, this simple Harlem bookseller achieved his dream and in doing so spurred many others to achieve theirs as they empowered themselves. This book, written by Lewis's great-niece, superbly captured many voices that were instrumental in the African-American Civil Rights movement. I was fascinated by the evolution of the tale as Lewis, the young thief, turns his bookstore into a "major center of black nationalist thought and political activity."

Although, out of necessity Vaunda Micheaux Nelson had to fictionalize the tale, the events and characters are based on fact. R. Gregory Christie's inimitable work graces the pages in this book. Interspersed throughout are numerous informative sidebars, photographs, and actual FBI materials. In the back of the book is a character index, remembrances, the Michaux family tree, extensive source notes, a bibliography, and additional recommended book resources to explore. Additional complimentary educational resources can be accessed on the publishers website.

Quill says: This is an amazing book about Lewis Michaux, a black man who changed the course of history.

Book Review - Dr. Joseph Warren

Dr. Joseph Warren: The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty

By: Samuel A. Forman
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
Publishing Date: November 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4556-1474-5
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: May 5, 2012

In the beginning (and this is not the Bible), a doctor who was living in Boston was starting to play a very important role in the things that happened leading up to the American Revolution. This is a biography of that man, Dr. Joseph Warren. Warren, who, among other things, sent Paul Revere on his famous ride through the countryside, was present at the Boston Tea Party and was a hero in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Readers will be delighted with this book and its star. Certainly everyone who has read and studied the American Revolution knows all about the main founding fathers but few know the important role that Dr. Warren took on. Dr. Warren had an extremely rare medical practice as he collected important military intelligence before the War taken from spies acting as patients in his practice. Dr. Warren directed the first American Minutemen and was the first highly-ranked American Officer killed during the Revolution.

It’s been many years since a biography has been written of Dr. Warren and, according to the author’s research, only two have been written on Dr. Warren’s life. This author has not forgotten to include many of Dr. Warren’s accomplishments as well as his military service. According to research by Mr. Forman, Dr. Warren was a doctor, teacher, freemason, soldier, family man and politician. The book is written like fiction in many places so the reader will feel as if they know the man, his family and even something of his childhood. We see the human interest side to Dr. Warren, and not just his accomplishments in the War.

This book is well worth reading. For readers, like yours truly, who thought they knew a lot about the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers, it gives a thorough portrait of Dr. Joseph Warren and the part that he played in the history of our liberty. It will be to the reader's advantage to read the appendices (5 in all) covering the Doctor’s account books, Artifacts and Relics Associated with Joseph Warren, the Quest for Warren’s Head, (this sounds really weird but did happen), Places Named after Joseph Warren and Attributions to Miss Mercy Scollay. These appendices read just like fiction and are truly a great addition to this book.

Quill Says: This is a story about an extremely overlooked founder who really played a huge part in the country’s fight for freedom from the English. Many historians will be anxious to read the story of Dr. Warren. This is a definite keeper in the biography/historian’s and perhaps, even the fiction reader’s library.

Books for Review

Here's a sampling of the latest books to come in for review.  Check them out and then stop back soon to read the reviews!

Jasmine Nights by Julia Gregson At twenty-three, Saba Tarcan knows her only hope of escaping the clamor of Cardiff Bay, Wales, lies in her voice. While traveling Britain, singing for wounded soldiers, Saba meets handsome fighter pilot Dom Benson, recovering from burns after a crash. When Saba auditions to entertain troops in far-off lands, Dom follows her to London. Just as their relationship begins to take root, Saba is sent to sing in Africa, and Dom is assigned a new mission in the Middle East. As Saba explores Cairo’s bazaars, finding friendship among the troupe’s acrobats and dancers, Dom returns to the cockpit once again, both thrilled and terrified to be flying above the desert floor. In spite of great danger, the two resolve to reunite.

Most Wanted: Pursuing Whitey Bulger, the Murderous Mob Chief the FBI Secretly Protected by Thomas J. Foley Most Wanted is a true-life thriller, and Foley is the hero at its center. His investigative efforts resulted in criminal convictions of a half-dozen of Boston’s most notorious thugs and also led to the conviction of John Connolly, one of the FBI agents who abetted Bulger; Connolly is now serving a forty-year prison sentence. In this book, Foley, a cop’s cop, honestly recounts how his wide-eyed admiration for the nation’s top law enforcement agency was gradually transformed by dark realities he didn’t want to believe.

Vengeance is Mine by Douglas MacKinnon Meet Ian Wallace. A politically-incorrect private investigator who is never shy about wearing his belief in traditional values on his sleeve. Twenty years earlier, Wallace worked for the CIA but left after his life and dreams were all but destroyed in a dark prison cell in Moscow at the hands of a ruthless KGB Colonel. Today, that Colonel is part of the Russian Mafia and is about to set foot in Boston -- the hometown of Wallace. Decision time. Does Wallace take this opportunity to seek vengeance? And if so, will his actions compromise national security while putting the lives of many others at risk?

The Color of War: How One Battle Broke Japan and Another Changed America by James Campbell The Color of War is the story of two battles: the one overseas and the one on America's home turf. By weaving together these two narratives for the first time, Campbell paints a more accurate picture of the cataclysmic events that occurred in July 1944--the month that won the war and changed America.

The Sadness of the Samurai by Victor del Arbol When Isabel, a Spanish aristocrat living in the pro-Nazi Spain of 1941, becomes involved in a plot to kill her Fascist husband, she finds herself betrayed by her mysterious lover. The effects of her betrayal play out in a violent struggle for power in both family and government over three generations, intertwining her story with that of a young lawyer named Maria forty years later. During the attempted Fascist coup of 1981, Maria is accused of plotting the prison escape of a man she successfully prosecuted for murder. As Maria's and Isabel's narratives unfold they encircle each other, creating a page-turning literary thriller firmly rooted in history.

Book Review - The Divorce of Henry VIII

The Divorce of Henry VIII: The Untold Story from Inside the Vatican

By: Catherine Fletcher
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Publishing Date: June 2012
ISBN: 978-0-230-34151-7
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: May 2012

This book is enjoyable if the reader is a fan of Tudor England although it might seem a little tedious to the reader who is just interested in Henry’s court and all the many women who he had to pick from in order to get a prince. Henry’s Queen, the long suffering Catherine of Aragon doesn’t seem to be able to give Henry what he wants (a son) so Henry goes on the hunt for someone else. He falls in love with Anne Boleyn, one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting, and decides to change the rules in the Catholic Church regarding divorce. He strenuously lobbies the Pope with the help of Gregorio Casali, Henry’s Ambassador in Rome. Casali becomes the King’s Lobbyist and is in charge of seeing that the “King’s Great Matte,” which is the attempt by the English Court to agree to let Henry divorce his Queen and replace her with Anne, will be acted upon quickly.

This is really a biography of Casali, who uses everything he can, including kidnapping, bribery and downright stealing, to make the King a free and single individual who can divorce one wife and get another on the same day. It’s a fascinating topic about how one English King created his own church called the Church of England that changed the world of religion forever. The book is less about religion and more about all the Big Dogs coming together (Church, Politics and let us not forget enormous egos) to see who could overrun the country's beliefs.

The Roman Catholic Church is still very powerful in the world at large but it took one determined man who wanted to have a son to bring it to its knees. The author does a good job by taking the story of Henry VIII into the Vatican and watching the main players dazzle each other and the world by their sneakiness or, if you will, detective work.

Quill Says: This story of Henry VIII has been done and done many times. Although Henry was not a great King, this book shows this was one ruler who was determined to get what he wanted, and certainly did.

Interview with Author Sam Moffie

Today we're talking with Sam Moffie, author of To Kill the Duke


FQ: The two worlds of Hollywood and Soviet Russia made for great contrast and were an unusual combination. Likewise, combining movie making with government-sponsored atrocities and a Communist assassination plot was very original. What first gave you the idea for this book? Did all the other aspects fall into place around it or did it take some mulling to fit everything together?


When researching my third novel No Mad for a commune scene in New Mexico, I came across a tidbit that another movie by the name of The Good Earth was filmed by many of the blacklisted Hollywood Ten in New Mexico. One day, during some downtime, I started researching about documents released from The Soviet Union and came across an official document that stated that Stalin wanted John Wayne assassinated. I couldn't believe it and started looking more into that. We all know Duke died of cancer, which led me to find out about the horrific death count for the cast and crew that worked on The Conquer. Everything fell into place when I decided to weave a tale that it was our own government experimenting with nuclear bombs that killed John Wayne, just not on Stalin's time line.

FQ: Howard Hughes must have been a great character to write. What was it like to get inside the head of such an eccentric man?


Hughes was oodles of fun to write about. My editor made me make him meaner and I had to add that last chapter to show that he had gone bonkers. Everyone makes him out to be a total nutcase, I wanted him to be a nutcase, but have some sane thoughts, ideas and actions. You can't get as rich as him and be a total fruitcake.

FQ: Researching the terrible things that happened in Soviet Russia and the Cold War must have been depressing. How did you manage to keep the light tone throughout the story while writing about such a dark subject?


The most depressing thing I found was how our American government used anyone, anything and anyplace as guinea pigs for their obsession with scaring the crap out of the Russians. I think another great scene is when Boris gets the toilet paper and instead of keeping it himself, he gives to the old woman at the end of the line. I had to make Russia depressing. 1) It was in the 50's and 2) Make it so Ivan and Alexei and Barney wouldn't want to leave Hollywood.

FQ: Do you share the Russians’ love of puns? Did you come up with all the puns yourself or did you have help from friends and family?


I wanted the Russians to be the most fun characters in the book (except for Stalin and one scene with Boris). Puns are funny. If I were going to talk in code, I would use puns. I also hoped to attract readers to a semi lost art of a good pun.

FQ: I really enjoyed the character of Dick Powell, who was a good man with a lot of integrity. Did he come across this way during your research or did you write him this way yourself to have a real “good guy” to include in the story?


Great catch on Dick Powell! I did a lot of research on him and asked my mother (a top - notch movie maven) about him. I found nothing but great things about him, so I made him a decent, honorable man. He is the sane center of the Hollywood part of the story.

FQ: This is your fifth self-published novel to date. Do you have any advice on the process of self-publishing and marketing for new authors?


Don't give up. Reject the rejecters. Be prepared to go into advertising as soon as your book is ready or you wont get noticed. Take advantage of fine review sites like Feathered Quill.

FQ: Your bio says that you own two bars, which gives you the chance to observe human nature. Do you feel this helps you in your writing? Do you ever find inspiration for characters from your patrons? Or get ideas for plots from overheard conversations?


I used my bar as a background in my first novel Swap. Without those bars, I wouldn't be able to have the luxury of writing. Case in point: this past April, I sold 935 Kindles of The Duke. My royalty was $3.15!

To learn more about To Kill the Duke please read the review at: Feathered Quill Book Reviews.

Read a Free Children's Ebook

READ A FREE CHILDREN’S EBOOK DURING CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK 2012

Mount Pleasant, S.C. (May 1, 2012)—In honor of Children’s Book Week May 7 through May 13, Sylvan Dell Publishing will be offering 70 award-winning eBooks free on their website at www.sylvandellpublishing.com.  Participants will have access to Sylvan Dell’s full eBook Site License including eBooks with auto-flip, auto-read, and selectable English and Spanish text and audio.  This is in addition to free activities available every day on the Sylvan Dell Publishing website including a “For Creative Minds” educational section, 40-70 pages of free teaching activities, three quizzes, and a related websites page for each title.

Many Sylvan Dell authors and illustrators will also be participating in Children’s Book Week events across the country, including:

·         Jennifer Keats Curtis, author of Baby Owl’s Rescue, Turtles In My Sandbox, and fall 2012’s Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators.

·         Jean Heilprin Diehl, author of Three Little Beavers and Loon Chase.

·         Suzanne Slade, author of The Great Divide, Multiply On the Fly, The Great Divide, What’s New at the Zoo?, and Animals are Sleeping.

·         Janet Halfmann, author of Home In the Cave, Fur and Feathers, and Little Skink’s Tail.

·         Scotti Cohn, author of BIG Cat, Little Kitty and One Wolf Howls.

·         Donna Love, author of The Glaciers are Melting! and Henry the Impatient Heron.

·         Janet Ruth Heller, author of How the Moon Regained Her Shape.

·         Christina Wald, illustrator of Habitat Spy, Little Red Bat, Henry the Impatient Heron, and Sylvan Dell Publishing fall 2012’s A Warm Winter Tail.

·         Carole Gerber, author of Little Red Bat.

·         Cathy Morrison, illustrator of Three Little Beavers, Animalogy, and spring 2013’s Nature Recycles.

·         Carol A Cole, author of The Penguin Lady.

For a complete listing of times and locations for author events, visit www.sylvandellpublishing.com/events. To participate in Sylvan Dell Publishing’s free eBook event, simply visit www.sylvandellpublishing.com and click on the Children’s Book Week icon in the upper right-hand corner of the page. For questions or concerns, call Sylvan Dell Publishing directly at (877) 243-3457 or email info@sylvandellpublishing.com. 

Sylvan Dell Publishing’s mission is to excite children’s imaginations with artistically spectacular science, math, and nature-themed stories.  Founded in November of 2004, Sylvan Dell has grown to include more than 75 authors and illustrators in the United States and Canada, and 70 titles—honored as finalists or winners of over 70 book awards.  Sylvan Dell’s Science and Math Through Literature Program integrates science, math, geography, character skills, and language learning through fun, cross-curricular activities.