|
| Author |
Message |
|
Liz
|
Post subject: Bryan Burrough Q&A #1  Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:21 am |
| JDZ Moderator |
 |
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 2:13 pm
Posts: 12112
Location: The Left Coast
|
Welcome to the Q&A with Bryan Burrough, author of Public Enemies. 
We are all so very fortunate that Bryan has agreed to participate in this. And I’m sure you will all join me in a great big  to Mr. Burrough. 
We will post one question & its answer each day. Enjoy and feel free to comment.....
ONBC: What sparked your interest in the history of the FBI and the story of the War on Crime and led you to decide to write the book?
Bryan Burrough: It was actually a Biography documentary on Ma Barker. I knew about Bonnie and Clyde from boyhood and, of course, the movie. When I saw the Barker piece, I wondered when she was at large re: Bonnie and Clyde. A quick Google showed the same dates. Dillinger? Same dates. Same with Machine Gun Kelly, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson. That was news to me and, I suspected, to a lot of other people. But it was the discovery that all these FBI case files were now available that really iced for me. That meant an author could tell all these stories in a new, more accurate way.
_________________________________________________________
You can't judge a book by its cover.
The only thing that matters is the ending. It's the most important part of the story.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Sheri
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:26 pm |
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:04 am
Posts: 108
|
I wholeheartedly add my  to Mr. Burroughs for agreeing to the Q&A session. It's a fascinating period in time.
_________________________________________________________
~Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier~ Kathleen Norris
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parlez
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 1:13 pm |
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 9:30 am
Posts: 2503
Location: Colorado
|
Good question ~ interesting answer! Finding out that so many gangsters, with their mythic names and reputations, all lived and operated at the same time was possibly the first of many surprises for Mr. Burrough. During the course of reading the files and doing his exhaustive research I imagine he discovered even more surprising revelations. He did a wonderful job in the book of separating fact from fiction.
Thanks! 
_________________________________________________________
"Belay that! ...Do something else!" ~ Hector Barbossa
savvy avi by mamabear
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nebraska
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:47 pm |
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:15 pm
Posts: 16009
Location: near Omaha
|
I am so excited to see the Q&A session begin! I have really been looking forward to this. We are definitely fortunate Mr Burrough has consented to take part in our discussion!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lucky13
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:53 pm |
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:51 pm
Posts: 2027
Location: Riding Shotgun with Dillinger
|
Many, many thanks to Mr. Burrough, Liz and DITHOT for making this Q & A Session possible.
Let the questions begin !!!! 
_________________________________________________________
~ Yah, I wanna take that ride with you!
I'd rather have a moment of wonderful, than a lifetime of nothing special. April 7, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KYwoman
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 6:58 pm |
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 7:26 pm
Posts: 5958
Location: Kentucky (KY); birthplace of Johnny Depp and Hunter S Thompson
|
|
Excellent, great start. The Q & A starting on the same day as filming for the movie. Thanks L and N and of course BB. Looking forward to it.
_________________________________________________________
"Buy the ticket, take the ride." 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kittycat88
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:02 pm |
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:44 am
Posts: 33660
Location: Philadelphia, PA
|
My first time on following a Q&A ... Great first question. I thought I was up on my crime history, but have to admit, I was amazed to find all these characters lived in the same time period, but then maybe they represent the criminal class of their times.
I am thrilled to be able to follow this Q&A. Thanks to Mr. Burrough, Liz and DeepintheHeartofTexas...this is fun !
PS ... Can I just mention I am a huge fan of Mr. Burroughs "Barbarians at the Gate" 
_________________________________________________________
Nothing is quite what it used to be, deep down inside of me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bix
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:05 pm |
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:14 pm
Posts: 685
Location: Austin, TX
|
|
I love hearing that it was one of those wonderful "Hmmmm? I wonder. . . " moments that started you off on your wild ride, Mr. Burrough. Both the fact that all these gangs were active at the same time and that the time period was so relatively short were surprises to me. Thank you for a fascinating book and for sharing your thoughts with us.
Great timing on the start of the Q&A, Liz and DITHOT, as KYWoman pointed out. Thanks again to both of you and to Mr. Burrough.
_________________________________________________________
Live! Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death! ~Auntie Mame
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
suec
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:20 pm |
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:57 pm
Posts: 1381
Location: uk
|
|
It must have been tremendously satisfying to have pulled all of those disparate threads together. A lengthy task, too, but obviously a labour of love!
_________________________________________________________
"Luck... inspiration... both only really happen to you when you empty your heart of ambition, purpose, and plan; when you give yourself, completely, to the golden, fate-filled moment."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
nebraska
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:54 pm |
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:15 pm
Posts: 16009
Location: near Omaha
|
|
As I thought about what Mr Burrough said, about finding out all these "gangs" operated in the same brief time period, it made me understand why PE is ultimately meant to be the story of the FBI's early beginning. We have wondered during the discussion how much of this war on crime was Hoover's scheme to build the bureau he wanted. If one were to look at a different period of time, for names that weren't so widely publicized by the FBI, perhaps there would be other stories clustered in another time frame ......Good question, good answer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
gemini
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:28 pm |
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 9:28 pm
Posts: 3908
Location: Florida
|
|
Thanks to Mr Burrough for taking the time to answer questions for us. When I first read your query about the timeline of these famous Public Enemies, I saw how that would boost your interest. The other reason you mentioned about the releasing of the FBI files was the icing on the cake. I thought using the FBI files was one of the most fascinating parts of the book and really the most revealing. The fact that all these people who had become almost folklore fit into the same time frame in the the FBI's infancy was like a story begging to be told. Thanks for telling it so well.
_________________________________________________________
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Linda Lee
|
Post subject: Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:45 pm |
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:02 pm
Posts: 2464
Location: Aboard the Black Pearl
|
|
It's interesting that Ma Barker, the non-criminal in the group, sparked Mr. Burrough's interest. I did not realize that all these famous criminals operated in the same time frame until I read PE.
Thank you for participating in this Q&A, Mr. Burrough, and thanks Liz and DITHOT for arranging it.
_________________________________________________________
Serenity is not freedom from the storm but peace within the storm. ~ Unknown
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Baxendale Guitar
|
Post subject: Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:32 am |
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 1:19 pm
Posts: 1184
Location: hopelessly preoccupied
|
I feel so thrilled and honored to have Mr. Burrough with us for the Q&A. 
What wonderful timing.
Deep thanks to Liz and DITHOT and Mr. Burrough for this Session. 
What a fitting time to start Q& A session as well.
Same day as PE First “Shooting” Day.
It is very appropriate.
The amount of research is astonishing and I bet grueling. I applaud your efforts.
As I am reading PE, I find myself looking to the front of the book at the maps, often and I get a better feel for everything that is going on. There is so much detail and accounts I am truly involved with each day.
I am so glad that he had an interest so that we could hear and read about the new FBI files to make things more accurate. There is more here than meets the Eye.
It really amazes me that these gangs where so close together in this time line.
The FBI had to grow up fast and these gangs served up many different lessons for them. Some of these FBI Agents ,“G-Men” were way out in left field. I can’t imagine agents (now a days) not pursuing a criminal like they did not do in the 1930’s. It is truly an eye opener to me.
Thanks for starting this session I can’t wait to hear more.
_________________________________________________________
~ “There's nothing - you know - nothing else like music. Nothing that touches us on that, uh, that deep level. Music can open up so many emotions that we didn't know we had. Music touches us, emotionally, where words alone can't.” JohnnyDepp~
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
radwen
|
Post subject: Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 8:58 am |
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:47 am
Posts: 3107
Location: Pennsylvania
|
Thanks to ONBC for making this great Q and A a possibility.
And a Thank You to Mr. Burrough for agreeing to take our questions.
It is such an exciting event for The Zone and I look forward to reading everyone's questions and the author's answers.
_________________________________________________________
Now Bring Me That Horizon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
