Publisher New South
Length 330 pages
Format paperback
Published 2017
Series standalone
My Copy provided by the publisher
My Review
Length 330 pages
Format paperback
Published 2017
Series standalone
My Copy provided by the publisher
My Review
Sydney Noir is a book that tells a lot about a group of criminals and corrupt cops as they deal in underworld activities throughout the prosperous nightlife years of Kings Cross circa 1966-1972; a period in Sydney's time made more alluring to criminal enterprise thanks to a bounty of American serviceman frequenting the city of sin for rest and recuperation before being shipped off to the Vietnam war.
It's during this period in which nightclubs, gentleman's bars, brothels, illegal gambling dens, and mafia-ties are made and cops are paid and paid well if the sums in this book are somewhere in the vicinity of being accurate, especially the select few in Krahe, Kelly, and Phelan who had multiple fingers in many criminally crusted pies.
Shirley Brifman the prostitute turned madam turned whistleblower provides much of the rouge-colored and rose-tinted glasses these stories are told through giving the male oriented crime factory a deadly true life diamond in the rough, who, like near all of the 'noir personalities' in the book, ends up on a cold steel table after committing crimes, now and back then considered near unspeakable (read the book for this, I won't spoil it).
Whilst there are a lot of personalities spattered throughout the book, there's an easy flow from chapter to chapter (each chapter focuses on crimes/criminal events committed for each year of the golden years 1966-1972) which provides a nice sense of continuity, after a while the reader develops some familiarity with these peoples lives so the volume of said personalities doesn't become overbearing.
The book is not without its flaws but I tend to think these are more selective to the individual reader, depending on where your interests lie. Naturally the politics of the time play a part in the criminal proceedings be it on the prophetical or in the thick of it - that's fine, I enjoyed it, what I didn't find particularly interesting was the last chapter in the book where too much emphasis was placed on a question 'was he or wasn't he corrupt' and the lengthy critiquing of other peoples work on the matter - it didn't feel necessary, then again other readers may lap this portion up.
Overall Sydney Noir: The Golden Years is an enjoyable book that shines a light on the seedy side of Sydney circa 1966-1972 and provides some interesting insight into the criminal, law abiding, and political personalities of the time.
Whilst there are a lot of personalities spattered throughout the book, there's an easy flow from chapter to chapter (each chapter focuses on crimes/criminal events committed for each year of the golden years 1966-1972) which provides a nice sense of continuity, after a while the reader develops some familiarity with these peoples lives so the volume of said personalities doesn't become overbearing.
The book is not without its flaws but I tend to think these are more selective to the individual reader, depending on where your interests lie. Naturally the politics of the time play a part in the criminal proceedings be it on the prophetical or in the thick of it - that's fine, I enjoyed it, what I didn't find particularly interesting was the last chapter in the book where too much emphasis was placed on a question 'was he or wasn't he corrupt' and the lengthy critiquing of other peoples work on the matter - it didn't feel necessary, then again other readers may lap this portion up.
Overall Sydney Noir: The Golden Years is an enjoyable book that shines a light on the seedy side of Sydney circa 1966-1972 and provides some interesting insight into the criminal, law abiding, and political personalities of the time.
No comments:
Post a Comment