Highly Narrative
What is the subject of the book?
The story of a former ATF agent who infiltrated, and
ultimately helped bring down, the Mongols Motorcycle Club in California’s San
Fernando Valley in 1998.
What type of book is it?
A true-crime memoir.
Articulate appeal:
What is the pacing?
Quick paced thriller.
Characters: William Queen undercover under the moniker Billy
St. John, Domingo, the terrifying Mongols’ President, and a revolving cast of
colorful ex-convicts and criminal bikers of the 1% variety.
How does the story feeling: Thrilling and suspenseful.
What is the intent of the author: To entertain and educate
the reader on organized crime.
What is the focus of the story? William Queen’s struggle to
cope with and justify his behavior as he gets sucked deeper and deeper into the
outlaw biker lifestyle.
Does the language matter? Yes.
Is the setting important and well-described? Yes—William
Queen was one of the first federal agents to infiltrate an organization that
could only exist, for a variety of reasons, at that specific point in time, in
a part of the country where the weather permits year-round motorcycle activity.
Are there details and, if so, of what? Vivid memories described from the first
person perspective.
Are there sufficient charts and graphic materials, etc…?
None.
Does the book stress moment of learning, understanding, or
experience? Real-life experience and understanding of the criminal element from
someone who lived it first hand.
Why would a reader enjoy this book (rank appeal)?
1. Action 2.
Suspense 3. Experience
I am SO intrigued by this book now! I would NEVER pick this book up, nor would I ever choose to read a fiction title about biker gangs; however, after reading your matrix, I am extremely intrigued by the action and suspense that you describe! The vivid memories sound disturbing but also extremely engrossing.
ReplyDeleteI am SO intrigued by this book now! I would NEVER pick this book up, nor would I ever choose to read a fiction title about biker gangs; however, after reading your matrix, I am extremely intrigued by the action and suspense that you describe! The vivid memories sound disturbing but also extremely engrossing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was actually a really great book. I did an entire motorcycle specific true crime display at my library, and there're actually quite a number of books written about biker gangs. There's also good stuff out there like Sonny Barger's memoire-- he was the president of the Oakland chapter or the Hell's Angels in the 1960's and hung out with Timothy Leary and the Grateful Dead and Jack Nicholson. For your more literary people, though still non-fiction, there's Hunter S. Thompson's "Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga" -- which, if read back to back with the aforementioned memoire, gives you a really unique perspective on many of the characters from two viewpoints. And I also incorporated the TV show, Sons of Anarchy. I thought'd it'd be good as we go into spring.
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