Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil's Deal

            I chose to read Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill as my non-fiction book. I have always been fascinated by big mobsters and wondered if this book would give me a new perspective into their lives. There has also been some news on Whitey Bulger, so this book seemed like a perfect fit.

            This novel is centered on the relationship between James “Whitey” Bulger, the godfather of the Irish Gang in South Boston and John Connolly, an FBI agent looking for his big break during the late 1970’s up until late in the 90’s. It is interesting how this pair met. The introduction to the novel shares that Connolly and Bulger actually grew up in the same building and knew each other as young boys. Now to get to the main point, Bulger becomes an informant to the FBI, reporting on his main rival: the Italians. This leads into how Steve Flemmi got involved. He is known as the man with connections, especially with the Italians. Both mobsters gained protection from their own crimes, eventually leading them to rise in status and power while eliminating their main opponents.

            John Connolly had always watched others rise in the fame of their informants. While reading this book, it was very prevalent that he wanted the pride and status of upholding an important mobster. What made the novel unique was that the authors clearly felt that the FBI was using the partnerships for their own personal gain. An example is when Bulger almost lost his protection because he was target in a major FBI investigation in a horse race fixing in 1978. With the help of Connolly, Bulger managed to escape untouched with the help of Connolly and his supervisor, John Morris. Another is when Connolly tipped off Flemmi about a bug in their old meeting place in the Southie (South Boston). These are only two of the plethora of help that Connolly provided for Bulger and Flemmi, breaking informant rules to maintain his “status”.

            I like how this novel told about the softer side of Whitey Bulger. Everyone thinks that he is this ruff and tuff gangster, yet he is a person as well. I learned that he loved his mother and lived with her until his death. He liked to work out and keep himself clean and presentable. He enjoyed having coffee with friends. Little tidbits such as these were sprinkled in the text, and made it more personal.

            Currently, Bulger was put on trial and found guilty of 11 of the 19 murders as well as extortion, money laundering, drug dealing and weapons possession. I didn't even know that his trial was taking place until I saw it on the news and recognized his name. It was just another connection to this novel.

            Overall, I found that I enjoyed this novel more than I thought. It was written more like a story with plot and kept my attention going. I learned a lot about the mobs in Boston and how Whitey Bulger rose to become one of America’s top gangsters. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to give it  a try.

Wollstonecraft, Fuller, and Steinem

                As a female, I found that all of these essays somewhat connected to my life in some way. I thought that the variety of style in each piece was interesting and made me look at things in different way. I will say however that a few of the pieces were a little hard to interpret at first.

            The main theme in each essay was about feminism and discrimination against women in the past and the present. I think the most insulting comment someone can make to a woman is that they are weak. Women are so strong in so many ways. They should get more credit for how much strength they bring both physically and emotionally. Throughout time women have been thought of as second class citizens. In Margaret Fuller’s piece, she mentioned “And knowing there exists, in the world of men, a tone or feeling toward women as towards slaves…”  (pg. 1). I had never made this connection before, yet in some ways it seems true. Women have been thought as only capable of domestic chores such as cooking and cleaning and caring for children, while the men are free to work and live their own lives. Does that seem like a slave to you?

            Another fascinating point made was that men seem to care more about their position in social status or view in society then women. Gloria Steinem’s whole essay was about how if men could menstruate, it would almost become a bragging right on who could menstruate the longest, heaviest, etc. Obviously men can’t menstruate and women can, and you don’t see in society as it being as a positive thing in a way. I don’t know many girls who enjoy their period. I just found this point very interesting and a good way to show the male psyche verses the female.

            I find that being discriminated as a woman is still present in society today. Some can argue that is improving, and yes it has. Women are allowed to vote and work and have more rights. I feel however, that there are a lot of under the radar issues still present. Each of these writes who wrote their pieces felt discriminated in some way just because they are a woman.

            Overall, I found these essays to be inspiring. I want to prove history and the stereotypes wrong. I want to be a successful strong woman. I don’t want to be another domesticated housewife that does a man’s bidding. I want to step out on my own and make my own place in life.