The Informant: A True Story

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"The FBI was ready to take down America's most politically powerful corporation. But there was one thing they didn't count on."

So reads the cover of this high-powered true crime story, an accurate teaser to a bizarre financial scandal with more plot twists than a John Grisham novel. In 1992 the FBI stumbled upon Mark Whitacre, a top executive at the Archer Daniels Midland corporation who was willing to act as a government witness to a vast international price-fixing conspiracy. ADM, which advertises itself as "The Supermarket to the World," processes grains and other farm staples into oils, flours, and fibers for products that fill America's shelves, from Jell-O pudding to StarKist tuna. The company's chairman and chief executive, Dwayne Andreas, was so influential that he introduced Ronald Reagan to Mikhail Gorbachev, and it was his maneuvering that ensured that high fructose corn syrup would replace sugar in most foods (ever wondered why Coke and Pepsi don't taste quite like they used to?). There were two mottoes at ADM: "The competitors are our friends, and the customers are our enemies" and "We know when we're lying." And lie they did. With the help of Whitacre, the FBI made hundreds of tapes and videos of ADM executives making price-fixing deals with their corrivals from Japan, Korea, and Canada, all while drinking coffee and laughing about their crimes. The tapes should have cinched the case, but there was one problem: Their star witness was manipulative, deceitful, and unstable. Nothing was as it seemed, and the investigation into one of the most astounding white-collar crime cases in history had only just begun.

Kurt Eichenwald, an investigative reporter, covered the story for The New York Times and interviewed more than 100 participants in the case. He methodically records the six-year investigation, leaving no plot twist or tape transcript unexplored. While his primary focus is on deconstructing the disturbed Whitacre and revealing the malleability of truth, the portrait of ADM (and even the Justice Department) is damning enough to make anyone a cynic. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

From an award-winning New York Times investigative reporter comes an outrageous story of greed, corruption, and conspiracy—which left the FBI and Justice Department counting on the cooperation of one man . . .

It was one of the FBI's biggest secrets: a senior executive with America's most politically powerful corporation, Archer Daniels Midland, had become a confidential government witness, secretly recording a vast criminal conspiracy spanning five continents. Mark Whitacre, the promising golden boy of ADM, had put his career and family at risk to wear a wire and deceive his friends and colleagues. Using Whitacre and a small team of agents to tap into the secrets at ADM, the FBI discovered the company's scheme to steal millions of dollars from its own customers.

But as the FBI and federal prosecutors closed in on ADM, using stakeouts, wiretaps, and secret recordings of illegal meetings around the world, they suddenly found that everything was not all that it appeared. At the same time Whitacre was cooperating with the Feds while playing the role of loyal company man, he had his own
agenda he kept hidden from everyone around him—his wife, his lawyer, even the FBI agents who had come to trust him with the case they had put their careers on the line for. Whitacre became sucked into his own world of James Bond antics, imperiling the criminal case and creating a web of deceit that left the FBI and prosecutors uncertain where the lies stopped and the truth began.

In this gripping account unfolds one of the most captivating and bizarre tales in the history of the FBI and corporate America. Meticulously researched and richly told by New York Times senior writer Kurt Eichenwald, The Informant re-creates the drama of the story, beginning with the secret recordings, stakeouts, and interviews with suspects and witnesses to the power struggles within ADM and its board—including the high-profile chairman Dwayne Andreas, F. Ross Johnson, and Brian Mulroney—to the big-gun Washington lawyers hired by ADM and on up through the ranks of the Justice Department to FBI Director Louis Freeh and Attorney General Janet Reno.

A page-turning real-life thriller that features deadpan FBI agents, crooked executives, idealistic lawyers, and shady witnesses with an addiction to intrigue, The Informant tells an important and compelling story of power and betrayal in America

Customer Reviews:

Gripping narrative of FBI investigation.......2007-08-30

After reading the first few chapters of "The Informant" by Kurt Eichenwald, I could not put this book down. Eichenwald should be commended for maintaining a thrilling narrative that offers incredible insights into corporate crime, the workings of the U.S. judicial system, and the psychology of a disturbed individual.

That person, Mark Whitacre, a former Archer-Daniels-Midland executive, was by all prior accounts a talented rising star at ADM, the politically powerful Fortune 500 food processing company bearing the slogan "Supermarket to the world."

Whitacre was in charge of a billion-dollar business at the company, but decided to become an FBI informant who secretly recorded meetings among ADM and its competitors in which they plotted a multibillion-dollar price-fixing scheme that ensnared several multinational companies.

The FBI at first considered Whitacre a star cooperating witness, but gradually began to worry that its investigation would fall apart as Whitacre began to demonstrate all kinds of erratic behavior (I don't want to give away too much of the story--Eichenwald does a great job of adding new details and twists that are very compelling).

Eichenwald also details all the turf battles and power plays among the FBI, U.S. Attorney's office, and the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust and antifraud divisions.

I only wish there could have been more details about the behind-the-scenes efforts by ADM's lawyers to derail the case, but I'm sure those accounts will never become public. I was also curious about the reaction among ADM's customers, who were getting totally exploited by the company and its "competitors." Great book, overall.

Better than Fiction.......2007-08-07

My review may not be needed - since the "Informant" has already received many positive reviews. However, I do need to echo that the truth is often stranger than ficiton.

The story of "The Informant" could not have been invented through imagination... the author would have believed that the plot was too much of a stretch from reality and would have been unbelievable. Kurt Eichenwald has weaved together a very intelligent and informative read on the dangers of slippery slopes of lying and disception.

Back to the book- I highly recommend "The Informant" to lovers of non-ficition and those who enjoy John Grisham style novels (although Eichenwald style is superiot to Grisham's). You have crime, disception, cheating, and all of the other elements of a great crime novel....just remember that this one actually happened! Clearly a 5 star read.

Eichenwald is great.......2007-02-18

This is the second book I've read by Eichenwald (Conspiracy of Fools being the other) and I thought they were each fantastic.

Could not put it down!! ADDICTIVE!!.......2007-02-07

Well-written. I'm not a business major nor a businessman, but this was an easy read for me. I really loved reading this book. Of particular interest is a scene when FBI agent Hoyt talks to his hard-working, average Joe brother-in-law. In this scene, you will realize how this white collar crime affects the average person, like you and me. His research was incredibly thorough. I can't say enough about this book. It's well-written, thorough, and it's all true. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Like a Grisholm novel...but true.......2007-01-12

I dreaded reading this because it's long and the type is small. However, once I started it, I couldn't put it down. The story is astounding, made more so because it's true. It reads like a Grisholm novel. I remember the story when it happened, and learning the details made it even more fascinating.

Confidential Informant: Law Enforcement's Most Valuable Tool

Average customer rating:

Excellent information for the investigator

Confidential Informant: Law Enforcement's Most Valuable Tool
John Madinger
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Criminal Procedure | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0849307090

Book Description

He baffled and eluded law enforcement officers for nearly two decades. In the end, however, it wasn't the painstaking forensic analysis of hundreds of pieces of crime scene evidence that led to the capture of the Unabomber-but the lucky tip of an informant. Truth of the matter is, for all their sophistication and hi-tech science, crime-fighting techniques such as fingerprint and DNA analysis are a factor in less than one percent of all criminal cases. In the overwhelming number of crimes, informants have provided the necessary ammunition needed to bring criminals to justice, from Genovese to Gotti and Capone to Dillinger. Confidential Informant: Understanding Law Enforcement's Most Valuable Tool explores the covert and clandestine world of informants-revealing the secrets of how to find them and make the most out of them, while at the same time, avoiding the pitfalls of dealing with them. Using case studies in which informants played key roles in solving crimes, the book examines all aspects of informant development and management, from the motivation of the informant to the legal problems that accompany the use of informants in criminal cases. Written by John Madinger, a former narcotics agent, supervisor and administrator, and currently a Senior Special Agent with the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service, Confidential Informant: Understanding Law Enforcement's Most Valuable Tool examines the emotional and behavioral characteristics of the informant, as well as the psychology of trust and betrayal. The book also illustrates techniques for improving interviewing and communication skills when dealing with informants, and provides invaluable forms that can be used in connection with these vital sources of information.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent information for the investigator.......2000-05-03

This book was well written, and detatiled. The lessions were followed buy examples that illistrated the key points. I am now prepareing to go into narcotic's, and the authur has vast knowledge in the subjct of narcotic's. This was an execllent begining to the use of informants. The authur has clearly set up the paramitors for the selection, preparation, and use of informants. The cases that are talked about in the book are from taken from current and historical cases, both narcotics and other crimes. I found this book very interesting. I have loaned it out to a fellow Officer who has commented that it is an excellent book and he has been in narcotics for 7 years.

Average customer rating:

Never a dull moment...
Outstanding, yet least read book by BEE
Managed to keep me interested throughout
Novel or collection of short stories? Either way it's good.
Pretty damned good

The Informers
Bret Easton Ellis
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679743243
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Book Description

This powerful and poignant novel of L.A., from the author of Less Than Zero and American Psycho, depicts a generation's overwhelming dissatisfaction with the way things are, and its insistence on remaining as detached and isolated as possible.

Customer Reviews:

Never a dull moment..........2007-04-17

Bret Easton Ellis has always been a personal favorite of mine, ever since the days of reading `Less than Zero' and `Rules of Attraction' and realizing that this guy is a literary genius. Reading `The Informers' though gives me an even more solid belief in the power within this mans pen-strokes, for with a collection this strong penned so young (he wrote all of these short stories while still in college before publishing his debut at the age of 20) there is no doubt in my mind that Ellis is a living legend. Delving into strong subject matter pertaining to his usual drugs, sex and violence but adding layers of human emotion, family deterioration reminiscent of Andre Dubus and even adding some of the supernatural to his style Ellis turns over a new leaf here and gives his readers something fresh.

The stories in general deal with some sickly twisted subject matter, from vampires and aliens to coked out abusive rock stars, but Bret always manages to keep each story a relatable experience not only to the reader but to each and every story. As some have mentioned, it can read like a novel told by many different perspectives and that's probably the best way to look at it overall.

My personal favorite passages have to do with the forced human interaction, like a teen struggling to refill his prescription or a few kinds aimlessly discussing death at a diner. Each word, each sequence of events adds an air to the story, to the overall experience and makes the chapter or story that much more real and influential. Bret is still able to capture his demeanor of meaninglessness, as in everything is null and void of consequence and utterly pointless, without losing his ability to raise genuine concern with his readers. That's the one trait I've always appreciated about Ellis' work. He can paint a picture bursting with characters so flawed and so empty and yet the reader is always drawn in so deep.

While this is not his finest set of work, nor is it his most well liked or campaigned it's a nice reminder of where this fine writer came from and it's a true testament to what real talent can produce. When you sit back and realize that this was some of the first writings Ellis ever penned you begin to understand his genius. Sure, he may not be everyone's cup of tea but any fan of Ellis and his body of work will do themselves a huge favor in reading this collection.

Outstanding, yet least read book by BEE.......2006-12-18

Each chapter, or should I say story, of this book is very well written. Each character has a different voice, and all stories are interested. I have trouble trying to understand why this book is not more popular amongst readers and BEE fans alike.

Managed to keep me interested throughout.......2006-10-24

I LOVE Ellis, but at the same time a lot of his books have some sereous flaws. Glamorama and American Psycho have a lot of great moments and scenes but also always bore the hell out of me at some points, becouse these books actually repeat the same unnecessary routine again and again.

But "The Informers" is the book I find perfect for Ellis. You see, it is quite short, the characters and themes change frequently and the chapters are very brief.

This is how it feels for me. You start to read the chapter, you dive into the story, it goes for some time and at the moment it might become boring and repetative it ENDS (unlike American Psycho, for example)! Then begins another chapter, presenting different character, different take on life in this universe anâ so on.

Every story hav some kind of plot and climax (unlike Am Psycho). It may seem inexistent, but really these stories are much like Chekov's short stories whwere there's no great dreamatic climax, but something is still there.

Also "The Informers" have an interesting structure as a whole. It starts with simple sketches of life situations, but as the book goes the stories start to get darker. There is more and more mentions of vampires and near the end you get some more heavy stories about a dying girl, a child-killer and a vampire, who narrates one of the stories.

So the book and its themes really evolve throughout.

The violence here, in my opinion, is also done much better, then in American Psycho or Glamorama. It's not so repetative and unnecessay, it takes very little place and supports the substance instead of just being a threat by itself.

Some stories are beter, some are worse. For me the highlight is "The Letters From LA", you just must read it. Also "In A Moment Of Silence" and a story about dad anâ son on islands are just brilliant (there are some others and actually every story is good in its own way).

And the thing I really love about Ellis is that he always manages to touch something within me, his books, although seemingly groutesqe at times, always feels very "real" and makes me think about my own experiences and people I know. That strange sence of realism in sometimes unrealistic stories is what I always really love about Ellis' writing (maybe it can be just called honesty).

All in all, "The Informers" has all the things, that make Ellis' books great but at the same time lacks some of the major flaws of his other books.

I highly recommend it.

Novel or collection of short stories? Either way it's good........2006-10-09

This collection of short stories is depressing and does little to hide that. Consisting of a cast of increasingly vacuous characters whose lives intertwine in unexpected ways, each story is as empty as the last. There's a girl writing letters to Sean Bateman (I'm assuming while he's at Camden living the events of Rules of Attraction), a washed-up rockstar in Japan, a bevy of blonde, spaced-out beach bums decked out in Wayfarers, and (completely out of place... maybe) a vampire. These stories take the emptiness that Ellis's characters in his first three novels felt to a new level. None of these characters really feel anything, unless it's a sense of self pity. They're like empty shells bumping into each other. And it seems that they are drawn to other "people" who are even less present than they are. For this reason, the vampire story *almost* fits in. It's just the next level past being, as one character tells another when he asks her what she means when she says that he's not "alive"; "just not dead".

Ellis's only flaw is that he makes writing seem too easy. Reading his stories and novels you would think he just sat down and jotted some stuff down. But his stories are too finely crafted for that. And the deceptive lack of effort is what makes his writing all the more entertaining. This book could be viewed as a collection of short stories, or as a novel written from several characters points of view, depending on how you read it. I choose the latter, as it's not that different from Rules of Attraction when read that way. Overall, a great book... if you're in to reading about depressing stories of the rich.

Pretty damned good.......2006-02-21

This book isn't like american psycho, much closer to less than zero. takes a look at los angeles life, and the overwhelming shallowness of it. The vampires are a bit...um...out of place i think, but still pretty good, and sense i am a fan of Anne Rice too, i felt at home with stories of vampires. and no, i am not comparing these two writers, you can't.

I Was a Killer for the Hells Angels: The Story of Serge Quesnal

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I Was a Killer for the Hells Angles: The Story of Serger Quesnal
sing loud and cash the check
Money making scheme for author
I was a killer for the Hells Angels: The Story of Serge
Don't waste your time.....

I Was a Killer for the Hells Angels: The Story of Serge Quesnal
Pierre Martineau
Manufacturer: McClelland & Stewart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0771054920
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Book Description

The shocking confession of a five-time murderer

When I arrived at the restaurant, my boss gave me a wad of $20 bills, which amounted to some $2,000. He was acting as though money was burning a hole in his pockets. But this suited me fine. Melou often acted that way. He didn’t want me to run out of money. A happy killer is a productive killer.…

When he was fifteen years old, Serge Quesnel started hanging out in strip bars and committing minor thefts and burglaries. He soon became known to the police. He learned more about crime when he served time, first in a detention centre, and then later in the infamous Donnacona federal penitentiary. On his release, he was ready to realize his true ambition, to become a confederate of the Hells Angels.

To achieve this ambition, he set out to prove that he could hurt, maim, and kill people efficiently and without a qualm. His first murder victim was a drug dealer who was giving the local Angels chapter trouble. He and a friend beat the dealer to a pulp and then calmly wiped the crime scene clean of fingerprints. The Angels were impressed. He moved to Trois-Rivières and became a full-time enforcer.

Quesnel, having now “sold out” to the authorities and assumed a new identity, tells his story of violence and betrayal in chilling detail to Quebec journalist, Pierre Martineau. The resulting chronicle is a modern crime classic.

Customer Reviews:

I Was a Killer for the Hells Angles: The Story of Serger Quesnal.......2005-09-30

Not such a hot book. I would read other books on the subject.

sing loud and cash the check.......2005-02-23

A rat is a rat......is a rat. I guess this guy and others like him (see Henry Hill and Sammy the Bull) feel if they can make some money getting average citizens to read about their exploits maybe they can justify (to themselves) their betrayal of their friends and brothers. You'd be wise to save your money and not make these kinds any richer...especially one like this who is short on details when it comes to his association with the Angels. In my opinion he only used their name to help sell the book. Don't bother. Read Sonny's instead.

Money making scheme for author.......2004-08-08

Very poor insight into the Red and White which is why I bought the book.Comes across as a wannabe who could'nt cut it when the going got tough.

I was a killer for the Hells Angels: The Story of Serge.......2004-01-17

Not a very good or entertaining book. More of a ramblimg egomaniac's diary. The book did not contain much detail on the events and jumped around way too much. He tries to make himself into a heavy and when it got hot he turned.

Don't waste your time............2003-11-08

I thought this book would give a better insight into the world of the HA, but I came away disappointed. Quesnel's story is interesting and controversial, but I don't think his story reveals enough details.

Imperial Inquisitions: Prosecutors and Informants from Tiberius to Domitian

Average customer rating:

Fascinating!

Imperial Inquisitions: Prosecutors and Informants from Tiberius to Domitian
Steven Rutledge
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0415237009

Book Description

Delatores (political informants) and accusatores (malicious prosecutors) were a major part of life in imperial Rome. Contemporary sources depict them as cruel and heartless mercenaries, who bore the main responsibility for institutionalizing and enforcing the tyranny of the infamous rulers of the early empire, such as Nero, Caligula, and Domitian. Steven Rutledge's study examines the evidence and asks if this is a fair portrayal.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating!.......2002-07-09

This is a fascinating and provocative work that gets
at the dark side of the classical world. Rutledge takes
the reader on a journey into the seedy side of Imperial
Rome, one that few classicists are willing to tackle.
Written in a lucid style, Rutledge has placed himself
at the center of the current debate on authority and
imperium. Even at over 400 pages, I could not put
it down. Read it!

Murder at Union Station (Capital Crimes)

Average customer rating:

I REALLY LIKED THIS ONE
One of Truman's Best
Murder is Reading This Book!
It's teh Stoopid!
Insider's view of Washington D.C.

Murder at Union Station (Capital Crimes)
Margaret Truman
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345444906
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

When Washington’s splendid Union Station opened its doors in 1908, the glorious structure epitomized capital stylishness. Today, restored and refurbished, the station is again a hub of activity where the world’s most famous and infamous people meet–and often collide. Now, in Margaret Truman’s new Capital Crime novel, this landmark locale becomes the scene of a sensational shooting whose consequences ricochet from seedy bars to the halls of Congress.

Historic Union Station means nothing to the elderly man speeding south on the last lap of what turns out to be a one-way journey from Tel Aviv to D.C.–on a train that will soon land him at Gate A-8 and, moments later, at St. Peter’s Gate. This weary traveler, whose terminal destination is probably hell, is Louis Russo, former mob hit man and government informer. Two men are at the station to meet him. One is Richard Marienthal, a young writer whose forthcoming book is based on Russo’s life. The other is the man who kills him.

Russo has returned to help promote Marienthal’s book, which, although no one has been allowed to read it, already has some people shaking in their Gucci boots. The powerful fear the contents will not only expose organized crime’s nefarious business, but also a top-secret assignment abroad that Russo once masterminded for a very-high-profile Capitol Hill client. As news of Russo’s murder rockets from the MPD to the FBI and the CIA, from Congress to the West Wing, the final chapter of the story begins its rapid-fire unfolding.

In addition to the bewildered Marienthal and his worried girlfriend, there is an array of memorable characters: rock-ribbed right-wing Senator Karl Widmer; ruthless New York publisher Pamela Warren; boozy MPD Detective Bret Mullin; shoe-shine virtuoso Joe Jenks; dedicated presidential political adviser Chet Fletcher; and President Adam Parmele himself–not to mention freelance snoops, blow-dried climbers, and a killer or two. There’s no place like the nation’s capital, and as her myriad fans know, Margaret Truman always gets it right. Murder at Union Station is a luxury express, nonstop delight.

Download Description

Historic Union Station means nothing to the elderly man speeding south on the last lap of what turns out to be a one-way journey from Tel Aviv to D.C.—on a train that will soon land him at Gate A-8 and, moments later, at St. Peter’s Gate. This weary traveler, whose terminal destination is probably hell, is Louis Russo, former mob hit man and government informer. Two men are at the station to meet him. One is Richard Marienthal, a young writer whose forthcoming book is based on Russo’s life. The other is the man who kills him.

Russo has returned to help promote Marienthal’s book, which, although no one has been allowed to read it, already has some people shaking in their Gucci boots. The powerful fear the contents will not only expose organized crime’s nefarious business, but also a top-secret assignment abroad that Russo once masterminded for a very-high-profile Capitol Hill client. As news of Russo’s murder rockets from the MPD to the FBI and the CIA, from Congress to the West Wing, the final chapter of the story begins its rapid-fire unfolding.

In addition to the bewildered Marienthal and his worried girlfriend, there is an array of memorable characters: rock-ribbed right-wing Senator Karl Widmer; ruthless New York publisher Pamela Warren; boozy MPD Detective Bret Mullin; shoe-shine virtuoso Joe Jenks; dedicated presidential political adviser Chet Fletcher; and President Adam Parmele himself—not to mention freelance snoops, blow-dried climbers, and a killer or two. There’s no place like the nation’s capital, and as her myriad fans know, Margaret Truman always gets it right. Murder at Union Station is a luxury express, nonstop delight.

Customer Reviews:

I REALLY LIKED THIS ONE.......2007-02-10

This is the second book that I have read my Ms. Truman and I enjoyed it a bunch. It's about a writer and a hit man returning from Israel who is gunned down who was helping to promote the book. I love the characters and the story. It really kept me intrigued. I can't wait to read more from her. She is a great mystery writer and I hope that she continues to write more great books.

One of Truman's Best.......2006-07-04

I have been reading Margaret Truman for nearly 15 years now and I love her mysteries set in Washington, D.C. She has an excellent way of capturing the all of the politics and intrigue that the city has to offer. Her characters are well-researched and it is easy to escape for hours into one of her plots.

Murder is Reading This Book!.......2006-03-30

This book is about a former mafioso in the witness protection program living in exile in Israel. He agrees to be the subject of a tell-all book. When he comes back to the U.S. to testify regarding details that could shake the U.S. government, he is murdered and the author of the book is trying to find out why he was murdered. The book drags and the plot is found wanting.

It's teh Stoopid!.......2006-03-10

I listened to the first chapter on audio and could feel those precious IQ points dribbling out my ears. The writing is so pretentious and the editing so not there, I found myself wishing ALL of these characters could die very slow and painful deaths, being force-fed chicken nuggets at the subterranean food court at Union Station.

Insider's view of Washington D.C........2005-08-26

Margaret Truman knows enough about the inner workings of the U.S. Government to make her Capital Crimes Novels ring true. In this installment, a young writer named Richard Marienthal is eagerly looking forward to the publication of his novel which chronicles the revelations of a mob hit man named Russo. Russo comes to Washington D.C. to testify at some hearings, but before he reveals anything, he is murdered. Russo's information, which is also described in Marienthal's book, is potentially very damaging to the incumbent U.S. President, and to organized crime. For Marienthal and his friends, it's hard to know who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. Marienthal still possesses the tapes which he used to write the book and he realizes that he and the tapes are in danger from several different people. Not wishing to risk his life or that of his fiance, he has to make some difficult choices. This is a good book and has a reasonable amount of suspense and intrigue. The ending seems a bit too neat and sudden, but all in all, it is a good read.

The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo

Average customer rating:

Great example of historical nonfiction
"I felt I was in the car ..."
A Dark Chapter of the FBI's Past
Fascinating and frustrating

The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo
Gary May
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0300106351

Book Description

In The Informant, historian Gary May reveals the untold story of the murder of civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo, shot to death by members of the violent Birmingham Ku Klux Klan at the end of Martin Luther King’s historic Voting Rights March in 1965. The case drew national attention and was solved almost instantly, because one of the Klansman present during the shooting was Gary Thomas Rowe, an undercover FBI informant. At the time, Rowe’s information and subsequent testimony were heralded as a triumph of law enforcement. But as Gary May reveals in this provocative and powerful book, Rowe’s history of collaboration with both the Klan and the FBI was far more complex.
Based on previously unexamined FBI and Justice Department Records, The Informant demonstrates that in their ongoing efforts to protect Rowe’s cover, the FBI knowingly became an accessory to some of the most grotesque crimes of the Civil Rights era--including a vicious attack on the Freedom Riders and perhaps even the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
A tale of a renegade informant and an intelligence system ill-prepared to deal with threats from within, The Informant offers a dramatic and cautionary tale about what can happen when secret police power goes unchecked.

Customer Reviews:

Great example of historical nonfiction.......2006-11-23

Exhaustively researched and beautifully crafted, this book provides a much needed insight into the inherent flaws and complication posed by the FBI's informant system. It's historical -- in the sense of looking at historical events -- but it's also extremely relevant to the problems of today.

"I felt I was in the car ...".......2006-02-12

Gary May is a talented storyteller and his account of what happened to Viola Liuzzo is riveting. I spent Christmas week with his book in hand, taking every opportune moment to continue learning about this young mother's quest to do something right about the civil rights movement and how she was partly the victim of Hoover's FBI. Often, I felt that I was traveling along with Liuzzo as May's tale unfolded - I felt I was in the car when she was murdered. Great book. Couldn't put it down.

A Dark Chapter of the FBI's Past.......2005-10-23

Forty years ago, a civil rights movement grew in the south that was opposed by white supremacists who thought blacks should not have equal opportunities in shopping, dining, transportation, and education, and who were ready to use violence to maintain segregation. The murder in Alabama of white civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo on 25 March 1965 got the immediate attention of the nation, and of President Johnson, who was proud to be able to tell the nation twenty-four hours later that the murderers had been caught. It was a killing by Klansmen, but not one of those that went unsolved for decades. The only reason the murderers were caught so quickly is that with them was an informant, the FBI's man who had infiltrated the Birmingham Klan branch and who reported the crime and the criminals immediately. Johnson was proud, J. Edgar Hoover was proud, and the informant, Gary Thomas Rowe, was a hero. The problem is that the story is far more confused and Rowe's heroism and the FBI's tactics are far more questionable than they seemed at the time. In _The Informant: The FBI, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Murder of Viola Liuzzo_ (Yale University Press), history professor Gary May has told an exciting story full of ambiguity and of criticism for the FBI, and has described a long-ago society which accepted that skin color was an individual's most important characteristic.

Rowe was recruited by the FBI in 1960; he was a bartender, bouncer and machinist who accurately proclaimed himself a hell-raiser, and so he fit into the Klan. An informant has to act the role of a group member, and this means enthusiastically participating in what the group does, which Rowe did. He worked up the Klan hierarchy and did provide valuable information, but also he participated in brawls along with his fellow Klansmen. He was in the car with three other Klansmen after a Selma-Montgomery march. The shooting wounded a young black civil rights worker and killed the driver, the mercurial 39-year-old mother of five from Detroit, Viola Liuzzo. He was the main prosecution witness in the trial of the other three, but even so, they were eventually found innocent of murder, only being found guilty in federal court of civil rights violations. Rowe's role in the murder is not clearly that of a mere observer and informer. He may have tried to influence the others to call off the chase, but he may also have shot at the car himself, and thus may have been an accessory to the crime. The Liuzzo family was devastated and torn asunder by the murder, and although they had originally joined in the general approbation of Rowe as hero, two decades later they sued the government in a wrongful death lawsuit; the judge threw out the suit because, among other reasons, Rowe was in his estimation not violent or dangerous, but a model public servant. Rowe died in 1998, a bankrupt ne'er-do-well who blamed the FBI for not supporting him in the way he had expected.

Liuzzo's story has been largely forgotten, although she was the only white female civil rights worker to be martyred during the days of demonstrations in the South. This is, however, Rowe's story, and it not only stands as a remarkable recreation of a tumultuous time, but is a cautionary tale for our own time. As May points out, Hoover to his shame used informants as pawns against Martin Luther King and against the movements opposing the Vietnam war, and the FBI has subsequently had its own thugs in the Mafia who were personally guilty of murder and robbery while getting FBI salaries. There are calls for more "human intelligence" in the actions against terrorists, but we should remember that it is not simply a matter of paying snitches. The costs of supporting informants who are supposed to be acting like miscreants, and may do a convincing job in their roles, may be incalculable, and the information gained by such ambiguous means may not be worth the resultant mistrust of government agencies.

Fascinating and frustrating.......2005-06-29

Gary May brilliantly tells the story of the murder of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo on March 25, 1965, and exposes the violent misdeeds of KKK members, who mostly considered themselves to be doing "God's work" when they harrassed, beat, and murdered blacks as well as white citizens who were unfortunate enough to get in the way. The career of the self-centered, attention hungry, redneck informant Gary Thomas Rowe is skillfully retraced, and the ineptitude and negligence of FBI agents and the organization as a whole are exposed. The copy I have is an "advance uncorrected page proof" (review copy) and has frequent spelling and punctuation errors; thus the four star rating. Otherwise, I would have given this book a full five stars, because it is excellent.

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Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm
Who needs fiction?
Wised up
Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm
Awesome

Wised Up
Charlie Wilhelm , and Joan Jacobson
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786016221

Book Description

Wised Up is a story of atonement for Charlie Wilhelm, a career criminal who ended his life of crime the year he turned 40. Going to the FBI with no lawyer - and no criminal charges against him - he went undercover, wearing a wire to catch his life-long friends for drug dealing, bribery, loan sharking and murder. This intimate story, told in Charlie's voice, is the first to expose organized crime in Baltimore. It reveals the complex relationship between an informant and his FBI handlers, and explores the tormented mind of a man with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder who faces the consequences of doing the right thing, while turning against his crime family.

Customer Reviews:

Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm.......2005-09-08

As a Baltimore native, I enjoyed this book very much and would probably rate it a "5" based on my enjoyment only. However, thinking of others--not from the Baltimore area--it probably would not be quite as interesting. Knowing the area, and even some of the players, made it a quick read for me. In fact, it was too quick of a read. Made me wish there was more. . .

Who needs fiction?.......2005-08-30

"Wised Up" is an absolutely chilling account of organized crime in my home town, Baltimore. I previously believed that crime in this city was basically random and disorganized except for the activity of a few drug king pins. This book documents the organized superstructure of a very complex home grown "management system" of illegal activity. Moreover, it has no connection to the traditional Mafia. Charlie Wilhelm's candid revelation of his life including significant events is far more frightening and captivating then any of the "best seller" crime thrillers. He tells this story in a way that makes the reader "stand in his shoes" and experience Charlie's emotions as he reached a point of fear and ambivalence regarding his life of crime. We've all heard the "you-can't-get-out-of-it-once-you-get into-it" theme regarding the impact of an individual's participation in an organized crime syndicate. However, in this true story, you live the fear, the sleepless nights, the concern for love ones and the mental trepidation in a way that no fictional account can begin to relate.

Charlie's experience also revealed the level of corruption in Baltimore Law enforcement and City Government. Throughout the book, he provides examples of the impact of police on the take, city officials who are paid to look the other way, and even documemted leaks in the federal attorney general's office. In fact, once Charlie decided to extricate himself from this life, he had a major problem finding an official authority that he could trust. One bad move here and he would have been a dead man.

As I read this memoir, I began to feel that Charlie had a deep soft spot that prevented him from becoming the complete criminal. He seemed to have a mentally "drawn line" that caused him to have concern for some of his activity. In fact, he mentions that he personally paid the interest for some of his loan sharking customers who couldn't make the payments. This is reminiscent of the Sylvester Stallone's Rocky character who was also a collector of loans who had compassion for his particularly weak customers. In addition, when Charlie was asked to commit the ultimate crime... murder... his unconscious sense of morals guided him to make a break from this life. It is at this point that ultimate courage came into play. Not only did he have to summon the power to quit, he also had to "blow the whistle" on many of his "wise guy" friends to the FBI in order to achieve complete absolution. In making this choice, he underestimated how deep he had to go to protect both his sanity and his loved ones as he traversed this ordeal. Charlie also suffered the embarrassment of having to reveal his criminal life in a legal setting without knowing whether this voluntary confession would land him in jail for a good part of his remaining life. This is a must read for anyone from Baltimore as well as anyone who wants to understand the complex criminal enterprise from a realistic non-Hollywood standpoint.

Wised up.......2005-03-15

Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm is a very interesting book of a life I can not imagine. Charlie has a window of opportunity to be a positive influence for others especially children or teens in their formative years. Wised Up is written in a way that makes you feel you are there and experiencing everything Charlie is. Charlie showed great courage in going to the FBI and not asking for witness protectection. How many would have the courage to do that and return to Baltimore to live? Charlie has experienced a life most of us can only read about and not even imagine in our greatest imagination. When a man changes his life so completely, how can anyone say it is just another gangster story? If I could give this book a 10 star rating, I would.
Charlie, will there be a sequel or a movie?

Wised Up by Charlie Wilhelm.......2005-03-15

Charlie Wilhelm should be admired for his courage and strength when became an informant for the FBI. It takes a strong man to turn away from wealth plus jeopardize the lives of his family and himself to do the right thing. It took a lot of courage for Charlie and Gina to return to the Baltimore area to live. This is NOT just another mob story. Any person who would believe that "Wised Up" is just another mob story, should read the article in the Huntsville Times, dated March 12, 2005. Not only should Charlie be admired and looked up to but so should the rest of his family who stood by him. This book is funny, sad and almost unbelievable at times although I know it is all true. I very much enjoyed reading it and will read it many times again. I highly recommend "Wised Up" as a must read book.

Awesome.......2005-03-11

Being a very visual person, as I read the book, I could actually see what Charlie Wilhelm was describing at any given event. In fact I felt at times I was actually there watching events unfold. Charlie has such a way with words that he had me laughing so hard at some of the events he described. He make me cry at times and he actually got me upset when describing how the government snafu'ed getting him and his famil new ID's so that he could get a job to support his family while hiding out, all the while cooperating with the FBI. The way the book was written,I was not able to put it down once I started reading it. I took a couple of breaks go give my eyes a rest but had to pick it up and read the book until the last page. After reading the book completly, I felt a numbness that I could not shake, knowing that this is a true story, and how the events unraveled and how Charlie how his family have survived all the odds against them.
I have sent this book to friends and would recomend to to all.
If Charlie Wilhelm writes another book, I will be the first to purchase it.

Sincerely
Marilyn Goga

Jewish Wife and Other Short Plays: Includes: In Search of Justice; Informer; Elephant Calf; Measures Taken; Exception and the Rule; Salzburg Dance of Death (Brecht, Bertolt)

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great read
The Jewish Wife
Short Lessons in the Epic Theatre

Jewish Wife and Other Short Plays: Includes: In Search of Justice; Informer; Elephant Calf; Measures Taken; Exception and the Rule; Salzburg Dance of Death (Brecht, Bertolt)
Bertolt Brecht
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802150985

Book Description

These six plays represent the best and most humorous of Brecht's shorter works. The Jewish Wife is from the Fear and Misery in the Third Reich cycle of one-act plays, which, along with In Search of Justice and The Informer, chromicles the hardships of life in Nazi Germany.

Customer Reviews:

great read.......2007-01-28

This book is full of wonderful plays by Bertolt Brecht. I had performed a scene from The Judge in one of my acting classes in community college, and I just HAD to get my hands on my own copy after. I'm glad I got it, because I love reading all of his plays.

The Jewish Wife .......2004-12-05

This play has many angles of which may be interpreted. You can see that the wife and husband are well known in the community and the husband is intelligent. The wife is trying to find a way to stand up to her husband (about her leaving him to go to safer Amsterdam during WWII), but will she be able to gather her courage and speak up or just go along with what he tells her, though she thinks he is wrong?

Short Lessons in the Epic Theatre.......2000-02-18

Whatever the controversy in Brecht's personal life or even his authorship of the work which we credit him, the works contained in this collection are windows to understanding the form championed by many as the only alternative to Stanislavsky's method.

Book Description

Informants and Undercover Investigations is a comprehensive work on a subject that has traditionally been shrouded in secrecy. Based on recognized practices and case law, this book examines frequently encountered informant issues and provides guidance on how to successfully operate an informant. It identifies informants as one of the most unstable components of the criminal justice system but emphasizes the value of a closely controlled informant in a criminal investigation. With case studies and appendices, this text also examines the US Marshal's Witness Security Program and reviews current local, state, and federal cases for best practice protocols.

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