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Book Reviews of Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde

Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde
Go Down Together The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde
Author: Jeff Guinn
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ISBN-13: 9781416557074
ISBN-10: 1416557075
Publication Date: 3/9/2010
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 9

3.8 stars, based on 9 ratings
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

7 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

ilovebooksanddogs avatar reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 356 more book reviews
I grew up fascinated with Bonnie and Clyde in main due to my parents who lived in Missouri during this era and told me stories about them. When the movie came out I begged and pleaded to go see it but being so young my parents resisted my urgings before finally giving in and allowing me to go with my older brothers. It was an experience I'll never forget and even then I felt the allure of "Bonnie and Clyde". Needless to say that movie made quite an impression on my young mind so I found myself totally in awe and wanting to know more about this couple.

This book was awesome, so easy to read, it had such a nice flow to it. The author researched deeply to find out all that is revealed in this book. I especially loved learning of both Bonnie and Clydes early years and where they grew up. I believe they were sorely needed "entertainment" for a population and media that was stuck in an era when life was so hard they grabbed any and everything they could to make their own lives less miserable. Fascinating case study of them and one that I'm sure doesn't reveal all but it was enough to satisfy me.
reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 6 more book reviews
I prefer the Bonnie and Clyde that were played by Faye Dunaway in the movie! The true story of the duo and their gang is one of a bumbling bunch of amateur and unsuccessful bank robbers who rob more little stores than banks and who run in circles to avoid the equally bumbling lawmen. The book was interesting but not what I'd call an easy read, not a page turner in any sense of the phrase
BeckyWalker avatar reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 120 more book reviews
The description given under the title tells everything you need to know about whether or not to read this book. It was absolutely fantastic! I cannot give it more stars or a higher rating, it was THAT good. It must've taken years and years to research. If you are intrigued by Bonnie and Clyde, you must read this book.
reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 1440 more book reviews
I found this book to be a wonderful unveiling about the lives of two young people caught in the throes of the depression and the dust that pervaded the drought torn areas of the Midwest. While newspapers and lawmen built a reputation as gun-totting killers around them, the author uncovers personalities of people who were kind to those who showed them kindness and would rather run than kill. It was only when guns began firing did their own come out with deadly accuracy, especially from Clyde. Bonnie disliked guns but she loved Clyde unconditionally. Both realized that they would probably die as they ran from town to town and from lawman to lawmen. Clyde even asked his parents to put this phrase on his tombstone: "Gone but not forgotten."

Contrary to movie depictions and the flamboyant folklore that emerged, Bonnie and Clyde were individuals who were very much part of the times in which they lived. These young people were really small time criminals who were more often unsuccessful than not. And, they were credited for robberies and killings they did not commit. The telling of their ambush and execution was sad indeed. Neither had a chance to pick up a gun let alone shoot one.

This is a well written and carefully researched book that I highly recommend. Read it! It's quite good and so very interesting.
reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 80 more book reviews
This is the best account of Bonnie and Clyde I have ever read, and Mr. Guinn's research is the reason. Forget the movie, get the facts right here. You will have no doubt of the day by day activities are genuine as you read them here. I feel as though I knew them personally and at times am able to place myself in their shoes as they stumble along in pursuit of their criminal activities. The reader will probably find information he/she was unaware of as the author unwraps the veil of glamor associated with these two unusual people during their crime spree during the depression era. I recommend it to those who think they know their story, many details will be uncovered that most never were aware of as they follow Bonnie and Clyde in their criminal exploits in this wonderful novel.
maura853 avatar reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 542 more book reviews
I was very disappointed in this book. The writing style is plodding. Some of the assumptions about Bonnie and Clyde are a stretch. (Bonnie was a prostitute ... because she wrote a very bad, childish poem about prostitutes?) Having said that, the subject matter is fascinating, and compelled me to stick with the book. Discovering that B&C were aged 24 and 23 respectively when they died came as a great shock: they were monsters, but they were hardly more than children.

Having finished the book, I watched the great Warren Beatty/Faye Dunaway movie -- again! -- of which Mr. Guinn is quite critical. I had to wonder if he has even seen it. OK, Beatty forgot to limp after the first couple of scenes (Clyde chopped off two of his toes in prison, to get out of the soul-destroying hard labor that came with his sentence)-- but he did limp, from time to time. Having read the book and watched the movie, I was actually impressed with how well the screenwriters and the actors managed to combine artistic license with a respect for the facts.

In other words, when the facts become the legend ... print the legend.
reviewed Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde on + 42 more book reviews
Wonderful!!