October 14th, 2008
Review – American Lightning
American Lightning
by Howard Blum
In 1910 there were a series of explosions across the country. Some believed the bombings were the work of anarchists while others thought they were more likely caused by workers in the fight between the working class and capitalists. The bombings were destructive but bloodless until October 1, 1910 when 21 employees of the Los Angeles Times were killed when an explosion ripped through their building. But was it the work of angry workers or company owners hoping to blame the unions? Enter Billy Burns, the greatest private detective of his day.
Burns was hired by the city to find the culprits and he took his role very seriously. His company followed every lead and eventually located the people who set the bomb and the people who hired them. But the story is much more than just Billy Burns solving the bombing. The unions wanted the best man possible to defend the accused union leaders so they hired Clarence Darrow. Darrow still had his most famous years ahead of him to defend Scopes for teaching evolution and Leopold and Loeb for being cold blooded killers. But this case almost broke him.
And finally we meet D.W. Griffith, the famous director who’s involvement in this case is very peripheral but who represents what Los Angeles is becoming. The end result is a fast moving and interesting look at a little known terrorist period in out history. Blum writes like a newspaperman (which he is) and not a novelist (which he isn’t). The book is a quick read that bounces between the three main characters and tries to tie them together with varying success.
The end result is not a failure but it isn’t a great success. There are many parts of the story (the many bombings by the labor movement, for example) that could have used more in-depth treatment. But it isn’t a bad book and I think you will find it worth the time. The 300 pages read quickly and Blum wrap up things well enough at the end to leave you feeling that you got the meat of the story.
