Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel: The Gangster, the Flamingo, and the Making of Modern Las Vegas

(Hardback)

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Description

This intriguing biography recounts the life of the legendary Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, revealing his true role in the development of Las Vegas and debunking some of the common myths about his notoriety. This account of the life of Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel follows his beginnings in the Lower East Side of New York to his role in the development of the famous Flamingo Hotel and Casino. Larry D. Gragg examines Siegel's image as portrayed in popular culture, dispels the myths about Siegel's contribution to the founding of Las Vegas, and reveals some of the more lurid details about his life. Unlike previous biographies, this book is the first to make use of more than 2,400 pages of FBI files on Siegel, referencing documents about the reputed gangster in the New York City Municipal Archives and reviewing the 195051 testimony before the Senate Committee on organized crime. Chapters cover his early involvement with gangs in New York, his emergence as a favorite among the Hollywood elite in the late 1930s, his lucrative exploits in illegal gambling and horse racing, and his opening of the "fabulous" Flamingo in 1946. The author also draws upon the recollections of Siegel's eldest daughter to reveal a side of the mobster never before studiedthe nature of his family life.

Reviews

A new book, drawing on more than 2,400 pages of FBI files, sheds fresh light on the gangster. * London Daily Express *
Gragg also provides an in-depth examination of Siegel . . . . Unlike previous biographies, Gragg's book is the first to use more than 2,400 pages of FBI files on Siegel. * Missouri S&T *
The inaccurate myths about Siegel's creation of Las Vegas linger. Yet for those who are interested in the truth, there is Gragg's detailed biography. * Informer Journal *
Larry Gragg's narrative is well-constructed, and he provides interesting perspective in separating history from fiction in the life of Benjamin Siegel. * Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books *

Author Bio

Larry D. Gragg, PhD, is curators' teaching professor of history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.