American Lightning
by Blum, Howard
It was an explosion that reverberated across the country--and into the very heart of early-twentieth-century America. On the morning of October 1, 1910, the walls of the Los Angeles Times Building buckled as a thunderous detonation sent men, machinery, and mortar rocketing into the night air. When at last the wreckage had been sifted and the hospital triage units consulted, twenty-one people were declared dead and dozens more injured. But as it turned out, this was just a prelude to the devastation that was to come.In American Lightning, acclaimed author Howard Blum masterfully evokes the incredible circumstances that led to the original "crime of the century"--and an aftermath more dramatic than even the crime itself. With smoke still wafting up from the charred ruins, the city's mayor reacts with undisguised excitement when he learns of the arrival, only that morning, of America's greatest detective, William J. Burns, a former Secret Service man who has been likened to Sherlock Holmes. Surely Burns, already world famous for cracking unsolvable crimes and for his elaborate disguises, can run the perpetrators to ground. Through the work of many months, snowbound stakeouts, and brilliant forensic sleuthing, the great investigator finally identifies the men he believes are responsible for so much destruction. Stunningly, Burns accuses the men--labor activists with an apparent grudge against the Los Angeles Times's fiercely anti-union owner--of not just one heinous deed but of being part of a terror wave involving hundreds of bombings. While preparation is laid for America's highest profile trial ever--and the forces of labor and capital wage hand-to-hand combat in the streets--two other notable figures are swept into the drama: industry-shaping lmmaker D.W. Griffith, who perceives in these events the possibility of great art and who will go on to alchemize his observations into the landmark film The Birth of a Nation; and crusading lawyer Clarence Darrow, committed to lend his eloquence to the defendants, though he will be driven to thoughts of suicide before events have fully played out.Simultaneously offering the absorbing reading experience of a can't-put-it-down thriller and the perception-altering resonance of a story whose reverberations continue even today, American Lightning is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction.From the Hardcover edition.
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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- First Edition, First Printing
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- 2008
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- Hardcover. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 339 p. Contains: Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/t
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Book and dust jacket are in fine condition. The image provided is the actual book I'm offering for sale. No markings or damage to any pages. No sunning. No clips. Structure of the book (covers, binding, spine, hinges) is tight and free of damage. Page block is nice and square. Cut pages. Additional photos will be provided upon request… Read more about this item Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, Movie-Making, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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- 2008
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Santa Barbara, California, USA
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New York: Crown Publishers, 2008. 339 pages, illustrations; 24 cm. Tight, clean copy. Stated First Edition. Fine DJ. A fine copy of the first printing. "In this masterpiece of narrative history, acclaimed author Howard Blum evokes the original 'crime of the century' and an aftermath even more dramatic than the crime itself--a seminal episode in America's history that would spark… Read more about this item Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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Crown, 2008. First edition. Hardcover. Near Fine in Near Fine Dust Jacket. First printing, near fine in like jacket with both showing hardly a trace of wear. 339 pages with a set of black & white plates. Good looking copy of this "..unforgettable tale of murder, deceit, celebrity, media manipulation, and film as propaganda..." says the Edgar Award… Read more about this item Item Price
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AMERICAN LIGHTNING: Terror, Mystery, Movie-Making and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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New York, New York, U.S.A.: Crown Publishers, Inc., 2008. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Signedby author on title page in black fountain ink. On October 1, 1910, an explosion tore through the offices of the Los Angeles Times, killing twenty and injuring dozens of others. Part of a planned assault… Read more about this item Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century (Signed First Edition)
by Blum, Howard
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New York: Crown, 2008. 1st Edition. Soft cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo., 339pp. Beautiful First Edition, FirstPrinting with full number sequence. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no wear. Equally attractive unclipped dust jacket, ($24.95), is fresh and bright with no chipping, creases, toning or tears. Signed by the author on the title page. A very pretty collectable… Read more about this item Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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Mishawaka, Indiana, USA
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
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Crown Publishing Group, The, 2008. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
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Youngtown, Arizona, USA
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by HOWARD BLUM
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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Reno, Nevada, USA
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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Houston, Texas, USA
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, Movie-making, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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- 2008
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- Hardcover
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East Granby, Connecticut, USA
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Westminster, Maryland, U.S.A.: Crown Forum, 2008. First edition, first printing. Dark green hardcover, color illustrated dustjacket. Light rubbing to the spine ends, otherwise about fine condition, no names or other markings. The mylar protected dustjacket is not priceclipped and is in fine condition, no chips or tears.. First Edition, First Printing. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo… Read more about this item Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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SAINT CHARLES , Illinois, USA
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, Movie-Making, and the Crime of the Century
by Blum, Howard
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- 2008
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- Hardcover
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Stow, Ohio, USA
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New York: Crown, 2008. Hardcover. 1st edition, 1st printing. 339 pp. Fine book (no markings) / Fine dust jacket (price not clipped). A clean, fresh copy.
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American Lightning : Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
- Condition
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- Published
- 2008
- Binding
- Paperback
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Crown Publishing Group, The, 2008. Paperback. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century
by Howard Blum
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- 2008-09-16
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HOUSTON, Texas, USA
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£14.67
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Crown, 2008-09-16. 1. Hardcover. Used:Good. Item Price
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