American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century

Mr. Blum undoubtedly did a considerable amount of research of the historical events which form the backdrop for his novel "American Lightning." Unfortunately, however, I was not drawn in by the story nor the characters. This, perhaps, was more my failing than that of the author. By coincidence, I had just finished reading "Glimpses of Paradise," a novel by James Scott Bell; which, like "Lightning," was also set in the early years of the twentieth century, and the fledgling motion picture industry played a significant role in Mr. Bell's book, as it did in the work by Mr. Blum. The fact that I personally prefer the former's writing, having read many compelling James Scott Bell novels, should not dissuade others from "American Lightning." The review by Publishers Weekly, posted on Amazon.com's website, makes several favorable comments, including:
"Blum paints his characters in all their grandeur and tragedy, making them--and their era--come alive. Blum's prose is tight, his speculations unfailingly sound and his research extensive--all adding up to an absorbing and masterful true crime narrative."

American Lighting is a brilliant exposé on the highly disparate, and yet amazingly similar, lives of three men: a lawyer, a filmmaker, and a private detective, all of whom helped usher in the twentieth century with their groundbreaking work. Certainly, individual books on each of these men, Clarence Darrow, D. W. Griffith, and Billy Burns have been, and probably will continue to be, written as each was a pioneer in his own right; however, the manner in which their fascinating paths crossed as a result of the infamous bombing of the Los Angeles Times in 1910 has led Howard Blum to create this fascinating foray into the conflicts between labor and capitalists which ultimately shaped the future of our country for the next 100 years.

American Lighting contains all the elements of a great historical novel - larger than life characters (Darrow, Griffith, and Burns) working together and against each other as well as being innovators in their respective fields amidst a backdrop of societal conflicts, often on the verge of meltdown, that fuel the passions of the wise and the foolish alike. Murders, bombings, the development of cinema as a form of communication that exceeds storytelling, politics, crime, and a seeming endless series of who-done-its fill this work with much to savor.

While the tale woven by Mr. Bloom can become rather intense, he keeps a strong hold on the manner in which it is presented and successfully leaves the reader with a cogent whole. Bravo, Mr. Blum!

This book really reads like American Lightning - fast, brilliant and illuminating. The characters are so rich and intriguing, it seems impossible that the author didn't create them himself. I was amazed at how relatively sophisticated detection was at the turn of the century, and how key players in three industries ended up interacting. But mostly, what surprised me was the story's resonance. Everything in the book - labor unrest, driven detectives, cross country commutes in search of the truth, Hollywood's importance -- all seemed so contemporary that I kept forgetting it was a period piece. Loved this book.

I am having a hard time completing this one. My mind wanders and I find myself drifting off to sleep. I decided to read something a bit more interesting, and perhaps, picking American Lightning up later. It does have some high points, but not enough to keep my eyes open.

American Lightning is a book that can non make up its mind about what story it is trying to tell. It seems to be equally split between trying to tell the story of the birth of Hollywood and D.W. Griffith, the story of William Burns and the story of the bombing of the L.A. Times building and the subsequent trial. This lack of focus hurts the story and leads to a disjointed and hard to follow plot line.

The most fascinating aspect of this book is the labor strife and the anger that culminated with the bombing of the L.A. Times building. This story could be fascinating but Mr. Blum goes off in different tangents just as he starts to build momentum in one direction and, as a result, he loses focus and we are left with a dull, haphazard story.