The Gang Popular Books
The Gang Biography & Facts
A gang is a group or society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectively, in illegal, and possibly violent, behavior, with such behavior often constituting a form of organized crime. Etymology The word gang derives from the past participle of Old English gan, meaning 'to go'. It is cognate with Old Norse gangr, meaning 'journey'. While the term often refers specifically to criminal groups, it also has a broader meaning of any close or organized group of people, and may have neutral, positive or negative connotations depending on usage. History In discussing the banditry in American history, Barrington Moore, Jr. suggests that gangsterism as a "form of self-help which victimizes others" may appear in societies which lack strong "forces of law and order"; he characterizes European feudalism as "mainly gangsterism that had become society itself and acquired respectability through the notions of chivalry". The 17th century saw London "terrorized by a series of organized gangs", some of them known as the Mims, Hectors, Bugles, and Dead Boys. These gangs often came into conflict with each other. Members dressed "with colored ribbons to distinguish the different factions." During the Victorian era, criminals and gangs started to form organizations which would collectively become London's criminal underworld. Criminal societies in the underworld started to develop their own ranks and groups which were sometimes called families, and were often made up of lower-classes and operated on pick-pocketry, prostitution, forgery and counterfeiting, commercial burglary and money laundering schemes. Unique also were the use of slangs and argots used by Victorian criminal societies to distinguish each other, like those propagated by street gangs like the Peaky Blinders. In the United States, the history of gangs began on the East Coast in 1783 following the American Revolution. Gangs arose further in the United States by the middle of the nineteenth century and were a concern for city leaders from the time they appeared. The emergence of the gangs was largely attributed to the vast rural population immigration to the urban areas. The first street-gang in the United States, the 40 Thieves, began around the late 1820s in New York City. The gangs in Washington D.C. had control of what is now Federal Triangle, in a region then known as Murder Bay. Organized crime in the United States first came to prominence in the Old West and historians such as Brian J. Robb and Erin H. Turner traced the first organized crime syndicates to the Coschise Cowboy Gang and the Wild Bunch. Prohibition would also cause a new boom in the emergence of gangs; Chicago for example had over 1,000 gangs in the 1920s. Outside of the US and the UK, gangs exist in both urban and rural forms, like the French gangs of the Belle Époque like the Apaches and the Bonnot Gang. Many criminal organizations like the Italian Cosa Nostra, Japanese yakuza, Russian Bratva, and Chinese triads, have existed for centuries. Types Gangs, syndicates, and other criminal groups, come in many forms, each with their own specialties and gang culture. Mafia One of the most infamous criminal gangs are Mafias, whose activities include racketeering and overseeing illicit agreements. These include the Sicilian Cosa Nostra and the Italian–American Mafia. The Neapolitan Camorra, the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta and the Apulian Sacra Corona Unita are similar Italian organized gangs. Outside of Italy, the Irish Mob, Japanese yakuza, Chinese triads, British firms, and Russian Bratva are also examples. Narco Narcos or drug cartels are slang terms used for criminal groups (mainly Latin Americans) who primarily deal with the illegal drug trade. These include drug cartels like the Medellin Cartel and other Colombian cartels, Mexican cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Zetas, and the Primeiro Comando da Capital in Brazil. Other examples are Jamaican Yardies and the various opium barons in the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent. Many narcos are known for their use of paramilitaries and narcoterrorism like the Gulf Cartel and Shower Posse. Street Street gangs are gangs formed by youths in urban areas, and are known primarily for street fighting and gang warfare. The term "street gang" is commonly used interchangeably with "youth gang", referring to neighborhood or street-based youth groups that meet "gang" criteria. Miller (1992) defines a street gang as "a self-formed association of peers, united by mutual interests, with identifiable leadership and internal organization, who act collectively or as individuals to achieve specific purposes, including the conduct of illegal activity and control of a particular territory, facility, or enterprise." Some of the well-known ones are the Black gangs like the Bloods and the Crips, also the Vice Lords and the Gangster Disciples. Other racial gangs also exist like the Trinitario, Sureños, Tiny Rascal Gang, Asian Boyz, Wa Ching, Zoe Pound, The Latin Kings, The Hammerskins, Nazi Lowriders and Blood & Honour. Law enforcement Law enforcement gangs are criminal organizations that form and operate within law enforcement agencies. Members have been accused of significant department abuses of policy and constitutional rights, terrifying the general population, intimidating their colleagues, and retaliating against whistleblowers. Leaders called "shot-callers" control many aspects of local policing, including promotions, scheduling, and enforcement. They operate in the gray areas of law enforcement, perpetuate a culture of silence, and promote a mentality of punisher-style retaliation. Biker Biker gangs are motorcycle clubs who conduct illegal activities like the Hells Angels, the Pagans, the Outlaws, and the Bandidos, known as the "Big Four" in the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice defines outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMG) as "organizations whose members use their motorcycle clubs as conduits for criminal enterprises". Some clubs are considered "outlaw" not necessarily because they engage in criminal activity, but because they are not sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association and do not adhere to its rules. Instead the clubs have their own set of bylaws reflecting the outlaw biker culture. Biker gangs such as the Rebels Motorcycle Club exist in Australia. Prison Prison gangs are formed inside prisons and correctional facilities for mutual protection and entrancement like the Mexican Mafia and United Blood Nation. Prison gangs often have several "affiliates" or "chapters" in different state prison systems that branch out due to the movement or transfer of their members. According to criminal justice professor John Hagedorn, many of the biggest gangs from Chicago originated from prisons. From the St. Charles Illinois Youth Ce.... Discover the The Gang popular books. Find the top 100 most popular The Gang books.
Best Seller The Gang Books of 2024
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Counterfeit
Kirstin ChenINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK “A con artist story, a popfeminist caper, a fashionable romp . . . Counterfeit is an entertaining, luxurious readbut...
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Fallen
Karin SlaughterNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A complex, gripping, and deadly serious novel that reflects anew [Karin] Slaughter’s abundant talent.”The Washington Post WATCH WILL TRENT ON ABC ...
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Among the Bros
Max Marshall“Among the Bros is a harrowing and disturbing book. I have read about fraternity life but nothing like this. This book will blow your mind, each page digging deeper into the u...
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The Cartel 2
Ashley & JaQuavisDiamonds are forever . . . or are they? The Cartel runs Miami, and loyalty to their organization runs deep, but when someone breaks the rules, things may be beyond repair. A snitch...
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L.A. Outlaws
T. Jefferson ParkerFor fans of Michael Connelly and CJ Box, here is the first thrilling adventure in the Charlie Hood series from New York Times bestseller and Edgaraward winner T. Jefferson Parker, ...
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The Gangster
Clive Cussler & Justin ScottTurnofthecentury Detective Isaac Bell takes on the upstart leader of a vicious crime organization in this novel in the #1 New York Times–bestselling series. It is 1906, a...
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The Cartel 3
Ashley & JaQuavisThe Cartel has come full circle with this fastpaced, groundbreaking novel, the finale to the hit series by New York Times bestsellers Ashley & JaQuavis. Miamor is fighting for ...
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Tattoos on the Heart
Gregory Boyle“Destined to become a classic of both urban reportage and contemporary spirituality” (Los Angeles Times)Tattoos on the Heart is a series of parables about kinship and redemption fr...
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The Contender
Robert LipsyteThe breakthrough modern sports novel The Contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero.This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter Robert Lipsyte, the recipient of t...
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Native Son
Richard Wright“If one had to identify the single most influential shaping force in modern Black literary history, one would probably have to point to Wright and the publication of Native Son.” –...
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I, Michael Bennett
James Patterson & Michael LedwidgePolice officers shot . . . judges murdered . . . and Detective Michael Bennett is the killer's next target.Detective Michael Bennett arrests an infamous Mexican crime lord in a dea...
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The Drop
Dennis LehaneDennis Lehane returns to the streets of Mystic River with this love story wrapped in a crime story wrapped in a journey of faiththe basis for the major motion picture The Drop, fro...
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An Obvious Fact
Craig JohnsonIn the twelfth Longmire novel, Walt, Henry, and Vic discover much more than they bargained for when they are called in to investigate a hitandrun accident involving a young motorcy...
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Cross Country
James PattersonUnprotected and alone, Alex Cross is chasing a horrible new breed of killer. When the crimes hit close to home, he must hunt down the source . . . before it finds him first.When th...
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Ghettoside
Jill LeovyNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, USA TODAY, AND CHICAGO TRIBUNE A masterly work of literary j...
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The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott LynchFantasy meets crime caper in the first book of a landmark, enduringly popular epic series about a roguish group of conmen, which George R. R. Martin has called “fresh, original, an...
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The Sentry
Robert CraisPrivate investigators Joe Pike and Elvis Cole get doublecrossed in this twisty, gripping New York Times bestseller that will have readers on the edge of their seats.When gangb...
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Free Fall
Robert Crais“A thoughtful and powerful page turner.”PeopleElvis Cole is just a detective who can't say no, especially to a girl in a terrible fix. And Jennifer Sheridan qualifies: Her fiancé, ...
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Traitors Gate
Jeffrey Archer24 hours to stop the crime of the centuryThe race against time is about to begin…THE TOWER OF LONDON…Impenetrable. Well protected. Secure. Home to the most valuable jewels on earth...
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Stranger In Paradise
Robert B. ParkerAn Apache hit man arrives in Paradise to find a missing girl and snuff out her mother. But his conscience is getting the best of him. If he doesn’t make the hit, he’ll pay for it. ...
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The Bling Ring
Nancy Jo SalesThe Bling Ring by Vanity Fair writer Nancy Jo Sales is an indepth expose of a band of beautiful, privileged teenagers who were caught breaking into celebrity homes a...
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No Angel
Jay Dobyns & Nils Johnson-SheltonFrom the first federal agent to infiltrate the inner circle of the outlaw Hells Angels Motorcycle Club comes the inside story of the 21month operation that almost cost him his fa...
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Under and Alone
William QueenIn 1998, William Queen was a veteran law enforcement agent with a lifelong love of motorcycles and a lack of patience with paperwork. When a “confidential informant” made contact w...
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The Devil in the White City
Erik Larson#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile comes the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chi...
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I Heard You Paint Houses
Charles BrandtNew York Times Bestseller #1 True Crime Bestseller The inspiration for the major motion picture, THE IRISHMAN. “The best Mafia book I ever read, and believe me, I r...
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Testimony
Scott TurowScott Turow, #1 New York Times bestselling author and "one of the major writers in America" (NPR), returns with a pageturning legal thriller about an American prosecutor's investig...
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Chain Gang All Stars
Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahA NEW YORK TIMES TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK NATIONAL BESTSELLER Two top women...
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Long Way Down
Jason Reynolds“An intense snapshot of the chain reaction caused by pulling a trigger.” Booklist (starred review) “Astonishing.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A tour de force.” Publishers Week...
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Connections in Death
J. D. Robb#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER (February 2019)Lieutenant Eve Dallas fights to save the innocentand serve justice to the guiltyon the streets of New York in Connections in Death, the ...
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The Black Hand
Chris BlatchfordTHE BLACK HAND is the true story of Rene Enriquez, aka "Boxer," and his rise in a secret criminal organization, a new Mafia, that already has a grip on all organized crime in Calif...
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Mob Daughter
Karen Gravano & Lisa PulitzerFrom Karen Gravano, a star of the hit VH1 reality show Mob Wives, comes a revealing memoir of a mafia childhood, where love and family come handinhand with murder and betrayal. Kar...
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A Drink Before the War
Dennis LehaneThe mesmerizing, darkly original novel that heralded the arrival of now New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane, the master of the new noirand introduced Patrick Kenzie and...
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Killing the Mob
Bill O'Reilly & Martin DugardInstant #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller!In the tenth book in the multimillionselling Killing series, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard take o...
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Private Down Under
James Patterson & Michael WhiteThe world's most exclusive detective agency opens a new officein Australia!With the best detectives in the business, cutting edge technology and offices around the globe, there is ...
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American Desperado
Jon Roberts & Evan WrightThe true story of supercriminal Jon Roberts, star of the documentary Cocaine Cowboys. American Desperado is Roberts’ noholdsbarred account of being born into Mafia roya...
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A Piece of Cake
Cupcake BrownNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The heartwrenching, uplifting tale about a woman named Cupcake“[Cupcake] Brown’s confessional . . . memoir is one you can’t easily put down. Her lif...
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Nine Dragons
Michael ConnellyAfter what seems like a routine murder investigation, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch finds himself in Hong Kong facing the higheststakes case of his life: bringing his kidnapped daught...
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The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace
Jeff HobbsNow a major motion pictureRob Peacestarring Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, and Chiwetel Ejiofor Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, and...
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The Leak
K'wanThe Leak is a complimentary short prequel story that leads into K'wan's hit novel, Welfare Wifeys. Learn how Animal got his start as a child of the streets, raised up by a man name...
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Next in Line
Jeffrey Archer“Only someone like Jeffrey Archer . . . could have written a compelling story like this. Every page bristles with suspense and the ending comes at you with the force of a tank roun...
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Sanctuary Island
C. F. Francis"Stellar debut" SueEllen Welfonder, USA Bestselling AuthorHeat, both tropical and sensual, sizzle on every page of this romantic suspense novel set in steamy Southwest Florida....
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Always Running
Luis J. RodriguezThe awardwinning memoir of life in an LA street gang from the acclaimed Chicano author and former Los Angeles Poet Laureate: “Fierce, and fearless” (The New York Times). Lui...
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Gang Leader for a Day
Sudhir VenkateshA New York Times Bestseller"A rich portrait of the urban poor, drawn not from statistics but from vivid tales of their lives and his, and how they intertwined." The Economist"...