Rat Bastards: The South Boston Irish Mobster Who Took the Rap When Everyone Else Ran

Not only was it captivating to me, but it kept me engaged with every coming page from to the truthfulness, pride, spirit, and loyalty one can actually have in life. Made me open my eyes about how much is overlooked in one's own life and how good life can really feel, even when having little to nothing.

I found this book to be one of the most accurate of all the books I've read on or about James Whitey Bulger. Shea sounded like a stand up guy who lived by his convictions. Yes he was a thug and a criminal, but in my 25 years in law enforcement I have found stand up people come from all walks of life. I enjoyed this writing much better than some reporter who just has his own agenda and doesn't always write the truth. Yes, there have been some good books by reporters. Black Mass bring one of them. The reporter I'm talking about has written many books on this subject. The $$$$$, seems to be the driving force and not the truth. Bulger was probably one of the worst criminals Boston and South Boston has had or will have. He lived a lie, and Shea told that story as well as his own. I would recommend Rat Bastards to anyone who wants to read a factual account of South Boston. Amazon has about the best selection of writings on this subject.

Good read, well written, you can hear Shea's Southie accent in your head as you read it. He takes you on an interesting ride through his years in the Irish mafia with Whitey Bulger (who as we all know was recently captured).He tells some interesting stories, but I can't help think there are some more interesting stories he wasn't able to tell because he'd end up back in jail.

I've been following stories about the Irish Mob for several years now, and I've got to admit that this story is the real deal. All the others are written by either journalists or government/paid informers. Never trust someone that rats on others to save their own skin. They'll say anything to get ahead. And journalists will also say anything to get ahead. Objective journalism died many many years ago.So what are you going to read, rat stories or hack stories? I say none of the above. The only real option is "Rat Bastards," the real story written by one of the few Stand Up still alive. So do yourself a favor and check this book out, otherwise you are a Rat Bastard!

I've read enough of the true crime gangster genre to expect a certain amount of embellishment when the books are co-written by the mobsters themselves. Gangsters by nature tend to over estimate their toughness and how respected and/or feared they were in their prime. While I take it all with a grain of salt the very fact of their tendency toward self aggrandizement is an important piece of the puzzle when we look at what drives them to live their lives outside the law. That said this guy takes the cake. He makes John Gotti look humble. Compared to the character Red Shea writes about in this biography the great Scarface Tony Montana is a gutless coward. And the protagonist in this story is just a fictional character as no human being could ever have lived life this way deep inside a criminal enterprise... at least if he wanted to keep on breathing.Normally I don't do spoilers but in the hopes I can save people some time out of their lives and a few bucks here's the entire book summed up. John "Red" Shea won a few YMCA boxing matches which convinced him he was a world class boxer. Even though he weighed roughly 140 pounds and sold relatively small amounts of drugs every gangster in Southie immediately respected him upon meeting him. All of the Irish Mob, Even Whitey Bulger were terrified of him. There was at least one guy (in spite of the entire Irish and Italian Mob being petrified of Shea) in every bar he walked into who started a fight with him. All these men were knocked out with one punch and most had to be taken to nearby hospitals and upon release either left town or spent their lives in fear of Shea. Every woman he met immediately fell into bed with him. Once in prison despite Caucasians being outnumbered 10 to 1 all the ethnic gangs laid down to him. He ran every prison he was in, excommunicating anyone who didn't follow his code to the letter. Jamaican, Muslim, Dominican, Mexican, and Cuban gangs wet their pants when he simply flashed a look at them. The few individuals who were not frozen in fear of Shea's shadow were dispatched with one punch as well.I've always heard Denial (The Nile) is a river in Egypt. After reading this book I'd say the river Delusional may be located in Southie.

This book is excellent and should be read by all who enjoy an edge. The author shares his fascinating experiences in the projects; the streets; the ring; the narcotics trade; and the criminal justice system. Shea survived some very scary places through a remarkable spirit of aggression and an absence of fear. He describes horror and brutality with cerebral observation and introspective eloquence. He is not a sympathetic figure, but he never asks us for sympathy, perhaps only for a little respect for a guy who grew up hard and paid a hard debt in full.

This book written in 1st person narrative by "Red Shea" was excellent ! If you truly want to know about Whitey Bulger and the Irish Mafia this book will put you there. There isn't a dull moment and you live every moment. Well done, and thank you John "Red" Shea for letting me into your life, it was a wild ride.

Red Shea was and is stand up, as far as gangsters go. I remember him from when I was a kid, boxing out of McKenzie’s gym. He is what he says he is.Good book with real insight.

Pleased I read this book. I'd heard of Whitey. But not the extent of his gang, how he rose to power, etc. But Red. What a story. Couldn't put the book down. An honest, tough man who took it all and didn't rat. Would definitely liked to have seen him as a pro boxer. But that wasn't to be his life.

Well written by a novice writer. A story worth reading. Sad story of the wrong path. Redemption came in the end.

Brutal honest and true to the game it’s good to know that there are still some standup guys left this book has restored my faith in the values that I was raised in

Great product delivered quickly

Very good read