The crime encyclopedia: The world's most notorious outlaws, mobsters & crooks

The Crime Encyclopedia is a fun book. You can flip it open at any point and learn about a criminal and their crimes. The book covers a wide variety of criminals, mostly from the twentieth century. From Billy The Kid to Kevin Mitnick, there's a few pages about some of the shadiest people of recent memory.The real value of this book is as a reference for cultural literacy. People mention thugs like Bonnie and Clyde in casual conversation, and now you can read up on the real story. Some shady characters, like Pancho Villa, have cultural meaning, too.While I can't comment on the accuracy of the book's content, the coverage is broad and interesting. The content is grouped by crime type, but an index lists criminals by name. A wonderful read and amusing reference at a bargain price.