“Sweeney's forensic research shines through an entertaining book that is a thoroughly delicious slice of Irish-Americana.� —Irish Times  "What makes the story of Murphy’s professional wrestling career so fascinating is the way Sweeney sets the scene for many of his matches...From the booming voice of “Whitey� Kaunfer welcoming cold patrons to the Old Mechanics Building to the sweaty, bloody, and crowded confines of the Boston Arena dressing room, Sweeney does an exceptional job... If you are considering this book for its wrestling content, you will certainly enjoy what you find." —Slam Wrestling Newspapers called him the “the man with the cast-iron toes,� “the best drop-kicker in wrestling,� and “one of the mat game's biggest box office attractions.� But Dr. John “Dropkick� Murphy's legacy extends far beyond the wrestling ring. Decades before the Betty Ford Center became a household name — and long before the band the Dropkick Murphys named themselves in his honor — the phrase going to Dropkick’s meant a person struggling with addiction needed help and would soon get some. This book chronicles for the first time the unbelievable life of Dropkick Murphy, a professional wrestler who put himself through medical school during the Great Depression and then opened Bellows Farm, a one-of-a-kind institution that served as both a facility where elite athletes could train as well as a secluded place where down-on-their-luck alcoholics could go to sober up discreetly. The celebrities who frequented Dropkick Murphy’s farm were many, and numerous professional athletes would go there to focus on their training and work out in his state-of-the-art gymnasium. As a result, Bellows Farm featured an unrivaled and revolving cast of colorful characters who brought it to life. Drawing on years of research and interviews, author Emily Sweeney goes behind the scenes to reveal the untold story of Murphy’s life, his farm, and the legendary events that unfolded there.

A GUIDED TOUR OF BOSTON'S UNDERWORLD, REVEALING THE PLACES WHERE DEALS WERE MADE, PEOPLE WERE KILLED, AND BODIES WERE BURIED Gangsters have played a shady role in shaping Greater Boston's history. While lurking in local restaurants or just around the corner inside that inconspicuous building, countless criminals have quietly made their mark on the city and surrounding communities. Packed with photos, Gangland Boston reveals the hidden history of these places, bringing readers back in time to when the North End was wrought with gun violence, Hanover Street was known as a "shooting gallery," and guys named King Solomon, Beano Breen, and Mickey the Wiseguy ruled the underworld. Drawing upon years of research and an extensive collection of rare photographs, author Emily Sweeney sheds light on how gang violence unfolded during Prohibition, how the Italian mafia rose to power, and how the Gustin Gang came to be. She also uncovers little-known facts about well-known crime figures (Did you know the leader of the Gustin Gang was an Olympic athlete? Or that a fellowship at a major university was named after a big-time bookie?) From South Boston to Somerville, Chinatown to Charlestown, and every neighborhood in between, readers will get to know mobsters in ways they never have before. Readers will find out: * Exact addresses where mobsters lived, worked, and played around Greater Boston * How an Olympic athlete became one of Boston's most notorious gangsters * The untold history of the Gustin Gang * Frank Sinatra's connection to a long-forgotten Massachusetts racetrack * Little-known facts about David "Beano" Breen, Charles "King" Solomon, Harry "Doc" Sagansky, Raymond L.S. Patriarca, and other legendary crime figures