Book Reviews
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Riding on the Edge - Yet Another Book Review

2011/03/15 17:15
For those of us old enough to have been young during the 1960s, John Hall’s Riding on the Edge: A Motorcycle Outlaw’s Tale takes us back to a time of youthful innocence, long before law enforcement referred to motorcycle clubs as gangs. Riding on the Edge gives readers who were not so fortunate to have lived through the ‘60s a bird’s eye view of bikers and bike clubs. For either group, John Hall tells a tale that captures the essence of early outlaw clubs, specifically the Pagans Motorcycle Club, and the personalities and behavior of their members. Hall captures not only life in a ‘60s era outlaw bike club but also how the general public viewed clubs.

Hall’s story is set in the northeast: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia during a time when the Pagans were developing momentum, establishing new chapters and defending the territory they claimed. Hall’s story tells of much simpler times, when a teardrop gas tank could be filled for a dollar and a man and his brothers could drink all night for a sawbuck. Hall tells stories about the Pagans during his relatively short tenure with the club. The Pagans couldn’t be accused, at least during those times, of being involved in organized crime. To the contrary the club was spontaneous and little they did was organized. There is plenty of criminal behavior sprinkled throughout his story but the story isn’t about crime or criminals. It’s about a bunch of guys who fancied themselves outlaws and pushed the envelope during a time when society was evolving in the opposite direction. It’s about brotherhood and human qualities like honesty and commitment and camaraderie that we’d all be fortunate to share with the guys or gals we ride with. Qualities that are highly prized and seldom seen in the world we live in today.

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American Biker - A Book Review

2011/01/01 17:13
When I received Bill Hayes’ email in mid-July announcing American Biker would be available in October I put it on my must read list. I had met Bill in early 2004 when he offered my club the opportunity to contribute to his previous book, “The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club”. I got the nod to submit a brief history of the Gypsy Motorcycle Club, describing our roots as a family club in Tennessee and how we became an established motorcycle club (MC) in Corpus Christi, Texas. When the Wild Ones was published, my club bought close to a hundred copies and distributed them at our 2006 Mandatory, complete with a book signing with me, the contributor, and Hap Simerly, our International President. Our members were thrilled that we received a cameo in what has become a best seller within the MC community.

The American Biker, the book, expands on film maker Randall Wilson’s 2005 documentary by the same name. The film is a near three-hour study of the history of motorcycles beginning before 1900 and the story of how the sport of motorcycling changed just after World War II. As Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it” and that’s exactly what happened. Motorcycle enthusiasts went one direction and the newly formed species, the American Biker, went in another ... at that time, definitely a road less traveled! I just completed the book and also watched the documentary and I can enthusiastically recommend both to anybody, that’s ANYBODY, especially those who fancy themselves a part of the biker lifestyle. Read More...
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