Chicago Lightning is a romantic suspense novel that begins with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago on February 14, 1929 and ends around midnight two days later in Five Points, New York City.
This is the last day – Day 21 – of my Chicago Lightning series of teasers, tidbits, and trivia. It’s also the 92nd anniversary of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. There are innumerable websites that offer facts and legends along with the weapons and the vehicles.
Since I have nothing new to add to the mix, I’m sharing the books I used as reference while writing Chicago Lightning.
Chicago Lightning is a romantic suspense novel that begins with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago on February 14, 1929 and ends around midnight two days later in Five Points, New York City.
This is Day 21 of my Chicago Lightning series of teasers, tidbits, and trivia. It’s also the 92nd anniversary of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. There are innumerable websites that offer the facts, the legends, and the myths about this infamous day, and I have nothing new to add to the mix.
Instead, I’m sharing the nonfiction books I used as reference while writing Chicago Lightning.
1900 – 1939 information
America in the 1910s – The Decades of the Twentieth Century in America [Series]
Marlee Richards, c. 2010, Indexed, Lots of Images
America in the 1920s – The Decades of the Twentieth Century in America [Series]
Edmund Lindop with Margaret J. Goldstein, c. 2010, Indexed, Lots of images
Five Points – The 19th Century New York City Neighborhood that Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections, and Became the World’s Most Notorious Slum
Tyler Anbinder, c. 2001, Indexed, Extensive end notes
Thorough study of Five Points’ history.
Daily Life in the United States – 1920 – 1940 – How America Lived Through the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression
Davie E. Kyvig, c. 2002, Indexed
Good information. Reads like a text book—a bit tedious.
Only Yesterday, an Informal History of the 1920s
Frederick Lewis Allen, c. 1931 – Indexed
Since Yesterday – The 1930s in America – September 3, 1929 – September 3, 1939
Frederick Lewis Allen, c. 2008 – Not Indexed
Both of Allen’s books read like novels: engaging, entertaining, and informative.
Everyday Life from Prohibition through World War II
Marc McCutcheon, c. 1995 – Not Indexed
This is a compilation of organized alphabetized tidbits and trivia divided into chapters such as: Crime, Slang/Colloquialisms, Radio, Clothing/Fashion, etc. There is a ‘chronology’ section at the end that is organized by the year different events occurred.
Poisoner’s Handbook, The: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in the Jazz Age New York
Deborah Blum, c. 2011—Indexed
This is a fascinating non-fiction book that reads like fiction.
Transportation:
Cars of Pullman, The
Joe Welsh, Bill Howes, and Kevin J. Holland, c. 2010, Indexed
History of the Pullman railroad car. Lots of color images and posters.
Night Trains – The Pullman System in the Golden Years of American Rail Travel
Peter T. Maiken, c. 1989, Indexed, Lots of images
This book is organized by states with a few pages of railroad information specific to that state, including maps and some timetables. Indexed.
Rolls-Royce – 75 Years of Motoring Excellence
Edward Eves, c. 1979, Indexed
History of the Rolls-Royce with images. It came up short for me in the area of lacking sufficient pictures of cars’ interiors.
So ends this series. Thanks for coming along with me on this Roaring Twenties journey.
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
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Day 1 – Jan. 25th – Chicago Lightning – book video
Day 2 – Jan. 26th – Micro Excerpt #1
Day 3 – Jan. 27th – Notable Events of the 1920s – 1920 through 1924
Day 4 – Jan. 28th – Notable Events of the 1920s – 1925 through 1929
Day 5 – Jan. 29th – Chapter 1 Micro Excerpt
Day 6 – Jan. 30th – Slang – 1920s era
Day 7 – Jan. 31st – Pre-order
Day 8 – Feb. 1st – 1920s Kitchen
Day 9 – Feb. 2nd – ‘Roaring 20s’
Day 10 – Feb. 3rd – Chapter 2 – Micro Excerpt #2
Day 11 – Feb. 4th – 4 Roaring Twenties Movies
Day 12 – Feb. 5th – 1928 Phantom 1 Rolls-Royce
Day 13 – Feb. 6th – Speakeasy
Day 14 – Feb. 7th – Chapter 2 – Micro Excerpt #3
Day 15 – Feb. 8th – Pre-FBI – brief history
Day 16 – Feb. 9th – 1920s radio
Day 17 – Feb. 10th – Release Day, Micro Excerpt #4, and bullet resistant clothing
Day 18 – Feb. 11th – “The Hedge”
Day 19 – Feb. 12th – What did it cost? 1925-1929
Day 20 – Feb. 13th – Hello? Who’s calling?
Day 21 – Feb. 14th – 1920s reference books and book video