Welcome to Litsy!

PRK is probably my favorite long form journalist. (Empire of Pain gets a lot of attention but Say Nothing is my #1 pick.) This is a collection of his work for the New Yorker. Like any collection, some appeal more than others. The best for me were his profiles of Anthony Bourdain, Mark Burnett, and the defense attorney for several notorious death penalty cases. I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author.

A collection of articles written over the years by Patrick Radden Keefe. So many interesting characters, I found the one about Bourdain to be my favorite.

3.5⭐️

Another great reread. If you haven‘t read Keefe‘s two larger nonfiction works about the Sackler family (OxyContin makers) or the Troubles, check them out, too. (Tagged below) But this collection of 12 feature-length New Yorker articles is great to dip in and out of or read all at once. Each article features someone with a dark side from criminals like El Chapo to roguish celebrities like Bourdain and Mark Burnett.

Third time I have checked out from my local library, should probably buy the book as I like delving in from time to time reading about grifters, killers, rebels, and crooks. The story on Anthony Bourdain is almost worth the price alone, and I have learned to despise Mark Burnett. So many great stories and interviews. Patrick Radden Keefe is an author to read.

💚PRK! Glad I finally got around to reading this one (I bought it right when it came out, months ago). Some of the pieces in this collection (all originally published in The New Yorker) grabbed me more than others, but all are examples of outstanding journalism. The Amy Bishop story, A Loaded Gun, was the stand-out for me.

Listened to this one while working today - this chapter *felt* out of place despite the word ‘killers‘ being in the list on front. I think I just don‘t associate the word ‘rogue‘ with a workplace murder, but maybe that‘s a me problem.

A collection of his New Yorker articles. I‘m a fan of Say Nothing and Empire of Pain, and these stories have the in depth investigation and humanizing, engaging storytelling that those books do. If you like long form pieces about criminals and scammers, check this book out. Then read his books!

Audiobook. This is a series of articles published in the New Yorker by Keefe. They were all new to me, some were more interesting than others. I knew nothing about El Chapo, so that was one of my favorites. Recommend if you like a variety of subjects.

I'm a big PRK fan. LOVED Say Nothing and Empire of Pain. For me this was a so-so read, not because the long-form journalism pieces weren't well-written, but because I'd already read a number of them in the New Yorker. But also, some of them were written as timely pieces at one point in time, and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. The pieces on Trump and Anthony Bourdain in particular felt very dated.

This was an absorbing collection of long-form articles written by the author. I don‘t really read detailed pieces like these anymore. Most of the subjects were really interesting characters. I struggled a bit with the ones about financial fraud and an arms dealer. 4/5

#bookspinbingo

Picked up since I loved Empire of Pain by the same author. These were articles published by the author over the years and were engrossing and eye opening.

#bookspinbingo
#litsylovereads

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was great—loved the more bite-sized essay format. Keefe is a fantastic writer and long form journalist. A couple of the essays slugged a bit, or maybe I just wasn‘t that interested in the topic, but I devoured most of them.

There aren‘t many writers of nonfiction whose books are automatically added to my TBR but Patrick Radden Keefe definitely tops that list. This collection of previously released articles was great on audio. I was barely finished with the first one before I was recommending this to all of the audiobook lovers I know.

Fantastic audiobook read by the author- a collection of previously published stories.

Each essay was more enthralling than the last! I couldn‘t wait to pick up this book each time I put it down. Keefe has a way of making fact more awful, more beautiful, and more interesting than fiction. After hearing he narrated the audiobook, I‘m tempted to go for round 2.

(A view last night from the home I lived in for 20+ years before my divorce. I‘m housesitting which is an odd concept but…) I listened to this, read by Keefe, and it was terrific. Long essays written for The New Yorker of some shysters, grifters, and killers. One essay was about a murder that tied back to a story of the killer‘s childhood, all of which took place in the town I grew up in. Keefe is an automatic read for me.

115/150 I don't know what I can add to all the other positive reviews on Litsy. It is a fascinating collections of essays, about some bad people, anti-heroes and rebels (as the cover says). Finishing with Anthony Bourdain was the highlight, but also very sad knowing his fate. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Every essay is brilliantly crafted - taking complicated politics, relationships, allegiance and circumstance and crafting the narrative like a closely wound story. He‘s a genius at his craft! Some pieces I enjoyed more than others of course - but all were rich, deeply researched and full of humanity. There‘s one I can‘t stop telling everyone about and might make it my Mastermind specialist subject!

Every chapter contained an in-depth look at bad guys (Anthony Bourdain excepted). My fave was the chapter about producer Mark Burnett, the man who truly made Donald Trump. Dang was that enlightening (& a lot scary). One chapter uncovered the true culprits in the Lockerbie bombing, much of the sleuthing taking place in #Libya. In another we learn how the most abundant natural resource (iron) in #Guinea was swindled into an outsider‘s hands. ⬇️

I will read anything this author writes!

I loved how this was broken down with each chapter being about someone different. Keefe always delivers a well researched point of view that leaves me contemplating things. Some information in this I knew, but a lot of it was new to me.

This worked really well as an audiobook too.

Loved this NF collection of story pieces written by Patrick Radden Keefe, which were originally published in THE NEW YORKER magazine. His audio narration was outstanding. While I found some stories more interesting than others, each piece was written objectively and with candor and sensitivity. I love expanding my “knowledge “ in snippets 😜

Just read about my rogue in #Guinea #ReadingAfrica22 @BarbaraBB @Librarybelle

This is really fantastic!! Definitely making my #Top22 list

Still LOVING the audio and the first person narrative stories. This current story is about the PanAm Lockerbie aviation terror attack. And it‘s focusing on #Libya #ReadingAfrica22 just in case anyone needs that country 😉 This story also mentions #Togo and #Senegal

How does Patrick Radden Keefe make everything so interesting?! I don‘t read his magazine pieces but clearly should, because each one in this collection was excellent. Still haven‘t read Say Nothing, must get to it!

This is GREAT!!! And I love the author‘s narration 🎧🙌🏻❣️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Keefe is a master of narrative nonfiction! There are few things I enjoy more, honestly. This collection of #TheNewYorker articles is thoughtful and respectful even when perhaps the subject matter doesn‘t deserve such grace, though some surely do. There‘s fraud, corruption, and many stories that toe the line of illicit and legit. Unsurprisingly, the Anthony Bourdain essay was my favorite. The death row attorney, a close second. Riveting!

My next audiobook. Using this for #Guinea #readingsfrica2022 thanks to @Hooked_on_books recommendation. @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB

Honestly, I could talk about the stories in Rogues for hours. Each and every one is masterfully crafted, perfectly balanced, and totally gripping. Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/rogues-patrick-radden-keefe/

I don‘t think there‘s anything better in nonfiction that a compelling writer who is also an outstanding researcher. And PRK is that exactly. I really enjoyed this collection of his long form pieces, one of which was happily about #Guinea! I think he‘s just fabulous.

#ReadingAfrica2022

An interesting collection of essays about wine forgers, arms dealers, Anthony Bourdain, Mark Burnett, and Judy Clarke. Simultaneously, I felt like my life is really bland and completely absorbed in the craziness of pretending to buy arms from an international arms broker. Some essays are fantastic, some are ok, all told with enough humanity that made them so intriguing.

I‘m not usually a lover of essays - they end at the point my questions are mounting! But he‘s SO good - this has got to be brilliant, right?

Grabbed this 500 piece puzzle thinking it would be easy … but it‘s sheer misery. 😅 At least I have a good book in my ears! #audiopuzzling

Okay. So. I really enjoyed this author, he may be my current favorite non-fiction author at the moment.
Like most all short collections I found that some stories were incredibly interesting and I wanted so much more about them I was googling and looking for photos and things. And then others I just wanted them to be over almost before they began because I was not interested.
Overall I liked most of the stories but I did skip through a few

Oh this is good! Keefe is a great nonfiction writer and these collected stories from the New Yorker vary greatly but are all interesting. From El Chapo to Anthony Bourdain, each piece is thoroughly realized but not overly long. I learned so much more of the story behind big headlines. The man who “made” Trump, Mark Burnett has his own feature. I didn‘t even know who he was prior to this book. He created the show The Apprentice 😑

Longform journalism is where it‘s at, and I loved this collection of Keefe‘s articles from the New Yorker!

I had a great side email with @BarbaraBB after reading his piece on Dutch organized crime. He covered controversial figures like Mark Burnett, the creator of The Apprentice, and his support of 45. There was a heartbreaking piece about a lawyer trying to protect clients from the death penalty. And it ends with his profile of Bourdain. ⬇️

And in other great book news…I got this on #NewReleaseTuesday from the library!! New PRK = great day 👍🏻🎧