Book · 1990 · Social Science
The Westies
Inside the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob
Why people recommend it
The Westies by T. J. English is a true crime book detailing the violent rise and fall of an Irish-American street gang in Hell's Kitchen, New York. Joe Rogan passionately endorsed the book on The Joe Rogan Experience in March 2018, advising listeners to immediately purchase and read the gripping account after finishing the episode, while showing a physical copy on air. Sam Rockwell also brought up the book on a December 2019 episode of the Monday Morning Podcast, revealing that it was one of the very few books he had read more than once outside of children's literature, noting that he still kept a copy. The discussions highlighted the gritty, compelling nature of the narrative, which chronicles organized crime, extortion, and underworld violence in mid-century New York City. Both guests and hosts emphasized the book's enduring impact and readability, cementing its reputation as a standout work within the true crime genre for readers fascinated by historical urban mafia lore.
Who recommended it
- Joe Rogan Recommended
- Sam Rockwell Discussed
Joe Rogan — 2 mentions
“he gave me a copy of the Westies right here”
“once you get done with this book go buy that book - TJ”
Sam Rockwell — 1 mention
“I mean that's like I'm sure bill and I had finished about playing Westies you know you know that looks like it's that that's one of the few books I read more than once oh yeah other than kid books to my daughter here I still have that book”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (6: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Um, from what I heard when I read that book, The Westies, cuz when they used to cut people up, they used to make sure they gut them, too.”
“speaking of ed harris they were in state of grace which was based on that book the Westies”
“not to mention you know what I mean if you already got some blubber on you if that's probably another reason but I remember reading that book the Westies that that movie state of grace was loosely loosely based on and they used to do they used to you know that kills somebody needs to call it that the Houdini”
“or it was like Hell's Kitchen which I wrote about in the Westies which was an Irish neighborhood”
“and how long when you when you writing in a book like the corporation which is your new book or Westies or any of your books”
“You know that I learned that reading that book, The Westies, that when they used to make people do the Houdini, as they say, you know, they kill people and then they would chop them up.”