The Wonderful World of Bernies

Told in the Irish manner this is the unofficial history of growing up in New York City (circa 1941-1962) without much adult supervision, but plenty of fun and adventure. Patten's uncle, Senator Bernard Michael Patten, avoided impeachment by one vote and refused the job of police commissioner of the City of New York because he said, "That job is too corrupt even for a Patten. We Irish have no objection to prostitution or numbers, but we can't brook (stand) powders." (Powers is Irish talk for drugs.) Without police protection powders can't exist in Harlem." Patten's father, Queens District Attorney Bernard Michael Patten, loved sending Murder One criminals to the electric chair. He said, "Riding the lightning is definitely a penalty and pretty permanent too." (Riding the lightning is District Attorney talk for electrocution.) Thus we have here in this little book the true quill, the red thread of life, the back biting and political jealousies, even horses that take drugs and true stories about the covert world of underground gambling and the REALLY BAD GUYS who tried to rule New York City in that era. There have been two major criticisms of the book: 1. Not enough stories about his father's murder cases and 2. Too many stories about his father's murder cases. The major defect is the book does not end with a chase scene. But his father's murder cases and his uncle's power politics adventures make up for that omission. This is not a children's book and is probably not recommended reading for most adults.