The Mad Bomber Of New York
by Michael M. Greenburg
(Union Square Press)

We have seen some crazy stuff living in this great city of ours, recent history and events that occurred decades ago. One of these wild stories concerns the doings of George Metesky, the mad bomber of New York, written about in fine-tuned researched detail by Michael M. Greenburg in his new hardcover, the aptly titled The Mad Bomber Of New York.

Between 1940 and 1957, thirty three bombs were placed in populated spots in the city; the public library, theatres and public restrooms, all because of Metesky’s need for revenge against Con Ed. Luckily, injuries from his “infernal devices” were few but he certainly kept the city pretty much enthralled and terrorized with his actions, including sending letters to various newspapers and police departments. Greenburg tells the story of the manhunt, recreates the 40’s and 50’s precisely and also shows when and how modern psychological studies aided police work for the very first time.

There’s a lot of detail on Metesky, which I find lacking in a lot of historical accounts, even those of recent doings. Greenburg doesn’t ever jump to conclusions, simply letting the interview accounts from the participants reveal what they felt at the time and following the story as it unfolded.

The Mad Bomber Of New York is a quick compelling read.