Salem Press

   Click here to view an
   Adobe Acrobat version
   of a few sample articles
   from this set.

American Heroes
A comprehensive survey of over 200 U.S. heroes from the American Revolution through today, in all areas of achievement.

Notorious Lives
More than 600 biographies of notorious personages, from the merely controversial to extremely negative, from ancient times to the present and worldwide, with emphasis on their roles in historical events or impact on law enforcement or popular culture.

American Presidents
Offers a comprehensive view of U.S. political history through the lives and administrations of each President.

American First Ladies
Offers a detailed profile of every First Lady from Martha Washington to Laura Bush.

American Villains
Detailed biographies of 177 of the most infamous assassins, serial killers, frauds, gangsters, murderers, terrorists, thieves, and traitors in American History.

American Villains explores the lives, deeds and punishments of 177 of the most infamous villains of our time. What makes this set unique is that it focuses on U.S. criminals who are not generally covered in American biographical surveys. While there are many books that cover fictional villains in videogames, comic-books, and movies, few cover real villains of history in one convenient set.

The essays in American Villains have been selected from our Great Lives from History: Notorious Lives set. Each essay has been updated and reedited for accuracy. A broad range of personages is covered, including such notorious names as Benedict Arnold, Ma Barker, David Berkowitz, Al Capone, John Dillinger, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Sam Giancana, John Hinckley Jr., Jim Jones, Meyer Lansky, Timothy McVeigh, Lee Harvey Oswald, Scott Peterson, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Sirhan Sirhan, Tokyo Rose, Aileen Wuornos and Giuseppe Zangara.

Categories of Villain include:

Assassins

Con Artists, Cheats, and Frauds

Corrupt Politicians

Cult Leaders

Gangsters and Associates

Military Figures

Murderers and Accused Murderers

Outlaws and Gunslingers

Pirates

Political Rebels and Revolutionaries

Racists and Hatemongers

Scientists and Doctors

Serial Killers

Sexual Predators and Accused Predators

Terrorists

Thieves and Bank Robbers

Traitors and Spies

War Criminals

The essays in this set are approximately 1,000 words in length and are arranged alphabetically. Each essay begins with ready-reference information, including: Name of Villain; Identity (e.g., Spree murderer, Gangster); Born (date and place of birth); Died (date and place of death); Also known as (aliases, nicknames, full and birth names); Major offenses (crimes); Active (period of greatest offenses); Locale (where operated) and Sentence (years in prison, other punishment). "Early Life" is a summary of the upbringing of the villain and entry into crime. "Criminal Career" is a chronological overview of all criminal activities; "Legal Action and Outcome" identifies legal response, trials, sentences and punishments; "Impact" assesses why the person is remembered and what his or her significance is in history and popular culture; and "Further Reading" lists sources for further study.