I never knew how little I actually knew about the real, tragic history of Sacco and Vanzetti until I read this book. While a tad bit dry, this book provided an excellent source about this history for young adults (and this adult). I really appreciated how Shapiro and Florio laid out the story, weaving in pictures and other primary source documents as well as personal letters and writings from Sacco and Vanzetti themselves between each chapter.

Honestly, I had this book on my "to read" list for so long and I figured I'd skim through it this weekend so I could check one off my list. I ended up reading it in one sitting. It was captivating, exciting, and extremely moving. The cover doesn’t do it justice. I knew the names of Sacco and Vanzetti were connected to criminal activity, but I had no context and no understanding of the significance of the case. I found it to be one of the best books I've read in a long time.

This was just okay for me; in not knowing anything about this trial and injustice, I wanted so much more than what I got here. While this is a YA book, the writing felt very simple and I never felt like the loss of the "American Dream" was fully fleshed out. While what I read was interesting, the whole story felt rushed and really left me wanting more; I felt that this had the potential to be a really great read and instead I am left disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, John Florio and Ousie Shapiro, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was the American Dream sold as a scam? Being greeted by the Statue of Liberty might not be the beginning of a gilded, hopeful future in the land of the free-- especially if Lady Liberty is a more than a little xenophobic.

This is a well-constructed, solid take on an oft-forgotten trial-by-media circus in the 1920s. Aimed at the teen crowd, John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro take on one of the most controversial murder cases in American history. Teens will devour this.
Adults will devour this.
Dogs might devour this, but only after their humans are finished reading this book cover-to-cover.

There's more than a pearl of widsom to take from this book, and if you're like me, you'll be thinking long and hard about the current hot topic cracks in the American justice system long after the book is over.

5 stars.

“In the eyes of the world, America, which had once been seen as the land of opportunity, was now a place of oppression, injustice, and murder.”

This book brings to life the leading events and subsequent trial of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants who were wrongly accused and executed in 1927 for murder. Both aligned with an anarchist movement which gave the jury reasonable enough ammo even though there was little to no evidence to place them at the scene of the crime. But they were anarchists, why wouldn't they kill two men in cold blood?

Hoover and Palmer were their own form of a**hole but Judge Thayer and Katzmann? There aren’t enough words in the English language for me to properly express my disgust of these men.

I was familiar with the trial, but this is the first time I’ve read about what happened, so I found it incredibly informative and appreciated that it was situated within the context of 1900’s America. However, one detail that did bug me was that the authors cited the Lusitania sinking as America’s reason for entering the war, and while I believe it played a role, I feel that the Zimmerman note was the tipping point, but I digress.

Overall, this trial perfectly sums up this patriotic s*** show that was America post-WWI. And serves as another reminder that the American justice system is not something to be proud of, making this book a poignant novel of today.

This book is a perfect example of how public opinion and bias can stand in the way of justice. Even today this is still something that we need to be careful of. It makes my heart so sad to know that there was so much proof that both Nicola and Bartolomeo had nothing to do with the robbery and yet everyone turned a blind eye when dealing with their trial. It does make my heart happy that not only our nation, but others around the world demanded that their case be reexamined. Yet the powers that be even with 7000 pages of testimony could not see that bias and plan racism lead to two men losing their lives. This book is very fast paced and does a great job providing some very interesting information on both Nicola and Bartolomeo, and their trial and its outcome. I hope that this book helps people realize that we need to learn from the past and not allow such grievous errors to happen again.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti & the End of the American Dream by John Florio & Ouisie Shapiro

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Doomed is the true heartbreaking story of two Italian immigrants who were wrongfully executed for murder. Before reading this book I had never heard of these men, now I will never be able to forget them.

I really like that this book is short and to the point with this case. It's easy to follow along and isn't filled with legal jargon. The story is descriptive enough to transport you back in time without loading you down with unnecessary information.

Overall, I think the authors did an amazing job at shining light on this case. If you're into true crime I suggest giving this one a shot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Roaring Book Press for the ARC of this book.

Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti & the End of the American Dream tells the heartbreaking story of two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. These two hardworking men immigrated to the United States looking for streets paved with gold and were disillusioned by the inequity they saw and the struggles they faced to survive. The US was not the land of opportunity they were expecting. Both men wondered if the capitalism that drove so many choices made in the US was the wrong answer and instead joined anarchist groups, supported strikes and the labor movement, and were considered radicals by many. Their heartbreaking tale culminates with them both being accused on a heinous crime and the miscarriage of justice that follows. John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro carefully tell this story with empathy and attention to detail. Using court records, newspaper articles, and letters from the time they let the reader understand both the context of the time period and the impact of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. This book will be a perfect addition to my classroom library because the writing is honest, accurate, and gripping. Even reluctant readers will be hooked and interested. The detailed bibliography and citations at the end of the book are helpful and much appreciated as well.

Very interesting, and I think stands a good chance of roping in some "I don't like nonfiction" readers. Breaks down the chronology of the murders in a detailed, extremely captivating manner. History as it should be enjoyed! Also provides interesting commentary on the long standing state of American prejudices and the concurrent impact on the choices of the criminal justice system.

Really interested in this book, from the standpoint of the 1920s and immigration. I feel this case gets left behind with Scopes and possible Leopold and Loeb. The book does a great job focusing on the narrative about the murderers and the crime, as well as the trial. I really appreciated that the story didn't end with the end of the trial, though. It allows readers to see what happens to them and to reframe the story as more than just being guilty. There's a lot for teen readers to digest here. The American dream (as title suggests) and immigration, along with court room procedure. I'll definitely be recommending to my students who are looking for something connecting to these themes.
Overall, really well written. As a history teacher, I really appreciated the primary sources at the end of the chapter. It really helps connect the way to think about history to the narrative. The opening was very well done; I'm certain it will pull in ambivalent readers. There is a lot of historical context that helps readers understand the complexity surrounding the case in its time. Ultimately, the writers do a great job humanizing Sacco and Vanzetti, portraying them more than just flat historical figures. As an adult, I appreciated it as a quick and easy read. Younger students might have to take a little more time with it, but there's a lot to talk about with them as they read.

Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti & the End of the American Dream
by John Florio; Ouisie Shapiro
Pub Date: 24 Jan 2023
I'm not one to sit down and read a nonfiction book for pleasure, but a well-written narrative nonfiction? Yes, please! I love how, unlike other narrative nonfiction books I've read, they distinguish between actual historically accurate quotes (in quotation marks) and what most likely was said (in italics). Some books take too much liberty and put it all in quotes.
As for the story itself...this is the heartbreaking story of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants who came for the America dream only to be accused of being a part of a grusome robbery and murder in 1920. When you read this book, which lays out the facts of the trial, you will get angry. The blatant prejudice against two men (who, by the way, had MULTIPLE witnesses attest to the fact they were no where near the city where the crime was committed) will flabbergast you, even though we know things like this do happen. They were convenient scapegoats, plain and simple. Through it all they maintained their innocence and faith that humanity would come through. It was a dark time in American history. One we don't need to repeat.
I appreciate how the authors walked through the trial and used primary sources such as pictures and letters throughout. They also included in the story how not only the rest of America acted, but the world as well. To see huge protests be formed without the help of modern technology was impressive. After the story is told, the authors go chapter by chapter telling where they found each piece of information they included. Great book for history buffs! #netgalley #doomed #JohnFlorio #OuisieShapiro

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publish Group and Roaring Brook Press for providing me an advanced copy of “Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti & the End of the American Dream” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

Sacco & Vanzetti have been written about many time. In this recent edition, new ideas come to the fore front. If you think you know "all" about this time in American History, think again.

Doomed: The Tragic Case of Sacco and Vanzetti by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro tells the story of a pair I was not familiar with at all before going in. Luckily, the storytelling and world-building creating the world of the 1920s that these men inhabited. Let's just say that "tragic" is exactly the right word for everything that happened here to these men.

This was an interesting take on the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. It was very readable, but so heavily biased. There was a miscarriage of justice in the sense that these two men might not have committed the crime they were accused of, but they were in no way simple, innocent immigrants railroaded by the system for no reason. Still, it was interesting overall.

This book is highly recommended. I had heard about Sacco and Vanzetti and even seen a film from the 1970's about them (and for awhile had a poster on my wall of them in college). I realized while I knew about the trial, I did not know about them. This book not only shares each of their backgrounds, but also includes letters they sent back home. Their trial was a miscarriage of justice and the judge was biased against them from the start because of their political beliefs and because they were immigrants. The prosecutors intimidated and coerced the witnesses. Reading this book through a present day lens, the lessons are still clear -- if you are viewed as "other," non-white, fighting for human and worker rights, the government views you as a threat (think of the voting rights suppression and anti-immigrant actions happening today). This book got me so interested in their stories, I found footage of their funeral procession on you-tube -- masses of people showed up for this in Boston. This book has a lot of photos and newspaper articles which brings out their humanity. This case needs to be remembered so we can learn the important lessons and make sure we don't let politics interfere with justice or human rights.

A clear and concise account of the Sacco and Vanzetti trial and the defendants' murders. While the events and social context are laid out in an easy to read manner, the authors don't quite get into the "end of the American Dream" idea promised in the title. And I don't get the feeling that readers will really get the impact of the denial of justice that occurred, or why this particular moment in American history is worth knowing about today.

This is a very powerful retelling of the story of Sacco and Vanzetti. Drawing on many primary sources, the authors succeed in explaining to the reader what happened in this famous case and why the issues raised by this case are still relevant today. The quote at the end of the book from Albert Einstein about why we need to remember Sacco and Vanzetti cannot be overemphasized. Einstein wrote that we need to remember what happened to these two men because "they remind us of the fact that even the most perfectly planned democratic institutions are no better than the people whose instruments they are" should be carefully considered by readers. This is an important book to share with readers..

I really knew nothing about this case and I'm glad I now know about it. Florio and Shapiro tell a concise story respectfully and with care.

I spent half the night reading this book, and it is phenomenal. It is well written and offers a fresh perspective of the injustice heaped on these two poor immigrants. Anyone who is unsure of whether these two men were guilty should read this book.