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Arthur Veno
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The Brotherhoods: Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs Paperback – September 1, 2004

by Arthur Veno (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 108 ratings
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There is a newer edition of this item:

The Brotherhoods: Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs
The Brotherhoods: Inside the Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs
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Now in a revised and updated edition, this vivid exploration of biker culture reveals the truth behind Australia's infamous motorcycle clubs through in-depth interviews, personal stories, and meticulous research. Included are the rules and rituals involved in becoming a club member, landmark incidents in biker folklore, and profiles of famous biker personalities. Unconstrained by the regulations that rule ordinary citizens, the notorious Gypsy Jokers are followed on their controversial New Year run in Western Australia. Written by an expert on biker culture, this book reveals the true picture of brotherhood among the clubs.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    300 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Allen & Unwin
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.86 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1741141370
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1741141375
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Arthur Veno is a professor at and the former director of Monash University's Centre for Police and Justice Studies. He works as a consultant for various groups on human rights and criminal justice issues. He has studied motorcycle clubs for 17 years and counts members of the Gypsy Jokers, Hell's Angels, and Coffin Cheaters among his friends.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Allen & Unwin; Revised Edition (September 1, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1741141370
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1741141375
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.86 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 108 ratings

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Arthur Veno

Arthur Veno

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
108 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

jason 666
5.0 out of 5 stars jasons "the brotherhoods" review
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2012
Verified Purchase
Have read the brotherhoods and thoughly enjoyed it. I have been facinated by the Bikie culture and the book enlightened me to facts that I did not know. The culture is not only very secretive but intensly loyal and the book puts this in perspective. A great read.
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Glenn Martin
4.0 out of 5 stars An insight into Australian biker clubs
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2003
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Arthur Veno is actually American born and was even at the infamous Hells Angels Monterey incident in 1969 as a teenager. Now Arthur lives in Australia, which he has called home for almost 30 years, and his curiosity in what could be best described as "patch clubs" has almost been a life long interest.
The Brotherhoods is more about biker patch clubs in Australia, but a lot of the clubs he deals with have international standings. In his book Arthur talks a lot about the relationships between patch clubs and the police, and while not condoning what these clubs "can" do, he finds that most of the trouble we hear about is due to police heavy handedness. For the most part the patch clubs just want to get out and have fun, but when you start poking at a hornets nest (the clubs) with a stick (the police) there will always be trouble. He also talks about a lot of the terminology that the clubs use as well as typical processes you have to go through to become a member in these clubs which is highly interesting.
Strangely Arthur has never been an actual member of a biker club and he doesn't even particularly like bikes himself, yet he has major contacts within most of the major clubs in Australia including the Hells Angels and the Gypsy Jokers, commonly playing the role of mediator between the clubs and the police. A number of the stories that Arthur tells in his book may get him into hot water with some or all of the patch clubs he knows, and he acknowledges this while writing the book. In fact on numerous occasions in the past he has feared for his safety and life while being involved with the clubs, so his future may indeed become interesting after this book.
I did find his writing a little on the academic side and somewhat repetitive at times, which is why I awarded four stars instead of five, but he does have a PhD in social psychology and has spent most of his life in universities, so the writing style isn't surprising. If you are looking for a book which could be best called a study of patch clubs then you can't look past The Brotherhoods. If you are after a book full of raw and bloody accounts of biker lifestyle, then I would highly recommend "Hells Angel, The Life and Times of Sonny Barger" by one time Hells Angels president Sonny Barger. In fact, I highly recommend reading the two books one after another, just as I did.
55 people found this helpful
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Cody Nutter
3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2012
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Its a general overview..Nothing that anyone involved with or that has been around an MC doesnt already know. But did have some old history that i wasnt completely clear on. Also it was written by an Australian so its wording can be a little different and talks alot about clubs outside the US.
One person found this helpful
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Russell M. Ogg
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Service!
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014
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I have been enthralled with the subject of Outlaw Bikers since I was a youngster. This book is a helpful look into the lives of the men who choose this way of life.
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Victor Preacher Shurtz
4.0 out of 5 stars The Brotherhoods
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2008
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Professor Veno has done what most scholars could not do in their life time. He has earned the trust of the motorcycle community. In this book, Arthur tell the story if tring to get the Police to listen and understand the way our comminity thinks. As he call it, our sub-culture is foreign to most people. To have the Bikies accept him and talk about the inter- workings of this life style tell me that he is a good man.
This is good History for the world Down Under.
2 people found this helpful
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karen mackay
5.0 out of 5 stars great read
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2013
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Very interesting read. Highly recommend provides a great in sight into australias past and why we are where we are now
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Zac Walker
2.0 out of 5 stars However I have a pretty good relationship with them
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2014
Early on, there are numerous examples of the author being self-aggrandizing. I wanted a book about clubs, and this does explain who the bikers are. However, ever chance Veno gets, he puts himself in the narrative. Examples of this include, "The Gypsy Jokers are a hard bunch... However I have a pretty good relationship with them." Or my favorite, "I am often referred to as Australia's foremost independent expert on outlaw motorcycle clubs... This currently makes me the only academic in the world who has made this their focus."
One person found this helpful
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Phil taylor
3.0 out of 5 stars informative account of outlaw gang life
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2014
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A detailed look into the rules and regulations of the outlaw motorcycle gangs... with account's from gang members and solo riders about life in the gangs. Its a long book and sometimes a little repetitive but still a good read
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Top reviews from other countries

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Wayne
5.0 out of 5 stars This book will envelop you.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 8, 2017
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There is detail in abundance with insight of a Bikie culture and life which i believe is slowly dieing through politics and laws which are strangling the clubs .
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Citizen Kane
2.0 out of 5 stars Fragwürdiges Machwerk eines Außenseiters
Reviewed in Germany on October 17, 2013
Verified Purchase
Wer dieses Buch aufmerksam liest, wird schnell bemerken, dass A.Veno, der eben kein 1% ist, sehr einseitig und heroisierend, teilweise aber auch - und das wiegt viel schwerer - bagatellisierend den Lebensstil und die damit verbundenen kriminellen Aktivitäten der "bikies" schildert. Ruben Cavazos und Sonny Barger haben es schon vorgemacht - aber es geht auch anders: wer z.B. "Angels of Death: Inside the Biker Gangs' Crime Empire" von Marsden / Sher gelesen hat, der wird das Buch von A. Veno mit anderen Augen betrachten (es gibt jede Menge anderer Literatur, aber dieses ist wirklich ein "Gegenmittel" zu "The Brotherhoods").
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New critic
4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 2, 2013
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A very interesting read on a very difficult and political subject.

Its hard for a Biker to walk the political lines let alone somebody going public with their findings.

Well written book and recommended.
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Alan
3.0 out of 5 stars The Brotherhoods
Reviewed in Canada on June 25, 2012
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Not to bad a book although it drags on on alot of little biker things so if your a biker you will not like that. Also claims 2 of the 8 Bandidos killed in the Shedden Massacure were undercover american cops (page 140) Wonder how he knows tha when 2 other authors who wrote books on this never claim this.
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hairy biker
5.0 out of 5 stars biker reality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2013
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Read this...laughed a bit ....remembered a bit......and was intrigued how the biker scene has evolved over the years. Reasonably well written and quite a bit of detail. Helpful for those on 'the outside' to understand the ethics of the biker world.
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