Ready Reference Treatise: Legs

By Raja Sharma

“Legs” by William Kennedy was first published in 1975. It is the author’s first book in Albany Cycle.

The novel tells the story of the life of a gangster called Jack ‘Legs’ Diamond. Marcus Gormen is Jack’s lawyer.

The story is told from the lawyer’s perspective. “Legs” is in one sense the story of a notorious criminal who had all his life cheated people, stole, seduced women, laundered money, and dealt in drugs.

Ready Reference Treatise: Legs
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310883514

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: Legs

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: Legs

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2015 Raja Sharma

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Chapter One: Introduction

Legs by William Kennedy was first published in 1975. It is the author’s first book in Albany Cycle.

The novel tells the story of the life of a gangster called Jack ‘Legs’ Diamond. Marcus Gormen is Jack’s lawyer.

The story is told from the lawyer’s perspective. Legs is in one sense the story of a notorious criminal who had all his life cheated people, stole, seduced women, laundered money, and dealt in drugs.

It is generally presumed that Legs presents the time that was ruled by mobsters with their fancy and charming nicknames and frightening submachine guns.

It depicts the time when Bonny and Clyde, Al Capone, and the private detectives flourished. Crime was at its peak in the country.

During that period, the headlines of the newspapers used to be filled with Jack’s name. He was known for his heartlessness and violence, but the people of upstate New York revered hm. In fact, the whole country revered him.

Chapter Two: Plot Overview

The story begins in 1975. Marcus Gorman is an Albany lawyer. He had once fought the case of the notorious New York gangster Jack Diamond and defended him.

As the novel begins, Marcus meets with some old friends. Packy Delaney is the owner of a bar. Flossie is a prostitute, and Tipper Kelley is a reporter. They gather at the Kenmore Hotel. They share their memories of Jack Diamond.

Marcus Gorman, the narrator of the novel, begins telling the stories he has gathered about Jack Diamond.

The narrative shifts back to 1925. Marcus comes across Jack and his brother, Eddie. They are present at Kenmore Hotel. The brothers are talking about Al Jolson when Marcus interferes in their conversation.

After five years, one day, Jack invites Marcus to lunch. Jack requests Marcus to become his lawyer. Joe Speed Fogarty happens to be Jack’s driver and right-hand man. He takes Marcus to Jimmy Biondo’s farm in East Durham. It transpires that Jack rents that farm to stock illegal alcohol.

On that farm, Marcus meets Alice, Jack’s wife. Three of them fire machine guns in the barn one by one. The barn serves as a storage room for Jack. Then the three of them drive to Jack’s farmhouse in Acra.

Jack and Alice have a fight over their canaries. Alice has found out that Jack calls one of the canaries Marion after a girl Jack has been seeing clandestinely.

Jack, Marcus, and Fogarty leave the farmhouse. They drive to Haines Falls in the Catskills to a place called The Top O’ the Mountain House. Another notorious local gangster named Charlie Northrup is also present there. Jack and Charlie have a fight there.

Marcus also comes across a Broadway dancer named Marion ‘Kiki’ Roberts. It transpires that Jack has kept that dancer at The Top O’ the Mountain. Jack’s one-eyed strongmen called The Goose keeps an eye on Marion. The Goose is a small-minded person.

From there the party goes aerial bowling and miniature golfing. Marcus admires Kiki. She has a very graceful body.

After some time, Marcus overhears a conversation that takes place between Marion Kiki and Jack.