The Gun That Made the Twenties Roar,

A well writen account of how the arms industry in America develops a product. John T. Thompson, the gun's developer spent his life as a professional soldier and developed the concept of the modern submachine gun. A combination of peace, poor timing, and Hollywood left him a frustrated inventor who died just before his weapon became standard issue in WW II. The "Tommy Gun" is one of the most recognized weapons in the world and author Helmer writes an interesting account of how this came to pass. This book is very readable for what was originally, I believe, a master's thesis. This book would be of interest for those interested in the social aspects of American culture in the 20's and 30's as well as for those interested the history of small arms. Helmer relates many amusing anecdotes and reveals a number of ironic developments. ( Amazon customer)