HANGMEN

Fifteen-year-old Dale Arenson drops out of school, gets a Harley and begins following the biker gang Hangmen. This book is a memoir of his adventures with the club and his life on the road in the 1960s and 70s. For many years, his bike was home.
Reviewers note that the book is loaded with action. They’re right! This novel also includes plenty of profanity and some sexual content. And of course, it’s loaded with violence because as the author notes, “What’s the difference between a hippy and a biker?” I always like to answer, “Hippies are non-violent.”
However, the writing flows well, the information is organized in an appealing way, and space between paragraphs improves visual appeal. This book practically reads itself.
I also like the humanity of the men who definitely care for each other. Plus, “friendliness from strangers was the first I learned of the ‘rules of the road’ as a solitary biker. Not only were a lot of people interested in you, but they also wanted to help in any way they could.”
I appreciate how the author ends the book with a quick recap of the decades since his active Hangmen years. I was initially worried that he would be stuck on the road forever. But it was comforting to see that young people can be wild and adventurous and grow up to become stable and functioning members of society.

I've not quite finished this yet, however I am happy that the author does not seek to glorify or show some kind of glamour of the early era of the so called 1% clubs. It is from the author's perspective and he does not seek to assume things that he did not himself witness. As a reader with a keen interest in motorcycle culture and 60's/70's counter culture this book certainly provides.

An interesting book covering the glorious biker days of days gone by. I would recommend it to anyone interested in motorcycle riding and gangs that were around in the seventies.