Motivated by greed and sadism--or perhaps by poverty and boredom--star-crossed lovers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow set out on a series of robberies throughout the American Southwest, many of which ended in murder. Frustrated by the suffocating poverty of the Great Depression, they were especially eager to target their "oppressors"--banks, store owners, and at times, the police. Their numerous crimes triggered an FBI manhunt, but their Robin-Hood ethos made them heroes in the eyes of many, establishing their place as legends of American folklore. This objective volume paints a realistic picture of often-romanticized subject matter, as it explores the motivation and impact of two of the most notorious criminals in U.S. history.