This New Yorker article from a couple weeks ago is brilliant:
http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2010-05-31#folio=039
It doesn't just make it all make sense. It is a piece of social history literature that ranks up there with Eric Hobsbawm's _Bandits_. No exaggeration.
It's almost as long as a little book as well. (Which is why I originally put it aside.) But it's good from beginning to end and I highly recommend it.
He'd make a good interview as well.
[This link only works if you're a New Yorker subscriber. If you're not but are interested contact me offlist and we'll find a workaround.]
Michael