Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book.......2007-06-12
This is about the people who nearly beat the Capone Mob for control of the Chicago boot-legging business. They were led by a florist and included a war hero, a cowboy, a bigamist and a practical joker who starred in an early stag film in the middle of a gang war. The wild Northside Gang is today best remembered for being the victims in the St Valentine's Massacre but in the twenties they were household names. This and Rose Keefe's book about Bugs Moran are both fascinating. A must read!
North side chicago vs the NYC mob classic.......2007-01-23
A great bio on the Chicago gangster gunned down in his flower shop during the "Roaring Twenties". The book focuses on the rivalry between the Northside Chicago mob and the Southside Torrio-Capone mob.Obanion and his cohorts are literally devoured by the inter-city "big time" mobs with connections to New York city.From reading this book I don't believe Obanion knew what he was up against,he was a small town boy who moved to the city of Chicago, yet he tried to run his crime empire like a small business. Cavorting around a flower shop by day,shaking hands,(without an enemy in the world?),with little to no protection,meanwhile engaging in criminal activity that would include murder.That's just asking for it,and Torrio's mob,later inherited by Capone,was only too happy to oblige. It seems Torrio's mob when they arrived in Chicago was already an experienced hard core criminal transplant from NYC and cites thereof.How could Obanion honestly think that when the control of rackets,gambling,bottlegging,and the millions of dollars at stake, there was a "moral" line that shouldn't be crossed?Especially when dealing with the mob and seeing as the mob eliminated its own so what could a rival gang expect.Capone listed his profession as furniture dealer but I doubt you would see him lifting furniture into trucks.His furniture business was a fort.The short baby faced Obanion never had a chance in dealing with the NYC mob. this book really brought this out as I read it.An excellent work on crime history but it sort of makes Obanion look like a "farmer".
The Genuine Article: Rose Keefe Delivers 100 Proof Goods.......2006-07-11
This is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched biography of Dean O'Banion and it has been justly recognized as definitive. Rose Keefe's greatest accomplishment is that her meticulous research has refuted dozens of journalistic half truths, embellishments and canards that have become commonly accepted as the truth simply because of constant repetition over eight decades. The actual Dean O'Banion is a far more complex and interesting character than his newspaper stereotype.
Many sources have characterized the Prohibition battles between the Northside Gang and the Capone/Torrio mob as simply a territorial battle between the Irish and those damned Dagoes. Keefe correctly points out that the Northsiders were, in fact, an exceedingly diverse group comprised of Irish, Italian, German, Jewish and Polish hoodlums. The reality was more complicated than the widely accepted conventional wisdom.
Although O'Banion could act in an utterly ruthless manner if circumstances warranted, more often than not he relied upon his quick wits. He possessed superior intelligence and had an engaging personality that inspired great loyalty from his comrades even long after his death.
Despite his humble origins, O'Banion had the ability to put people from various walks of life at perfect ease and to form lasting friendships that allowed him to move easily in political and social circles despite his criminal background. O'Banion was a contradiction: he was a devoted son and husband. One could envision the industrious O'Banion succeeding in almost any field of endeavor that he tried. The loss of his beloved mother to tuberculosis and a childhood accident that left O'Banion partially crippled with a permanent limp were traumatic episodes, but rather than contenting himself to be sidelined by his handicap or to endure a life of economic hardship and privation, O'Banion chose not to be pushed around as he hit back hard with both fists in order to survive in the rough and tumble, dog eat dog environment that was Chicago in the early years of the past century.
If you are living from hand to mouth, it always pays to be ambidextrous and O'Banion was, figuratively and literally: his custom tailored suits contained multiple pistol pockets which allowed O'Banion to draw concealed revolvers using either his right or left hand or both hands simultaneously. The same hands that O'Banion could and did use to fire pistols, crack safes, stuff ballot boxes or slug out rival newspaper hawkers would also cut flowers into lovely arrangements for weddings and funerals. As a bootlegger, O'Banion prided himself on selling quality products as opposed to the rot gut handled by his rivals.
Keefe relates the many occasions on which O'Banion performed acts of charity. Some of these kindly acts were calculated, however, since O'Banion was also interested in reaping votes come election time. By performing good deeds, he could call in favors when ballots were being cast by his neighbors. Unlike Al Capone who coupled brutality and with openly lewd and lecherous behavior (Scarface allegedly gained his trademark after making crude remarks about a woman's shapely posterior in the presence of her protective and knife wielding older brother), O'Banion was noted for behaving in a courteous and oftentimes chivalrous manner.
Keefe's writing is factual and entertaining. The O'Banion who she describes in such great depth proves to be such a charming and larger than life personality that it is entirely possible to imagine his immortal soul awaiting forgiveness and redemption in Purgatory. I was reminded of the Warner Brothers crime melodrama "Angels with Dirty Faces" in which a priest played by Pat O'Brien called upon a group of juvenile delinquents to "pray for a boy that who couldn't run as fast as I could" after his childhood friend who failed to escape the corrupting influence of the mean streets died at an early age as a result of embarking upon a criminal career. If this sounds like a mere Hollywood screenwriting cliche, consider the fact that a Roman Catholic priest was disciplined and transferred for leading graveside prayers for Dean O'Banion despite orders from the Cardinal to deny Christian burial rites to known gangsters.
The only serious fault that I found with "Guns and Roses" is that the book lacks proper footnotes. There is a bibliography, but Keefe ought to have provided footnote attributions to the excerpted materials that were previously published elsewhere. There are also some minor geographical, historical and typographical errors that Chicagoans may catch in the text, usually on minor details, but the book is otherwise solid. Despite these shortcomings, this book is nevertheless a significant addition to the true crime history of Chicago during the Prohibition Era.
Well-researched and a fun, fast read.......2006-07-06
I'm so glad to see some really well-researched books coming out these days about the legendary figures of organized crime. Dean (not Dion) O'Banion was one guy I never expected to see a full-blown biography on, yet here it is. Rose O'Keefe must have done a lot of digging to come up with all of this material, and virtually none of it can be found in any other book; certainly none that I've ever heard of. She scores well as a writer, too, telling O'Banion's story in a way that will keep you turning those pages, eager to see what's coming next. There's a lot of context here about the various gangs of 1910s-1920s Chicago, and O'Banion's place in that jungle, which is helpful. If I had to name one small criticism, I'd have to say that the author's tone betrays a tiny lack of objectivity about her subject. He just seems like a vicious thug to me, though a fascinating one, but the book empathizes more with O'Banion than with his victims. But overall this is a must-have book for anyone interested in the history of organized crime in America. You'll be so entertained in reading it that you won't mind the education you're getting!
O'Banion, Chicago's Premier Florist Gangster.......2006-06-02
"Guns & Roses: The Untold Story of Dean O'Banion, Chicago's Big Shot Before Al Capone" by Rose Keefe is a long overdue crime book. This biography of Chicago's first celebrity gangster (he was a popular florist) is excellent and has numerous unpublished photographs. Dean's death started a five year run of killings and bloodshed. Keefe's writing style is very good and easy to read. I agreed with previous reviewers who have encouraged others to purchase this book.
Mike Koch, Author of "The Kimes Gang."
Book Description
All I ever did was to sell beer and whiskey to our best people. All I ever did was to supply a demand that was pretty popular.
Why, the very guys that make my trade good are the ones that yell the loudest about me. Some of the leading judges use the stuff.
When I sell liquor, it's called bootlegging. When my patrons serve it on silver trays on Lake Shore Drive, it's called hospitality.
-- Al Capone
Customer Reviews:
Great story.......2007-04-28
This book is fantastically written. I picked it up in the book store and could not put it down. From Italy to his death, this book tells the entire story in fantastic detail. Without restating what other reviewers have already stated, I just wanted to say that this is one of the best biographies I have ever read. Meticulously researched and written, the details bring the book to life, making you feel like you are living in the 1920's, viewing everything. The book also does a good job of telling the story of the rival gangs and gangleaders in Chicago, like Bugs Moran and the Irish, as well as the contemporary politicians of the day. From the shootouts to the drug running, the bootlegging to the day-to-day of Al Capone, this book nearly reads like an action novel!
Also, having lived in Chicago for two years, I really enjoyed the references to the neighborhoods and streets.
Highly recommended.
Florida turns "Big AL" into small potatoes.......2007-01-27
this book gives an interesting aspect to the Capone story particularly in regard to Capone's Florida excursion. It seems Al went to Florida to escape the "heat" of Chicago but found the heat and humidity of Florida eventually put him in jail. The IRS investigated his holdings and possesions in Miami and Big Al found that all the rackets were already covered by business developers from Ohio. These snowbirds once they got a handle on Florida's vice industries weren't about to tolerate Capone and the attention he could bring to some of their more dubious business enterprises.In alot of works on Capone the writers make the point solely that there was moral outrage and this was enough for the state of Florida to want Capone out.However from the Schoenberg book read there is alot more involved in the reasons for the riddance of Capone. It seems his high profile was not welcome because it brought to much attention to the fishbowl and no respectable fish wants to be seen devouring the smaller ones.
This Is How A Biography Should Be Done.......2006-08-05
Before I say much else, let me congratulate the author, Robert Schoenberg, on this work. This study of Al Capone is an elevation of the standards of biographical presentation, and I found it as enjoyable as it was informative. The word "fearless" also comes to mind, and by that I refer to Schoenberg's capacity to advocate his own carefully-formulated views on the real Al Capone, behind the enduring legend, the misunderstandings, and the deliberate misinformation long spread as character assassination.
Exhaustively-researched, Mr. Capone---the book---does everything but bring Mr. Capone---the man---from his time into ours. Capone was comparatively no monster, nor was he a saint. He was no more ruthless than circumstances in his business ever required him to be, and was by degrees shrewd, wise, cautious, generous, fun-loving, tough, pious, forgiving, sadistic, kind, and patriotic. Capone's philanthropy has never received the coverage it deserves, and his philandering has been too focused upon. Capone, let's not forget to mention here, made his name and rose to power on the strength of his talents as a peacemaker among the warring ethnic gangs of the east coast. A deft negotiator who could be trusted to deal fairly with all sides and to keep his word when given, Capone had far more friends than enemies in the underworld, and it was the strength of these alliances that he drew upon in the 1920's when he made his move to become the top power-broker in the city of Chicago: not the most powerful underworld figure, THEE most powerful person in America's second-city.
Capone was a larger than life figure, and a man with as many weaknesses as talents. Foremost among his weak points was his all-possessing vanity. This vanity drove him to revel in the publicity and fame he both intentionally created and magnified via his extensive influence on the Chicago press. (It's said by 1930 there wasn't a Chicago newsman worth his salt who hadn't had dinner with Al Capone.) This desire for the spotlight put Capone into international headlines, and made him the focus of seemingly every legitimate law enforcement agent with any ambition. Schoenberg's emphasis on the role played by members of the Treasury Department, men unknown today in comparison to the self-promoting Elliot Ness, a being every bit as obsessed with his own celebrity as was his foe Al Capone, is especially refreshing.
Schoenberg portrays Capone's pragmatism and realistic attitude about the conviction for tax evasion that eventually sent him to prison, first in Georgia, later in Alcatraz. Beneath his bravado ("I plan to spend a third of my sentence asleep.") Capone made the best of the bitter hand he was dealt. We come in the last chapters to meet the most surprising incarnation of "Scarface Al" Capone, that of Capone the model inmate, a man too learned in hard wisdom to make trouble for himself among either the prison population, or those who governed it. Finally we see the sad final years of the one-time boss of Chicago, as he wastes away on a modest Florida estate, a victim of cardiac troubles and neurosyphilis. One final myth, that Capone's phobic reaction to needles prevented his receiving treatment for syphilis, is exploded, and the truth revealed at last: this being that because of America's involvement in the Second World War the penicillin used in the treatment of syphilis was virtually impossible to attain on the homefront, even for the dying, and even for a legend like Al Capone.
Mr. Capone is among the best examples of biography I've ever read, and should be studied for what it brings to the field of research, as well as for its presentation of an oft-mythologized man. Easily a five-star book that I'd recommend without question. It's not only great, it's good.
Mr. Schoenberg Does Mr. Capone Right!.......2003-05-31
Building and expanding upon the solid foundation previously laid by Pasley and Kobler and correcting old errors, and guided by the likes of top-notch Capone experts Mark Levell and Bill Balsamo, Schoenberg has crafted one of the best Capone biographies to date, far superior to Bergreen's ludicrous fluff. The author puts perhaps too much faith in the questionable testimony of "Born Again" hoodlum George Meyer but that is abbreviated and an almost a minor aside in this comprehensive, well-researched bio of America's all-time greatest gangster.
Outstanding.......2001-08-04
This is THE definitive biography of the world's most famous gangster. The book is exceptionally well-written, able to satisfy anyone from a casual layman to an organized crime expert. Schoenberg walks us through Capone's life, showing us why he did what he did and avoiding getting caught up in the usual myths surrounding him. The author's notes at the end of the book are extremely helpful. Most of all, Schoenberg gets almost all the dates and facts right when dealing with the events surrouning Capone's life. While I personally disagree with his take on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, he presents this event and others like it in such a precise manner one cannot help but say positive things. Anybody seeking information about Al Capone should look no further than Mr. Capone. A few other books about him have been published in the last ten years, specifically one by Laurence Bergreen, which is a far worse book and yet has received more publicity the Schoenberg's opus. All others should be ignored. Mr. Capone is the best book ever written about Al Capone.
Book Description
In this brilliant history of Prohibition and its most notorious gangster, acclaimed biographer Laurence Bergreen takes us to the gritty streets of Chicago where Al Capone forged his sinister empire. Bergreen shows the seedy and glamorous sides of the age, the rise of Prohibition, the illicit liquor trade, the battlefield that was Chicago. Delving beyond the Capone mythology. Bergreen finds a paradox: a coldblooded killer, thief, pimp, and racketeer who was also a devoted son and father; a self-styled Robin Hood who rose to the top of organized crime. Capone is a masterful portrait of an extraordinary time and of the one man who reigned supreme over it all, Al Capone.
Customer Reviews:
Capone, not so hot.......2007-07-23
This is a great novel. "Not so hot" in the sense that the author almost discredits Capone for how he really was. This is the first indepth reading about Capone, but it is very detailed. I am telling you , if you want to read only one book about Capone, then read this one. You will never have to read another book about him because this one is jammed packed. His life from start to finish. This book will change how you view Big Al, and show just how the media has glorified Al and the Untouchables. It has great tidbits about Torrio, Ness, Yale and anyone else involved in Capone and that era. I definitely recommend it. It is a long read though and can get tedious after a while. I suggest if you are anything like me, to read it in halves. The book is broken into 2 parts basically. The rise and the descent. No complaints on this one.
Capone, Ad Nauseum.......2007-03-24
I had to struggle to finish this biography. After investing so much time, I felt as if I had to see it through to the finish to prove that I could read it in its entirety. It was not enjoyable largely on account of the author's chosen narrative tone.
Laurence Bergreen comes across as an arrogant "Mister Know It All" type of blowhard. He does not seem especially familiar with Chicago, Illinois, where much of the action in this biography occurred, beyond superficial details. I suspect that he booked a round trip airline reservation, checked into the O'Hare Airport Hilton, went out for dinner and drinks in the suburbs and called it a day in terms of his local research.
There are numerous errors throughout the book, but some of the essential facts about Capone are otherwise correct. I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in learning anything about Capone's associates and competitiors in the gang wars. Bergreen's treatment of these figures is fairly stereotypical and uninformative if not entirely incorrect. He did not seem to think it was important enough to do all of his homework.
If you read this marginal book it is possible that you will learn something about Al Capone in a composite sort of way, but why bother? There are more informative books available from other biographers on the same subject that make for better reading. Quite a few topics are neglected in Bergreen's text, so he takes the position that the only important aspects of the Capone story worth addressing are the ones that he has covered. When Bergreen has a point to make be prepared to have the proposition hammered upon over and over again.
There is some totally off the wall material in the book about Capone becoming a cocaine addict that seems highly speculative and largely unsubstantiated. How long could a hop head survive as the leader of a major criminal enterprise in an era when drug use was considered the epitome of moral bankruptcy? Bergreen does not explain how Capone hid his habit from his criminal associates.
Whenever Capone behaves violently by murdering someone or ordering others to carry out a hit, Bergreen puts it down to the progressive nature of Capone's syphilitic condition or cocaine abuse. While Capone contracted the disease and ultimately died of its ravages, it seems far fetched to suggest that it impaired him each and every time that he went into a tirade or committed a killing. Syphilis has three distinct stages and its fatal consequences can be latent for decades before the disease becomes active. Capone could not have survived as a crime boss if he was suffering from active dementia while leading the Outfit.
A substantial amount of time is spent on Capone's estranged older brother who left the family, changed his last name to "Hart" and became a Prohibition Agent in Nebraska. This material has been published before, but Bergreen keeps pushing the subject over and over again. It is somewhat akin to finding lengthy digressions about Ted Williams in a biography of Babe Ruth. Yes, they both had a few things in common and both played for the Boston Red Sox, but little else transpired between the two men. After awhile I began to wonder if the author would return to the actual subject of his biography? It is correct to include "Two Gun Hart," but his importance is inflated. Capone seemed to have virtually no relationship with his elder brother, so even by way of contrast the inclusion of this material seems to be so much surplusage. I suspect that Hart's children may have been among the few Capone relatives willing to be interviewed by Bergreen.
Similarly, Bergreen segues into another extended detour by recounting the career of Elliot Ness. This goes on ad nauseum and I began to wonder if the writer forgot who the subject of his biography was supposed to be. He prattles on about Ness becoming an alcoholic and a philanderer. The problem is that none of these events in Cleveland relate back to the prosecution of Capone more than a decade earlier. A short summary would have been adequate.
There are a few mildly interesting anecdotes about Capone as told by people who met him in passing. Much of this is trivial. The fact that Capone was a generous tipper does not necessarily absolve him of his many crimes. These asides are amusing, but how much insight can a golf caddy really provide?
This book does not actually succeed in providing much in terms of describing Capone's era. If you are seriously interested in learning about Capone and Chicago, you owe it to yourself to read some other books.
the real Capone.......2006-12-31
This is a great book. It shows us that Capone was not only a villain, but also a man who was loved by the common people. Bergreens book is hard to put down, because of his fluid writing style. Everybody knows the story of the St Valentine's Day massacre, and that time when he beat a man to death with a baseball bat. New to me however was how he spent his days in jail and what he did after he got out of it. After his time in Alcatraz he was just a lonely man who didn't know know what he was doing because of his neurosyphilis. You kinda feel sorry for him. A great biography of the most famous man in the history of crime.
irs trial seems dry but vital to the story.Government case makes Capone look "sleazy".......2006-12-17
if you're an Al fan,you're going to read this anyway no matter if it's one or five stars.When things break down as did America during the Volstead Act,a vacuum exists and a law of nature,"nature abhors a vacuum".Someone or something is going to fill it legal or illegal,in this case it was Capone.You could either sell clean booze,brewed properly or as in the case of the Chicago mobsters,clean booze and dirty booze.That is beer and whiskey products brewed properly and mixed with pure alcohol to give it more life.The customer comes back more drunk and susceptible to more errors in judgement and a chance to fleece him or her even more.It is amazing to seehow large were the "bootlegging" operations hiring master brewers from Europe and employing hundreds or (thousands)? of people.It almost seems like the beer and alcoholic beverage industry has a momentum of its own that goes beyond the issues of the legality or illegality of it.Capone compares himself to an amusement park providing the American adult of the roaring 20's with entertainment.That includes the shootouts and gang wars,real life rootin-tootin cowboy shootin'.As American as apple pie and steroids.The press eats it up. The cops don't say too much as long as the mobsters only kill each other.As a matter of fact from reading this book there were so many police and newspaper people on Capones payroll that its a wonder the IRS was ever able to capture Al.He really had great PR running a soup kitchen and loads of other charities.Real drama like a shakespeare play.And don't forget Al was a family man,kids and mass every Sunday,as well as a major community financier,even if it was mob money.Indeed sometimes the machine gunnings and violence seem like a minor glitch,like nature correcting itself.Mobster movies always have to concentrate on the violence because it wouldn't play in the theatre to have a soft spoken guy making a spaghetti dinner for his family and friends.Unless somebody ended up in the pot.Al comes off in this book a perfect gentleman and warm until "crossed" then sneaky and deadly,(really deadly)!!like a true sociopath.This book is more than a biography of Capone,it captures the chaos of the roaring twenties and the depression,with America trying to figure out who and what it is after the Great War.When moral purists,like the kind who tried to "dumb down" America with the Volstead Act,get ahold of government,this is what can happen.An important book,this one. The book is divided into 2 parts,Al's rise and then his demise when the syphillus he contracted in his late teens took over his thought processes in his late twenties.This caused major errors in judgements and all the other racketeers tried to band together, even ones from other major cities,and finally strip Al of his power. Capone however was able to circumnavigate around even these to show himself "KING" of the mobsters.Just when you think Al is finished he comes back even more influential.The IRS trial was really well dealt with and it will cause a person to somewhat lose respect for Al.It amazed me how a literal handfull of government agents were finally able to bring Capone down when he seemed like he himself was an "untouchable".The way he tries to hire high profile attorneys to weasel out,we've all seen too much of.It seems from the read on this book that Capone even with his mind altering syphillus was able to play quite well the different "shades of grey"until the IRS and other government agencies and were able to present him to the American public in basic black and white.This book gives good insight into the "cooling off" aspect of Capones crime career,showing the space between the more violent incidents,whereas alot of books keep the pace of their biographies at a "white heat"by linking at times loosely ganster activity not directly involving Capones mob.
The Rise and Fall of Scar Face.......2006-01-22
Here is a highly readable, very entertaining, and absorbing biography of Al Capone.
Bergreen digs through the decades-deep layers of myth and confusion, showing us the "real" Al Capone, a complex and apparently contradictory man.
And herein lies the one problem with this book. Bergreen can't seem to make up his mind. Was Capone an evil criminal mastermind or a misunderstood victim of American cultural hypocrisy?
On the one hand we read about the evil Capone. The man who without warning could fly into violent rages, beating men to death with baseball bats; a scheming sinister mastermind who plots the St. Valentines Day Massacre.
Then there is the other more sympathetic Capone. A seemingly misunderstood entrepreneur, a man persecuted for striving toward his piece of the American dream. According to Bergreen, this Capone wasn't the king of the Chicago rackets. He was instead a mere figurehead, whose love of the media spotlight allowed the true rulers of prohibition-era organized crime, Johnny Torrio and Frankie La Porte, to run their evil empires of vice in the murky shadows of the Chicago underworld.
If this Capone is to be believed, then Bergreen should have spent more time fleshing out this aspect of his character. The "Capone as figurehead" theory is supported by very little evidence and thus fails to convince.
All that aside, this is a very good book. I found it fascinating. Bergreen does a great job of bringing the hectic, thriving, and utterly corrupt Chicago of the roaring 20's to life. Capone's time in prison is also well covered and shows us the truly pathetic side of Scarface, a lonely broken man slipping into a syphilis-induced dementia, slowly wasting away in the cold and harsh confines of Alcatraz.
I highly recommend Capone: The Man and His Era. It's the kind of book you hate to see end.
Customer Reviews:
The Life of Alphonse Capone and the start of the Mafia........2006-05-17
I think Kolbler does a good job of detailing the rise of the Mafia. Italians calling themselves the Black Hand rob and blackmail guilable Italian immigrants. People like Colossimo, and Capone get into the protection busiess. This leads to other rackets, and the Mafia is born. Capone was not a member of the Mafia group, but he knew their main leaders. Capone and before that Torrio become the main influences in the Chicago underworld.
This is a detailed biography of Alphonse Capone. The book also shows the corrupt nature of early Chicago politics and the start of Prohibition. Capone because of his leadership qualities and friendship with Torrio becomes a effective leader of the Chicago underworld. Al used whatever he needed to establish his rule. This included blackmail, torture, and murder. He also was generous to those who were loyal to him. There was both a good and dark side to Al Capone. If you betrayed him, then he could beat you to death like the three Sicilians. If you treated him as an equal, he could help and befriend you.
Kobler shows all the complexities of Al Capone, He may have evil traits, but a very real human came through in Kobler's biography. This is a very detailed, but also very readable history of Al Capone.
Scarface.......2005-08-15
In a book subtitled, "The Life and World of Al Capone", one would suspect an in depth look at the famous Chicagoan. While the book has points where it is very informative, I believe the author could have used a more involved editor in composing his book. Having originally gone into publication in 1971, there are better books about Al Capone.
In the first hundred pages, Al Capone's name is literally mentioned only about five times. I respect the author's motive for formatting the book this way. He was trying to set up the world that gave rise to a gang leader like Al Capone. However, some of the stories could have been left out. At times, I found myself wondering if the author would ever start discussing Capone.
The author begins the story of Capone in his service to Johnny Torrio. Eventually, this relationship develops more into a partnership than a hierarchy. Capone was very aggressive in furthering his interests even if the price was murder. La Cosa Nostra and organized crime in America thrived under the laws of prohibition. The illegally produced and supplied alcohol was only produced by those willing to disobey the way. It was a chance Capone was to take. Additionally, Capone made his money from gambling and racketeering.
The generous side of Capone is one that is less frequently discussed. He donated much of his wealth to the poor which is more than can be said for the contemporary crooks and gangsters of corporate America. With this comparison in mind, it seems odd that the government finally crumbled the Capone empire with charges of tax evasion. Capone was sentenced to eleven years, but served less than six due to good behavior and the terminal phase of syphilis.
I was disappointed to discover the end of the book. The author followed through with the title in the beginning with an overwhelming introduction. Unfortunately, the author chose to describe Capone's effect on the world in seven pages. I believe the author could have said more of the world of Al Capone more in terms of his after effects.
In total, I found this book to be more than adequate. While it is flawed and inconsistent, it is a worthwhile primer for those seeking to learn of Capone. At times, the author goes into great detail demonstrating the work put into this project. However, the amount of work is not always consistent with the final project.
Outstanding.....The "Premier" Bio of Al Capone.......2005-07-10
In my opinion, this is the best and most well written of all of the Capone biographies. The first few pages of this highly engrossing book takes the reader to the front door of the Lexington Hotel, Capone's headquarters.....on into the inner sactum of the gangleader himself. The story of Al Capone is brilliantly laid out in an easy to follow format that takes the reader through Capone's life and motivations. I've read all of the major bios on "Big Al" and this is by far the best.....highly recommended.
Masterful, inspired, brilliantly literate, yet street-smart!.......2005-06-10
John Kobler is a little-known master craftsman and this is his master work. Don't miss it. Quite possibly the best biography you'll ever read. P.S. PLUS, I learned the word "chinoiserie" from this book!
Book Description
For more than 70 years, Al Capone has been equated with wealth, violence, and corruption. As America's most infamous criminal, he has intrigued, attracted, and repulsed the general public with his legendary criminal deeds. This concise biography separates the myth from the man. Beginning with a historical look at corruption in American society--along with a clarification of the terms Black Hand, Mafia, and Organized Crime--Capone is presented in his own time and place. A timeline summarizes the events of his life and career. A thorough bibliography of print and electronic sources will assist students and general readers interested in further research, making it perfect for anyone interested in Capone's life, organized crime, the prohibition era, and the struggle of lower-class Americans to rise in society. The son of poor Italian immigrants struggling for a better life in early 20th-century New York, Capone chose a life of crime as a means of advancing his place in the world. His success brought him fabulous wealth and fame. His criminal deeds made him many enemies among law enforcement officers, politicians, and fellow criminals. Yet ultimately, Capone's downfall was his own misdeeds. Following a lengthy prison term, he died at age 48 from complications of syphilis. In his short life, Capone had become America's most feared criminal, and after his death, his legend cast an even greater shadow.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Capone: Separating Fact from Fiction.......2004-02-17
Scholar and expert on Italian American History and American crime, Luciano Iorizzo has provided for the reader a concise, accurate biography of the notorious Al Capone in the context of social, economic, and political developments of his time. The author delineates the factual history of an Italian American anti-hero (folk hero?). Born in Brooklyn in 1899 to Italian immigrant parents, Capone seized his opportunities in his rapid rise to power. Author Iorizzo weaves the life of Capone into an analysis of such terms as ethnicity, diversity, and organized crime, concepts that have captured the imagination of modern America. The real Capone is revealed as underdog, criminal, and family man who was generous as he was violent. If the reader wishes to become acqainted with the career of the real Capone, he/she should begin here. Outstanding features of the book that greatly enhance the volume's relevance are a timeline of Capone's life, a glossary of names and events, a bibliography, a list of motion picutres and videos, and websites that include a wealthy of information on Capone.
A Comprehensive Survey--Welcome to Capone.......2004-01-15
I wish I had read this before the first Capone book I bought. It makes his complicated career manageable and organized and really whets the appetite for the drill down details which you get in the super long tomes. The publisher states that its intended use is for a high school textbook on the subject ( I wish I had textbooks like this when I was in high school) and that makes it appealing and unusual. It is as objective a book you will find, covering the social elements of the time (and putting a lot of things in perspective, very helpful for a cynic like me) plus it is also a fun read. It is hard to find a fun read that does not have that "groupie"- breathless-sick admiration (which I am guilty of)tone often occurring in many mafia books. And this one does not. (I've read about 30 now). Will not disappoint. A great gift.
Fair Introduction.......2004-01-01
This book is written for high school students and works well enough in that department. Actually, it's pretty good and contains some fine sociological insights on early 20th Century urban life, Italian-American immigrants, and popular conceptions and misconceptions about the Mafia and organized crime, along with a fair, if common, selection of photos. Slim book, and nothing really new here. It's largely compiled from past Capone biographies. Includes some of the errors from Bergreen's work but doesn't hesitate to question him from time to time. It's still a nice introduction to Al for young aspiring gangsters.
Customer Reviews:
Delivers with the Punch of a Machine Gun!.......2007-09-15
The definitive biography of "Scarface Al" Capone, who ruled the Chicago underworld with an iron fist during Prohibition. John Kobler is a fine writer whose flair with words will keep his readers glued to the pages, regardless of the subject matter. In "Capone," he masterfully recounts the rise and fall of the Windy City's overlord of vice and crime as only he can, presented in an honest, objective, and straightforward (but never dull) manner. This is a highly entertaining effort which any crime historian is sure to enjoy. My only regret is that Mr. Kobler didn't tackle the biographies of other gangland luminaries as well (although he did an excellent job narrating the history of Prohibition in "Ardent Spirits"). If you must read just one book about Big Al, then this is the one. As far as I'm concerned, you can skip all the others.
Alphose Capone.......2006-03-21
Capone: The Life And World Of Al Capone, written by John Kobler. This was a great book. It had numerous amounts of details and you can learn a lot from this biography. But to the casual reader at least in my opinoin this is not the book for you. This book has tons and tons of information and is great if you are looking for a source for a history project or something. Also if you have a high interest in the subject of Al Capone then this could be a great book for you to read.
THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!!!!.......2003-06-06
THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!!!!
John Kobler did an excelent job with this one. The title, The Life and World Of Al Capone, really sums it up. Not only was this an extremely accurate factual book, but also was greatly engaging. I am a big fan of Capone books and have read quite a few, but this was easily the best one that I've read. This book includes minute details on Capones life and "business" as well as the long list of dives, hot spots, and other gangsters all inhabiting Chicago.
I found no flaw in the writing of this book and thought it was marvelously written. I can't begin to tell you how great of a book this was. At different points it transformed me into a Chicago citizen reading the newspaper, to a young hoodlum in the gang, to an inmate at Alcatraz. The only thing I was disappointed with was that it went by to fast! You must read this book!
The definitive Capone.......2003-02-27
If you're looking for a complete picture of America's most notorious mobster, this is it. This is the definitive biography, a well-rounded study that brings Big Al into three-dimensional focus, something Schonberg only elaborated on and Bergreen failed completely at. The best book ever on the life, times and career of the father of syndicated crime.
Big Al was the MAN!.......2002-02-17
This book is excellent! There aren't enough words in English to discribe this man! This book gives great insight into what really went on in Al Capone's life and his gang--RUTHLESS with TASTE! Just wish it were a lot longer.
Average customer rating:
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Heroes & Villains - Al Capone (Heroes & Villains)
Diane Yancey
Manufacturer: Lucent Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
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ASIN: 156006949X |
Book Description
Al Capone is remembered as the quintessential gangster, an arch criminal who was caught only because he failed to pay his taxes. Ruthless and brutal, Capone was also charming and intelligent. The book chronicles the life of one of the most fascinating men of the twentieth century.
Average customer rating:
- Capone Review
- Capone Book Review
- rubouts and double crosses galore!
- rubouts and double crosses galore!
- I did look again!
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Al Capone (Biography (a & E))
A&E Television Network
Manufacturer: Random House, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0517201003
Release Date: 1998-11-10 |
Book Description
America's most famous gangster and founder of organized crime as we know it, Al Capone became a multimillionaire and a legend by sating a city's appetite for liquor, pros-titution, and gambling. But his life is an astonishing mix of contrasts: on one hand he was a brutal killer, and on the other, a dutiful father.
The son of Italian immigrants, Capone learned early in life that hard work was the key to success. His father opened a barber shop in New York City and raised his sons in the stability of the immigrant middle class. Al emulated this spirit by starting up his own shoe-shine business near the docks. Its success enabled him to move the business to the lobby of a Wall Street building, but when rivals destroyed his shoe-shine stand and the police shrugged off the attack, Capone became embittered.
Rick Hornung's riveting account of one of the century's most prominent celebrity sinners shows how Capone came to see the law as a bully and crime as a solid way to make a living. As a protégé of gangster John Torrio, Capone collected illegal bets, thereby learning the skills of "negotiation and compromise," backed by intimidation and raw force. Capone followed Torrio to Chicago, where the two ran brothels and, during Prohibition, imported liquor. Capone quickly outmastered the master and became the dominant force in Chicago's underworld by swiftly retaliating against those who encroached on his territory.
Capone's downfall was brought about by a landmark IRS investigation for which Capone served eight years in prison for tax evasion. Following his release, Capone withdrew from the public eye. Seven years later, at the age of forty-eight, he died from a brain hemorrhage.
This compelling profile lets us understand the continuing fascination with a man who was at once a gangster and gentleman; tyrant and pal; family man and murdering pimp.
"Love is what somebody feels just before they give you a good you know what, professor. Fear is better. Respect."
--Al Capone
There were other ways out of the tough streets of Brooklyn, but Al Capone chose the dark path. Groomed by John Torrio, the inventor of modern organized crime, Capone ran Chicago with a cruel hand during his short and bloody reign as king of the underworld. His brash charisma and deceptive smile made him a legend, but author Rick Hornung strips away the decades of myth to reveal a complex, colorful, and ultimately evil American life.
Hornung is one of the many established authors to contribute to the BIOGRAPHY® book series, brought to you by A&E and Park Lane Press. This eclectic collection offers a remarkable variety of profiles, presented with depth, detail, and historical accuracy. Let BIOGRAPHY take you behind the photos and film, the rumors, myths, and legends, to truly see the men and women who made our times.
Customer Reviews:
Capone Review.......2006-03-13
I enjoyed this book wholeheartedly for many reasons. The first reason being, I learned much much more about Al Capone than I ever would have before it. I rather liked the way in which the information was displayed as well; it wasn't just a bunch of bullet facts or talk abvout one thing and skip around his life forward and back, it was distruibuted in a chronological order, telling off the information like it was a novel instead of a Biography, which made it much easier and more entertaining to read. I also liked the fact that the author added in some pages of information about other people in the story, so he wouldn't get off track and interrupt the story about Capone which is what the book is about.
Capone Book Review.......2003-04-16
In Hornung's Al Capone, he looks into the life of the most notorious crime boss of all time. He chronicles Capone's rise to power and his transformation from a New York shoe-shiner to the most powerful crime boss in America's history. Hornung used actual stories from Capone's life to show how he lived and how he rose to the top.
Al Capone was born in Italy, but his family moved to New York towards the end of the nineteenth century. His father opened up a barber shop and supported his family adequately for an immigrant. As a teenager, Capone started a shoe-shining business in the front of a hotel near his house. One day, a few boys from a local gang came by and destroyed Capone's stand. The rage that filled Capone would be the catalyst for Capone's attempt at entering the crime world of the New York streets and the beginning of a life of crime. After success as a neighborhood gang leader, Capone quit school and entered into the true organized crime of New York as a "muscle" man. He moved to Chicago with his mentor who got him set up with jobs. The author goes through stories of different people Capone had met and how they affected Capone. Capone eventually made his way up to the head of the Chicago crime world and held his power with the help of fixed elections keeping him power for years. He finally was caught by Elliot Ness, an IRS agent, and ended up serving time at Alcatraz. He died of syphilis in his home in Miami after leaving Alcatraz because of failing health. The biography went through all aspects of Capone's rise and fall including his love life, family, money, and friends to show how the experience affected all who encountered him.
I really enjoyed this book because it went into the details of organized crime more than any other book I have ever read. I reccommend this book to anyone who wants to know about a man that used fear to rule an entire city during the 1920s.
rubouts and double crosses galore!.......2000-07-28
This is a very entertaining read filled with the stuff of gangster lore. The book gets right tothe point about Capone --he was a slugger who muscled his way to the top and then sold out everybody to stay there. Instead of romanticizing the Big Fella and his overstuffed style, Hornung shows how crime is a violent enterprise that preys upon the weak and glorifies the bully. With a dry wit and lean writing style, Hornung describes Capone's vicious rise and inevitable fall as the life of a coward, not a hero.
rubouts and double crosses galore!.......2000-07-28
This is a very entertaining read filled with the stuff of gangster lore. The book gets right tothe point about Capone --he was a slugger who muscled his way to the top and then sold out everybody to stay there. Instead of romanticizing the Big Fella and his overstuffed style, Hornung shows how crime is a violent enterprise that preys upon the weak and glorifies the bully. With a dry wit and lean writing style, Hornung describes Capone's vicious rise and inevitable fall as the life of a coward, not a hero.
I did look again!.......2000-07-16
I did look again and you should too Mr.Hornung because that is indeed the Lexington Hotel and not the Metropole as you stated.Believe me when i say that i know my Capone history.And getting family and friends to do reviews to counter my first negative review is quite tacky if not childish.
Best regards,
Book Description
1930. The story of Capone, the most notorious gangster in the history of the nation. Alphonse Capone, better known to most as Al Capone or Scarface, ran Chicago with blood and guns. From the beginning, Capone didn't respond well to authority. While in the sixth grade he beat his female teacher. Following the incident he left school and faced with a life of low-paying jobs, he joined the street gang led by Johny Torrio and Lucky Luciano. And, as they say, the rest is history. Despite his years of running the rackets, it was eventually for tax evasion that he served time.
Customer Reviews:
Al Capone.......2006-03-09
Unless you area Gang member from Chicago and grew up in the 1920's. I thin gyou will have a hard time keeping track of the lingo on this book. Does anyone know what a blind-pigger, a blackhander, or a ward heeler is? if you do let me know because i looked and have no idea. The book does give alot of information about Capone. I did like that, but could only understand about half the book.So unless you are a 1920 chicago gangmember I wouldn't waist to much time on this book.
The Contemporary Capone.......2002-06-23
This is the place to start when it comes to Al Capone. Written at the height of Capone's glory as America's most famous and successful mobster, and when he was widely viewed as he saw himself--as a successful businessman. You can't get a much fresher look at Al than this.
An Excellent Book!.......2000-04-22
The great biography of the American gangster, Al Capone. Facts about his childhood, St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and his death. This book also includes never before seen photos and other artifacts of the gangster.
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Mr. Capone
