Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The workday begins early..." (more)
Key Phrases: ward committeeman, ward committeemen, patronage army, City Hall, South Side, Cook County (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

First published in 1971 when the late Daley was mayor of Chicago, this classic "provides a detailed and, for some, eye-opening account of Daley's rise to absolute control of the Chicago Democratic political machine," said PW , finding the book "sardonic and sometimes hilarious reading."
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Mike Royko's scathing expose of Chicago's iron-fisted mayor Richard Daley was a national bestseller in its original hardcover and Signet editions. Now published in trade paperback, Boss continues to stand as a classic in American investigative reporting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Plume (October 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452261678
• ISBN-13: 978-0452261679
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,146 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > Midwest
  #12 in	Books > History > United States > State & Local > Illinois
  #98 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Presidents & Heads of State

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Seattle Royko Fan, March 21, 2000

By A Customer

You don't have to be from Chicago to appreciate this book andRoyko's genius as a writer and wry political observer.

His almostmatter-of-fact accounting of the machine corruption in Chicago under Daley is eye opening. Those who analogize it to the Mafia are on point, except its power the politicians are after, rather than just money. It's unbelievable to me that all of the venality was so out in the open and tolerated by the populace.

Particularly interesting was his account of the ethnic and racial evolution in this melting pot of a city. Italian, Polish, Irish, German, and Slavic neighborhoods whose only common theme was their hatred of the blacks. The paradox being that despite the white hatred, the segregation and appalling living conditons, those same white people could count on the black vote come election time, largely because of unscrupulous black ward bosses who cared more about power than helping their constituents.

One of the many things I like about Royko is that after reading his columns for years, I couldn't tell you whether his politics are liberal or conservative. He didn't deal in bromides, just reality. When something wasn't right, he called it on the perpetrators and wasn't hesitant to name names. I really miss the guy.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great civic lesson, May 11, 2000

By	Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Royko's "Boss," lamentably the only book-length work of his brilliant career, is also one of the absolute best books ever written about urban politics. Royko knew Chicago. The city was in his blood. As such, he knew Mayor Daley the elder better than anyone who was not a family member or a member of his administration. Royko shows how the since-deceased Democratic machine ran Chicago, both for the good and the bad. Read it, and you will understand the likes of Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, who ended up in jail because he continued to practice machine politics long after the machine had died. Hats off to Mike Royko. This book is his masterpiece.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars IIt's ALL TRUE!, April 17, 1998

By A Customer

I was born and raised in Chicago, and was an adult at the time of most of the events portrayed in the book. Although some reviewers seemed to find the characterization of Daley far-fetched, it was absolutely on target!