The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (Illinois) [Paperback]

Herbert Asbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2002 | Series: Illinois

This classic history of crime tells how Chicago's underworld earned—and kept—its reputation. Recounting the lives of such notorious denizens as the original Mickey Finn, the mass murderer H. H. Holmes, and the three Car Barn Bandits, Asbury reveals life as it was lived in the criminal districts of the Levee, Hell's Half-Acre, the Bad Lands, Little Cheyenne, Custom House Place, and the Black Hole. His description of Chicago's infamous red light district—where the brothels boasted opulence unheard of before or since—vividly captures the wicked splendor that was Chicago. The Gangs of Chicago spans from the time "Slab Town" was settled to Prohibition days. The story of Chicago's golden age of crime climaxes with a dramatic account of the careers of the "biggest of the Big Shots": Big Jim Colosimo, Terrible Johnny Torrio, and the elusive Al Capone. Photographs and illustrations round out this telling of Chicago's early underworld. "Still the most detailed, reliable, and readable account of the nether side of Chicago's first century, deserves reading and rereading...."—Perry R. Duis, Chicago historian

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An important work in historiography of the city . . . Vividly captures the wicked splendor that was Chicago." -- Police & Security News, December 2002

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (September 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560254548
• ISBN-13: 978-1560254546
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, with one exception, August 4, 2003

By 

R. E. VanderKlok "English teacher" (Grand Rapids, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (Illinois) (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book, but it was written some time ago. The original copyright is 1940. In fact, it was written at a time when investigative journalism was still colored by the author's blatant opinions, details considered too gruesome were left out (although there are some), and fact and fiction blended without too much trouble.

It covers the time from the Chicago area's first settlement up to about the time of prohibition, but gang activity during prohibition is not a huge part of the book.

The problem with this edition of the book is that my copy was missing a significant section. Pages 187-218 were missing and they hadn't just fallen out. If they had fallen out, there would be a gap on the paperback's spine. There is none, so I would say there was an error at the printer's. My copy abruptly stops toward the end of the story of H.H. Holmes, the World's Fair serial killer, and then goes 30+ pages ahead, picking up at the end of the story of Buff Higgins. I have no idea what subject matter is missing, only that my page numbers skip and there is no continuity.

If you do get this book, check those pages immediately to see if my experience was isolated or there was a problem with the entire print run.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good in some parts, boring in others, April 26, 2006

By 

w - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (Illinois) (Paperback)

I have to admit I mostly had Al Capone in mind when I bought this book. It was a good read, but a lot of the first two chapters are pretty boring, they were basically an in depth history of Chicago's beginnings. However, the further along I read the more I began to enjoy it, I only wish Asbury would have talked a little more about Chicago's most notorious gangster, Al Capone.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good for what it is, September 7, 2011

By 

Wayne S - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (Illinois) (Paperback)

Not all about gangs - some regular murderers too - and some of the stories are pretty obviously tall tales and legends, not true ones, but they're good stories anyway, and there's probably at least a grain of truth behind them.