Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Though the publishers would have you believe otherwise, this is not a contempary sequal to the "Gangs of New York" movie. It was written over 50 years, with a different title. Regardless of the marketing, it is a great read. The detailed descriptions of street locations make it especially appealing. (Many of the key vice districts of Chicago's past are now occupied by housing projects or posh townhomes.) The book is very quick moving and entertaining.

Like many history books, Gangs of Chicago tends to list out factual data while ignoring a compelling narative. There are many colorful names and notorious characters in Chicago's past, but they are presented here in outline form. This book was originally published in 1940, so it predates a lot of criminal activity suggested by its title. After all of these years, it would also have been nice to have more photos and exhiits to flash out some dry reading.

Good reading especially if your from Chicago. Funny to see no matter how things change, they stay the same! Chicago's reputation was/is well deserved!

Ashbury's discussion of crime and corruption in Chicago is very detailed. Although he sometimes provides too much detail regarding the players involved, it is a great expose of what a pit of corruption Chicago was from its earliest days. What is interesting is how replacement of gambling dens and bordellos spurred the rebuilding of the city after the fire of 1871, how the World Fairs of 1893 and and 1933 expanded crime opportunities that were only surpassed by the crime bonanza spurred by prohibition. A good read for all Chicago history buffs.

Being a native of Chicago, i found this book informative on its historical value. The book is titled "The Gangs of Chicago", so it deals more of the unsavory part of the city's history. Nevertheless, it is an interesting look back at the city's birth and develpoment in the 20th century, along with its colorful and lawless inhabitants.

Being the newspaper man he was, he really gives us an interesting look in to the seedy Chicago city. With vivid accounts of all kinds of crime, major characters in the crime rage phenomenon of the early 20's in America.