This illustrated biography is the first account of the colorful life of Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, Pulitzer Prize winner, best-selling author, and legendary journalist who personified Chicago in all its rough-edged charm. Drawing on exclusive photos and interviews with Royko’s family and intimates, the book chronicles Royko’s rise from a “flat-above-a-tavern” youth—raised above a bar on Chicago’s Polish northwest side—to one of the best-known names in American journalism.
Readers will get the inside scoop on Royko’s epic battles with Mayor Richard J. Daley and other politicians and his hilarious columns featuring “Slats Grobnik.” They’ll also meet a softer, largely unknown, side of Royko, through the love letters he sent to his wife-to-be from an Air Force base in Washington State.
More than 100 photos—many never before available to the public—capture the man and his times. Millions of readers—in 800 newspapers around the world—followed Royko’s work and life. In The World of Mike Royko—he lives again.
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From Booklist
Readers starved for Roykoisms since the columnist's 1997 death were treated to one kind of feast six months ago: One More Time , a collection of columns compiled by his wife and journalist friends. A different but equally satisfying nosh awaits fans in this brief, lavishly illustrated biography. Moe, a daily columnist for the Madison (WI) Capital Times, draws on columns and the few interviews Royko gave, as well as his own interviews with family members, friends, and some of Royko's targets, to fill in the details of the Chicago writer's public and private life. Despite its brevity, The World of Mike Royko rings true: many anecdotes beg to be told in Royko's raspy voice, and his friends' concern is palpable when discussing his painful times, like the sudden death of his first wife Carol when both Roykos were in their 40s. There will no doubt be more comprehensive biographies written down the road; in the meantime, Moe's stories and exclusive pictures recall the best of Royko. Mary Carroll
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“One of the 25 most important Chicagoans of the century.”—Chicago Magazine
"Through the years my family filled many of his columns, some critical and some supportive. But whether you agreed with him or not, you had to respect his honesty and his love for the city. No one captured Chicago like Mike Royko, and his many fans will savor this book capturing his colorful life."—Mayor Richard M. Daley
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent - captures the flavor of Royko & Chicago,
By Larry W. Phillips (Monroe, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The World of Mike Royko (Hardcover)
Like millions of others, I followed the columns (read: exploits) of Mike Royko when he was in the Chicago newspapers. Doug Moe's biography serves his subject well in lean, workmanlike prose, capturing the flavor of the Chicago streets and neighborhoods as well as the man himself. Moe brings it alive so you can almost feel the ink smudges on newsprint and smell the Old Style in the corner bars in the dim light of winter nights. Photos and anecdotes complement the narrative, which Moe relates with his usual straightforward understated virtuosity (in other words, no sentences like this one), compelling the reader to turn the page to see what is going to happen next. Indispensable reading for anyone who wants to learn more about Royko, the writing life, newspapering, and a certain now-vanished and legendary era in Chicago journalism. The book fills a welcome niche on the bookshelf.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Slats Grobnik would approve,
By A Customer
This review is from: The World of Mike Royko (Hardcover)
As anyone who ever read him knows, Mike Royko was a complex man with a rare talent. He hated phonies and bureaucrats and regularly lambasted them in his column. But he had a heart of gold and constantly spoke up for the little guy, the underdog who did not have the clout to speak up for himself. Doug Moe's book celebrates and pays tribute to this fine writer. The accompanying photos are charming and help bring the subject to life. Reading THE WORLD OF MIKE ROYKO made me remember what a treasure he was and realize how much I miss him.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Slats when we need him the most.,
By William Dixon (Tubac,Arizona at the base of the Tumacocoris) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The World of Mike Royko (Hardcover)
My oldest son,now in his thirties,greatly suprised me earlier this year when he responded to my question of what book had the most impact on him when he was growing up.He said it was more than just a book;it was the columns of Mike Royko,particularly those describing the views of Slats Grubnick."They countered all the dining room table"liberalisms"you and mom always were urging on me".While Slats and his creator,Royko,are no longer with us to directly influence my son's son on a regular basis,they are brilliantly brought back to life in this loving and honest book by Madison newspaper columnist,Doug Moe.I don't recall reading if Moe ever met Royko in person,but in this absolutely enjoyable gem,written with the cooperation of Royko's family and cohorts,Moe writes with an authority and wisdom that The Great Royko himself would love.See for yourself!As for me,I'm planning atrip to The Billy Goat tavern where I plan to hoist a few:to Slats,Royko,and Doug Moe.Thanks for the memories and inspiration.
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