Al Capone; the Biography of a Self-made Man

by Fred D. Pasley

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Biography

376 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1930

Reviews

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't read many historical non-fiction pieces, hardly any biographies, but this book seemed so unusual. I picked it up expecting a biography (I mean, it's in the title, right?). I expected a look into the life and times of Al Capone from a historically informed perspective. What I got was a look at the late twenties in Chicago with Al Capone as a supporting character. Hundreds of players got roles in this extended newspaper article written before Capone even died. Interesting but not really what I expected.

Stylistically there were chapters that read like the diary pages of a poet laureate scribbling with his trigger finger and there were some that had all the charisma of a wet grocery list. Honestly, I gave this book 3 out of 5 but this book--more than any other I've read--had sections that deserved a zero and some sections that legitimately deserved a resounding five.

So, if you're interested in the history, facts, and stats surrounding the Volstead Era in Chicago I strongly recommend finding this rare gem but if you're looking for a focused biography you won't get further than the tenth page.