Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone

I think Kolbler does a good job of detailing the rise of the Mafia. Italians calling themselves the Black Hand rob and blackmail guilable Italian immigrants. People like Colossimo, and Capone get into the protection busiess. This leads to other rackets, and the Mafia is born. Capone was not a member of the Mafia group, but he knew their main leaders. Capone and before that Torrio become the main influences in the Chicago underworld. This is a detailed biography of Alphonse Capone. The book also shows the corrupt nature of early Chicago politics and the start of Prohibition. Capone because of his leadership qualities and friendship with Torrio becomes a effective leader of the Chicago underworld. Al used whatever he needed to establish his rule. This included blackmail, torture, and murder. He also was generous to those who were loyal to him. There was both a good and dark side to Al Capone. If you betrayed him, then he could beat you to death like the three Sicilians. If you treated him as an equal, he could help and befriend you. Kobler shows all the complexities of Al Capone, He may have evil traits, but a very real human came through in Kobler's biography. This is a very detailed, but also very readable history of Al Capone.

In my opinion, this is the best and most well written of all of the Capone biographies. The first few pages of this highly engrossing book takes the reader to the front door of the Lexington Hotel, Capone's headquarters.....on into the inner sactum of the gangleader himself. The story of Al Capone is brilliantly laid out in an easy to follow format that takes the reader through Capone's life and motivations. I've read all of the major bios on "Big Al" and this is by far the best.....highly recommended.

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!!!! John Kobler did an excelent job with this one. The title, The Life and World Of Al Capone, really sums it up. Not only was this an extremely accurate factual book, but also was greatly engaging. I am a big fan of Capone books and have read quite a few, but this was easily the best one that I've read. This book includes minute details on Capones life and "business" as well as the long list of dives, hot spots, and other gangsters all inhabiting Chicago. I found no flaw in the writing of this book and thought it was marvelously written. I can't begin to tell you how great of a book this was. At different points it transformed me into a Chicago citizen reading the newspaper, to a young hoodlum in the gang, to an inmate at Alcatraz. The only thing I was disappointed with was that it went by to fast! You must read this book!

If you're looking for a complete picture of America's most notorious mobster, this is it. This is the definitive biography, a well-rounded study that brings Big Al into three-dimensional focus, something Schonberg only elaborated on and Bergreen failed completely at. The best book ever on the life, times and career of the father of syndicated crime.

This book was absolutely mindblowing. I am doing a school report and I really didnt want to read it, but after I started, I was pulled in by all of the interesting facts this book contains about Big Al. Was he really all that bad? Read the book and find out for yourself.