Customer Reviews:
The Life of Alphonse Capone and the start of the Mafia........2006-05-17
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.
Scarface.......2005-08-15
In a book subtitled, "The Life and World of Al Capone", one would suspect an in depth look at the famous Chicagoan. While the book has points where it is very informative, I believe the author could have used a more involved editor in composing his book. Having originally gone into publication in 1971, there are better books about Al Capone.
In the first hundred pages, Al Capone's name is literally mentioned only about five times. I respect the author's motive for formatting the book this way. He was trying to set up the world that gave rise to a gang leader like Al Capone. However, some of the stories could have been left out. At times, I found myself wondering if the author would ever start discussing Capone.
The author begins the story of Capone in his service to Johnny Torrio. Eventually, this relationship develops more into a partnership than a hierarchy. Capone was very aggressive in furthering his interests even if the price was murder. La Cosa Nostra and organized crime in America thrived under the laws of prohibition. The illegally produced and supplied alcohol was only produced by those willing to disobey the way. It was a chance Capone was to take. Additionally, Capone made his money from gambling and racketeering.
The generous side of Capone is one that is less frequently discussed. He donated much of his wealth to the poor which is more than can be said for the contemporary crooks and gangsters of corporate America. With this comparison in mind, it seems odd that the government finally crumbled the Capone empire with charges of tax evasion. Capone was sentenced to eleven years, but served less than six due to good behavior and the terminal phase of syphilis.
I was disappointed to discover the end of the book. The author followed through with the title in the beginning with an overwhelming introduction. Unfortunately, the author chose to describe Capone's effect on the world in seven pages. I believe the author could have said more of the world of Al Capone more in terms of his after effects.
In total, I found this book to be more than adequate. While it is flawed and inconsistent, it is a worthwhile primer for those seeking to learn of Capone. At times, the author goes into great detail demonstrating the work put into this project. However, the amount of work is not always consistent with the final project.
Outstanding.....The "Premier" Bio of Al Capone.......2005-07-10
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.
Masterful, inspired, brilliantly literate, yet street-smart!.......2005-06-10
John Kobler is a little-known master craftsman and this is his master work. Don't miss it. Quite possibly the best biography you'll ever read. P.S. PLUS, I learned the word "chinoiserie" from this book!
Customer Reviews:
the first work on Capone and still a classic........2007-01-10
this book writen in 1971 was the first major work to adress capone and the mob world of organized crime. smooth reading and the author either doesn't have the sources available to writers today or just doesn't take the liberties and resultant credibility strain that can happen as a result.in the Bergreen book Capone for instance there seem to be alot more ties between city counsel,the police,government agents and the mob.As if the mob has penetrated so deep into government,that only a handful of honest police and officials are left to confront Capone. In the Kobler book,however,the lines are more cleanly drawn between Capone and the "forces of law and order" while the author does admit to some indiscretions on the part of alot of government people by actually being on Capones payroll.It seems in the Kobler book that the government can't figure out how to get at Capone entrenched as he is behind his organization. Another instance of the Bergreen book differing substantially from Kobler is in regard to Capones charity giving. In the Bergreen book Capones charities are represented as being alot more generous which can make the reader somewhat empathetic with Al as he literally gives away at least tens of thousands away to people hard hit by the depression. Kobler presents his charity giving as an attempt more at PR and to make the "man in the streets" empathetic hence more willing to buy Capone beer and patronize his gambling and cat house businesses.Also Bergreen, while admitting to the debilitating effects of Capones syphillus,points out that he was still able to maintain his status as "crime boss" and was capable of decision making even up to the last. Kobler however shows a Capone after Alcatraz as an invalid with a miniscule amount of decision making and influence. These two books go together and are both important to understanding the era.At times you have to admit that with the family ties and the organization of these crime syndicates,it's understandable how hard it would be to break them up.Capone comes off as just a figurehead for a steamroller force known by various names like the "Mob",the "Organization" etc. An excellent work by Kobler on the Depression Era.
Customer Reviews:
Delivers with the Punch of a Machine Gun!.......2007-09-15
The definitive biography of "Scarface Al" Capone, who ruled the Chicago underworld with an iron fist during Prohibition. John Kobler is a fine writer whose flair with words will keep his readers glued to the pages, regardless of the subject matter. In "Capone," he masterfully recounts the rise and fall of the Windy City's overlord of vice and crime as only he can, presented in an honest, objective, and straightforward (but never dull) manner. This is a highly entertaining effort which any crime historian is sure to enjoy. My only regret is that Mr. Kobler didn't tackle the lives of other gangland luminaries as well (although he did an exceptional job narrating the history of Prohibiton in "Ardent Spirits"). If you must read just one book about Big Al, then this is the one. As far as I'm concerned, you can skip all the others.
Alphose Capone.......2006-03-21
Capone: The Life And World Of Al Capone, written by John Kobler. This was a great book. It had numerous amounts of details and you can learn a lot from this biography. But to the casual reader at least in my opinoin this is not the book for you. This book has tons and tons of information and is great if you are looking for a source for a history project or something. Also if you have a high interest in the subject of Al Capone then this could be a great book for you to read.
THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!!!!.......2003-06-06
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!
The definitive Capone.......2003-02-27
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.
Big Al was the MAN!.......2002-02-17
This book is excellent! There aren't enough words in English to discribe this man! This book gives great insight into what really went on in Al Capone's life and his gang--RUTHLESS with TASTE! Just wish it were a lot longer.
Product Description
Definitive Bio of America's All-Time Public Enemy Number 1. With 32 pages of Authentic Photos
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Curtiss Kittyhawk MKI-IV in RAF-SAAF-RAAF-RNZAF-RCAF-NEIAF service (Arco-Aircam aviation series, no. 6)
Richard Ward
Manufacturer: Arco Pub. Co
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Book Description
Originally published in 1967, Sylvia Meagher's masterful dissection of the Warren Report, based on the Commission's own evidence, has stood the test of time well. In some cases, declassifications of government records have corroborated Meagher's suspicions and analyses, such as her amazing assertion that Oswald had never actually been charged with Kennedy's murder, despite sworn testimony to the contrary (see Commission Document 5 for the FBI's statement that "such arraignment was not necessary"). Meagher's book raises the most serious questions not only about Oswald's guilt in the JFK assassination and related crimes such as the Tippit murder and the Walker shooting, but also about the methods and honesty of the Warren Commission, the FBI, and various Dallas Police and other officials.
When the Church Committee in 1975 first began to re-examine the Warren Commission and its relationshipw with the intelligence agencies, investigators were shocked by what they discovered. Senator Richard Schweiker (R-PA) stated on public television that "the Warren Report has collapsed like a house of cards" and said this of Accessories After the Fact:
"By far the most meticulous and compelling indictment of the Warren Commission Report ever made. The significance of this book cannot be overstated."
Customer Reviews:
WARREN REPORT-A SHAM!!-OSWALD INNOCENT.......2006-07-12
this book smashes the Warren report into a million peices in an unbiased way based upon facts logic and evidence.Mrs.Meagher proves that Oswald was innocent and that the warren report was a sham!she examines and dismantles every so called evidence the report had on oswald!!Oswald was innocent we the people are his defense counsel!this book has to be reprinted get it out there!!highly recommended!
Among the Best.......2006-07-02
Back in the early 70s I worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide on a Senate Commitee trying to reopen the Kennedy assassination or generate support for a House investigation. This was in the post-Garrison era and the credibility of anyone challenging the Warren Commission was suspect. (We now know that many of Garrison's failings were due to sabotage, but back then he was still radioactive to Senators, Representatives, and their staffs.)
Anyway, after all the backlash following the Clay Shaw acquittal it was still a tough sell, and the typical Congressman would give you no more than 5-10 minutes time to make your case, so we needed a one or two page list of powerful bullet points demonstrating that Oswald could not have acted alone, if he acted at all, and showing that the Warren investigation was compromised by the FBI and the CIA. These were serious allegations, so each
point had to be backed up by solid proof.
At the time, there were 5-6 serious books damning the Warren Commision Report: Inquest, by Edward J Epstein; Rush to Judgment by Mark Lane; Six Seconds in Dallas by Josiah Thompson; Whitewash by Harold Weisberg; and They've Killed the President by Robert Sam Anson.
In creating that fact sheet, no book was more carefully documented than Accessories after the Fact, and no book was more comprehensive and meticulous.
When we had to source each bullet point Meagher's book did the best job in directing us to the proof.
I left the Hill in 76--before the HSCA was created, and it has always bitter disappointment to me how its own work appears to ha ve been sabotaged, not unlike what happend to Garrison.
In the years since I have retained a keen interest in this topic, and at last count have read over 40 books. Meagher's book still remains one of the two or three best books written about JFK's death. In fact I consider it one of the best forensic investigation reports I have ever read in 25 years of practicing civil rights litigation.
Bring this book back in print!.......2004-03-22
Of all the books about the JFK assassination, why is ACCESSORIES AFTER THE FACT out of print? If you want to read books on how the Norweigian mob hired hitmen from the Planet Glixorg and had the assassination covered up by their media insider, Soupy Sales, there are dozens of books. But the one book to take a serious look at the Warren Commission's Report, to pick apart its inaccuracies, and to analyze its contradictions, is becoming harder and harder to find. Even Gerald Posner, in his tantrum, CASE CLOSED, could not lay a finger on the late Sylvia Meagher's masterwork. Why? Because it is a precise, unimpassioned, and brilliant piece of exploratory surgery on a very sick Warren Report. This book proves the Commission had a single purpose, and finding the truth was not that purpose. The lack of access to Sylvia Meagher's ACCESSORIES AFTER THE FACT is, to me, a tragic mistake and possible proof of a continuing cover-up.
( a must have research book), a reader from Dalhart, Tx.......2002-04-06
Ms. Meagher's book is well documented, insightful and detailed. She skillfully takes the reader through discrepancies in the Warren Commission report and lays it all out for the reader. Her conclusions are based on facts that are very clearly presented, and on common sense. At no time did I get the impression that this book was attempting to influence my views on the work of the Warren Commission. Ms. Meagher spells it out for the reader step by step.
An excellent, thought provoking Book!.......2001-07-10
Reading this book makes you wonder how many police departments and courts actually did what they were supposed to back in the 1960s, and how they're doing today. Ms Meagher does an excellent job breaking down the Warren Commission's report and demonstrating that their synopsis of events is based on multiple errors, misstatements, and wishful thinking. Having come out before most of the "conspiracy theory" genere that surrounds JFK assassinations tories today, Ms. Meaghers book stands above all of them. She refuses to let her book wander into sensationalism, does not implicate UFO's or any such things, nor does she mix in photos which claim to show the truth but are often blurry, grainy or totally unrevealing to the lay reader. Instead, she stays on target, picking apart the Warren Commission's flawed analysis with nimble wit and skill.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on January 22, 1996. The length of the article is 481 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Los encubridores. (economÃa de España)(TT: Accessories after the fact) (TA: Spanish economy)(Column)
Author: Manuel Alcántara
Publication:
Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 22, 1996
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Issue: n569
Page: p31(1)
Article Type: Column
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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Accessory After the Fact
Manufacturer: James E.Williams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0974631000 |
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The author tells of Jason Weaver's life - a life of the wrong women, the wrong associates and drug use. Jason gives insight into the thoughts and lifestyles of those who live in the world of crime and drugs. The corruption inherent in the legal system is disclosed as those who choose crime inevitably find their way before the courts. Although this book is fiction, the novel has its base in truth. Thought-provoking and filled with action, Accessory After the Fact is guaranteed to touch all emotions. A must read for those who embrace associates who are without integrity; those who thirst for justice in the Justice System; those who know the System from the inside; and for those who have never been there and don't want to go!
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My Orphans of the Wild: Rescue and Home Care of Native Wildlife
Rosemary K. Collett
Manufacturer: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
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Rescue and Care for Native Wildlife
Collett
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
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ASIN: 0801562929 |
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Mr. Capone
St. Valentine's Day Massacre: The Untold Story of the Gangland Bloodbath That Brought Down Al Capone
Capone: The Man and the Era
Guns and Roses: The Untold Story of Dean O'Banion, Chicago's Big Shot before Al Capone
The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld (Illinois)
