Gem of the prairie : an informal history of the Chicago underworld
by Herbert Asbury
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Description
This classic history of crime tells how Chicago's underworld earned--and kept--its reputation. Recounting the lives of such notorious denizens as the original Mickey Finn, the mass murderer H. H. Holmes, and the three Car Barn Bandits, Asbury reveals life as it was lived in the criminal districts of the Levee, Hell's Half-Acre, the Bad Lands, Little Cheyenne, Custom House Place, and the Black Hole. His description of Chicago's infamous red light district--where the brothels boasted opulence show more unheard of before or since--vividly captures the wicked splendor that was Chicago. The Gangs of Chicago spans from the time "Slab Town" was settled to Prohibition days. The story of Chicago's golden age of crime climaxes with a dramatic account of the careers of the "biggest of the Big Shots": Big Jim Colosimo, Terrible Johnny Torrio, and the elusive Al Capone. Photographs and illustrations round out this telling of Chicago's early underworld. "Still the most detailed, reliable, and readable account of the nether side of Chicago's first century, deserves reading and rereading...."--Perry R. Duis, Chicago historian show lessTags
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this about gang all over chicago were they are and they be doing to get in or out of the gangs.
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Author Information
16+ Works 2,905 Members
Herbert Asbury (1891-1963) was a prolific journalist and editor
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Gem of the prairie : an informal history of the Chicago underworld
- Original title
- Gem of the Prairie
- Alternate titles
- The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld
- People/Characters
- Mickey Finn; H. H. Holmes; Al Capone
- Important places
- Levee District, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cook County, Illinois, USA; Illinois, USA
- Dedication
- To Svend and Lis
- First words
- One of the marks of a great city is that some of the more insighful descriptions and interpretations of its character or personality come from out-of-towners.
- Original language
- English
- Disambiguation notice
- Gem of the Prairie: an informal history of the Chicago underworld was re-published under the title The Gangs of Chicago: An Informal History of the Chicago Underworld
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 364.1 — Society, government, & culture Social problems and social services Crime Criminal offenses
- LCC
- HV6795 .C4 .A83 — Social sciences Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology Crimes and criminal classes
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 244
- Popularity
- 132,683
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 4
