Capone: The Man and the Era

by Laurence Bergreen

In this masterwork of American crime history, Laurence Bergreen constructs a compelling portrait of Al Capone and the Prohibition era that shaped him.

Moving beyond sensationalized accounts, Bergreen navigates the contradictions of his subject—a ruthless criminal enterprise builder who maintained fierce loyalty to family, a self-proclaimed Robin Hood whose methods were anything but noble.

The narrative unfolds across Chicago's underworld, tracing Capone's ascent through bootlegging networks, territorial violence, and political corruption that defined the 1920s.

Bergreen's meticulous research reveals how Prohibition's failed experiment created the conditions for organized crime's flourishing, while examining the cultural paradoxes of an age that simultaneously condemned and glamorized lawlessness.

This is essential reading for understanding how one man's ambition and the era's contradictions converged to create an indelible chapter in American history.

Book Data:

• ISBN-13: 9780684824475
• ISBN-10: 0684824477
• Author: Laurence Bergreen
• Edition: Paperback
• Book Binding: Paperback
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication Date: 1996-08-05