Gangland Chicago: Criminality and Lawlessness in the Windy City

This expansive chronicle of criminal violence in Chicago traces the roots of today’s gang violence back to the late 19th century, when parlor gambling and brothels laid a foundation of lawlessness among transients, railroaders, and military men that eventually attracted renowned gangsters like Al Capone to the Windy City. Just as critical to the evolution of gangland Chicago, Lindberg asserts, were the lesser-known but equally dangerous Chinese “tong” gangs, the race riots of 1919, and the trafficking of young women. By the second half of the 20th century, the number of children growing up with single parents began contributing significantly to Chicago’s gang culture. Lindberg (Whiskey Breakfast) ends this colorful narrative in 1989, leaving open the potential for a sequel covering the 1990s and early decades of the 21st century. A lifelong Chicagoan and city historian, he revels in uncovering Chicago’s underground—so much so that it’s difficult to keep track of all the gangsters, neighborhoods, and failed crime-fighting initiatives he includes in this comprehensive crime history. [em](Dec.) [/em]