Capone Books

Kobler's and Schoenberg's book for me rate the most highest for truth and photos.The rest are just re-hashed info taken from these two books with much added sensationalizism. another good view would be Jake Lingle by John Boettiger who reported at the time these events were happening.Equal to this is The One Way Ride and Rattling The Cup.Fred Pasley's Book on Capone is politically correct as it was okayed by Capone.Kenneth Allsop's The Bootleggers is great book to familiarize yourself with all the characters that made up Chicago's gangdom.

I have been getting pretty irritated as of late with inquiries as to the validity of Bergreen's assumptions on Al Capone's supposed over cocaine use, supposed mob bosses above him from Chicago Heights, and a new rumor about Al in a sexual three way with McGurn and Jake Lingle???Oh yes!!! Al Capone who was overly homophobic in a three way?? Ha! Ha!Ha!I personally think it's a load of bullcrap, as is most of what Bergreen assumes. Pure sensationalism to sell books. Kind of like "Hey! look what new invented stuff I dug up on Al that nobody else could find!!" this with a few photos acquired from the family thrown in is just cheap ass recipe to sell books.

First off Capone never took orders from anyone when in command of the Chicago outfit.Every historian or who's who agrees on that.Think of it, Capone sent Chicago guys into New York to whack Frankie Yale.Now that's taking charge.

Now as far as the cocaine thing ,Bergreen got a doctor friend by the name of Jack Shapiro to agree with him at about the time of his book release in saying that Capone's hole in his septum was the cause of Al being a big time cocaine abuser.Keep in mind that Shapiro was a "Medical consultant" for Bergreen's book.(Probably paid)

First off, I have researched the medical documents that Al was operated on at the Eastern state penintentiary in 1929-1930 for two things,his tonsils and he went under the knife for a sinus infection.This was confirmed by the physicians at Alcatraz. Hole could have came from there.Second, a hole in the septum is very consistent in people having untreated advanced neurosyphilis.

It was pretty common in the early 1920's Chicago to find tea rooms in which cocaine was ingested.(Sniffed).I find the hole caused by cocaine a wee bit extreme.The doctor also made the mention in his 1994 letter to the New York times that this hole was made by just occaisional cocaine use?Hmmm! I hung around with a rough biker crowd growing up and i knew heavy cocaine users who had no hole in the septum.(Just in the head).

This is my opinion.I think it's important for people not to believe everything they read outright.Ask questions, view documents and get many opinions from people really in the know on the gangster subject.

Organize Crime in Chicago by John Landesco is a crime report with statistics on various gangs and funerals of times(Who's Who).Expensive, but worth it.($60). Bergreen's book is rehashed stuff with errors and a few new photos.The legacy of Al Capone by George Murray adds a more in depth view of elections and how rackets in the work industry function at Capone's time Great read! The Dry and Lawless decade by Judge John Lyle is worthy for the first and account he gives relating to gangsters.He has a certain fondness for George "Bugs" Moran. I liked this book except for a total messup with Al's death date.This book is ghostwritten by Jack McPhaul ( Who also wrote the book Johnny Torrio).The rest are fun reads nonetheless and are essential this hobby.

My years with Al Capone is touted to be a made up book with some facts especially about the massacre not making sense.I had the opportunity and honor to exchange with the gracious author about it.

Yes, but they weren't as close to it--obviously--as I was. I knew Luis personally, he was often a guest in my home, and I did all the tape recorded interviews for the book, and I wrote it and put my name on it. None of your major researchers can make a claim like that. None of them knew Luis. If you read in a book that Abe Lincoln was shot at the theatre by John Wilkes Booth, you don't assume the major researcher was there, do you? They do their best to get as close to the subject as possible but they rarely claim to have been on the scene or that they are writing autobiography.

No, not lies. But it's possible to make errors without intentionally lying. The researchers are judging according to their best judgement. Some of them interviewed me. In fact I'm probably the one who told them the story was from Luis Kutner. Or maybe they just got the story wrong, if they weren't tape recording. That's easy to do. I've given many an interview to a reporter that was published full of errors. It's not so easy to process information perfectly. What would be my motive to mislead you? I have nothing to gain.

That's just their opinion. At one time all the experts thought the sun revolved about the earth. Made up by Luis? I suppose that's possible, but there was so much detail. It's hard to believe Luis would make up a book length. Invent the strange story of the shoe shine chair, and the murder of the psychiatrists? Provide all those quotes, and that depth of feeling from Capone? All that very human fear? Portray him not as a criminal mastermind, but just one more guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time, driving for Torrio?

Incidentally I checked on one of the psychiatrists, and the details dovetailed. It would seem to me a lot of trouble for Luis to go to, as a wealthy and world-famous jurist (a Special Master to the US Court of Appeals--that is, authorized to write opinions). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize a couple of times. I just didn't think Luis was that inventive. Moreover, he stopped me from publishing it on 2 or 3 occasions--with Arlington House, Macmillan, and Scribner's.

Nothing. I'm just being friendly and setting a record straight, which is what good men do when they have been closer to the topic than other people have.

Yes. He said it was the best book on the subject he'd ever read. He also used it for ANALYZE THIS and THAT. Where do you think it's come from that gangsters go to psychiatrists in movies and tv? It was also used as an actors' guide for the second tv series The Untouchables and I was a consultant and actors' coach on that for Paramount Pictures. And it was used for The Sopranos.


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I have been getting pretty irritated as of late with inquiries as to the validity of Bergreen's assumptions on Al Capone's supposed over cocaine use, supposed mob bosses above him from Chicago Heights, and a new rumor about Al in a sexual three way with McGurn and Jake Lingle???Oh yes!!! Al Capone who was overly homophobic in a three way?? Ha! Ha!Ha!I personally think it's a load of bullcrap, as is most of what Bergreen assumes. Pure sensationalism to sell books. Kind of like "Hey! look what new invented stuff I dug up on Al that nobody else could find!!" this with a few photos acquired from the family thrown in is just cheap ass recipe to sell books. First off Capone never took orders from anyone when in command of the Chicago outfit.Every historian or who's who agrees on that.Think of it, Capone sent Chicago guys into New York to whack Frankie Yale.Now that's taking charge. Now as far as the cocaine thing ,Bergreen got a doctor friend by the name of Jack Shapiro to agree with him at about the time of his book release in saying that Capone's hole in his septum was the cause of Al being a big time cocaine abuser.Keep in mind that Shapiro was a "Medical consultant" for Bergreen's book.(Probably paid) First off, I have researched the medical documents that Al was operated on at the Eastern state penintentiary in 1929-1930 for two things,his tonsils and he went under the knife for a sinus infection.This was confirmed by the physicians at Alcatraz. Hole could have came from there.Second, a hole in the septum is very consistent in people having untreated advanced neurosyphilis. I won't tell you Al never saw or did cocaine.He probably tried it,as most did in the roaring twenties and at his wild parties. It was pretty common in the early 1920's Chicago to find tea rooms in which cocaine was ingested.(Sniffed).I find the hole caused by cocaine a wee bit extreme.The doctor also made the mention in his 1994 letter to the New York times that this hole was made by just occaisional cocaine use?Hmmm! I hung around with a rough biker crowd growing up and i knew heavy cocaine users who had no hole in the septum.(Just in the head). This is my opinion.I think it's important for people not to believe everything they read outright.Ask questions, view documents and get many opinions from people really in the know on the gangster subject. Many people thought Bugs Moran was Irish or Polish.Well, look what that got them??LOL!!! Organize Crime in Chicago by John Landesco is a crime report with statistics on various gangs and funerals of times(Who's Who).Expensive, but worth it.($60). Bergreen's book is rehashed stuff with errors and a few new photos.The legacy of Al Capone by George Murray adds a more in depth view of elections and how rackets in the work industry function at Capone's time Great read! The Dry and Lawless decade by Judge John Lyle is worthy for the first and account he gives relating to gangsters.He has a certain fondness for George "Bugs" Moran. I liked this book except for a total messup with Al's death date.This book is ghostwritten by Jack McPhaul ( Who also wrote the book Johnny Torrio).The rest are fun reads nonetheless and are essential this hobby. My years with Al Capone is touted to be a made up book with some facts especially about the massacre not making sense.I had the opportunity and honor to exchange with the gracious author about it. Here is the interview with author Mr.Neil Elliot Dear Mr. Elliot, I'm basing on the reviews it got in major books of research Yes, but they weren't as close to it--obviously--as I was. I knew Luis personally, he was often a guest in my home, and I did all the tape recorded interviews for the book, and I wrote it and put my name on it. None of your major researchers can make a claim like that. None of them knew Luis. If you read in a book that Abe Lincoln was shot at the theatre by John Wilkes Booth, you don't assume the major researcher was there, do you? They do their best to get as close to the subject as possible but they rarely claim to have been on the scene or that they are writing autobiography. and also stated as such in reference part of Capone biographies.Are these all lies? No, not lies. But it's possible to make errors without intentionally lying. The researchers are judging according to their best judgement. Some of them interviewed me. In fact I'm probably the one who told them the story was from Luis Kutner. Or maybe they just got the story wrong, if they weren't tape recording. That's easy to do. I've given many an interview to a reporter that was published full of errors. It's not so easy to process information perfectly. What would be my motive to mislead you? I have nothing to gain. 1)Top major gangster historians say it's made up That's just their opinion. At one time all the experts thought the sun revolved about the earth. Made up by Luis? I suppose that's possible, but there was so much detail. It's hard to believe Luis would make up a book length. Invent the strange story of the shoe shine chair, and the murder of the psychiatrists? Provide all those quotes, and that depth of feeling from Capone? All that very human fear? Portray him not as a criminal mastermind, but just one more guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time, driving for Torrio? Incidentally I checked on one of the psychiatrists, and the details dovetailed. It would seem to me a lot of trouble for Luis to go to, as a wealthy and world-famous jurist (a Special Master to the US Court of Appeals--that is, authorized to write opinions). He was nominated for the Nobel Prize a couple of times. I just didn't think Luis was that inventive. Moreover, he stopped me from publishing it on 2 or 3 occasions--with Arlington House, Macmillan, and Scribner's. 2)Capone family also disagrees with it. Their opinion is an irrelevance. Not a one of them was on the scene. What else to you want me to say? Nothing. I'm just being friendly and setting a record straight, which is what good men do when they have been closer to the topic than other people have. I bought the book and enjoyed the read.If it wasn't at all good i wouldn't have kept it in my collection. I don't think it reads like an invention. Didn't DeNiro use it to study for the Untouchables movie? Yes. He said it was the best book on the subject he'd ever read. He also used it for ANALYZE THIS and THAT. Where do you think it's come from that gangsters go to psychiatrists in movies and tv? It was also used as an actors' guide for the second tv series The Untouchables and I was a consultant and actors' coach on that for Paramount Pictures. And it was used for The Sopranos. Best regards, Sincerely, Mario Gomes Thanks for writing! --Neil Elliott