Capone: A Photographic Portrait of America's Most Notorious Gangster

by Chicago Tribune

A visual retelling of the rise and eventual fall of Al Capone, comprised of many never-before-published photographs from the Chicago Tribune’s archives. A look back in time to the Roaring Twenties and the early days of organized crime, this collection of historical photos—taken from 1926 to 1952—focus on Capone and those connected to him, including his family, mob rivals, and targets. Many of these photographs have never been seen outside of Chicago’s Tribune Tower, but all of them are high-quality scans of original glass-plate negatives, making them historically significant to both photography buffs and readers interested in Capone. The introduction by the Chicago Tribune’s associate managing photo/video editor details this process in an illuminating, fascinating fashion. The first section gives readers a look inside Capone’s luxurious and illicit gangster lifestyle—vacation homes, mob funerals, gun-toting arrests—up to the time of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929. The second part follows Capone’s 1931 indictment, trial, and sentencing on charges of defrauding the government and violating prohibition. The third section introduces readers to a mob target who evaded assassination for decades, and one who was not so lucky. The fourth part follows up with Al Capone’s brother, Ralph, and the fifth part focuses on Capone’s death.

Genres: History, Photography, Nonfiction, True Crime

86 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 17, 2012

About the author

The Chicago Tribune is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (the slogan from which its integrated WGN radio and television received their call letters), it remains the most-read daily newspaper in the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region. In 2022, it had the seventh-highest circulation of any newspaper in the United States.
In the 1850s, under Joseph Medill, the Chicago Tribune became closely associated with the Illinois politician Abraham Lincoln, and the Republican Party's progressive wing. In the 20th century, under Medill's grandson Robert R. McCormick, its reputation was that of a crusading newspaper with an outlook that promoted American conservatism and opposed the New Deal. Its reporting and commentary reached markets outside Chicago through family and corporate relationships at the New York Daily News and the Washington Times-Herald. In the 1960s, its corporate parent owner, Tribune Company, sought to expand its market. In 2008, for the first time in its over-a-century-and-a-half history, its editorial page endorsed a Democrat, Barack Obama, a U.S. Senator from Illinois, for U.S. president.
Originally published solely as a broadsheet, the Tribune announced on January 13, 2009, that it would continue publishing as a broadsheet for home delivery, but would publish in tabloid format for newsstand, news box, and commuter station sales. The change, however, proved unpopular with readers; in August 2011, the Tribune discontinued the tabloid edition, returning to its established broadsheet format through all distribution channels.
The Tribune was owned by parent company Tribune Publishing. In May 2021, Tribune Publishing was acquired by Alden Global Capital, which operates its media properties through Digital First Media.

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pictures were very interesting, but definitely deserved more narrative to connect them further. You would definitely expect more writing coming from a newspaper. I am always interested in Capone as my relatives knew him in his Brooklyn days, but this left me wanting a lot more.

[Billy Clemmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Photographs of the Capone Era

Interesting photo filled book on the notorious gangster Al Capone. It’s a quick book to get through. It’s definitely worth the time.

[Ian Raffaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of photographs from the Tribune archives; many of which haven’t been released to the public before.

[Doug Bivens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trove of old pictures

A history buffs dream. Pictures that are hard to find have been put together in this book. Hard to believe what the pictures have

[Steve Angelkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise collection of photographs of the Capone era in Chicago.

Much a photo essay due to size, but intriguing nonetheless.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good to see pictures we haven't seen a million times already.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of images digitized from original glass-plate negatives and prints, some not published before. As a Chicagoan it seems the worldwide assumption is that Chicago is guns and gangs all the time. When I travel, from small villages in Europe to large cities, if you tell people you are from Chicago they hold up their hands in the sign of a gun and say "Al Capone". Recommended for those with an interest in Chicago during the prohibition era, Capone and other mobsters of the 1930's. Don't expect a lot of text, this is mainly images.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick reference with nice pictures of Capone's life and trial. Granted, there isn't a lot of information - but there isn't supposed to be a lot of information, it's a compilation of photos from the Chicago Tribune. I would definitely use this in the classroom.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great photos of Al Capone.

[Pat Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like picture books, and stuff about crime then you may appreciate this. Capone and his Chicago times.