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American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley - His Battle for Chicago and the Nation
"This is Chicago, this is America." With those words, Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley famously defended his brutal crackdown on protesters at the 1968 Democratic convention. Profoundly divided racially, economically and socially, Chicago was indeed a microcosm of America, and for more than two decades Daley ruled it with an iron fist. The last of the big city bosses, Daley ran an unbeatable political machine that controlled over one million votes. From 1955 until his death in 1976, every decision of any importance -- from distributing patronage jobs to picking Congressional candidates -- went through his office. He was a major player in national politics as well: Kennedy and Johnson owed their presidencies to his control of the Illinois vote, and he made sure they never forgot it. In a city legendary for its corruption and backroom politics, Daley's power was unrivaled.
Daley transformed Chicago -- then a dying city -- into a modern metropolis of skyscrapers, freeways and a thriving downtown. But he also made Chicago America's most segregated city. A man of profound prejudices and a deep authoritarian streak , he constructed the nation's largest and worst ghettos, sidestepped national civil rights laws, and successfully thwarted Martin Luther King's campaign to desegregate Northern cities.
A quarter-century after his death, Daley's outsize presence continues to influence American urban life, and a reassessment of his career is long overdue. Now, veteran journalists Adam Cohen and Elizabeth Taylor present the definitive biography of Richard J. Daley, drawn from newly uncovered material and dozens of interviews with his contemporaries. In today's era of poll-tested, polished politicians, Daley's rough-and-tumble story is remarkable. From the working-class Irish neighborhood of his childhood, to his steady rise through Chicago's corrupt political hierarchy, to his role as national power broker, American Pharaoh is a riveting account of the life and times of one of the most important figures in twentieth-century domestic politics. In the tradition of Robert Caro's classic The Power Broker, this is a compelling life story of a towering individual whose complex legacy is still with us today.
Daley transformed Chicago -- then a dying city -- into a modern metropolis of skyscrapers, freeways and a thriving downtown. But he also made Chicago America's most segregated city. A man of profound prejudices and a deep authoritarian streak , he constructed the nation's largest and worst ghettos, sidestepped national civil rights laws, and successfully thwarted Martin Luther King's campaign to desegregate Northern cities.
A quarter-century after his death, Daley's outsize presence continues to influence American urban life, and a reassessment of his career is long overdue. Now, veteran journalists Adam Cohen and Elizabeth Taylor present the definitive biography of Richard J. Daley, drawn from newly uncovered material and dozens of interviews with his contemporaries. In today's era of poll-tested, polished politicians, Daley's rough-and-tumble story is remarkable. From the working-class Irish neighborhood of his childhood, to his steady rise through Chicago's corrupt political hierarchy, to his role as national power broker, American Pharaoh is a riveting account of the life and times of one of the most important figures in twentieth-century domestic politics. In the tradition of Robert Caro's classic The Power Broker, this is a compelling life story of a towering individual whose complex legacy is still with us today.
614 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
May 14, 2019
Until his son Richard M. outlasted him, Richard J. Daley was Mayor of Chicago longer than anyone else in the city's history, ruling the city with an iron fist from 1955 until his death in 1976. The portrait of him painted by Adam Cohen and Elizabeth Taylor is not a pretty one. Daley dominated Chicago, and Illinois politics generally, by turning on people who helped him and crushing people who dared to speak out against something that he did or one of his policies.
While Daley today is best remembered for his stewardship of the disastrous and violence-riddling 1968 Democratic Convention, his presence still looms large for Chicagoans. Daley was a man completely of the city, growing up and living his entire life in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the South Side. Daley's early life is covered fairly rapidly, more because there was not that much of interest in these years than when he became Mayor. Also, some of his early years is murky, such as his possible participation (possibly leadership?) in local clubs, which almost seemed more to resemble a type of neighborhood gang. While I understand why the authors did not dwell on this part of Daley's life, I do think that his family life gets short shrift. This continues throughout the book. Very little of Daley's private life is discussed. We see very little – indeed, almost nothing – of his wife, his seven children (until the final chapter), or his parents. I find this a weakness in an otherwise well-written book.
The other aspect of the book that I did not particularly care for is the extent to which the authors delve into race relations and segregation in Chicago in the first half of the 20th century. While this is certainly relevant given that Daley came of age during this time period, and it is quite helpful in establishing the atmosphere and situations that he found himself dealing with as Mayor, the detail is so extensive that Daley gets lost in the arc of the story. The book takes on a Robert Caro-esque quality in that the focus on the segregation in Chicago is examined in minute detail. Honestly, it is was too in-depth for my liking. I was interested in the book because I wanted to read about Daley's life, not about the racial history of Chicago. The two are certainly not mutually exclusive, and you cannot address one without the other, at least to a point, but this is not what I was looking for. Reading about details of personnel moves at the Chicago Housing Authority, and meeting after meeting after meeting, has a tendency to make one's eyes start to glaze over. Had 50 pages been cut out of this part of the book, I do not think that the reader would have lost any appreciable knowledge concerning Daley.
Where the authors succeed is in explaining the story of segregation in Chicago, particularly as it relates to housing. An examination of the differences between the black ghettos on the South Side vs the ones on the West Side was helpful. Much attention was paid to the Civil Right movement, Daley's mostly quiet attempts to derail it and enforce working-class white neighborhood prejudices, and his somewhat surprising hold over many of the city's black voters. How did he do this? Two fairly simple answers: jobs and the threat of them being taken away. Daley would give lip service to Civil Rights crusaders such as Martin Luther King Jr, offering meaningless platitudes in attempts to put the Reverend and others off. Eventually, this process failed, but it took a long time to do so, in part because Daley – by wielding the massive power of the Democratic machine – could dole out jobs to his selected henchmen, who in turn would disperse them to the black residents of their wards (Daley did this with white wards as well; power is power no matter where). This kept blacks voting for his hand-picked candidates, and more importantly, not voting against him when he was on the ballot.
The coverage of the 1968 Democratic National Convention was adequate but not great. Daley's role in it is covered sufficiently. Despite the brutal crackdown on protestors, the press, and even innocent bystanders by the out-of-control Chicago Police, Daley's local support remained steady. He took a big hit nationally, but the authors do not delve into that very deeply. That was pretty much the nadir of Daley's long tenure as Mayor. After that, his health began to decline, the machine – while still possessing power – was not as strong as before, and Daley was not as dynamic in his role as Mayor. His decline is covered fairly well, although much more quickly than most of the earlier chapters concerning public housing. There is only the briefest discussion of his legacy at the end. I think the authors could easily have expanded that. Having lived in Chicago for several years, I can attest that the spirit of Daley and his image still hover mightily over that city, and some of the problems that were going on while he was in office are sadly still going on all these decades later, and partially as a result of the policies that he implemented. In addition, there was not a single mention of his oldest son, Richard M., being elected Mayor in 1989. How could the authors not mention that?
This is a very good history book about Chicago's race relations in the 20th century, and Democratic politics in Cook County. This is a so-so biography of a legendary figure. Daley does not come out looking well here, but that is his fault, not that of the authors. He was an autocrat in a heavily Democratic city. Daley's professional life is covered in detail, yet many aspects of his personal life are not discussed. This, to me, left Daley as someone fairly two-dimensional in aspect, and I have a strong suspicion that the many was definitely not that way. Also, it helped that I have a good familiarity with Chicago, many of its neighborhoods, landmarks, and a few of the various ethnic communities that live there. Without that knowledge (and I am not an expert on any of that), I probably would have liked the book less than I did. Recommended for those who are interested in Chicago, Daley, the Civil Rights era, or housing and urban development. Those seeking an entertaining biography may wish to look elsewhere.
Grade: C+
While Daley today is best remembered for his stewardship of the disastrous and violence-riddling 1968 Democratic Convention, his presence still looms large for Chicagoans. Daley was a man completely of the city, growing up and living his entire life in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the South Side. Daley's early life is covered fairly rapidly, more because there was not that much of interest in these years than when he became Mayor. Also, some of his early years is murky, such as his possible participation (possibly leadership?) in local clubs, which almost seemed more to resemble a type of neighborhood gang. While I understand why the authors did not dwell on this part of Daley's life, I do think that his family life gets short shrift. This continues throughout the book. Very little of Daley's private life is discussed. We see very little – indeed, almost nothing – of his wife, his seven children (until the final chapter), or his parents. I find this a weakness in an otherwise well-written book.
The other aspect of the book that I did not particularly care for is the extent to which the authors delve into race relations and segregation in Chicago in the first half of the 20th century. While this is certainly relevant given that Daley came of age during this time period, and it is quite helpful in establishing the atmosphere and situations that he found himself dealing with as Mayor, the detail is so extensive that Daley gets lost in the arc of the story. The book takes on a Robert Caro-esque quality in that the focus on the segregation in Chicago is examined in minute detail. Honestly, it is was too in-depth for my liking. I was interested in the book because I wanted to read about Daley's life, not about the racial history of Chicago. The two are certainly not mutually exclusive, and you cannot address one without the other, at least to a point, but this is not what I was looking for. Reading about details of personnel moves at the Chicago Housing Authority, and meeting after meeting after meeting, has a tendency to make one's eyes start to glaze over. Had 50 pages been cut out of this part of the book, I do not think that the reader would have lost any appreciable knowledge concerning Daley.
Where the authors succeed is in explaining the story of segregation in Chicago, particularly as it relates to housing. An examination of the differences between the black ghettos on the South Side vs the ones on the West Side was helpful. Much attention was paid to the Civil Right movement, Daley's mostly quiet attempts to derail it and enforce working-class white neighborhood prejudices, and his somewhat surprising hold over many of the city's black voters. How did he do this? Two fairly simple answers: jobs and the threat of them being taken away. Daley would give lip service to Civil Rights crusaders such as Martin Luther King Jr, offering meaningless platitudes in attempts to put the Reverend and others off. Eventually, this process failed, but it took a long time to do so, in part because Daley – by wielding the massive power of the Democratic machine – could dole out jobs to his selected henchmen, who in turn would disperse them to the black residents of their wards (Daley did this with white wards as well; power is power no matter where). This kept blacks voting for his hand-picked candidates, and more importantly, not voting against him when he was on the ballot.
The coverage of the 1968 Democratic National Convention was adequate but not great. Daley's role in it is covered sufficiently. Despite the brutal crackdown on protestors, the press, and even innocent bystanders by the out-of-control Chicago Police, Daley's local support remained steady. He took a big hit nationally, but the authors do not delve into that very deeply. That was pretty much the nadir of Daley's long tenure as Mayor. After that, his health began to decline, the machine – while still possessing power – was not as strong as before, and Daley was not as dynamic in his role as Mayor. His decline is covered fairly well, although much more quickly than most of the earlier chapters concerning public housing. There is only the briefest discussion of his legacy at the end. I think the authors could easily have expanded that. Having lived in Chicago for several years, I can attest that the spirit of Daley and his image still hover mightily over that city, and some of the problems that were going on while he was in office are sadly still going on all these decades later, and partially as a result of the policies that he implemented. In addition, there was not a single mention of his oldest son, Richard M., being elected Mayor in 1989. How could the authors not mention that?
This is a very good history book about Chicago's race relations in the 20th century, and Democratic politics in Cook County. This is a so-so biography of a legendary figure. Daley does not come out looking well here, but that is his fault, not that of the authors. He was an autocrat in a heavily Democratic city. Daley's professional life is covered in detail, yet many aspects of his personal life are not discussed. This, to me, left Daley as someone fairly two-dimensional in aspect, and I have a strong suspicion that the many was definitely not that way. Also, it helped that I have a good familiarity with Chicago, many of its neighborhoods, landmarks, and a few of the various ethnic communities that live there. Without that knowledge (and I am not an expert on any of that), I probably would have liked the book less than I did. Recommended for those who are interested in Chicago, Daley, the Civil Rights era, or housing and urban development. Those seeking an entertaining biography may wish to look elsewhere.
Grade: C+
August 20, 2013
Sure, I'll give it 5 stars because "it was amazing." Amazing that a bigoted thug like this could run a city for decades. My family is from Chicago, I now live in the 'burbs, and every weekend, you can see this man's legacy play out with the body counts reported on the west and south sides of the city. His racist housing policies destroyed families and lives. The political/patronage machine ensured corruption in every level of government, from street sweeper all the way up to presidential elections. How about the shoot to kill order he gave police against his city's own citizens? I mean, every bit of this mayor's reign was shocking and disgusting. I could feel my blood pressure raising with every turn of the page. If you want to know why Chicago is the way it is, read this book.
December 15, 2017
I've read this a few times now. It's one of the best Chicago books you'll get your hands on.
January 21, 2023
An overall well-researched and detailed book about the rise and rule of Chicago's famous/infamous Mayor Richard J. Daley, who governed the city for 22 years until his death (Chicago, and most of Illinois, lacks term limits of executive offices). The legacy of the Daley family impacts every corner of my beloved city, and this is truly a well-written book. I think at times it veers a bit too kind in it's interpretation of Daley's actions, but it does a solid job of explaining how he navigated the machine through Rust Belt decline, exploding racial tensions, white flight, suburbanization, and tightening grip of federal investigations into corruption. A valuable book, but I wouldn't put it on the same pedestal as other books about the Windy City as other folks have.
Read
June 27, 2017Never has one family ruled a modern major American city for so long, and it all began with Richard J. Daley. His family’s rise, recounted through the prism of Chicago, is as much the story of a meat-packing town, the ward politics that kept Daley in power, and how much clout one can build off of broad shoulders and chits. —John R. Bohrer (https://www.bookish.com/articles/book...)
March 31, 2009
Everything you need to know about why Chicago is the city it is, exists within these pages. Not just because the younger Daley is in office now, but because his father's legacy, good and bad, is around every corner.
January 17, 2025
This is a good history of Chicago during the long period of Daley Sr’s mayoralty. I originally gave it 3 stars but I find myself able to remember a lot of the book even months later. The chapters about public housing and Dr King were the most interesting.
September 23, 2021
Hardly uplifting, American Pharaoh is an in-depth peek behind the curtain at the corrupt system controlled by Chicago's Mayor Richard J. Daley who ran the city for several decades. Although I was occasionally bogged down in the details, the book was, overall, compelling (and deeply disturbing) reading.
March 2, 2025
A great book to read for any Chicago citizen. The parade of committees, aldermen, congressmen, activists, and organizations gets a little overwhelming but hey, that’s city government for you.
April 4, 2009
Richard Daley was an only child, a rarity in his Irish Catholic neighborhood in the early 1900s. Apparently he was the only kid in the neighborhood who owned pajamas. One neighbor described the Daleys as the kind of people who had fruit in the house even if nobody was sick.
This book taught me about four-legged voting, which happens when a ward heeler [political worker:] accompanies a voter into the booth to supervise. If a voter took more than a few seconds in there, the ward heeler knew that the voter was not voting the straight Democratic ticket because doing that took only one lever pull. I guess that's why straight-ticket voting is no longer allowed.
I also met Tubbo, tagged "The World's Richest Cop" by the newspapers, and a vote-fixer known as Short Pencil.
Reading about the Airport Homes riots just about broke my heart. That's a part of Chicago history that most people don't talk about.
Cohen and Taylor are also clear-eyed about Chicago politics: "Daley's success in the black wards was at least in part a quiet rebuke to the Chicago Freedom Movement and a reminder of the power of a political spoils system to deliver the votes of the poor. The goals of the Freedom Movement did not always speak to the immediate needs of poor blacks. Many did not aspire to move into hostile all-white neighborhoods or to put their children onto buses to attend schools in white neighborhoods. Daley's precinct captains, in contrast, offered things that did make a difference in their daily lives: getting welfare and public housing; assistance in navigating a confusing government bureaucracy; and, most of all, patronage jobs. Daley had relied on machine politics to overcome idealism among black voters, and the election returns showed that, at least this time, his strategy had worked."
The authors aren't afraid to allow their opinions to show through: "Many cities had been torn by rioting in the wake of King's assassination, but Daley was alone in advocating that his citizens be fatally shot."
The day after Daley's shoot-to-kill comments, Daley's press secretary commented, "They [the press:] should have printed what he meant not what he said." This would be funny except that Daley's comments occurred shortly before the police riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. I'm sad that Chicago was the place where the term "police riot" was coined.
And as for Daley the Younger? "If I can't help my sons then they can kiss my ass," Daley the Elder said.
In short, an excellent read for anyone interested in Chicago and/or power. I only wish the authors had found a better copyeditor--the first edition I have has loads of misplaced commas and some glaring typos.
This book taught me about four-legged voting, which happens when a ward heeler [political worker:] accompanies a voter into the booth to supervise. If a voter took more than a few seconds in there, the ward heeler knew that the voter was not voting the straight Democratic ticket because doing that took only one lever pull. I guess that's why straight-ticket voting is no longer allowed.
I also met Tubbo, tagged "The World's Richest Cop" by the newspapers, and a vote-fixer known as Short Pencil.
Reading about the Airport Homes riots just about broke my heart. That's a part of Chicago history that most people don't talk about.
Cohen and Taylor are also clear-eyed about Chicago politics: "Daley's success in the black wards was at least in part a quiet rebuke to the Chicago Freedom Movement and a reminder of the power of a political spoils system to deliver the votes of the poor. The goals of the Freedom Movement did not always speak to the immediate needs of poor blacks. Many did not aspire to move into hostile all-white neighborhoods or to put their children onto buses to attend schools in white neighborhoods. Daley's precinct captains, in contrast, offered things that did make a difference in their daily lives: getting welfare and public housing; assistance in navigating a confusing government bureaucracy; and, most of all, patronage jobs. Daley had relied on machine politics to overcome idealism among black voters, and the election returns showed that, at least this time, his strategy had worked."
The authors aren't afraid to allow their opinions to show through: "Many cities had been torn by rioting in the wake of King's assassination, but Daley was alone in advocating that his citizens be fatally shot."
The day after Daley's shoot-to-kill comments, Daley's press secretary commented, "They [the press:] should have printed what he meant not what he said." This would be funny except that Daley's comments occurred shortly before the police riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. I'm sad that Chicago was the place where the term "police riot" was coined.
And as for Daley the Younger? "If I can't help my sons then they can kiss my ass," Daley the Elder said.
In short, an excellent read for anyone interested in Chicago and/or power. I only wish the authors had found a better copyeditor--the first edition I have has loads of misplaced commas and some glaring typos.
August 5, 2013
This is a solid, balanced biography. It emphasizes Daley's use of race to rise to power and rule. I spoke to two Chicago-connected friends, one of whom thinks the authors overemphasized race because it's academically fashionable to analyze through that prism. The other thinks this is wrong but because he knew some of the local players, he thought the authors were too hard on the way the Chicago-based black leadership dealt with Martin Luther King, Jr. when he went there. I don't have an outside frame from which to judge either of these criticisms, but I suspect they are both wrong. Daley used white ethnic/working class fears and resentments of African American aspirations as the core of his politics. And, without providing alternative facts to the ones Cohen and Kennedy use for their narrative, I don't know what basis my friend has for his "too hard on" criticism.
I wouldn't call this a must read unless one want's/needs to know a lot about Richard J. Daley and/or Chicago in his years, but it is a serious book.
I wouldn't call this a must read unless one want's/needs to know a lot about Richard J. Daley and/or Chicago in his years, but it is a serious book.
February 6, 2021
There's long been a discrepancy between the numbers of books read and those reviewed. I endeavor to review everything read and have just discovered the means on Goodreads to track down those which somehow I failed to discuss.
This is an excellent biography. Unlike Mike Royko's amusing 'Boss', this one attempts to be scholarly and thorough. Its outstanding feature, so far as I was concerned, was its treatment of the growth of Chicago during his terms of office, a growth based on racist policies designed to separate the city's poor from rich, black from white. Thus the placement of the expressways and of the University of Illinois, Circle Campus is explained.
Chicago has changed a lot since Daley's death in the seventies. We have had two black mayors and many neighborhoods, like my own Rogers Park, have become integrated. The separation of the poor (and disproportionately non-white) from the relatively wealthy, however, continues.
This is an excellent biography. Unlike Mike Royko's amusing 'Boss', this one attempts to be scholarly and thorough. Its outstanding feature, so far as I was concerned, was its treatment of the growth of Chicago during his terms of office, a growth based on racist policies designed to separate the city's poor from rich, black from white. Thus the placement of the expressways and of the University of Illinois, Circle Campus is explained.
Chicago has changed a lot since Daley's death in the seventies. We have had two black mayors and many neighborhoods, like my own Rogers Park, have become integrated. The separation of the poor (and disproportionately non-white) from the relatively wealthy, however, continues.
October 10, 2016
The title is very misleading. As a native Chicagoan I was hoping for some insight into the man who ruled the city for two decades. Although there are some details about his personal life, the book is less about Daley and more about the racial issues that plagued the city in the 1960s and how Daley's corrupt political machine was involved. The bulk of the book, which is more than 550 pages in the edition I read, deals in detail with all the various housing issues, which can be a bit dry, unless you're really into the topic. In fact, Daley was hardly mentioned for long stretches as the authors detailed how one Daley appointee or another foiled various housing initiatives. If you're from Chicago you already know that the politicians are corrupt and that the city has had plenty of racial issues, so perhaps this was written for outsiders.
January 2, 2008
This is a pretty comprehensive history of Mayor J. Daley. At times, I felt like the authors overstepped their boundaries--there was quite a bit of background history on Chicago that I suppose worked into the overall thesis they developed, but at times, it gets tedious. There are many other books on the history of Chicago that are far more interesting. They should have just stuck to Daley.
On that note, when is a comprehensive history going to be written on Harold Washington? In the loop, there are already two institutions named after him (the central library and a city college), and as Chicago's first African American mayor, it seems like he's a pretty important figure... but that's just me. I'm no history major...
On that note, when is a comprehensive history going to be written on Harold Washington? In the loop, there are already two institutions named after him (the central library and a city college), and as Chicago's first African American mayor, it seems like he's a pretty important figure... but that's just me. I'm no history major...
August 12, 2013
More than a biography, this book gives an in depth history of Chicago, including the politics, social policies and social movements that shaped it. The in depth history of machine politics gives me a greater appreciation for the people who have worked to have an independent government.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about how Chicago became the city it is today. I wish I'd read it as soon as I moved here.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about how Chicago became the city it is today. I wish I'd read it as soon as I moved here.
February 5, 2017
Not only did I learn a huge amount about Chicago history, but I am now motivated to learn more about Chicago history. Definitely recommend to anyone who lives in Chicago or is from Chicago. This provided to much perspective on how the city has been run and how it's been structured, both in terms of government and layout/geography. If anyone has any recommendations of Chicago history books, hmu.
January 24, 2022
I do not agree with him or his methods. Nevertheless this is a fascinating book to read.
December 31, 2020
When I was not yet five years old Richard J. Daley was elected Mayor of Chicago. We lived in a suburb that was not in his sway but, as with all big city mayors, his shadow fell over us as well. For this reason, several decades on, I wanted to read American Pharaoh because I believe that enough time has passed that it needn’t be written as a long editorial. Bullseye!
Mayor Daley led and sustained the last of the great political machines in the U.S. but held office through its dismantling. Cohen and Taylor have done yeoman’s work in this title, rendering clearly the man’s upbringing in a city that was always conscious of ethnic neighborhood ties. They’ve shown how these ties were the foundation of Daley’s road to power and how they served his hold on that power. Daley cultivated connections and used them to the fullest. The authors showed excellent balance across time, giving due attention to much more than the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention, which dominates much that’s written about the man. They have no axe to grind, they keep an arm’s length point of view and they leave judgement to the reader.
Highly recommended!
For contemporary and far less neutral writing about Daley I offer Clout: Mayor Daley and His City and Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago.
Mayor Daley led and sustained the last of the great political machines in the U.S. but held office through its dismantling. Cohen and Taylor have done yeoman’s work in this title, rendering clearly the man’s upbringing in a city that was always conscious of ethnic neighborhood ties. They’ve shown how these ties were the foundation of Daley’s road to power and how they served his hold on that power. Daley cultivated connections and used them to the fullest. The authors showed excellent balance across time, giving due attention to much more than the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention, which dominates much that’s written about the man. They have no axe to grind, they keep an arm’s length point of view and they leave judgement to the reader.
Highly recommended!
For contemporary and far less neutral writing about Daley I offer Clout: Mayor Daley and His City and Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago.
September 27, 2024
Oof, this is a tough review. American Pharaoh is a very good work on Daley's reign in Chicago and the operations of the Chicago machine, that simply fumbles the bag in the back half of the book for a few key reasons.
For starters, the authors are trying too hard to ape Robert Caro's approach in the Power Broker, not understanding that Caro needs all the background space because *nobody knows who Robert Moses is.* This, along with the fact (that they don't confess to, but allude to midway through the book) that Daley is simply too private for them to get a good portrait, means we lose Daley to a 2-d portrait except at some moments.
The other problem is that the book can't decide if it is trying to be a history of the Chicago democratic machine, or of racial relations in Chicago, and neither come out quite as well as they should. Personally, I would have liked more discussion about Daley's development of downtown chicago versus the "ghetto," and what he does economically, but that is lost for space in chapters about the 1968 convention doomed to be worse than books solely about '68.
Overall a good read I would recommend, but I feel like this book could have been so much better with a different focus.
For starters, the authors are trying too hard to ape Robert Caro's approach in the Power Broker, not understanding that Caro needs all the background space because *nobody knows who Robert Moses is.* This, along with the fact (that they don't confess to, but allude to midway through the book) that Daley is simply too private for them to get a good portrait, means we lose Daley to a 2-d portrait except at some moments.
The other problem is that the book can't decide if it is trying to be a history of the Chicago democratic machine, or of racial relations in Chicago, and neither come out quite as well as they should. Personally, I would have liked more discussion about Daley's development of downtown chicago versus the "ghetto," and what he does economically, but that is lost for space in chapters about the 1968 convention doomed to be worse than books solely about '68.
Overall a good read I would recommend, but I feel like this book could have been so much better with a different focus.
November 9, 2017
Jesus I don't have a review of this book in particular but I read it during a strange time in my life without a doubt. First off I took it to Florida with my mother, who is sick with cancer, and because of certain realities involving the situation of my family we had to drive back from Florida all the way to Chicago. This, of course, after flying to Florida. My first day back in Chicago was an employee party for the holidays and I am just going to bluntly say I found strangers doing cocaine off it. Later it was lost at Spybar for weeks which caused me to buy another copy but then one day a barback of the club approached me and handed my book back. That night I discussed the book with my friend who sadly passed away in July and she thought it was so funny I carried the book around with me in clubs all night. Finally I finished it and I mean the book is great too but Jesus Christ this story almost rivals that in my opinion.
September 5, 2020
Just finished this. 500+ pages of Chicago politics may not be interesting to many, but this is a story in which my family figures prominently. My grandfather, father, and uncle are repeatedly mentioned. I heard a lot about what is depicted in this book when I was a child, so it's interesting to see how a pair of reporters retold the same stories. Summary: Chicago was corrupt and racist, and ruled with an iron fist by Daley. That system had good points and bad points. Chicago survived white flight better than many other large cities, at the expense of the well-being of its Black and LatinX residents. Also notable: for much of the 20th century, ethnicity played THE dominant role in political and social life. Some decry "identity politics"today, but it's been with us in a much more virulent form for a long time.
December 26, 2022
The brass tacks of Chicago. Why it is the way it is. The expressway that racially divided the city. The charisma laden duplicity of the indefatigable mayor unlike few others in American history. The gritty ugliness of human nature and behavior plastered over with glittery pie in the sky projects, many that came to pass. A lot to be proud of, and a lot of ugly underhanded despicable power plays. In your face racism while pretending it’s not. Blatant crime called progress. Reads like fiction but it is real.
March 18, 2023
A well researched political biography of Mayor Richard Daley and his Chicago political machine. Daley’s personal life gets little mention in this thick tome. The book has a catchy title, somewhat misleading, but possibly created more to sell book copies. If you like reading all the details of how politics works with those in power, this book is for you. It was interesting reading about political corruption in this country. Overall I don’t care that much about Chicago or the politics of stealing and buying votes and American political corruption enough to finish.
August 9, 2025
One of the most profound books I have ever read about a modern day “local” politician. I moved to the Chicago area after college in 1980 and have been here ever since. I have always heard the stories about “the machine“ but I never had any depth or breath of knowledge regarding how it all worked, or the Titan who kept in running. I am amazed with what I just read. I learned more about Chicago reading this book then I’ve learned collectively since I moved here. Just a fascinating read. If you grew up during the “Daley” years in Chicago, this book is for you!
November 21, 2019
"American Pharaoh" is a comprehensive account of the life and career of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley. The biography, like its subject, is as complex as it is thick. Running several hundred pages, this is an essential read for those interested in urban studies and mid-twentieth century American politics. Mr. Cohen's study of this towering figure is on par with Robert Caro's "The Power Broker."
August 18, 2024
Wow. Epic, detailed history of Daley’s life. Highlights: deep dives into the gritty details of how the Chicago political machine wielded power, and highly dramatic descriptions of Daley’s maneuvers with and against civil rights activists led by MLK. I also appreciated the prominence of housing issues throughout the narrative – coming out of the book, you see that strictly maintaining black-white segregation is one of Daley’s biggest legacies.
December 25, 2018
To read about neighborhoods, wards, precincts and other politicians in the book was nothing short of eye opening. As a Chicago native you can observe communities to this day and see the handprints of a political mastermind. The first few chapters are a little slow. When it gets to the civil rights movement with Dr. King goes quite in depth how ole man Daley neutralized the threat.
February 3, 2024
Urban history is a rare instance where I like biographies, this isn’t quite as good as Power Broker but is 100% worth reading if you want to understand Chicago’s 20th century. There are points where I think the authors are a little too lenient towards Daley, but on the whole this captures his complicated life and legacy.
October 19, 2017
A must-read for anyone who is interested in politics, not just Chicago politics.
May 9, 2023
Required reading if you want to understand how Chicago got to be the way it is. Fifty years after his death, the shadow of Daley still stretches across this city.
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