Get Capone

The Secret Plot That Captured America's Most Wanted Gangster

By: Jonathan Eig

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Acclaimed journalist and best-selling author Jonathan Eig blows the lid off the Al Capone story. Based on never-before-seen government documents and newly discovered letters written by Al Capone himself, Get Capone presents America's greatest gangster as you’ve never seen him before.

In addition to IRS files, Eig got hold of the personal papers of the U.S. attorney in Chicago who prosecuted Capone. He even found family members who would share stories about their notorious relative. The author, a former reporter for the Wall Street Journal, brings his uncompromising standards for research and his superb knack for storytelling to one of the most thrilling stories in American history. This eye-opening biography reveals that Capone was the target of one of the most intense criminal investigations in American history - with orders coming directly from the White House. Capone flaunted his criminal success so openly that President Hoover insisted the gangster be stopped. And, despite his many misdeeds, Capone may have been the victim of a rigged trial.

Get Capone also offers a bold new theory to explain the Valentine's Day Massacre and sheds new light on Capone's connection - or lack thereof - to the crime.

©2010 Jonathan Eig (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Eig presents a multifaceted portrait of a shrewd man who built a criminal empire worth millions." ( Publishers Weekly)

Get this book

Jonathan Eig superbly tells the tale of a man whose legend still permeates Chicago. Working with a compelling script, the narrator does an excellent job of bringing to life Capone, his crew and the cast of local and federal government officials who interact with him.

Eig does a masterful job of re-creating the Roaring Twenties and detailing Capone's exploits. At the same time, he methodically examines the crimes that have long been attributed to Capone. Relying on his dogged reporting skills, Eig adds texture to some events, while persuasively debunking others.

This is one of those books that will have listeners looking for excuses to take errands so they can listen to just a few more minutes. Great yarn!

Too much for me

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Make it more condensed.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was kind of sad in a way.

Have you listened to any of Dick Hill’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. He's always pretty good.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

This is an extremely detailed book about Capone. If you're interested in knowing everything there is to know about him, this is for you. I really didn't want to now that much, so I skipped through chapters. The ending was the best part of the book.

Compelling Insight

I was thoroughly engaged by this fact-based narrative about an individual and an era that are more often discussed in a fictional context. The descriptions of Capone's personality and style brought to mind more modern day gangsters, many of whom must have modeled themselves on him. Even while recognizing Capone for the murderous thug that he was, Eig managed to convey the qualities that made him so slippery and so admirable to so many. In fact, his descripton of the trial, complete with a stacked jury and biased judge, almost made me feel sorry for the guy.

Capone and the Roaring 20's.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed this book. I think it is a great companion to those that love Boardwalk Empire because it follows Capone's life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Al Capone hands down! He was a larger than life character and this book makes him come alive.

What does Dick Hill bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is a very good narrator on non fiction books. He keeps me interested in his rapid pace delivery. Reminds me of Walter Winchell.

Do you think Get Capone needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, it's his entire life story plus other Chicago stories including the Valentine's Day Massacre.

Any additional comments?

Great book if you are interested in Al Capone and the gangster life.

A fun listen!

If you like Chicago stories, popular biography, popular history, or true crime, I heartily recommend this well-writeen and well-read book. I enjoyed every minute!

First Experience with Audible was Great!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, if they wanted to know EVERYTHING Capone! I had to read this book for a college course and the book was very long (considering my deadline)! I ordered the Audible version to listen to as I read along with my paperback copy.... it kept me on track and allowed me to plan around the assignment because I knew exactly how much loner it would take (at any given point) how many more hours it would take to finish the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

George Johnson, the real (and historically unrecognized) "hero" who finally put Capone in jail. This is a man that is typically not known about regarding the Capone case (as so many of the story tellers have gotten the facts wrong, or, have embelished the truth for effect), and it was very interesting to learn about him.

Which scene was your favorite?

The chapter on the St. Valentines Day Massacre was particularly interesting because the author utilized real-life police reports as one of his sources. He also revealed a never before released letter (at least to the public) to John Edgar Hoover (director of FBI at the time) from a Chicago man written in the 1930's giving the best explanation for the seven murders... who did it and why. It is actually a misconception (I believe after reading this book) that Capone had anything to do with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre at all!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was very touched by the love that Capone had for his wife and child; it was a genuine care and concern from a supposed 'monster' which I appreciated. Also, the Epilogue,which explained the decline of Capone's health and his death was particularly sad.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed my first experience (in life) with an audio book. For my college course, I was glad that I had the paperback version to read along with (and highlight), however, I know I would find it pleasurable to listen to books for fun as well.

interesting

The book is well written, and the audio production is great from all points of view.

Thank God for the IRS

Who has not heard of Al Capone and Elliot Ness, sometimes to excess but the views presented by this author make this one hard to stop listening to? The book gets right into his nefarious past and at times actually has you feeling almost sorry for him. A brutal criminal that if it were not for the IRS he could have written a book on how to be a professional criminal and get away with a plethora of crimes.I wish the IRS had as many imaginative techniques to nail all the drug dealers running lose.

Oh, how the world has changed

The cool thing about this book is the perspective I got on how different everything was in the 20's and 30's. Jonathan Eig has a knack for choosing the facts to include in a way that tells a good story, and omitting unnessesary, boring details. It's wild to imagine a prominant criminal in today's world being so adored by the press and the general public. It's also amazing how primitive forensic science was back then. You could just kill someone, and if you just left the state forever, you probably would never get caught. Makes me wonder how much crime was going on back then that we didn't know about.

The narrator chosen for this book is not the most talented I've ever heard. His style is a little corny and he makes every character, even Herbert Hoover and J. Edgar Hoover, sound like Italian mobsters. Still, I think he was the right choice for this book. He's got a good feel for the story.

Wrong Reader

Although I basically agree with the other reviews I have found this no where as enjoyable as I thought it would be after seeing an interview with the author. This book reads more like a news article than a story and although that gives a lot of interesting information it can be tedious at times. Add to that the reader doesn't really have the right tone to make some of the limited dialog interesting, and I find myself only able to listen to it for around an hour art a time before I start getting sleepy from it...And when operating 40 tons of tractor and trailer getting sleepy isn't what I'm looking for. Someone like Joe Montagna who reads audio might have made this more interesting, but as is I'm just not that impressed with it....Lesson learned though...Don't purchase without listening to the sample first. If the reader doesn't sit right with you then it can be a tough listen for all those hours.....