Reviews for Out of Many, Volume II / Biography Reader

The average rating for Out of Many, Volume II / Biography Reader based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-01-03 00:00:00 William Warren I don't read many historical non-fiction pieces, hardly any biographies, but this book seemed so unusual. I picked it up expecting a biography (I mean, it's in the title, right?). I expected a look into the life and times of Al Capone from a historically informed perspective. What I got was a look at the late twenties in Chicago with Al Capone as a supporting character. Hundreds of players got roles in this extended newspaper article written before Capone even died. Interesting but not really what I expected. Stylistically there were chapters that read like the diary pages of a poet laureate scribbling with his trigger finger and there were some that had all the charisma of a wet grocery list. Honestly, I gave this book 3 out of 5 but this book--more than any other I've read--had sections that deserved a zero and some sections that legitimately deserved a resounding five. So, if you're interested in the history, facts, and stats surrounding the Volstead Era in Chicago I strongly recommend finding this rare gem but if you're looking for a focused biography you won't get further than the tenth page.

Review # 2 was written on 2021-04-11 00:00:00 Kris Vander Putten A good biography of a pundit of the 'pre-pundit age'