
City of Scoundrels
The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth to Modern Chicago
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Narrated by:
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Rob Shapiro
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By:
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Gary Krist
When 1919 began, the city of Chicago seemed on the verge of transformation. Modernizers had an audacious, expensive plan to turn the city from a brawling, unglamorous place into "the Metropolis of the World". But just as the dream seemed within reach, pandemonium broke loose and the city’s highest ambitions were suddenly under attack by the same unbridled energies that had given birth to them in the first place.
It began on a balmy Monday afternoon when a blimp in flames crashed through the roof of a busy downtown bank, incinerating those inside. Within days, a racial incident at a hot, crowded South Side beach spiraled into one of the worst urban riots in American history, followed by a transit strike that paralyzed the city. Then, when it seemed as if things could get no worse, police searching for a six-year-old girl discovered her body in a dark North Side basement.
City of Scoundrels captures the tumultuous birth of the modern American city, with all of its light and dark aspects in vivid relief.
©2012 Gary Krist (P)2012 Random HouseListeners also enjoyed...




















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Tough deciding between 3⭐ & 4⭐
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Appropriate for our times
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A Great Snapshot of Chicago at a Critical Moment in its History
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Kind of a slow start but a big finish
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The first chapters of Part 1 detailing the July 1919 blimp crash disaster into a bank and then the foundation-laying stories of other events sets up nicely the gripping details of Part 2's riots, strikes, and political machinations over 12 days that indeed shape the city of Chicago as we see it has grown into. Although Part 1 can be a little tedious at times with details after the blimp disaster description, be patient as the payoff comes alive in Part 2.
This is the second book by Gary Krist I've read/listened to - the first being the excellent White Cascade. I am about to start Empire of Sin and look forward to more excellent documentary story telling. Highly recommend.
Excellent Listen. Detailed. Foundational.
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If you could sum up City of Scoundrels in three words, what would they be?
ACCURATELY, HISTORICAL, ACCOUNTSWhat other book might you compare City of Scoundrels to and why?
DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY - ERIK LARSON(Dealt with Chicago at the turn of the century, but with different things!)
Which scene was your favorite?
TOO MANY, TO SAY. MAYOR WAS A REAL "CREEP!"If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
CHICAGO- 12 DAYS and HOW THEY SURVIVED IT!Any additional comments?
EXCELLENT READ, IF YOU'RE INTO HISTORICAL NON-FICTION 😀CITY OF SCOUNDRELS
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Chicago in disgrace
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Great History of a Great City
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Fascinating
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Crashed like a Blimp
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