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Gus Russo

The Outfit: The Role of Chicago's Underworld in the Shaping of Modern America

In "The Outfit: The Role of Chicago's Underworld in the Shaping of Modern America," award-winning investigative journalist Gus Russo provides a comprehensive and meticulously researched exploration of the powerful criminal organization that dominated Chicago's underworld for much of the 20th century. Known as "The Outfit," this loose-knit confederation of criminals, corrupt politicians, and businessmen wielded immense influence over the city's political, social, and economic life, shaping its development in profound and often nefarious ways. Russo's book is more than just a history of organized crime in Chicago, however. It is also a wide-ranging examination of the complex web of relationships that existed between the city's criminal underworld and its legitimate institutions, from the police department and city hall to the world of business and finance. Drawing on a wealth of previously untapped sources, including interviews with former members of The Outfit and their associates, Russo paints a vivid and often shocking picture of a city where corruption and criminality were the norm rather than the exception. At the heart of the book is the figure of Tony Accardo, the man who rose to become the undisputed boss of The Outfit and who ruled with an iron fist for decades. Accardo's story is emblematic of the larger narrative that Russo tells, one in which ambitious criminals and corrupt politicians were able to amass vast fortunes and wield enormous power through a combination of cunning, ruthlessness, and an uncanny ability to evade the law. But "The Outfit" is not just a tale of criminality and corruption. It is also a story of resistance and reform, as a handful of brave and tenacious individuals fought to expose and bring down The Outfit and its allies. From crusading journalists like Maurine Watkins and Jake Lingle to reform-minded politicians like Mayor Anton Cermak and U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Corcoran, these men and women risked their lives and reputations to challenge the status quo and bring about a more just and equitable city. In the end, "The Outfit" is a gripping and often harrowing tale of power, corruption, and redemption, one that sheds new light on a dark and little-understood chapter in American history. Russo's book is a must-read for anyone interested in organized crime, political corruption, or the history of Chicago and the United States in the 20th century...