Book Description

The place: Chicago, Illinois. The year: 1937. A city struggles to recover from the lawless legacy of Prohibition and the destructive aftermath of the Great Depression. The inequities of race and social class are vast and growing. In a rigidly segregated society, the average citizen keeps to his own kind, keeps his head down, and toils just to make ends meet. During this turbulent time, a young European immigrant labors in obscurity, deep within the teeming confines of the Pilsen district. He dreams of being a professional prizefighter. The young man’s prospects are few until he befriends an elderly African American boxer who operates a small gym on the city’s west side. The old man recognizes championship potential in the boy and agrees to coach him, molding him into a first class athlete. Together, the unlikely pair chase the elusive goal of a Middleweight Crown. Across town, another young man has a mentor of a different sort. One who schools him in the fine art of the “quick buck”. This boy, rescued from abject poverty, pursues wealth and power with ruthless zeal, surrendering to the darker side of human nature. Abandoning all compassion, he eagerly embraces a life of crime and brutality. A disillusioned Detective, grappling with a deep personal grief has become obsessed with fighting crime. His work has become his solace, his only virtue, his redemption. Exceeding the bounds of his authority, he fanatically persecutes the criminals of his precinct, setting him on a dangerous path of confrontation and violence. When these worlds collide, loyalty is forsaken and heartfelt dreams are crushed. A life is taken. This is a tale of good versus evil, of sacrifice and righteousness and love. This is a story of happiness and heartbreak and darkness. This Windy City Nocturne.