Overview

In 1968, Al Krockey was eighteen years old-coming of age in the most culturally explosive era in American history. But the road to that moment began years earlier in Skokie, Illinois, where a block of co-op apartments and split-level houses felt like an entire universe. From hustling a buck-hawking souvenirs outside Wrigley Field, working odd jobs, and dealing a little weed-to chasing the music that defined a generation, Krockey lived fast and wide open. Nights at Chicago's legendary Kinetic Playground, cross-country trips to wild pop festivals, and encounters with unforgettable characters turned 1968 into a year of freedom, risk, and discovery.

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Reviews

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite - Review Rating: 5 Stars Straight Outta Skokie by Al Krockey is an absorbing memoir that had me engaged from the first page to the last. The author brought to life the social and cultural challenges of 1968 through the eyes of a young man. The book follows Krockey's journey from childhood in the suburban enclave of Skokie to the chaos of crucial events, including assassinations, riots, protests, and the explosive music scene. Along the way, he enables you to understand how these moments shaped him and his community. It's a nostalgic yet courageous look at a city on the brink of change, a generation struggling with questions of racism, cultural revolution, and political chaos. Against this backdrop, the author hustled, hawked souvenirs, did odd jobs, and even dealt in weed, while pursuing the music that resonated at the time. Al Krockey's memoir felt like reading a well-crafted work of fiction. The humor gripped me from the very beginning and kept me engaged. It is rare to find a memoir that completely grabs your attention and keeps you invested. The author comes across as a very likable person; his escapades and endless pursuits of ways to make a buck drive the tension in this memoir. It is a tale of a man's grit, his community, and the forces that shaped both. I enjoyed the way Straight Outta Skokie explored urban unrest at the time, cleverly featuring a historical setting that depicts the energy of Wrigley Field, Maxwell Street, the legendary Chicago blues scene, and the devastating impact of MLK's assassination and the subsequent riots. You'll be drawn in by this author's adventures and transported back to historical moments of political and social issues. Reviewed by Keana Sackett-Moomey for Readers' Favorite - Review Rating: 5 Stars In Straight Outta Skokie, Al Krockey looks back on his teenage years in Skokie, Illinois, during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. The quiet isolation of the 2020 Al Krockey's Straight Outta Skokie is both engaging and thought-provoking. I really appreciated how personal the story felt, even as it explored major historical events. Krockey comes across as a teenager trying to make sense of a world changing faster than he could keep up with. I liked how honestly he described his family's struggles, his jobs on the streets of Chicago, and the mix of innocence and recklessness that shaped his youth. This memoir also made me think about how easy it is to grow up inside a bubble without realizing what different communities are going through, especially during moments of racial conflict and social change. The author highlights how simple memories-like those about friendship, past mistakes, and family-can help readers view things like responsibility and privilege in a more meaningful way. I enjoyed this memoir from start to finish.

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