STRAIGHT
OUTTA
SKOKIE
REVIEWS
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Deftly crafted and nostalgic; intensely personal and candid
“A deftly crafted and nostalgic trip back to the Baby Boomer generation coming into its ages of Drugs, Love, and Rock N Roll, Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968 by Al Krockey is a fascinating and fun read from cover to cover. This intensely personal and candid memoir will have a universal resonance for any of his readers who themselves lived through those turbulent years, and will aptly serve as a descriptive resource for later generations wanting to know what it was like to be young during that golden year of 1968. While especially and unreservedly recommended for community and college/university library 20th Century American Biography/Memoir collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that this paperback edition of Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968 is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).”
―Midwest Book Review
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A loose, conversational rhythm and raw honesty
“[Krockey’s] writing has a loose, conversational rhythm that made me feel like he was talking right to me. Sometimes the stories rushed forward, squeezing decades into a few pages, and sometimes they slowed into tiny moments that were emotionally resonant. I enjoyed how grounded it all felt. The details about Skokie diners, late-night runs to Jack’s, Maxwell Street blues drifting in the air near the hot dog stands, and the characters he knew from the ballpark made the world feel lived in and real....I also felt a weight in the way the book handled the darker turns. The shock of Dr. King’s assassination, the violence on the West and South Sides, and the way Krockey realized how insulated his own community was hit me right in the gut. There was a raw honesty there that surprised me. He didn’t try to wrap those moments in pretty language. He just let them sit. And that directness made me trust him as a narrator….If you like memoirs that feel like a long, winding conversation full of humor, grit, music, and heart, then this book will hit the spot. It is especially fitting for readers who enjoy stories about Chicago history, coming-of-age in the late sixties, or simply digging into a life shaped by both ordinary moments and historic upheavals. It would also resonate with anyone who finds comfort in nostalgia or who grew up in a neighborhood that felt like its own little planet.
―Literary Titan, 4 Stars
Grabs your attention and keeps you invested; like a well-crafted work of fiction
“…[A]n 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 …You’ll be drawn in by this author’s adventures and transported back to historical moments of political and social issues.”
―Romuald Dzemo, Readers’ Favorite, 5 Stars
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An engaging and thought-provoking look a the mix of innocence and recklessness that shaped his youth
“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 pandemic inspires him to reflect on his formative years in a Jewish suburban town….[It’s] 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.”
―Keana Sackett-Moomey, Readers’ Favorite, 5 Stars
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Gripping, engaging, great blend of personality and history
“Straight Outta Skokie by Al Krockey is a gripping memoir that is easy to fall into and is engaging from beginning to end. It merges personal narrative with a close look at a changing America, and I found that balance both honest and captivating. The writing is candid, with enough detail to make the setting feel authentic without drifting into nostalgia for its own sake. Al’s teenage voice comes through clearly as he shifts between lighthearted memories, frustrating responsibilities, and the complicated issues of the late 1960s. His encounters with racial tension, family pressure, and economic struggle reveal how quickly the youth of that era collided with adult challenges. The book reminds me of other coming-of-age books that combine ordinary moments with honest reflections about the world. If you enjoy true-life stories set against crucial historical events, you’ll most likely appreciate this memoir’s blend of personality and history. Great book.”
―Eric Ferrar, Readers’ Favorite, 5 stars
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Highly recommended, compelling memoir
“What makes this memoir compelling is Krockey's straightforward, conversational style that makes major historical events feel immediate and personal. The episodic pacing mirrors memory itself, moving through moments of laughter, fear, and hard-won lessons with sharp attention to telling details. Highly recommended for readers interested in American history, personal memoirs, and coming-of-age stories, this raw and nostalgic journey shows how we're shaped by the places we come from and the times we live through—a guide to finding your own path during transformative moments.”
―Faiza Bashir, Book Nerdection, Excellent Read seal
