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Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost It to the Revolution Audiobook
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(3.87) - 30 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In Havana Nocturne, T. J. English offers a riveting, multifaceted true tale of organized crime, political corruption, roaring nightlife, revolution, and international conflict that interweaves the dual stories of the mob in Havana and the event that would overshadow it: the Cuban Revolution.
Bringing together long-buried historical information and English's own research in Havana—including interviews with the era's key survivors—Havana Nocturne takes readers back to Cuba in the years when it was a veritable devil's playground for mob leaders Meyer Lansky and Charles "Lucky" Luciano. Thanks to strong ties with the island's brutal dictator, President Batista, the mob soon owned the biggest luxury hotels and casinos and launched an unprecedented tourist boom. But their dreams collided with those of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and others who would lead the country's disenfranchised to overthrow their corrupt government and its foreign partners—an epic cultural battle that English captures in all its sexy, decadent, ugly glory.
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"Fascinating page turner + great history lesson + great stories, very well researched, organized and written. Didn't want it to end. (Full disclosure: I met the author in a hand percussion class in the mid-90's, and he was a great guy. ) "
— Glenn (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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English's engaging narrative reads with the gripping quality of fiction.... Highly recommended.
— Library Journal
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Havana Nocturne Listener Reviews
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" This history of the Mob's involvement in Cuba prior to Castro's revolution is well-researched and well-written - lots of fascinating detail on the specifics of casino and nightclub life in '50s Havana and organized crime generally. "
— Laura, 5/19/2011 -
" really interesting, although grim and sad "
— Melanie, 4/19/2011 -
" Great read. Mafia, politicians, power brokers. A great take on an interesting time. Well researched "
— Carolyn, 3/29/2011 -
" great book. meant for adults. very well researched. fantastic story eye opening. "
— Patrick, 3/26/2011 -
" Extremely well researched, very well written. A great read. "
— Judi, 3/2/2011 -
" Good history of mob influence in Cuba before Castro. "
— Donald, 2/26/2011 -
" Reads like a novel so much that I was only jolted back to reality when I recognized a real-life name. "
— Laura, 2/25/2011 -
" WOW! Some eye-popin' stuff in here! Who knew? "
— Kathy, 1/27/2011 -
" An excellent story but the book would have been better without so much detail<br/> "
— Donna, 1/1/2011 -
" Very informative on Cuba history and revolution. I had no idea organized crime was so involved. A very fun and interesting read "
— Clint, 12/17/2010 -
" This was a good read though it tended to be a little too pro-Castro. "
— Jeff, 11/9/2010 -
" Rather shocking account of the Mafia's deep connections with the Batista regime and plans to own Havana. Castro cleaned it up, but at what price? "
— Lynne, 11/7/2010 -
" Enjoyed the historical political view of our Neighbor Cuba. Reminded me of recent events with the Banks and Wall Street. "
— Joe, 10/23/2010 -
" Well written book about the U.S. mob in Havana leading up to the time of Castro's Revolution in 1959. Lot of research has gone into this book, it puts into perspective events that lead to the Cuban Revolution. "
— Roland, 10/18/2010
About T. J. English
T. J. English is the New York Times bestselling author of Havana Nocturne, Paddy Whacked, The Westies, and Born to Kill, which was nominated for an Edgar Award. His screenwriting credits include television episodes of NYPD Blue and Homicide, for which he was awarded the Humanitas Prize. He lives in New York City.