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 enlarge | Manufacturer: HarperCollins e-books
Category: EBooks
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $9.96 (50%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  44 reviews
Sales Rank: 2463
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Dewey Decimal Number: 364.106097291
ASIN: B001A16X8Q
Publication Date: June 3, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 Caribbean Nights October 27, 2008
`Havana Nocturne' by T.J. English
In his latest installment, `Havana Nocturne', T.J. English, author of `The Westies' brings us the true story of the Havana Mob. This is the tale of the underworlds influence on Cuba, Havana specifically, in the pre-revolutionary days. You're introduced to all the main players: Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Fulgencio Batista, Fidel Castro, et al. The level of corruption at all levels, be it social or political, is examined thoroughly and connections between the American mob and the Cuban government are laid bare for the reader.
Mr. English's easy reading, gritty writing style only enhance this sordid tale of deception, influence peddling and societal depravity. However, the ease with which this book is read should not be confused with a lack of intelligent subject matter; this work is extremely well researched, never tendentious, provocative and extremely important historically. The Havana Mob may not have been the reason for the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro, however, English demonstrates that the two were certainly not mutually exclusive.
This is an extremely enjoyable, romping time of a read. I definitely recommend anyone interested Latin American, American history or true crime to grab `Havana Nocturne'. I'm already looking forward to the authors next installment.
Living history October 20, 2008
Reads like the very best fiction! If this book didn't contain some bawdy passages, I'd recommend it for high school history classes!
Most reviewers have covered the Hollywood/mob names involved in this book but little has been noted of Fidel Castro as a young, rabble-rousing college student and how the Cuban & US governments, as well as the mob, grossly mis-judged this man's zeal & appeal. (I was particularly struck by the fact Fidel & Che began with only a couple of dozen followers.) Cuba's government just threw the lot in jail rather than deal w/them
in a way that might have staved off the revolution to come. This tale is so well-written and researched that you can feel yourself walking through the cane fields with this little army. Of all the stories told in "Havana Nocturne," the story of Fidel Castro is the one most notable, more than anything else due to its being the only one not born out of greed.
This book is a quick read, perhaps because you can't put it down once you start, and one I heartily recommend. You will be talking about it for days and you certainly won't forget it!
Great Look into Meyer Lansky and the Havana Mob October 13, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - great insight into Havana prior to Castro and the inner workings of the mob (New York, Tampa, Las Vegas).
If the subject interests you, then buy this book! October 13, 2008
This is a very well written and entertaining account of the mob in Cuba. The author's writing is direct, clear and to the point; it's well researched with lots of notes. The only thing about it I didn't much care for is the title. Highly recommended!
 Ah, the Good Old Days...gone forever! October 10, 2008
Author English explores the wild Havana scene with a zestful flourish. It all started after WW2 but the 1950s were Havana's heyday. Anything went in the swinging nightclubs, casinos and bars. All were thoroughly controlled by various Mafia dons. What an incredible party it must have been! English touches all the bases here in exquisite detail, supported by 45 pages of source material. Dominating the Cuban side of events were Fulgencio Batista, the rapaciously greedy dictator and the man who toppled him from power, a young radical named Fidel Castro. It is not clear who the dominant Mafiosi was in Havana, but the author appears to favor Meyer Lansky. ML was the guy played by Lee Strasberg in "Godfather 2" and by Ben Kingsley in "Bugsy". Some 20/20hindsight is critical to the plot: The looming shadow of Fidel Castro' revolution hovers over HN, ready to sweep in and spoil the party. That is exactly what happened in real life but so many top players seem to have been taken by surprise. This reader would point to 4 highpoints to HN. The first gives real world context to those Havana scenes from "Godfather 2", (except that Lansky died of old age and was not murdered in an airport). The second was the background on the rubout of Albert Anastasia in 1957 in the barbershop at the old Park Sheraton Hotel in New York. Anastasia wanted a bigger piece of the Havana action than the boys were willing to give him. The third is those wonderful centerfold photos. These put human faces on the Havana players including the freshly demised Mr. Anastasia. Finally, there are some nice Mafia war stories including that famous one about the 1941 "suicide" of Abe Reles ("Kid Twist"). The Kid jumped, fell or was pushed to his death from a Coney Island hotel while guarded by 6 of New York City's finest. The bottom line here is that HN is fun reading, even at hardcover prices. The only possible downside is that the story may be a tad too long. Most fans of true crime/mafia tales will hardly object. HN is a book to enjoy. They are certainly not making any more 1950 era Havana's. HN is a first rate opportunity to read about it.
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