In an L.A. delicatessen; a group of Brooklyn natives gets together to discuss basketball; boxing; the weather back east; and the Jewish gangsters of yesteryear. Meyer Lansky. Bugsy Siegel. Louis Lepke; the self-effacing mastermind of Murder; Inc. Red Levine; the Orthodox hit man who refused to kill on the Sabbath. Abe "Kid Twist" Reles; who looked like a mama's boy but once buried a rival alive. These are just some of the vibrant; vicious characters Rich Cohen's father reminisced about and the author evokes so pungently in Tough Jews.Tracing a generation of Jewish gangsters from the candy stores of Brownsville to the clubhouses of the Lower East Side--and; occasionally; to suites at the Waldorf--Cohen creates a densely anecdotal and gruesomely funny history of muscle; moxie; and money. Filled with fixers and schlammers; the squeal of tires and the rattle of gunfire; his book shatters stereotypes as deftly as its subjects once shattered kneecaps.
#857627 in Books 2005-10-25 2005-10-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.49 x 1.83 x 9.58l; #File Name: 0375412182784 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Nothing But InsightBy bluewon51Nothing But Victory is a good history of the Civil War in the West; the Atlanta Campaign; and Sherman's marches through Georgia and the Carolinas. This book is strongest up through the end of the Vicksburg campaign. The Army's progress from groups of naive civilians to veteran soldiers through their early experiences at Belmont; Forts Henry and Donelson; and the terrible ordeal at Shiloh is detailed and well researched. There is a good description of Sherman's little known Meridian campaign that foreshadowed the March to the Sea. The passage on the Battle of Atlanta is a great narrative of the Army's eventually victorious reaction to its third great surprise during the war; the others being at Fort Donelson; and at Shiloh.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Book; inadequate mapsBy Bob RothmanThe publishers hurt this excellently written book by not including maps. I had to search and download them from the web. That mentioned it is a first class well written history. I recommend you get a civil war atlas to accompany this book or download civil war maps if you plan to read it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy John R. PetersonFascinating history told through the eyes of participants interspersed with the author's insightful commentary.
