• Havana Nocturne

  • How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost It to the Revolution
  • By: T. J. English
  • Narrated by: Mel Foster
  • Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,312 ratings)

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Havana Nocturne  By  cover art

Havana Nocturne

By: T. J. English
Narrated by: Mel Foster
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Publisher's summary

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 listeners 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.

©2008 T. J. English (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"English's engaging narrative reads with the gripping quality of fiction: the dark underworld of Havana comes to life....Highly recommended." ( Library Journal)
"Crime writer English...unfolds a story whose main outline will be familiar to any fan of The Godfather: Part II, but whose twists and turns no screenplay could keep up with." ( Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Havana Nocturne

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Fascinating American history

The book read like an engrossing novel. My husband and I read it together. Our dinner conversations became enjoyable mini-book club discussions. I highly recommend this book to those who are fascinated with the seamier side of Ameican history, and, of course, the American mob. Great book.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Why would any publisher use such a bad narrator?

What can I say? The narrator makes an interesting book sound like a dirge. Did no one vett this person? did no one care? What a waste of a good text.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed, But……

I appreciated this well-researched account of the Mob’s influence and Cuban Revolution. Would have enjoyed if the narrator was Latino as the pronunciation was wanting. When Narrator made the glaring error of saying “Visa Versa” I couldn’t believe it!!!
I still recommend book, but it could have been so much better.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Loo-see-anno?

I'm really enjoying this audio book but GEEZ! Everyone I've ever known has pronounced "Lucky's" name as "Loo-chee-anno". I'm pretty sure that's the correct pronunciation, but this author / narrator pronounces his name as Loo-see-anno: a minor point but........REALLY?

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting But Not Super Engaging

Intersting read but performance and story are a bit on the dry side. More history lesson than insider’s view. If you are a true mafia buff I would still recommend.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great story

very good narrative, much bigger story than I was aware of. A good book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Doesn't get much better

A great story, well told. Very enjoyable reading and historically accurate. Seemed the right length also.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

Godfather part 2 + Bugsy + the Untouchables, + JFK + Frank Sinatra + Cuban history and revolution + Cuban culture. Outstanding.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A True Crime Journal Of Pre Castro Cuba

Lest we forget the corruption of the Mafia and The Kleptocracy of Bautista that explains the political and social viewa of Cubans in south Florida

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The only book on Cuba you will ever need to read.

This NEEDED to be written..finally the unbiased story of this fascinating period. If you want to know what the heck was going on in Cuba immediately before Castro took over, and how and why he was able to pull off the impossible...a successful revolution; including the dictator Batista, American policy, the American Mob, Meyer Lansky, Casinos, etc; and how they all had a hand in this fascinating history...then this is THE book for you. And it is a page-turner...TJ English has taken this fascinating history and written it in a highly readable fashion, (and was obviously thorough in his research). I couldn't put it down. I've read most of the books on this subject at this point, and this book is by far the best.

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