T.J. English’s book is a fascinating one. It chronicles the “Havana Mob” and how they controlled most aspects of Cuba, prior to the Revolution. In the post-World War II years Cuba received nearly $1 trillion dollars in American investment. That’s truly incredible for a country roughly the size of Tennessee. Unfortunately, all of this financial capital didn’t go towards ameliorating Cuba’s problems including hunger, illiteracy, subhuman housing, high infant mortality, and vast rural poverty. Instead it was used to fill the pockets of corrupt politicians and American investors. These two groups were commonly referred to as the “Havana Mob”.
The book is filled with interesting anecdotes about celebrities and politicians. One that caught my eye was a story about John F. Kennedy, then Democratic Senator from Massachusetts. He was quickly gaining national attention for his political achievements as Senator and his Pulitzer Prize winning book Profiles in Courage. He travelled to Cuba many times, but it was his first trip that made into the pages of Havana Nocturne. Notorious mobster Santo Trafficante knew that Kennedy had an appetite for women and decided to set him up with several prostitutes. As it turned out, the orgy would take place in a suite at Trafficante’s Hotel Comodoro. The mobster installed a two-way mirror that allowed Trafficante and his friends to watch Kennedy’s escapades with the prostitutes. Trafficante later said that he regretted not filming the orgy so that he could use it for blackmail. Yikes…
The Takeaway: Havana Nocturne is busting at the seams with these sorts of stories. I recommend it for everyone who’s interested in history. It’s a fun and relatively easy read. Enjoy!
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