Starred review from February 15, 2013
Tereba presents a fascinating account of the interconnection among organized crime, politics, and Hollywood. Mickey Cohen (1913-76), a rough kid who unsuccessfully tried his hand at boxing, later became involved in organized crime and rose through the ranks in the Cleveland, New York, and Los Angeles mobs. When Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was murdered in 1947, Cohen stepped in and took control of most of the criminal activity in L.A. The colorful Cohen enjoyed fancy clothes, publicity, gambling, and rubbing shoulders with movie stars and producers, the police, and politicians. However, he was hampered by infighting among mobsters and constantly hounded by federal investigations that resulted in his being jailed twice for tax evasion. Another inmate attacked Cohen during his second prison stay, leaving him permanently disabled. This fascinating audiobook provides an excellent overview of racketeering and how it shaped L.A. during the middle of the 20th century. Narrator Kate Reading does an excellent job of presenting the story. VERDICT This work is recommended to anyone interested in true crime. ["For readers who revel in old movies, stories about gangsters in double-breasted suits, and midcentury Los Angeles," read the review of the ECW hc, LJ 5/1/12. Sean Penn's new film Gangster Squad about the life of Cohen should attract attention to this title as well.--Ed.]--Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Parkersburg Lib.
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