Havana World Series | 'WORLD'-CLASS Latour's latest explores corruption in '50s Cuba
'WORLD'-CLASS Latour's latest explores corruption in '50s Cuba
Book Review

Havana World Series (2004)

EW's GRADE
A-

Details Release Date: Feb 09, 2004; Writer: Jose Latour; Genre: Fiction; Publisher: Grove

Anyone who has seen ''The Godfather Part II'' knows that the mix of political intrigue, revolutionaries, gangsters, and government-sanctioned gambling in late-'50s Cuba offers a wealth of dramatic possibilities. José Latour, a native of Cuba and author of 1999's ''Outcast,'' blends those ingredients to perfection in Havana World Series, cooking up a tale as dark, rich, and satisfying as a pot of extra-meaty carne guisado.

The book, which details a casino rip-off and its bloody aftermath, features real-life bad guys like Meyer Lansky and Joe Bonanno. But it's the intricately drawn cast of career criminals who spring from Latour's rich imagination that makes ''Havana'' so enjoyable, a sure thing for any fan of exotic noir.

Originally posted Feb 25, 2004 Published in issue #753 Feb 27, 2004 Order article reprints

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