Book · 2009 · History
Havana Nocturne
How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost It to the Revolution
Why people recommend it
Havana Nocturne by T. J. English details the historical era of the American mob in Cuba during the 1950s, focusing on figures like Meyer Lansky and Santo Trafficante. Joe Rogan recommended the book on The Executive Experience, noting that it explores a revolution stemming from three distinct places including Union City, New Jersey, New York City, Tampa, and Miami, and how those cities were involved. TJ English himself appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience to discuss the subject matter of his previous book, explaining how the mob controlled Havana until Fidel Castro arrived, spoiled the party, caused a revolution, and chased the mobsters out, while also mentioning a former vice cop who worked in Havana during those turbulent years. Both discussions highlighted the turbulent intersection of organized crime, government corruption, and revolutionary upheaval in mid-century Cuba, offering listeners a vivid historical account of how transnational criminal syndicates operated in the Caribbean before the communist takeover permanently dismantled their lucrative operations and forced them to flee back to the United States.
Who recommended it
- Joe Rogan Recommended
- TJ English Discussed
Joe Rogan — 1 mention
“When you got a minute, you run, you read that a van turn. That book, what is it called? It's a van turn. It's a revolution from three different places. Union City, New Jersey, New York City, and Miami. And how... Oh, no, no, not my New York City. Tampa and how those three cities were like involved in that”
TJ English — 1 mention
“the era of the mob in Havana in the 50s Meyer Lansky Santo Trafficante and how they controlled that until Castro came along and spoiled the party and the revolution happened and they got chased out of their battle had been a vice cop in Havana during those years”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“well I had written I published the book Havana Nocturne which was about the mob in Cuba in the 50s and I really got into it”
“what I was researching Havana Nocturne I found out that Santo Trafficante had a lawyer named Sam Reagan”