Button Man

Title:

Button Man

Author:

Gross, Andrew, 1952- author.

Personal Author:

Gross, Andrew, 1952- author.

ISBN:

9781250179982

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

371 pages ; 25 cm

Abstract:

1930s, New York's Lower East Side. At the death of their father, Morris Rabishevsky, twelve, apprenticed himself to a garment cutter in a clothing factory; Sol headed to accounting school; but Harry fell in with a gang of thugs. Morris steadily climbs through the ranks at the factory, goes out on his own, and convinces Sol to come work with him. But Harry can't be lured away from the power and the money that come from his association with Louis Buchalter, the most ruthless mobster in New York. When Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers' factories, he pits brother against brother. -- adapted from jacket.

A stirring story of a Jewish family brought together in the dawn of the women's garment business and torn apart by the birth of organized crime in New York City in the 1930s.

Subject Term:

Clothing trade -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction.

Jewish families -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction.

Organized crime -- New York (State) -- New York -- Fiction.

Family life -- Fiction.

Geographic Term:

New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction.

New York (N.Y) -- History -- 20th century -- Fiction.

Genre:

Biographical fiction.

Summary:

A stirring story of a Jewish family brought together in the dawn of the women's garment business and torn apart by the birth of organized crime in New York City in the 1930s.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Belmont	Book	FICTION GROSS	Searching... Unknown
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Summary

"Mr. Gross's direct style is full of sentiment but never maudlin and well-suited to scenes of violent action. Button Man has plenty of zip-and lots of moxie, too." - Wall Street Journal

"This is a big, heartfelt handshake of a book, with all the street-scrambling energy that distinguishes the best fiction of Jeffrey Archer and Mario Puzo." - USA Today

Following up The One Man and The Saboteur , Gross's next historical thriller brings to life the drama of the birth of organized crime in 1930s New York City from the tale of one family.

After a string of New York Times bestselling suburban thrillers, Andrew Gross has reinvented himself as a writer of historical thrillers. In his latest novel, Button Man , he delivers a stirring story of a Jewish family brought together in the dawn of the women's garment business and torn apart by the birth of organized crime in New York City in the 1930s.

Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabishevsky grew up poor and rough in a tiny flat on the Lower East Side, until the death of their father thrust them into having to fend for themselves and support their large family. Morris, the youngest, dropped out of school at twelve years old and apprenticed himself to a garment cutter in a clothing factory; Sol headed to accounting school; but Harry, scarred by a family tragedy, fell in with a gang of thugs as a teenager. Morris steadily climbs through the ranks at the factory until at twenty-one he finally goes out on his own, convincing Sol to come work with him. But Harry can't be lured away from the glamour, the power, and the money that come from his association with Louis Buchalter, whom Morris has battled with since his youth and who has risen to become the most ruthless mobster in New York. And when Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers' factories, a fatal showdown is inevitable, pitting brother against brother.

This new novel is equal parts historical thriller, rich with the detail of a vibrant New York City in the 1920s and 1930s, and family saga, based on Andrew Gross's own family story and on the history of the era, complete with appearances by real-life characters like mobsters Louis Lepke and Dutch Schultz and special prosecutor Thomas Dewey, and cements Gross's reputation as today's most atmospheric and original historical thriller writer.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

A businessman resists the mob in a novel that spans most of the 20th century.In 1915, Manhattan's Lower East Side is a tough place for 12-year-old Morris Rabishevsky and his siblings to grow up. He takes a job sweeping floors at the Majestic Garment Company, but his drive and ambition are obvious. The owner suggests he go by Morris Raabbecause Rabishevsky is "a mouthful for some people here"and he and his mother agree. But street punks try to shake him down on payday, and he has to fight tough guy Louis Buchalter to keep his money. Morris has "never backed down from anything" and is much tougher than his brothers, Sol and Harold. Every character's personal qualities factor strongly in this story. Morris' drive and intelligence lead to his running Majestic at age 20 when the owner retires. Later, he and Sol start their own garment manufacturer, Raab Brothers. Morris' brash approach wins business with a big chain store, and the company grows. Sol knows how to keep the books but doesn't know how to sell. Their other brother, Harold, is a likable screw-up who hangs out with the wrong crowd, even mobsters, and might well ruin what becomes the family business. Louis Buchalter grows up to be a cutthroat mobster, taking over garment unions and running Murder Incorporated. The mob has a way of breaking down resistance to the unions: They throw a man out an eighth-floor window, splash an owner with sulfuric acid, destroy his inventory. Of course, the Raab Brothers' success attracts Buchalter's attention, and the resulting conflict is one of life and death. New York Special Prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey seeks Morris' cooperation in destroying the mob, but Morris and his business might perish in the process. At a funeral, a rabbi asks, "What does it mean to be a good man?" If it means standing up to evil, then Morris Raab qualifies.A highly satisfying story of family loyalty, persistence, courage, and crime. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.