TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Summertime Reading Features Mob, Mavericks

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEVIN WALKER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2007

As we roll into the heart of the summer, it's time to play a bit of catch-up. There are quite a few books that I have wanted to mention but - for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is space constrictions - have not. Thank you for reading the massive-justification first paragraph.

For readers around here, there might be a natural interest in checking out 'The Silent Don: The Criminal Underworld of Santo Trafficante Jr.,' by Scott M. Deitche (Barricade, $22). Deitche already is known by some here for his 'Cigar City Mafia' book, which offered details about organized crime in the Tampa Bay area in the 20th century. This new book concentrates on Trafficante, who, according to the book's flap, for 30 years 'was Tampa's reigning Mob boss, running a criminal empire stretching from the Gulf Coast of the United States into the Caribbean.'

Also in nonfiction is 'The Sundance Kids: How the Mavericks Took Back Hollywood,' by James Mottram (Faber and Faber, $20). The book, through interviews with the people involved, offers a look at American cinema since the 1990s, particularly the independent films that have become iconic. The cover features images from some of these films, including a few of my favorites from the past 15 years: 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' 'Lost In Translation,' 'The Usual Suspects' and 'Fight Club.'

Every day, editors in television, online and newspaper newsrooms must make decisions about what is and isn't a good idea to print. So what kind of stuff never sees the light of day? You can find out in 'Killed Cartoons: Casualties From the War on Free Expression' (Norton, $16), in which editor David Wallis offers cartoons killed, and by what publication, and when. Wallis' point is that many media outlets, for a variety of reasons, have become more afraid than ever of 'antagonizing powerful interests.'

Like short stories? Then you should sample the 2007 edition of 'The O. Henry Prize Stories: The Best Stories of the Year' (Anchor, $15). Never got around to reading 'Ragtime' by E.L. Doctorow? There's a new edition from Random House ($14). There's also a new edition of 'Life on the Mississippi' by Mark Twain (Modern Library, $10).

Also, Joyce Carol Oates' 'Black Girl/White Girl' (Harper Perennial, $14) is out in paperback.

Keyword: Bibliophile, to read more about new books on Kevin Walker's blog.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT