Havana Nocturne

Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba & Then Lost it to the Revolution is a work of nonfiction by T.J. English. Published by HarperCollins in 2007, the book covers the unintended consequences of the Cuban Revolution on Mob control of the country. The book has been well-received for its unique take on the Revolution, and it was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime in 2009. English specializes in criminal nonfiction and exploring the underworld. He once wrote episodes for the crime drama NYPD Blue.

The book centers around US gangsters, or Mob members, in 1950’s Cuba. The main mafioso we follow are Meyer Lansky and Charles Luciano. These men are both Mob leaders looking to exploit new opportunities in Cuba, because of increasing government crackdowns on Mob activity at home in the US.

They believe Cuba to be a paradise—somewhere they can run their operations freely. First, they must find a way in, and they’ll use any means necessary. English doesn’t glamorize any of the mobsters or political figures in the book. He’s honest about their lifestyle, their dealings and what drives them.



Meyer, the most senior and respected of these two Mob men, made a name for himself as a good gambler in his younger years. He outsmarts many people and builds a reputation. He doesn’t let anyone take advantage of him. Charles tries to rob him one night when they’re both teenagers, but Meyer fights him off. Charles admires Meyer’s courage and takes him under his wing. This is the beginning of a friendship that will make the Cuban enterprise possible.

Charles is business-minded—he sets up a successful bootlegging venture at just 23. Meyer, meanwhile, is a skillful diplomat who manages to befriend every significant Mafia leader. He sees himself as a businessman, even if he’s not running the same kind of legitimate enterprise as other well-known names of the time. When Charles and Meyer get together, they want to expand and grow their wealth.

The Mob controls a lot of commercial activity around major centers such as docks and harbors. They must work alongside government officials and the US Army, who use the Mob’s inside knowledge to weed out spies, informants and other dangerous persons. In exchange, they turn a blind eye to a lot of what goes on with the Mob.



It’s because of their political prowess that mobsters like Meyer and Charles make contacts in Cuba. They get involved in the developing gambling industry and befriend Batista, a military leader who successfully establishes a legitimate government. However, guerrilla militants, such as Fidel Castro, start railing against the regime.

Batista launches a crusade against Cuban gangsters, which in turn lets mobsters like Lansky and Charles get more control. The police turn blind eyes so long as they’re paid well enough, and everything seems to be going well for the US Mob. However, Castro’s guerrilla warfare earns him small but significant victories among the large impoverished classes, which is problematic for the Mob.

English shows through the book that the Mob only has power in Cuba so long as Batista or his regime leads the country. Castro and his revolutionary counterparts will end mobster control and the riches they’re all acquiring. And, as English points out, many Cubans support Castro primarily because he’ll end the vice and corruption caused by the Mob.



The Mob, then, are arguably responsible for the fate of the Cuban Revolution, at least in its earliest stages. Castro and his forces win over both the people and Batista’s own men because everyone wants moral change. It’s only a matter of time before the Cuban Army starts defecting to Castro, and the Mob knows its fate in Cuba is changing.

The Mob needs a new plan for the future of their gambling ventures. They try to look elsewhere, for example the Dominican Republic, but they’re unsuccessful. Unlike in Cuba, they can’t make the same political connections and they have no way in. As Castro grows in military strength, Batista prepares to flee.

Meyer and the others try to secure the money inside their casinos and hotels because the people rebel and take over the streets when Batista runs. However, Castro suspends all gambling activity with immediate effect and starts expelling criminals such as Meyer. This is the end of a Mob dynasty which, in part, caused its own downfall with overexpansion and assuming total control of a country.



English explains that, at the end of Meyer’s life, he was virtually penniless. Although there are still remnants of the Mob era in Havana, such as old buildings, cars and some nightlife, it is now nothing but a bygone age. English maintains an unbiased position throughout the entire book, and he’s honest about the faults on all sides, including US and Cuban political figures.