The Button Man by Andrew Gross

The Button Man by Andrew Gross – Audio

Book Blurb:

Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabinowitz grew up poor but happy 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 apprenticed himself at twelve years old to a garment cutter in a clothing factory; Sol headed to college and became an accountant; and Harry, the youngest, fell in with a gang as a teenager and can’t escape. Morris steadily climbs through the ranks at the factory until he’s running the place and buys out the owner, and Sol comes to work with him. But Harry can’t be lured away from the glamour, the power, and the money that comes from working for mobster Louis Buchalter, an old bully from the neighborhood. And when Louis sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers’ factories, a fatal showdown is inevitable, and puts brother against brother.

My Review: 4 stars

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The Button Man is a historical fiction telling of the author’s grandfather during the late 1930s. Oh what a life he must’ve lived. As an immigrant, you come to the US with built in strikes against you, one of which is getting a job. Many immigrants accepted the most intolerable jobs, barely eking out a life for themselves. The Rabinowitz family was no exception.

The three main characters, brothers, were very well developed. I could easily imagine what they each looked like and how’d they react to most situations. Their relationship was tested over and over again and how they end up is worth the read. I was quite invested in them.

I had no idea there was such a powerful Jewish mob scene in NY. Learning they were sometimes the most violent was surprising and made me want to learn more about their rise and demise. The vise the mob held over the trade workers was bullying at its best. They were despicable. Through these crises we learned the truest nature of the brothers. Do the right thing or keep your family safe? Give in to bullies or risk your life?

Gross creates tension at a good pace. I was continually anxious to see what would happen next. There were some parts that felt repetitive which perhaps I only noticed because I listened to this on audio. This book could be considered an American Dream narrative; it’s a rags to riches story with a lot of suspense.

NOTE: You must read the author’s note in this book. It’s fascinating to learn how the author learned about his grandfather’s life.