Button Man, Gross - B+

                                   This is an absolutely fabulous novel set in t New York in the first half of the twentieth century. There is nothing I enjoy more than a NYC immigrant story. It follows the life of Morris Raab, first generation impoverished Jewish kid from the lower East Side. He goes to work at 12, builds a firm in the garment industry, marries well and is a classic American success. At that point, he is targeted by Murder Incorporated, a Jewish-Italian racketeering joint venture that forces businesses into untenable crooked union contracts. He refuses and they burn down his business. He cooperates with Thomas Dewey's team and helps bring the bad guys down. He prospers in WWII, creates a national brand in the post-war era and lives to a respectable, happy old age. The surprise at the end of the novel is a postscript by the author. It is the story of his grandfather who, although long dead, left a recording about his incredible life and his business at N.Y.'s Fashion Institute. Thanks, Wendell.