Augie’s Secrets The Minneapolis Mob and the King of Hennepin Strip By Neal Karlen

There’s an old Yiddish saying: two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead. But two living people could keep a secret—as long as one of them was Augie.

 If you’re interested in the era of prohibition and the gangster, then you will enjoy this book about a Jewish gangster, Augie Ratner. The book is about bootlegging, a controlled liquor business in Minneapolis and antisemitism. 

Jewish immigrants started as bootleggers because that was the only job they could find. Later on, Augie opened an establishment, Augie’s Theater Lounge and bar. 

The who’s who of the city came o his place, celebrities and gangsters alike. Jimmy Hoffa, Henny Youngman, Kid Cann, John Dillinger, Jack Dempsey, Peggy Lee, Groucho Marx, Lenny Bruce, and Gypsy Rose Lee. It was a thriving place to be. Published February 1, 2014.

 It has two-hundred and twenty-four pages and is a good and easy read. Great research went into this book with tons of information on prohibition, bootlegging and gangsters. An excellent addition to the gangster buff’s library. 

If you liked this blog then you will love my book. Secrets of the Mob.