The Cuban Connection: Nixon, Castro, and the Mob

Turner (Hockey Mom: Sarah Palin's Shot at Glory), an FBI agent turned investigative reporter, draws on decades of experience, first-hand interviews, and in-depth research to paint a thorough picture of the complicated relationship between Cuba and the United States. While his main focus is the volatile era following Castro's rise to power, he branches out, examining previous Cuban presidents Prio and Batista, the influence of the National Crime Syndicate, and the wild card that was Richard Nixon. Turner's approach is free-wheeling yet insightful, illuminating a series of pivotal moments as he aims to provide "a shot over the bow of American foreign policy in the Caribbean region." His examination of Castro's 1959 visit to America, and how a less-than-satisfactory reception by Nixon forever tanked US-Cuban relations, is both damning and eye-opening. An extensive look at the CIA's many attempts to kill or discredit Castro reads like Cold War slapstick; backed up by nearly 100 pages of declassified documents regarding CIA plots, it's a fascinating series of revelations. Turner draws together crime, politics, revolutions, assassinations, and conspiracies to make this a fascinating read. The more controversial elements can be taken with a grain of salt, but the underlying narrative remains solid. (May)