About the Book
A sexy, shoot-em-up telling of the CIA and FBI's attempts to take control of Castro's Cuba before and during the Kennedy administration, Pavia's colorful account reveals high-stakes bumbling and wishful thinking on the part of U.S. intelligence and diplomatic officials. The story features a bold cast of characters: Casino owners, washed up oddities like actor Errol Flynn, mob boss Santo Trafficante, and a covert band of ex-cons dubbed the "Doughnut Army" converge with countless agents trying to keep a lid on the tinderbox of revolutionary Cuba and Cuban Miami. The book is based on extensive interviews with the American Cold Warriors who lived and breathed "The Cuba Project."
About the Author :
Peter Pavia is the author of Dutch Uncle, a novel, and co-author of The Other Hollywood The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry. His work has appeared in many publications including The New York Times, New York Post, GQ, Detour, and Gear. He lives in New York with his wife and daughter.
Review :
"Pavia has ransacked the early Castro years for their sleaze quotient, resurrected forgotten vignettes, and trained his gaze on G-men, gangsters, and broken down celebrities to tell their stories in his own voice. An exciting collision between hard history and tabloid ravings."--Legs McNeil, bestselling author of "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk""A streetcorner poet patriot, Pete Pavia, in a voice of the Rat Pack reborn, tells a story from America's past that illuminates the present. An exiled community, supported by would-be American controllers-of-the-world, desperately plots its return to power. Sound familiar? Pavia's depiction of Cuba informs our understanding of American foreign policy from Vietnam to Iraq. Populated with gangsters and swashbucklers from George Raft and Errol Flynn to Meyer Cohen, Kennedy, Castro and Che Guevara. He uncovers the den of thieves where the politician deals in the cheat and the killer and the devil is the dealer. Where a made man can commit a kill and believe he's a patriot. He shakes the chains on the ghosts of our haunted generation. Pete Pavia is the big brother you never had, here to tell you how the world really works. Listen to his heart."--Andrew Huebner, author of "We Pierce" and "American By Blood""Pavia's "The Cuba Project" is a vivid memorialization of one of the most important chapters of the Cold War--where the weed of communism sprouts in the United States' back yard and American might is humbled by its failure to stomp it out." -- Colin Beavan, author of "Operation Jedburgh"
Pavia has ransacked the early Castro years for their sleaze quotient, resurrected forgotten vignettes, and trained his gaze on G-men, gangsters, and broken down celebrities to tell their stories in his own voice. An exciting collision between hard history and tabloid ravings. "Legs McNeil, bestselling author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk"
A streetcorner poet patriot, Pete Pavia, in a voice of the Rat Pack reborn, tells a story from America's past that illuminates the present. An exiled community, supported by would-be American controllers-of-the-world, desperately plots its return to power. Sound familiar? Pavia's depiction of Cuba informs our understanding of American foreign policy from Vietnam to Iraq. Populated with gangsters and swashbucklers from George Raft and Errol Flynn to Meyer Cohen, Kennedy, Castro and Che Guevara. He uncovers the den of thieves where the politician deals in the cheat and the killer and the devil is the dealer. Where a made man can commit a kill and believe he's a patriot. He shakes the chains on the ghosts of our haunted generation. Pete Pavia is the big brother you never had, here to tell you how the world really works. Listen to his heart. "Andrew Huebner, author of We Pierce and American By Blood"
Pavia's "The Cuba Project" is a vivid memorialization of one of the most important chapters of the Cold War--where the weed of communism sprouts in the United States' back yard and American might is humbled by its failure to stomp it out. "Colin Beavan, author of Operation Jedburgh""
Pavia has ransacked the early Castro years for their sleaze quotient, resurrected forgotten vignettes, and trained his gaze on G-men, gangsters, and broken down celebrities to tell their stories in his own voice. An exciting collision between hard history and tabloid ravings. Legs McNeil, bestselling author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
A streetcorner poet patriot, Pete Pavia, in a voice of the Rat Pack reborn, tells a story from America's past that illuminates the present. An exiled community, supported by would-be American controllers-of-the-world, desperately plots its return to power. Sound familiar? Pavia's depiction of Cuba informs our understanding of American foreign policy from Vietnam to Iraq. Populated with gangsters and swashbucklers from George Raft and Errol Flynn to Meyer Cohen, Kennedy, Castro and Che Guevara. He uncovers the den of thieves where the politician deals in the cheat and the killer and the devil is the dealer. Where a made man can commit a kill and believe he's a patriot. He shakes the chains on the ghosts of our haunted generation. Pete Pavia is the big brother you never had, here to tell you how the world really works. Listen to his heart. Andrew Huebner, author of We Pierce and American By Blood
Pavia's The Cuba Project is a vivid memorialization of one of the most important chapters of the Cold War--where the weed of communism sprouts in the United States' back yard and American might is humbled by its failure to stomp it out. Colin Beavan, author of Operation Jedburgh
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"Pavia has ransacked the early Castro years for their sleaze quotient, resurrected forgotten vignettes, and trained his gaze on G-men, gangsters, and broken down celebrities to tell their stories in his own voice. An exciting collision between hard history and tabloid ravings." --Legs McNeil, bestselling author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
"A streetcorner poet patriot, Pete Pavia, in a voice of the Rat Pack reborn, tells a story from America's past that illuminates the present. An exiled community, supported by would-be American controllers-of-the-world, desperately plots its return to power. Sound familiar? Pavia's depiction of Cuba informs our understanding of American foreign policy from Vietnam to Iraq. Populated with gangsters and swashbucklers from George Raft and Errol Flynn to Meyer Cohen, Kennedy, Castro and Che Guevara. He uncovers the den of thieves where the politician deals in the cheat and the killer and the devil is the dealer. Where a made man can commit a kill and believe he's a patriot. He shakes the chains on the ghosts of our haunted generation. Pete Pavia is the big brother you never had, here to tell you how the world really works. Listen to his heart." --Andrew Huebner, author of We Pierce and American By Blood
"Pavia's The Cuba Project is a vivid memorialization of one of the most important chapters of the Cold War--where the weed of communism sprouts in the United States' back yard and American might is humbled by its failure to stomp it out." --Colin Beavan, author of Operation Jedburgh
