Books & Looks: Real Books for Real Readers was started as a literary podcast to supplement Blaine Desantis’ website, ViewsOnBooks.com, and expand into audio and video interviews with authors.
With Books & Looks, Blaine’s goal is to focus on real books that real people will read. At least half of the books he reviews are either new authors or unknown authors that many in the general public are unaware of. After a segment reviewing books or interviewing authors, Blaine ends each episode with a discussion of the movies and TV shows he is currently watching.
Learn more about Blaine and his podcast at ViewsOnBooks.com.
This Week’s Episode
Today we’re joined by acclaimed author and former New York Times obituary writer Margalit Fox. Margalit discusses her captivating new historical true crime book, “The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum,” which uncovers the extraordinary life of a forgotten female crime boss in 1860s New York.
Book Spotlight: “The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum”:
“The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum” tells the astonishing story of Fredericka Mandelbaum, a poor Jewish immigrant who rose to become the first major female organized crime boss in America. With meticulous research and engrossing prose, Margalit Fox brings to life this overlooked figure from New York’s underworld and the corrupt society that allowed her empire to flourish.
Discussed in this Episode:
- The incredible rags-to-riches tale of Fredericka Mandelbaum, a German-Jewish immigrant who built a criminal empire as a “fence” for stolen goods
- How Mandelbaum leveraged societal changes, corrupt politicians, and an eager new middle class to create a thriving underworld business
- The difference between a bank robber and a bank burglar, and how Mandelbaum’s crew used clever tactics to carry out heists
- Mandelbaum’s opulent lifestyle and her surprising role as a beloved benefactor in her Lower East Side community
- The shrewd methods Mandelbaum used to elude authorities, including secret rooms, hidden compartments, and a network of safe houses
- The shifting attitudes towards crime that eventually led to increased pressure on Mandelbaum and her empire
- Insights into Margalit Fox’s research process and her fascination with uncovering forgotten stories from the past
Links:
Listen to the latest episode of Books & Looks:
About Blaine Desantis:
Blaine is an avid lifetime reader, a retired attorney, and has been a book club leader for the past seven years. He is an active teacher in senior education classes at Furman University. Blaine loves fiction, nonfiction, histories, mysteries and almost all genres of books.
