Cut Numbers

Gangsters and hoodlums, gambling, sex and drugs. It's dark, dirty, and not a very compelling story. But it is written so insightfully I find myself re-reading paragraphs just to savor the genuine humanity that has been captured. "Nowhere" "Well?" "The old man's chin jutted out. He looked straight ahead and raised his palms, as if, having concluded an irrefutable argument of great eloquence, he awaited the roaring approval of the Roman Senate. Each looked away from the other, and they let the tide of silence rise awhile, until it was almost as if what had been said had not been said."

I loved this book. I learned about Tosches through a Vanity Fair article and began reading some of his stuff - 'The Devil and Sonny Liston', 'Country', 'The Last Opium Den'. I found and read this novel after those and loved it. I've since given it to several friends and they loved it, or so I think. I don't think I care, but I would say they loved it based on their reactions and that I never got the books back. If you are afraid of dirty words or dirty deeds don't read this (the last reviewer would have benefited from this advice). Its real (I've live in NJ Hudson Ctny and NYC most of my life) and honest. Its also a tightly written story, which is lost on some b/c of the language and subject matter. F*** them - read it and see for yourself.