The sudden disappearance of Judge Joseph Crater nearly 75 years ago led to perhaps the most famous missing persons case of the twentieth century. Crater, a justice of New York's state Supreme Court, vanished amid political scandal. Within days, questions arose about Judge Crater's finances and his liaisons with numerous women. A public frenzy about what happened to Crater provided impetus for scrutiny of New York's Tammany Hall political machine-and ultimately for the vanishing of Tammany Hall as well. The cast of characters in this book-the first-ever serious look at the Crater case-includes Franklin D. Roosevelt, the governor who named Crater to the bench; Senator Robert Wagner, Crater's mentor, but also the leader with the most to lose from having Crater found; Al Smith, Tammany's ebbing leader and failed presidential candidate; Jimmy Walker, the rogue Mayor of New York City and the darling of Tammany Hall; and Fiorello La Guardia, the crusading reformer who finally came to power on the back of the scandals. Richard J. Tofel's Vanishing Point is a revealing look at New York as the Jazz Age gave way to the Depression, and at one of the most intriguing stories in the annals of urban America.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
Casts intriguing new light on a famous unsolved mystery. * Kirkus * It's a fascinating tale, even after all these years. * The Dallas Morning News * Fans of true crime and New York City politics alike will be attracted to Vanishing Point, an excellent survey. * Midwest Book Review * Tofel has written an entertaining account...For those who recognize the name, but don't know the fascinating story behind it, this is the book to read. * New York Post * With a newspaperman's eye for drama, Tofel covers a great tale about a New York just beyond our living memory. * New York Sun * Offers a portrait of Tammany personalities and their intricate political deals...The first book to piece together his [Crater's] surprising story. * The Wall Street Journal * Excellent...a vivid portrayal...New York lawyers should find fascinating the depiction of a New York legal world...Illuminating. * New York Law Journal * An intriguing mystery built around the author's compelling argument about the truth behind Crater's disappearance. * Smoke * Shrewd, terse, engrossing study... * The New York Times * Using a substantial body of evidence Tofel...offers a tentative, yet intriguing solution... -- Gracie Gregg * Times Record News, Wichita Falls, TX * He makes the case relevant and fascinating for the reader. -- Larry Cox * Tucson Citizen * This makes for fascinating reading. -- Eugene R. Fidell * Green Bag * Compelling. -- Owen Moritz * New York Daily News * A fascinating look at a great city's greatest mystery. * Kevin Baker * Extraordinarily deft and skillfully written...[An] admirably understated book... -- Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker
Sprache
Verlagsort
Produkt-Hinweis
Fadenheftung
Gewebe-Einband
mit Schutzumschlag
Maße
Höhe: 223 mm
Breite: 146 mm
Dicke: 30 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-1-56663-605-6 (9781566636056)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Richard J. Tofel is president and chief operating officer of the new International Freedom Center, a museum of freedom and a cultural center to be built at the site of the World Trade Center. Formerly assistant publisher of the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Tofel is a graduate of Harvard College, the Harvard Law School, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Before the publication of Vanishing Point, Tofel wrote A Legend in the Making, a book about the 1939 Yankees. He recently published Sounding the Trumpet, a fascinating look into the making of Kennedy's inaugural address, also published by Ivan R. Dee. He lives with his family in Riverdale, New York.
