Years ago, Mike Bookman got it into his head to write a novel rich in sex, violence, mystery, passion and betrayal.
In other words, about life among Jews at the turn of the century in New York’s Lower East Side. As Bookman recalls, “Along with upright unionists like David Dubinsky and his ILGWU, there were shlammers, like Gyp ‘The Blood’ Horowitz, Kid ‘Twist’ Zweiback, and Dopey Benny Fine, armed with lead pipes, chains, knucks and guns, who constituted the vast and bloody mercenary army of the labor wars.”
Indeed, the Lower East Side of Yiddish theater, firebrand politics and hard-working immigrants was also rife with pimps, addicts and gangland thugs — many of them Jewish.
It was this chunk of history that entranced Bookman and sent him on a years-long journey. The result is the captivating first novel “God’s Rat,” (PublishAmerica, Inc., $19.95)
Hanging his story on the infamous trial of crooked New York City Police Lt. Charles Becker for the murder of the gangster Herman Rosenthal, Bookman crafted a coming-of-age tale of 15-year-old Abie Isaacs. Abie overhears his mother’s former pimp, Morris Schiff, and a crooked politician plotting to murder Rosenthal and frame Becker. The boy feels compelled to warn Rosenthal. As a result, he earns the potentially lethal epithet “Rat,” and his world, which was fairly rotten to begin with, turns upside down.
In Bookman’s hands, this world is frightening and unrelentingly suspenseful. The descriptions are densely packed and vivid, and the characters are tough, unsentimental and — therefore — remarkably fresh.
Getting his book published, however, proved more daunting than reversing any stereotype. Bookman came up against a publishing world that looks upon a literate historical novel by a first-timer as best-seller poison. The rejections piled up. Several years ago he sent a draft manuscript to The Journal offices and asked for our publishing advice (mind you, he was desperate). We were entranced, and urged him to stop at nothing to get his book distributed.
A small press finally came through, and the reviews have justified our enthusiasm. “Perfect dialogue,” said one. “I’d love to see the movie,” said another. So would we.
God’s Rat is available at
— Rob Eshman, Editor-at-Large
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