Button Man - by Andrew Gross (Paperback)

About the Book

Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabishevsky grew up poor and rough in a tiny flat on the Lower East Side, until the death of their father thrust them into having to fend for themselves and support their large family. Morris, the youngest, dropped out of school at twelve years old and apprenticed himself to a garment cutter in a clothing factory; Sol headed to accounting school; but Harry, scarred by a family tragedy, fell in with a gang of thugs as a teenager. Morris steadily climbs through the ranks at the factory until at twenty-one he finally goes out on his own, convincing Sol to come work with him. But Harry can't be lured away from the glamour, the power, and the money that come from his association with Louis Buchalter, whom Morris has battled with since his youth and who has risen to become the most ruthless mobster in New York. And when Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers' factories, a fatal showdown is inevitable, pitting brother against brother.

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Andrew Gross delivers a compelling, unforgettable tale of a Jewish family torn apart by the birth of organized crime.

New York, 1930s. Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabishevsky grew up poor and rough on the Lower East Side, until the death of their father forced them to fend for themselves and support the family. Morris, the youngest yet most driven of the brothers, apprentices himself to a garment manufacturer; bookish Sol drops out of accounting school; and Harry, always the tough one, believes he can help out by learning the ways and means of a charismatic local crime figure. Later, when Morris and Sol find career success and decide to create their own business, Harry can't be lured away from the glamour and prestige that comes from being a "button man"--a gun man--for Louis Buchalter, now the most ruthless mobster in the city. When Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that control the garment factories, a fatal showdown becomes inevitable, pitting brother against brother.

"Outstanding and engrossing."--Associated Press

"Big, heartfelt...with all the street-scrambling energy that distinguishes the best fiction of Jeffrey Archer and Mario Puzo."--USA Today

About the Author

ANDREW GROSS was the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of several novels, including The One Man, No Way Back, Everything to Lose, and One Mile Under. He also coauthored of several #1 New York Times bestsellers with James Patterson, including Judge & Jury and Lifeguard. His books have been translated into over 25 languages. He lived in Westchester County, New York. He passed away at age 72 in 2025.