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Mob Island
“Some things are not what they look and feel like.” — “Louie the Tailor” Rosanova
Lou was right. Who would have believed that Savannah, Georgia, specifically the Savannah Inn and Country Club, played a significant role in mobster relations? Leading figures in the Mob during the seventies came together for important meetings at the Inn. And there were good reasons why they chose Savannah for these meetings (and the ultimate burial site of Jimmy Hoffa).
More importantly, who would believe that the friendship between a brilliant young southern lawyer and a powerful member of the Chicago Outfit would evolve into one of the most effective defence teams combating social and legal injustices in South Georgia at the time? For the first time, Bubba Haupt explains how the Outfit and the Teamsters were instrumental in funding the successful defence of indigent clients facing the death penalty. Without the help of Rosanova, innocent individuals would have been electrocuted or spent their entire lives in prison. Rosanova is a complicated person and his residence in Savannah is a largely unknown but fascinating part of Mob history.
As Haupt says, “In every lawyer’s trial experience, some events loom so large that others are completely overshadowed. Some are humorous while others are extremely sad.” Haupt shares details of his cases, experiences, thoughts, and feelings surrounding events that changed his life and many of his clients’ lives forever.
No longer under Omertà (the vow of silence), Bubba Haupt’s riveting story will leave you breathless.
Lou was right. Who would have believed that Savannah, Georgia, specifically the Savannah Inn and Country Club, played a significant role in mobster relations? Leading figures in the Mob during the seventies came together for important meetings at the Inn. And there were good reasons why they chose Savannah for these meetings (and the ultimate burial site of Jimmy Hoffa).
More importantly, who would believe that the friendship between a brilliant young southern lawyer and a powerful member of the Chicago Outfit would evolve into one of the most effective defence teams combating social and legal injustices in South Georgia at the time? For the first time, Bubba Haupt explains how the Outfit and the Teamsters were instrumental in funding the successful defence of indigent clients facing the death penalty. Without the help of Rosanova, innocent individuals would have been electrocuted or spent their entire lives in prison. Rosanova is a complicated person and his residence in Savannah is a largely unknown but fascinating part of Mob history.
As Haupt says, “In every lawyer’s trial experience, some events loom so large that others are completely overshadowed. Some are humorous while others are extremely sad.” Haupt shares details of his cases, experiences, thoughts, and feelings surrounding events that changed his life and many of his clients’ lives forever.
No longer under Omertà (the vow of silence), Bubba Haupt’s riveting story will leave you breathless.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2023
47 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 10, 2024
A must read if you live in Savannah or have even visited. Giving it four stars because I felt the chapters were a little jumbled and out of order, and there wasn’t necessarily a timeline that was easy to follow. I also felt like while the novel presented itself as being mostly about the Chicago Mob’s involvement in Savannah, it was more of a memoir for Bubba Haupt. That isn’t a bad thing, he led an extremely interesting and unexpected life, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.
Still, an extremely interesting read that gave me a new insight into our criminal (in)justice system, and just how many outside political influences are at force that we don’t see. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend!
Still, an extremely interesting read that gave me a new insight into our criminal (in)justice system, and just how many outside political influences are at force that we don’t see. Thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend!
February 7, 2024
“brilliant young southern lawyer and a powerful member of the Chicago Outfit would evolve into one of the most effective defence teams combating social and legal injustices in South Georgia at the time?”
What a crock! It seems the five star ratings are not from Savannah or weren’t around at the time. Lou Rosanova was not the kindly grandfather type that he was depicted on more than one instance in this book. In his early life, he was a Chicago hitman and at the time of this book he planned peoples murders. Bubba Haupt was brilliant, but he was attorney for the mob. Need anymore be said.
What a crock! It seems the five star ratings are not from Savannah or weren’t around at the time. Lou Rosanova was not the kindly grandfather type that he was depicted on more than one instance in this book. In his early life, he was a Chicago hitman and at the time of this book he planned peoples murders. Bubba Haupt was brilliant, but he was attorney for the mob. Need anymore be said.
November 30, 2025
Interesting story, but questionable veracity and the author downplayed his role in scandals, which makes me doubt some of his accomplishments.
March 12, 2024
This is the best book I've read in a year. I was born in Savannah, and I've lived here all my life. This book is from a time when I was too young to be involved, but I do remember the author and some of the judges and lawyers and the Savannah Inn and Country Club, and I remember the little airstrip off to the left as we drove to the beach. I remember the very flirty Konter real estate agent that sold me my first house, and I have absolutely no doubt she was the woman whose lover was murdered by a shotgun blast as they were having sex ("Let Konter Get On Top of It").
As I read the book, it stimulated a ton of old memories, but even if you're not from Savannah, this book offers a lot. For example, I've never understood why the Mafia would want JFK dead, but it makes perfect sense now. I never knew why the golf course and hotel were connected to the mob, but it makes perfect sense now. I'll stop, but there is a lot that I have not mentioned in this review.
Read it! Just read it!
As I read the book, it stimulated a ton of old memories, but even if you're not from Savannah, this book offers a lot. For example, I've never understood why the Mafia would want JFK dead, but it makes perfect sense now. I never knew why the golf course and hotel were connected to the mob, but it makes perfect sense now. I'll stop, but there is a lot that I have not mentioned in this review.
Read it! Just read it!
November 14, 2023
Well researched story about the mob in a small coastal town
I liked the narrative and explanation of the background of the organized families, their immense role in American history and the insiders view.
I liked the narrative and explanation of the background of the organized families, their immense role in American history and the insiders view.
December 9, 2023
Great read about the mob in Savannah!
I've lived in Savannah for most of my adult life. I've heard stories about the mob, teamsters, and Mafia. It was really cool to read an account of what was going on here on my little island.
I've lived in Savannah for most of my adult life. I've heard stories about the mob, teamsters, and Mafia. It was really cool to read an account of what was going on here on my little island.
December 7, 2023
Very interesting book. I did not want to put it down. Well written.
January 14, 2026
A series of vignettes from the life of Bubba Haupt, Savannah GA lawyer. He served as the attorney for the Mob in the 1970's, for their outpost at the Savannah Inn and Golf Club.
I don't quite want to call it a memoir, as there is really no narrative theme tying the individual stories together. Interesting 'tidbits', including (yet another) a theory about the final resting place of Jimmy Hoffa, as well as the Mob and the assassinations of both Kennedy's (JFK and RFK).
Read it for book club, and pleased to have done that, but not quite sure I can recommend the book in it's entirety.
I don't quite want to call it a memoir, as there is really no narrative theme tying the individual stories together. Interesting 'tidbits', including (yet another) a theory about the final resting place of Jimmy Hoffa, as well as the Mob and the assassinations of both Kennedy's (JFK and RFK).
Read it for book club, and pleased to have done that, but not quite sure I can recommend the book in it's entirety.
November 7, 2024
It was interesting to read, b/c I knew where they were talking about in the book, b/c I have family that live in the Savannah and Wilmington Island area. I became interested in reading this book, b/c my Moms best friends story was in it. She was murdered, and Mr. Haupt was the lawyer of one of the guys that was involved in the murder of my mom’s best friend. Some of the stories were hard to read, b/c it’s gotta be so difficult to be the lawyer of some of these people.
January 22, 2024
Super Fast read. The 320 pages. Went by fast. What an interesting. Look inside the inner workings of a small town lawyer and the mafia. The mobsters had a big heart. Who knows they created the “public defender system “ of today.
February 6, 2024
Not a good read.
July 10, 2024
Captivating read. No surprises in life of legal eagles!!
November 18, 2024
This book was very interesting to me as it is set in Savannah. Nonfiction. Good insight into being a public defender, mob influence and history of the 70s.
December 11, 2025
Questionable!
May 16, 2024
Knew Bubba in high school and as a member of the Savannah Jaycees.
Bubba was a flash in the pan and a big flash at that. Never the less, Bubba was real. It's too bad the flash diminished, Excellent book.
Bubba was a flash in the pan and a big flash at that. Never the less, Bubba was real. It's too bad the flash diminished, Excellent book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews