The Snakehead An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream
The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream by Patrick Radden Keefe, published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on July 27, 2010, spans 432 pages and is presented in English. This book investigates a hidden world led by an unexpected figure—a middle-aged grandmother who orchestrates a multi-million dollar smuggling operation from her noodle shop in New York’s Chinatown. Through a detailed narrative, Keefe explores the complexities of organized crime and the dynamics of immigration in America.
Readers will find a thorough examination of Sister Ping’s criminal empire and the extensive FBI investigation that ultimately dismantled it. The book delves into the challenges faced by desperate immigrants and the often flawed systems that pursue them. By intertwining elements of true crime with social science, Keefe offers insights into the underground economy that both supports and exploits these individuals. The narrative captures the ironies of the American Dream while providing a vivid portrayal of the lives affected by these circumstances.
Official synopsis Publisher
In this thrilling panorama of real-life events, the bestselling author of Empire of Pain investigates a secret world run by a surprising criminal: a charismatic middle-aged grandmother, who from a tiny noodle shop in New York’s Chinatown managed a multi-million dollar business smuggling people.
“Reads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it’s all true.” —Time
Keefe reveals the inner workings of Sister Ping’s complex empire and recounts the decade-long FBI investigation that eventually brought her down. He follows an often incompetent and sometimes corrupt INS as it pursues desperate immigrants risking everything to come to America, and along the way, he paints a stunning portrait of a generation of illegal immigrants and the intricate underground economy that sustains and exploits them. Grand in scope yet propulsive in narrative force, The Snakehead is both a kaleidoscopic crime story and a brilliant exploration of the ironies of immigration in America.
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