American Tabloid - post V

As the story starts to focus on the Bay of Pigs invasion of nCuba in 1961 it gathers its own momentum. But oddly the invasion is seen at arms length with none of the main characters directly involved.

It gives the reader a reminder that the Cuban story is not necessarily the main focus here and the characters are going to live beyond those events.

Where it does leave things is in a mess as the invasion fails. Drugs have not only become the occupation for Kemper and Pete but in the former’s case under the influence of Kennedy have become a habit.

That means that Cuba is increasingly sidelined and drugs, profits and self preservation become the order of the day.

The weaving of fact and fiction is enjoyable and with so many extreme characters hanging around from Howard Hughes down to Jimmy Hoffa it is an explosive time waiting to end in Kennedy’s assassination.

More tomorrow…