620 pages.
Featuring a matte laminated cover with deep, full-color artwork and stylish inner flaps for hardcover-like presentation. This edition of MIAMI OUTLAW: KID TO KINGPIN is designed to feel substantial in the hand – and unforgettable on the shelf.Â
The Alex DeCubas story,
as introduced on ESPN’s PIN KINGS
THE MIAMI OUTLAW:Â KID TO KINGPIN.
In one of Miami’s few upscale suburban high schools, a solid young tenth grader went out for nearly every athletic team, and his success was stunning. As early as ninth grade they were writing about him.
Vin Mannix, a sports writer for the now defunct South Dade News Leader, wrote, “The staggering fact about this youngster is this: Except for last season’s championship match, DeCubas has NEVER wrestled beyond the first period the last two years. He has pinned everyone he faced.” -The Miami Herald
In a searing examination of modern society’s thirst for drugs and the folly of the official drug war, THE MIAMI OUTLAW: KID TO KINGPIN mixes meticulous historical research, investigative reporting, and anthropological detail to illuminate the origins of a few young men’s quest for riches and their willingness to do almost anything to get them. In doing so Sherouse sets them within a landscape of South Florida’s other societal woes in the years just after Vietnam. The result is a tour de force of history and storytelling combined with a plaintive cry for understanding. The author is revealing a story he helped create, he nurtured the protagonist in the beginning of a lifelong journey that led to his envelopment in the criminal underworld of three continents.
THE MIAMI OUTLAW: KID TO KINGPIN dismantles myths as it moves from the naïve optimism of “Just Say No” through the treacherous ripoff world of Miami’s hungry criminals. Sherouse follows the dizzying paths young men chose for immediate gratification through an upward spiral leading them to cocaine shipments of over 10,000 lbs. Throughout, the story animates a world often sloughed off to pink flamingoes and fancy cars; its emboldened characters —drug smugglers, ripoff-men, government careerists, and fools, dance about living life alongside a parallel universe of normality. Drawing from years of research, prison interviews, a decade living the life, and recently declassified government records. Dr. Sherouse also presents a richly human account of an evolution in our nation’s view on drugs. Sherouse’s prose does exactly what the best historical or anthropological writing does—it takes the familiar and shows us another side; it takes the unfamiliar and lets us see inside. His scope is omnivorous—Sherouse is dazzling in his research and due-diligence. This is a book about connections between people and culture, people and history, people and the transnational economy. Sherouse pulls together expanding threads of a vast story and what emerges is disquieting.
THE MIAMI OUTLAW: KID TO KINGPINÂ is an epic filled with a poignant sense of discovery in a coming of age tale gone awry: a true American tragedy.
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Jack G –
Will keep you in n the edge of your seat. Fantastic writing, great story telling! Very rich. Great read overall, if you love history, boats, nature, action, Indians!!! There seems to be a bit about everything. Definitely not just about drug trafficking. It covers lots of universal themes within that realm. Looking forward to the next one-great preview by the way!!!
Karolina Rajic Miskovic –
Miami Outlaw is a great book for folks wanting to learn more about the history of Miami in an engaging way. Although it’s “fiction,” it’s based on very real events & people and captures the atmosphere, culture, and challenges of Miami’s past. The book helps one see history through the eyes of characters living in it, making important historical themes easier to understand. It also includes a rich bibliography and offers additional resources for future investigations, making it a valuable starting point for deeper research and exploration. From start to finish I really enjoyed it. The mix of fast-paced chapters and slower ones kept things interesting through entire reading. I loved the ending, but I wish there were more pages. Cannot wait for the next book.
Charles –
Miami Outlaw; Kid to Kingpin by Capt. Scott Sherouse PhD offers a compelling window into a pivotal era of Miami’s history through the lives of two friends from starkly different backgrounds.
Beginning with an insightful overview of the Bahamas role in the smuggling of goods to the United States. The book introduces Scott and Alex, whose friendship defies their contrasting upbrings. Scott hailing from a family of highly educated parents one a prominent Miami attorney and his mother a Full Professor at a local college, while Alex emerges from immigrant roots marked by tragic loss and resilience.
Scott skillfully weaves a series of engaging capers that not only chart the boy’s escapades but also vividly evokes the Miami of that time – a city flush with cash, where fortunes were made and lost in the blink of an eye. For readers familiar with this era, the narrative resonates deeply, capturing both the vibrant highs and the shadowy undercurrents of a unique chapter in the American urban history. The author’s portrayal stands out for its unique memories into a cohesive story of how Miami and the Bahamas influenced their development.
As a reviewer, I wholeheartedly endorse this novel. It transcends the typical story of contraband and crimes to become a rich nuanced snapshot of place and period, anchored by the enduring bond between two men shaped by extraordinary circumstances. Miami Outlaw is a must read for anyone interested in the complex tapestry of Miami’s past and the human stories behind its legendary reputation.