Invisible

This is an interesting book about a fascinating and complicated woman who defied the odds to reach great heights as a lawyer and activist in 1930s-50s New York. The book is written in a more simple “pop” style, in a way that kind of reminds me of “The Five”. There is a lot of information here about the lives of the upper crust of the Harlem Renaissance, as well as insight into how legal cases are built and American electoral politics in general. I liked the way family stories were woven in even if the record proved them inaccurate in one way or another because it gives an insight into how she was viewed by her contemporaries that might not be visible in just the archival material.

I do think the Lucky Luciano aspect is oversold on the blurb (it does pop back up now and then but the majority of the information about the case is covered in maybe 50 pages) and the way her brother's communist activities are written about is in this hand-wringing tone that borders on parody at times.