Solid and interesting biography of Sherman Billingsley, the owner (whether in whole or in part is a major plot element in the book) and impresario behind the "Stork Club," the famous nightclub in mid-20th century New York City. Blumenthal (an investigative crime reporter for the New York Times) does a credible job of going back and ferreting out Billingsley's roots, which are very curious, indeed. The Stork Club probably would not have lasted into the Summer of Love era, but the author does show how Billingsley self-destructed. A very interesting read. Recommended. ( )

n a companion to the exhibition at the New York Historical Society, an inside story of the Stork Club, one of New York's most glamorous clubs reveals its hidden underworld connections, from its founding during the speakeasy era through the height of its popularity in the 1960s.