The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream

Patrick Radden Keefe's gripping non-fiction work, The Snakehead, delves into the complex and often brutal world of New York's Chinatown underworld. This book, longlisted for the 2024 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, reads like a true crime thriller, exploring the rise and fall of a powerful criminal figure.

The narrative centers on Cheng Chui Ping, known as Sister Ping, a charismatic grandmother who built a multimillion-dollar human smuggling empire from a humble noodle shop. Keefe masterfully unravels the intricacies of her operation and chronicles the decade-long FBI investigation that ultimately led to her downfall. The book also sheds light on the desperate journeys of immigrants risking everything for a chance at the American Dream and the underground economy that both sustains and exploits them.

Merging compelling storytelling with meticulous investigative journalism, Patrick Radden Keefe offers a powerful portrait of a generation and the hidden forces that shaped their lives.

Key Features:

• Explores the true story of Sister Ping and her Chinatown smuggling empire.
• Details the decade-long FBI investigation into her operations.
• Paints a vivid picture of undocumented immigrants and the underground economy.
• Written by acclaimed non-fiction author Patrick Radden Keefe.
• Longlisted for the 2024 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction.

Specifications:

• Author: Patrick Radden Keefe
• Binding: Paperback
• Pages Count: 448
• Dimensions: 130x29x198mm
• Weight: 315g
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 16 February 2023
• Reading Age: 18 years and up

The Snakehead is an essential read for anyone interested in true crime, organized crime, and the immigrant experience in America.