12th And Mcgraw [Paperback]

Forrest Haskell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2009

12th & McGraw is the story of Forrest Haskell, Jr. and his coming of age immersed in the Detroit rackets in the1940's. His father, Forrest Haskell, Sr., having been born into near poverty and abused as a child, had acquired a tremendous thirst for wealth. In his quest for riches he operated many different types of businesses, some legal and others not. From a young age Forrest, Jr. worked along side his father and struggled with the corruption, violence, and evil that surrounded him. During these years he encountered many strange and unique characters who had been hired to help run the racketeering and other business operations.

His greatest challenge was dealing with the fallout from his father's double life. For over 50 years Forrest Sr. alternated each night between two separate families. This led to a lifelong identity crisis for young Forrest that haunts him even today. 12th & McGraw chronicles incidents of gun play, a secret language, and a custom-made automobile that was used as a rolling bank. It reveals, in detail, each of the racketeering businesses including the "Blind Pigs," bookmaking, numbers operations, loan sharking, and influence peddling that were commonplace in Detroit and all across the country during that era.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a case study in drive and determination ... that proves that background and upbringing alone does not make the person." -- Louis Scantland - Documentation

"...a peek into the life of an exciting man who didn't play by the rules....A lovely tribute..." -- Molly Martin Reviews-A Thought Provoking Read - 5 Stars

"...an example of a dysfuncial family...a father who loved his son but constantly put him in harmsway..." -- Carole E. Hoff

"A very good piece of non-fiction ... Haskell, a first-time scribe, immerses himself deep within his memories ... -- www.Booksand authors.net October, 2004

"With the childhood he has described, if left to other "worldly" influences, he would never have survived." -- David Bain

The book tells the true tale of Haskell and his life as he grew up in the 1950s. -- The McKinney Courier-Gazette, July 25,2004

About the Author

Born in downtown Detroit in the shadow of the Tiger's Baseball Stadium and into the world with an uncertain future. Forrest spent his young life as well as most of his teenage years involved with his dad in the illegal rackets, mainly booking horses and loan sharking and the numbers. Through hard work, plenty of study and the desire to get out of the rackets, he managed to graduate from Northwestern High School at the early age of 16. A few years later, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent over two years as a military policeman and trainee helicopter pilot in Germany. A few months after his discharge from the military, he met a green-eyed beauty and not wasting any time got her to marry him after a three-month whirlwind courtship. She being a Christian led him to realize that he wanted to find a straight life and raise a family. As luck would have it, upon answering a newspaper ad to sell copy machines for the 3-M company he got the job and it changed his life for the better. Haskell stayed in the copy machine business for over thirty years and being the salesman he was became very successful as an owner of several companies related to the office machine and leasing business.

Wanting to try something new, he sold all his offices to a large company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, moved to Texas and went into the fast lube industry. A few years later when Jiffy Lube bought out all its dealers, Haskell sold out again. This time he and his son spend most of their time racing offshore powerboats on the national circuit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bell Books; 2nd edition (February 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929976291
• ISBN-13: 978-1929976294
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,502,084 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fitzgerald Would Be Proud, August 22, 2004

By 

M. Bolding "indigenous stranger" (Shreveport, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 12th And Mcgraw (Paperback)

A very good piece of non-fiction can found in Forrest Haskell's, 12th & McGraw. Haskell, a first-time scribe, immerses himself deep within his memories and returns with a story of if not better days, certainly different days; days responsible for exactly who and what Haskell is and perhaps isn't. It's ballsy move, laying your life out for public inspection, but coming from where Haskell comes from, it's the stand-up thing to do. 12th and McGraw is not the underworld send-up some may suggest, instead it is a fascinating slice of Americana. It is the story of a man, a boy and ulitimately a boy who became a man. 12th and McGraw, Forrest Haskell's midnight confession.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I Wish I Had Been Involved in the Editing...., August 5, 2004

By 

K. Barrett "katibar" (Valley Mills, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 12th And Mcgraw (Paperback)

12th & McGraw is one of those books that grabs you and won't let go! Because I know the author and his wife as wonderful acquaintances (and we would be good friends if we could spend more time together) I know the life he lived as a youngster still impacts him today. I can not imagine living through the adventures he describes, but they are certainly fun to read about. My ONLY criticism of the book is that it could use some additional editing. Having been a journalist all my life, I read everything entirely too critically. This book is not the only one I'd like to get my hands on. When Forrest talks of his lovely and wonderful wife "Nancy," he doesn't exaggerate at all. She's a living doll and, together, they have made a wonderful life for themselves and their family. I know that to be true. This book is exciting and Forrest has the ability to put his reader right in the middle of all the action. Give it a try. You won't be sorry.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Forgiving Spirit, July 2, 2009

By 

Shirl Day (Hobbs, New Mexico USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 12th And Mcgraw (Paperback)

One day while searching online for a particular book at Amazon.com, I came across a author's name that seemed very familiar to me. Forrest Haskell Jr. had been a friend of mine in Detroit sixty years ago and when I saw his book 12th and McGraw I excitedly purchased it and thus began a journey back into my childhood and his. I was especially touched by the sensitivity in which Forrest wrote about his parents.Though he lived among the most unconventional people , and was subjected to the not so normal life of racketeering, gambling, money laundering, bigomy, etc. , he emerged, with the influence of love, a person of forgiveness, a decent law-biding citizen, great husband and father and was able to give thanks and tribute to his parents whom he adored in spite of their misgivings. The things I read in the book were mostly unknown to me as a young girl. The home Forrest Sr. and Marie offered shelter, comfort, a sense of family, and acceptance. Thanks for the memories Forrest and great book. My husband and I enjoyed it immensly.