From Booklist
First-time author Harper presents a tale of mystery and intrigue that begins after his father's death, when he discovered the secret contents of a locked metal box that had never left his father's side. The father, James Harper, had been an over-the-road truck driver and a card-carrying member of the Teamster's Union in the early 1960s, when corruption ran rampant under the leadership of then-president Jimmy Hoffa. The documents that Harper found led him on an investigative mission to uncover the truth about the fear and secrecy that dominated his household when he was a young child. Although the elder Harper could have led a routine life as a Teamster's driver, he distinguished himself by going on a one-man crusade to clean up corruption among the leaders of his Teamster's Local 544, a prominent Minneapolis chapter with significant connections to Hoffa himself. The resulting attention raised the ire of the powerful union boss and brought untold danger upon James Harper and his young family. Although much has been written about the enigmatic Hoffa, Harper's revelations present a unique and personal perspective.
David SiegfriedCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
“Crossing Hoffa: A Teamster’s Story delves into the early lives of both Jim Harper and Jimmy Hoffa to probe why Harper might have continued the fight despite the consequences…. It’s a thoroughly researched book.”
Chicago Sun Times“The book is at its best when it relates stories passed from father to son; an ominous dinner with a nameless ‘friend’ of Hoffa’s—a mob character, we’re led to assume—at Charlie’s Café Exceptionale; a meeting with Hoffa at the Park-Nicollett Hotel; a harrowing truck ride down Hwy. 61 near Winona.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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