Book Description

Some people float through life with never a care, a worry, or a problem, and others break their back to get through it. Author William L. Otto was one of those men. In The Last of the Dinosaurs, he shares his story as well of the story of a family, an age, and a city. A businessman, veteran, father, son, player, operator, and friend, Otto grew up on the depression-era streets of the Bronx. His story begins with the hard scrabble life of a poor family doing what was necessary to survive, even as Otto's father took the meager amount they made to spend on drinking and gambling. Like many boys of that time, Otto did what he could to earn money for his family, regardless of the risks. Through hard work and hustle, Otto found himself in the office cleaning business, an industry populated with union bosses, power brokers, and the kind of mob-connected characters infamous around New York City. The Last of the Dinosaurs chronicles Otto's dealings with these colorful, but very real, figures in business and social circles His tales include friendships with Olympic champions, office brawls with union leaders, life-saving interventions from mob bosses, and showdowns with the city's most powerful figures. Despite Otto's resilience and hard work, he was eventually confronted with financial ruin, betrayal, and heartbreak from those he loved and trusted the most. He persevered and found happiness and peace with what remained, and to this day he remains indefatigable.