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*THE AUTHOR*Alex Daoud has lived his entire life in the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Florida. Boxing was one of his favorite childhood hobbies. Working out at the famous Fifth Street Gym during its heyday, Alex trained under the legendary Angelo Dundee and did roadwork with the likes of Muhammad Ali and other world champions.Alex attended the University of Tampa, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, then received his Juris Doctor degree from Northern Illinois University before returning to his home of Miami Beach to begin practicing law. The blight that plagued South Beach at this time was shocking, and before long Alex found himself caught up in the tumultuous world of city government in an effort to rejuvenate the city of his birth.Elected to the Miami Beach City Commission in 1979, Alex served three consecutive terms, then in 1985 made history by becoming the first Lebanese Catholic mayor of the City of Miami Beach. Alex was also the first mayor of Miami Beach to serve three consecutive terms.During his tenure, South Beach was transformed from a crime-ridden, slum-infested neighborhood into one of the world's premier playgrounds. Sins of South Beach is the true story of one of the most spectacular renovations that any city has ever undergone, and of the seedy underside that fueled its fire.Former three-time Miami Beach mayor Alex Daoud has released his long-awaited autobiography Sins of South Beach: The True Story of Corruption, Violence, and the Making of Miami Beach. The first three-time mayor of Miami Beach (1985-1991), Daoud offers an honest and unabashed account of his life and career, and warns of the intoxicating nature of political power.----------------------------------- *THE BOOK*Sins of South Beach focuses on Daoud’s contributions that propelled South Beach’s transformation from crime-ridden, slum-infested neighborhood into one of the world’s premier playgrounds. Daoud is not bashful about the seedy underside that fueled his administration, falling into a self-destructive pattern of behavior that permeated his political and personal life. ----------------------------------- *EXCERPT*"I paused in front of the bed and quickly opened the dark gym bag that lay on top. Inside was a black leather case. I carefully held the case, unzipping the cover and pulling aside the sheepskin inner lining to reveal the cold, compelling, gunmetal-blue steel of my 9mm Sig Sauer.""Despite the temporary solace my gun provided, there really was no choice but to go through with the plan as agreed. Maybe this was the source of heroism -not courage, but fear and fighting when no other options remained." ---------------------------*CRITICAL ACCL..*"Alex Daoud may have thought he was just writing a first-hand account of his experiences as a South Beach city commissioner. What he has really done is show in microcosm how municipal governments in the United States have lost control of America's cities through a mixture of apathy, ambition, and a preoccupation with petty politicking.Daoud's actions and opinions may be controversial, but no one can accuse him of not caring about the people he was elected to represent–and no one can deny that ultimately he was denied the opportunity to do so by men and women more concerned with their own self-interests than in fulfilling the duties of public service.This is a must read for anyone who believes that a little altruism can make a difference at any level of government–and a cautionary tale of how a person's best work can be undone by little men and women who strive only for their own agendas"- Daniel Allen Butler, NY Times Best-Selling Author of "Unsinkable" and "The First Jihad"------"An astonishing expose on Miami Beach by one of the city's most beloved mayors.""Compulsively readable, there's shock after shock on almost every page. A naked mea culpa of graft and corruption in America's most popular winter resort.""The revelations are stunning. Sex, corruption, police misconduct, villains and heroes. It's going to shock people to the core."- Steven Gaines, NY Times Best-Selling Author of "Philistines at the Hedgerow"--------------------------------------------- www.sinsofsouthbeach.com