re: Mafia discussion thread and reviews

The Outfit was very good

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The Outfit was very good

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Probably up next on my list. About to finish Sammy the Bull's book.

I avoided The Outfit recently because of its length

The Good Rat by Jimmy Breslin

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In his inimitable New York voice, Pulitzer Prize winner Jimmy Breslin gives us a look through the keyhole at the people and places that define the Mafia—characters like John Gotti, Sammy "the Bull" Gravano, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso (named for his weapon of choice), and Jimmy "the Clam" Eppolito—interwoven with the remarkable true-crime saga of the good rat himself, Burt Kaplan of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the star witness in the recent trial of two NYPD detectives indicted for carrying out eight gangland executions. Through these unforgettable real-life and long-forgotten Mafia stories, Jimmy Breslin captures the moments in which the mob was made and broken

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Definitely a book to read after you have read a good amount of other books. The author I didnt like originally but his style grew on me. He is extremely brash and cocky. Plenty of court papers with exact dialogue during the trials. I powered through it to get to the next book



The Valachi Papers

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The First Inside Account of the Mafia In the 1960s a disgruntled soldier in New York's Genovese Crime Family decided to spill his guts. His name was Joseph Valachi. Daring to break the Mob's code of silence for the first time, Valachi detailed the organization of organized crime from the capos, or bosses, of every Family, to the hit men who "clipped" rivals and turncoats. With a phenomenal memory for names, dates, addresses, phone numbers—and where the bodies were buried—Joe Valachi provided the chilling facts that led to the arrest and conviction of America's major crime figures.

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I hate to say it because I had high hopes for the book, but I wouldnt bother reading this. Pretty boring considering the subject matter.





Underboss by Peter Mass

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In March of 1992, the highest–ranking member of the Mafia in America ever to break his oath of silence testified against his boss, John Gotti. He is Salvatore ("Sammy the Bull") Gravano, second–in–command of the Gambino crime family, the most powerful in the nation. Because of Gotti‘s uncanny ability to escape conviction in state and federal trials despite charges that he was the Mafia‘s top chieftain, the media had dubbed him the "Teflon Don." With Sammy the Bull, this would all change.

Today Gotti is serving life in prison without parole. And as a direct consequence of Gravano‘s testimony, the Cosa Nostra – the Mafia‘s true name – is in shambles

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Fantastic book from start to finish. This guy really had an incredible rise through the ranks. You always hear him being described as a rat only. After reading this book, I cant blame him for what he did. He was going to get screwed by Gotti and it was his only way out. I think it sucks that his turn hurt Gaspipe's future, but that was the fault of the US Govt. This is a must read

thanks for the summaries

Definitely going to try and read Underboss when I have time

It's worth the read. Great book from front to back and is a true look into why some of these guys turn

A very short documentary some here might be interested in:

Crazy Joe Gallo

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Joseph Gallo (April 7, 1929 – April 7, 1972), also known as "Crazy Joe", was a celebrated New York City gangster for the Profaci crime family, later known as the Colombo crime family. Gallo initiated one of the bloodiest mob conflicts since the 1931 Castellammarese War and was murdered as a result of it.

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At Auburn [NY state prison], Gallo took up watercolor painting and became an avid reader, soon becoming conversant on Jean-Paul Sartre, Franz Kafka, Albert Camus, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy, Ayn Rand and his role model, Niccolò Machiavelli

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Gallo soon became a part of New York high society. His connection started when actor Jerry Orbach played the inept mobster "Kid Sally Palumbo" in the 1971 film The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight, a role loosely based on Gallo.[3] Gallo felt the Palumbo character was demeaning and wanted to discuss his objections with Orbach. After Gallo dined with Orbach and his first wife, Marta Curro, they became good friends and the couple invited Gallo to many social events. Marta Orbach later commented that Gallo had "absolutely" charmed her. Gallo's new friends soon included actress Joan Hackett, comedian David Steinberg and writer Peter Stone. Gallo and his wife Jeffie moved from President Street to an apartment in Greenwich Village so they could live closer to his new social circle.

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Finished The Outfit. It was a very detailed book but I found myself bored with it because of length and the sheer amount of topics they had to touch on. Seems like they couldnt dive into much because theyre doing such a huge time frame.

The book though does open your eyes into how powerful this organization was. I wouldnt call it a 'family' like the other cities mobs because they let non-Italians join. They were arguably the most powerful underworld group in America.





This next one was a very quick read. Finished in 3 days or so. Michael was the son of a mafia captain in the Colombo family. He was in school to become a doctor and kind of got sucked into the life trying to get his father out of prison.

He made more money for the mob than anyone since Al Capone. He ran a gas tax scheme where he was making tens of millions of dollars a week, in cash. Insane what he and some others were doing

The book is great 80% in until he found Jesus. It got preachy then and a little boring. Still worth a buy

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I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt: fascinating story of what happened to Hoffa. Soon to be movie by Scorsese

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One subject I haven't dove into much. Might read it before the movie comes out

You are correct.

Still need to get a hold of Underboss - for some reason it’s not on the Kindle store