Since our Don, JGeoff, was kind enough to alert us to publication of this new book by Joseph ("Donnie Brasco") Pistone, I thought I'd give a brief review:
This is a light, quick, enjoyable read--you can probably finish it in one sitting. Those who read "Donnie Brasco" will find some familiar tales, but Pistone manages to shed new light on them (including some choice stories about Tony Mirra, "a very scary guy," as the young Michael Corleone might say). Pistone generalizes too much to provide any profound insights into the Mob, but you still get plenty of choice tidbits. Those here who think the Mafia is all-powerful and invincible would do well to read the last chapter.
The book includes an audio CD of tapes of conversations between "Brasco" and Lefty Guns Ruggiero, plus a transcript of same. Lefty utters such gibberish that you wonder if the greatest threat to Pistone while undercover was to die from boredom, rather than gunfire.
I give it 6.5/10 (vs. 8.5/10 for "Donnie Brasco"). Worth reading.

Excellent, thanks for that Turnbull. It's high on my priorities to get. I think it comes out over in the next few weeks and as soon as this month is over and all my assigments are in I'll have plenty of time to read again.

I've been reading that book and I give it a solid nine out of ten. I think it's great and offers some wonderful insight into "this thing of ours".

Ive been meaning to check into that,although I'm not a huge Brasco fan, as he has written numerous books that all say the exact same thing.What is this, number 4 or 5?

I'm about a quarter way through it so far, enjoying it, but unsure of the level of enjoyment. Sometimes it seems like a Mafia for Dummies book but then it tells me something usefull which I like. The anecdotes throughout are excellent though.

What is wierd, is that because of the audio CD that comes with it, I'm actually hearing Pistones voice as I'm reading the book.

I haven't even listened to the CD yet, even though I've been done with the book for a while now.

Now I'm reading Henry Hill's new book, "Gangsters And Goodfellas: The Mob, Witness Protection, And Life On The Run"...

I just finished reading 'Way of the Wiseguy', even though its a short read its worth reading, with plenty of stories and information on the mob. and the CD is cool to as you here real surveilance tapes used.

Overall an enjoyable read(7/10), but not as good as 'Donnie Brasco, my life in the Mob'.

joe greek

What a coincidence Joe, I finished reading it yesterday also. I stand by my previous comments. It was a good enjoyable read but there was nothing really new to it except for a few anecdotes.

Also it's a very small book, don't let the size fool you. Half of it is blank or title pages (20 odd chapters).

Has anyone read the new Henry Hill book? I've read exerpts of it, and its good from what I read, but not nearly enough to warrant a purchase without somemore insight.

I read it and it was quite interesting and informative. Henry Hill is literally full of stories and anecdotes and he could probably fit more of them into yet another book. I recommend it.