One of the things that intrigued me about the book was the numerous times Gravano claimed to have detailed conversations with Castellano about business, up to and including hits.

It could be bunk of course but why would a boss want to have direct discussions with a soldier about what that soldier was doing? I mean Gravano was known as a moneymaker but still.. panic

I don't know if Castellano really was that reckless or if Gravano was just making up those portions of his story.

"When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives."
Winter is Coming

Now this is the Law of the Jungle—as old and as true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.
As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back; For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.