Have it, read it, recommend it.

Let me know if you'd like to borrow it.

Have it, read it, recommend it.

Let me know if you'd like to borrow it. [/b][/quote]Thanks SC, but I am currently awaiting the results of an auction in which I placed a bid for the book. Several weeks agao I purchased one online for $2.00 but I never received it. The seller claimed that he mailed it out and then refunded me without ANY question. When I went back to the book site where I purchased it, I found it re-listed by the same seller for $10!!! So I am hoping to win one from the auction that I have bid in. I'll let you know.


Don Cardi

Have it, read it, recommend it.

Let me know if you'd like to borrow it. [/b][/quote]Thanks again SC, but I won the book in the auction. Your offer is greatly appreciated though!

Don Cardi

Ive just started reading.

Boss of Bosses by Joseph F. O'Brien and Andris Kurins. Life and downfall of Paul Castellano, told by the FBI guys who wiretapped his mansion.Seems interesting

Any book there that has to do with Bugsy Siegel? I did not see it posted.

"The Gangster Chronicles"
By Michael Lasker and Richard Alan Simmons


"We Only Kill Each Other: The True Story of Mobster Bugsy Siegel"
By Dean Jennings


Don Cardi

in the movie once apone a time in america, the Bugsy in there. is that the same one?

No, it is not.


Don Cardi

I am considering The Last Don as my next novel purchase. In comparison to The Godfather, how good is it?

That should really be in the "Mario Puzo" section, but I'll go ahead and answer it, becuase I rock :p
It is a pretty good book, but in commparisons to The Godfather, it doesnt even come close. There are a lot of similarities thought, both good and bad.

Does anyone knows if the book 'Addio cosa nostra. I segreti della mafia nella confessione di Tommaso Buscetta' is translated to English, or to Dutch maybe?

These aren't Italian Mafia books, but I thought they were germane nonetheless.

Comrade Criminal by Stephen Handelman details life in modern (published in 1993, so modern minus about twelve years) Russia after to collapse of the Soviet Union. It tells how the different gangs came from, how they've evolved, and what kind of scams they run. It also deals a lot with political corruption but, because it's in Russia and it's twelve years old, those parts aren't really all that interesting.

Overall Comrade Criminal is a pretty good bood, I'd give it a B-.

And

Red Mafiya by Robert I. Friedman deals with Russian organized crime in the Non-Russian world, mostly in the United States. I liked this one a lot better than Comrade Criminal because it focused more on the United States. The book profiles several different Russian gangsters and goes into detail on their different crimes. It's a pretty scary subject considering the nuclear situation.

I'd give this on a B+.

When you are starting on Russian Mafiya.....definately read this one!!!

Bloedsporen: een Reis naar de Mafia (Bloodtracks: a Journey to the Mafia) by Danny Ilegems and Raf Sauviller

This book was written by two Belgian writers, it's in Dutch, I tried to find English translations but couldn't find them.

It deals with Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza Italia (the book was published in '95 so not exactly up to date), the very beginning of the mafia, the 60s and 70s in which Milan would to become Italy's biggest Northern-Italian mafianest, the late 70s and the 80s of Toto Riina and heroin, uptil 1995. Also, the immigration of the Sicilians in the 50s and 60s in the BENELUX who came to rocognise that Holland and Belgium are walhalla for criminals.

Very interesting for Dutch and Belgian people who are fairly new to the subject of organised crime (This is only my second book), but not particurly interesting for those who have read more about it.

Most recent three i have read are
Cigar City Mafia by Scott Dietschze..about Santo Trafficante JR & the Tampa mob. Excellent read!
Black Mass by Dick Lehr & Gerald O'Neill..about Boston & the ever elusive Whitey Bulger!
The Goodfella Tapes by George Anastasia..about Philadelphia & the current plight of its mob!
All excellent reads.

Yesterday i brought two books at a bargain price.

The rise and fall of Gotti-£3.99

Mafia Dynasty-The History of the Gambino Crime Family-£4.21

Mob: Stories of Death and Betrayal from Organized Crime
Edited by Clint Willis

This is a great compiliation of stories taken from the Mafia's greatest books, both fiction and non fiction. This book is great for beginners because it gives you pretty much a manual to the Mafia in novel form and written by some of the Mafia's greatest writers. It is also just genuinesly enjoyable considering that, among books like Underboss, by Peter Maas and The Godfather, by Mario Puzo, there were also stories from other books that I had never even heard of like Defending the Mafia, by Frederic Dannen and The Don is Done, by Jeffery Goldberg. Together this a genuinely good book great for beginners and experts.

The Mafia Encyclopedia -Carl Sifakis

The Mafia Encyclopedia is a good read.

If I'm correct I've read the title of this book in English somewhere, so I think it's translated in English

I live in a part of Belgium with many Italian immigrants (now of the 4th generation), they came working in the colemines, but I never realized that there were also criminals among them.

Okay guys I'm going to update the main thread to include all of the added books and reviews you've all inputted. With finishing Uni I've got time to read for pleasure again so hopefully I can add a few more of my own in the near future. I have one update already I actually finished this a while back:

Made Men: The True Rise and Fall of a New Jersey Mob Family By Greg B Smith

On it's own it's just non fictional account of the New Jersey Mafia and most of it is based around one of the latest mob informers of that region, associate Ralphie Gaurino. This alone makes it a decent read for the avid Mafia enthusiast. Though it is not too exciting. What did higher my rating of the book were the relevant Sopranos name-dropping and similarities to the real New Jersey wiseguys. It's quite interesting realising that actual plot lines and characters from the Sopranos were stolen from current Mafia members from NJ. Not many shows would be audacious enough to that.

Overall, it's a good book worth reading, like I said, for the avid Mafia fan and made better if you're a fan of the Sopranos. Don't expect anything too exciting or a 'can't put down book'.

Ok guys the main list has been updated. If I've missed your review give me a reminder. I've purposely missed a few because I'd rather have a brief review or at least a synopsis with it.

Thanks to all those that have participated so far. And if you've got a review you should start a seperate thread for it. It'll get much more exposure and therefore more discussion.

I'm curious about the book by Selwyn Raab:Five families,i pre-ordered it,but will have to wait til september,800 pages on all five families!

Great! Where did you bought it? What's the price? Is it also availeble in Dutch?

Pre-ordered it at amazon.com,they'll send it to me next month.

amazon.com has hundreds of great books about the mafia.
I just bought "The Good Guys", "Born To The Mob" and
"Made Men". They where all worth the price.
I recomend "Made Men" if you like to watch Sopranos
because this book is about the real New Jersey family.

Amazon is great,i ordered a lot of mafia books over there,in fact i added my own favorite list over there,as finch94,check it out,my 25 favorite books!

I am reading Five Families,by Selwyn Raab,right now,anybody read it?

Definantly Mafia Dynasty. Being a luchese guy i didnt meant much to me, but gambino was one powerhouse