4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Fun - but mostly false, August 29, 2009
By R______ M_____ - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: My Life in the Mafia (Hardcover)
A lot of people love this book. Unfortunately, most of the "inside" info Vinnie Teresa reveals has been proven over the years -- and in court -- to be little more than made-up fantasy and lies.

Teresa -- who claimed to be the No. 3 man in the Patriarca family -- was actually a low-level hustler and gofer. He was not the insider he claimed to be. He got in a jam with the law and cut a deal -- effectively pulling the wool over the law's eyes. He testified and initially put people behind bars, but later trials -- most importantly the one against Meyer Lansky -- revealed him to be a liar. Although he claimed to have worked closely with Lansky, it was conclusively shown in court they never even met. Teresa later admitted making up most of his stories.

In other words, the book is enjoyable. But it is fiction.