I want to start reading up on the mafia. I am very interested in it. What books should I start off with to get a good grip on the subject? I was thinking of starting with Italian gangsters, then reading about prohibition and Jewish gangsters, then eventually Irish gangsters. Is this a good reading plan:

- Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires (Selwyn Raab)

- The First Family: Terror, Extortion, Revenge, Murder and The Birth of the American Mafia (Mike Dash)

- Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia (John Dickie)

- The Starker: Big Jack Zelig, the Becker-Rosenthal Case, and the Advent of the Jewish Gangster (Rose Keefe)

- Mr. Capone (Robert J Schoenberg)/Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone (John Kobler) [Which one is better? Or another Capone book?]

- [Prohibition books-- maybe this?] Prohibition Gangsters: The Rise and Fall of a Bad Generation (Mark Mappen)

- Eventually some T.J. English books



Any advice is welcome on what books (or even documentaries to watch on Netflix) to widen my gangster expertise.

Try the mafia books thread in the OC section, tons of books in there..

Kobler's is the definitive Capone biography.
You should also get "Little Man - Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life" by Robert Lacey, which is just about the best gangster bio extant. Also, Anthony DiStefano's "King of the Godfathers," another excellent bio, about Joe Massino. I'd recommend Joe Bonanno's autobiography, "A Man of Honor." Take it with about a pound of salt, but it's got good stuff on the Castellemmarese War and the Commission.

After you get a good overview of the Mob in general,you could also pick up some specialized books for a more finely tuned perspective. Among many others,Donnie Brasco by Joe Pistone is a great look into the day to day life in the Bonanno's and is far better than the film. I would also check out The Last Mafioso by Ovid Demaris. It's the story of Jimmy(TheWeasel)Frattiano,and covers a lot of ground.I like to haunt Flea Markets,Half Price books,Thrift Stores,etc. for stuff that the Library doesn't have. Also if you go into Google Books,you can enter search terms and specify books with previews available, There are also numerous online archives that will keep you busy for a long time.
Once you start,it's just like potato chips.

Let me give you a list of books I'd recommend to really peak your interest in the topic of the mob. I'll try to add the author's name. In no special order, only as they come to mind...

Murder Machine by Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci
Blood&Honor by George Anastasia
Mob Star by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain
Underboss by Peter Maas and Sammy Gravano
Mob Father by George Anastasia
The Westies by T.J. English
Family Secrets by Jeff Coen
The Enforcer by Bill Roemer
Accardo by Bill Roemer
Hitman by Howie Carr
Rifleman by Howie Carr
Vengeance Is Mine by ?? and Jimmy Fratianno
The Don by ?? (about Giancana)
Black Mass by Dick Lehr, Gerard O'Neil


..........to name a few. These books will teach you a lot about organized crime in the United States

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Mafia Wife by Lynda Milito...it's a true account by a woman whose husband was in the mob...Gambino CF.

Murder Machine, Donnie Brasco, Five Families, Mafia Prince & The Westies are by far the best mafia novels I've ever read!

new england reads

rat bastards

last rites

legends of winter hill

rouge mobster

black mass

marked card

The first non fiction book on the mob that I read was, "Joey the Hitman". I recommend it.

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