Anyone ever read this book? "Mob Lawyer" by Frank Ragano? I read it years ago and really enjoyed it. Any comments on the truth of a lot this stuff? Bullshit or what?
Selwynn Raab and Nicholas Pileggi helped him write it.

Interested on hearing any feedback, guys...

I haven't read "The Big Bankroll", but I recently finished Nick Tosches "King Of The Jews", another Rothstein biography which cites "The Big Bankroll" (amongst others) as a source..

Its funny. Its not mob-lit per say, but its definitely about Arnold Rothstein. Rather then the typical gangster lit. approach its more on his personal life in a way, the man "behind the myth", if you will. It tangents of into questions of the Jewish Experience and identity while also offering a rich account of the early 20th century ear New York underworld. Tosches is a great writer.

This book has gotten me interested in the real early days, ie Tammany Hall and the Five Points. The prototype Jewish wiseguy's like Monk Eastman and (of course) the Big Bankroll himself. Guys like Louis the Lump Poggi and Paolo Vaccarelli aka Paul Kelly, the latter a real survivor. And as we all know, Rothstein's contribution to mob-lore is most evident in the dress sense displayed by any self respecting mob-boss since Luciano and Costello.

I haven't read Ragano's book Yukon but Im familiar with the claims he made in them. Pretty interesting stuff. It too was cited as a source in another book I recently finished.

"Havana Nocturne" by TJ English. Really about Lansky, Trafficante, Battista and Castro more then anything else. Really got me to thinking differently on those years, I dont think Trafficante or Lansky to the end thought that Castro would go as far as he did. Lansky didn't stick around to find out but Trafficante did when he was thrown in jail to serve one of the few stints he ever did.

If your interested in 1950's Havana this is great. It can be easy to forget that it wasn't just a bunch of wiseguys from the States on the island, it was a bunch of Cuban mobsters as well; only some of 'em had, you know, badges and shit. I enjoyed that aspect of it so much I thought Id ask if anybody had some reccomendations on the subject...?

On a side note, Lansky was once quoted as saying "We lost as fortune in Havana" Seeing as he spent the rest of his years in retirement in Florida and his final estate being well under six grand, I dont think he was speaking idly.

does anyone know of any books specifically on Albert Anastasia? I am intrigued by him.

There's the FBI file:
http://www.amazon.com/Albert-Anastasia-Federal-Bureau-Investigations/dp/B002N8B6L4

Which I think you can read for free at "the Vault"
http://vault.fbi.gov/Albert%20Anastasia

Not strictly about Anastasia but apparantly Burton Turkus' book on Murder Inc. has some good info on the man.

Thanks Mickey.

I just purchased the below book and i'm looking forward to reading this..This book has been on my wishlist on amazon for a while now as not brought or read any OC book for a while now..

The lastmouthpiece By Bobby Simone..Awesome Book

Maybe not the best written but liked all the facts with the autobiography

what do you guys think of "Mafia Dynasty"? Is it any good?

Mafia Dynasty is a very good and informative book on the Gambino crime family, would recommend..

7/10

I didn't mind "Mafia Dynasty" at all, thought it was a great read.

Has anyone caught "Born to the Mob" with Frank Saggio? I recently re-read it. Saggio offers alot of info on Philly Lucky Giacalone, which is great (not alot of info available on that guy, one of the infamous "3 Capo's" Massino hit) but his claims of being the only guy to work for each of the Five Families was a bit much.

Gun to your head time guys, If you could pick only one mob book what would it be??
Mine would be the five families book by Selwyn Raab.

I agree Five Families is the best mafia book there is,Followed closely by The Little Man by Robert Lacey which is the biography of Meyer Lansky.

Definitely Five Families. "Idiots Guide" is IMO a close second.

Idiots Guide is a nice read but really a book for the biggest newbies when it comes to knowledge of the mob. If you already know the general stuff, it doesn't add anything.

Yeah I hear that. But as far as breaking down the mob staples and the general history of the entire North American LCN phenomenon over the last 100 odd years, done by no less a journalist by Jerry Capeci...I think its a staple for any mob-lit. canon.

But you're right, Sonny; it gets to a point where nine out of ten books we read re-hash the same old shit again and again, so you start to keep an eye out for anything with any new info at all, things you haven't read a million times. Its why I got interested in the Families outside of NY, because I could only read their histories so many times.

I would choose "The Outfit" by Gus Russo. "Supermob" is almost as good.

Hey everyone. Im looking for opinions on a few books. The first is Underboss. Not the Gravano book though, the one about the Angiulos in Boston.

Also interested in The Outfit by Gus Russo. Is that the best Chicago book out there? If not what is?

Last one is Bummy Davis vs. Murder Inc. Anyone read that?

Let me know what you think of Underboss Mick. It looks interesting.

Next book I order though will probably be The Outfit by Russo. Ive been looking forward to reading that one for a while. Its got great reviews.

Yes, I think "The Outfit" is the definitive book on the Chicago Outfit. Like any other oc book it has a few quirks and rumors and info from people looking to settle scores but all in all I thought it was quite well documented. It discusses the immediate post-Capone days up thru the early seventies.

It may be a little heavy on Murray Humphreys story for reasons discussed above but he was always a mobster that fascinated me anyway so I didn't mind. Good stuff.

"The Underboss" was pretty informative.

Guys you must get "The First Family" by Mike Dash, it covers the early mafia, the Morello family, incredibly detailed and well researched. We don't often talk on here on the early mafia so hopefully we can get some discussion going.

I keep meaning to pick that up. It looks like an interesting account of the origins of the borgata that eventually came to be known as the Genovese Family.

Peter the Clutch-Hand, Lupo the Wolf, Ciro the Artichoke King...fascinating figures.

I agree [The First Family/i] is a excellent book.

Also a another good book with regards to The Outfit of Chicago is [i]The Genuine Godfather which is kind of biography to Tony Accardo,

while they are a little self serving, William Roemers books are pretty good as far as outfit stories go. "The Geniune Godfather" as DE NIRO mentioned and also "Man Against The Mob". Also a good book that definitely flys under the radar is a book by Michael Corbitt and Sam Giancana called "Double Deal" gives some good insight on the corruption of small precincts in the outer suburbs of chicago.

As far as my all time favorite books go i have to list books like Murder Machine, Blood and Honor, Mr. Capone by Robert Shoenberg, tough jews by rich cohen, Joe Dogs (Autobio of Joe Inauzzi), Underboss ( jerry Angulio story), The Westies by TJ English etc....

I could go on and on really, some are better than others but most of them i can find at least some of it interesting... except for Phillip Carlo's stuff, can't stand any of his books.

I'll go along with you on that one. Carlo was a hack (and a mob wanname, to boot). His book about Casso should have had a byline: "Gaspipe: Love Letter to a Psychopath."

An absolute disgrace the way he tried to romantacize that scumbag's life.

Have to agree PB. Carlo's subjects are always interesting and the stories always juicy, but you always have to wonder. Seems like he wants his name to be tied to the life a little too much. But unfortunately there just aren't that many organized crime authors so many times Carlo's writing is the only literature that can be found on certain subjects.

I definitely will. Though it likely wont be for a while, as I dont actually have the book yet. I was trying to decide which book to get in addition to Mafia Inc when it comes out in a couple weeks. I always order 2 at a time so I get free shipping. I've decided to go with The Outfit,


I finished The Westies a couple weeks ago, very good read, would definitely reccomend it. Im now finishing up The Last Gangster. Although Previte is a clown, it is informative, pretty good overall.

Anyone read UNLOCKED by Louis Ferrante? Any good? What are his creds like?

I just got finished reading UNDERBOSS and thought it was pretty good. I grew up in Massachussetts and remember well the Angiulo and Patriarca goings on in the papers.