I know what you mean about both Falcone and Pistone. I can't judge the veracity of all of Pistone's claims; they likely are at least somewhat exaggerated.

But as far as him not being that different -in the book "Way of the Wiseguy" he does state that given his background and where/how he grew up if he had been inclined he could have joined the Mafia long before he ever thought about joining the FBI. Again, I don't know if that's true or not, but that's what he says...

"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.