Originally Posted By: Lilo
Originally Posted By: 3l3m3ntal

Awesome, what about books on the Cleveland, Tampa, and New Jersey families? Once again thanks in advance.


As far as NJ, there is Made Men which was already discussed.
There is also The Boys from New Jersey which was really about the seemingly virtually independent Accetturo-Tacetta New Jersey faction of the NY Lucchese Family. There is some historical reference made to the DeCavalante, Genovese and Gambino Families in NJ.

As far as Tampa, the books The Silent Don and Cigar City Mafia are both worthwhile.

On Cleveland, I think some minor references to that group might be found in I heard you paint houses but most of my historical information about the Cleveland Mob (Italian or Jewish or Irish) comes from the book Mobbed Up by James Neff. This is centered about labor leader, mob stooge and FBI informant Jackie Presser, but much like Boardwalk Jungle it really is a fascinating tale of how the Italian element of OC is often just a part of a larger whole.

This book details the Danny Greene war and the links between and among various Midwest criminal groups and the larger Chicago/NY organizations. It explains in exhaustive detail various union pension funds scams, white collar frauds,FBI double dealing, internal union or mob rivalries and how mobsters (made or not) from various families do favors for one another-or try to rip each other off.

Once it came out that Presser was an informant of course some of the mobsters closer to him were upset/worried. Fat Tony Salerno was picked up on wiretap telling soldiers "I think these f****** Chicago guys are gonna knock my brains in".

I think it's one of the better books around on the mob.


Noted and jotted, thanks once again for the fine recs. I have a tendency to be a concentrated and organized reader. I'll take a subject or subjects and pursue away. grin