Anybody read it
Great book
Life at the top of the luchese family and great insight into the murders he carried out and ordered as a skipper and later as acting boss
Talks about joe schiavo and David petillo, he worked for even though he was orginally on record with schiavo and the luchese family
Got proposed in 74
Made in 1982, capo in 87 and acting boss in 1991

Just finished it..it was good. Kinda confused on the rank of "don zaza" and "don curiale" and what families...also "jimmy alto"...lucchese?

It took 8 years from being proposed to made, were the books closed during that period of time..? When did they reopen..?

He struck me as little pansie and just a yes man for Casso and Amuso...

D'Arco was vetted by Shiavo and, to a certain extent, Vario in 1974. Frankie Manzo apparently objected to him getting his button due to an old beef with Schiavo. I am not sure if he was not made in '74 exclusively because of Manzo's objections or also because the books were still closed. He seems to have been made at the same time as Joe G.

The book seems to emphasize that he was not a pansie at all. Al was a little guy who did not look like a gangster, but he was schooled by people that took the rules and tradition seriously. I do not think that this should be mistaken for weakness. At the same time, Al should have rallied the other capos in the family around himself and resisted Amuso and Casso's absurdity. There is a chance that he did not do this because in his mind "the boss is the boss."

It is also incredibly interesting how he describes Amuso and his encounters with him before he got out of Raybrook. D'Arco appears to have been a notch above Vic for some time and ran with heavy underworld figures in both the Genovese and Luchese families. I am not sure how Vic flew up the ranks so quickly, but Schiavo, Jimmy Alto and even Little Davie were certainly more highly regarded than Christie Tick.

According to Casso, he specifically chose D'Arco to be acting boss because he was considered weak. He was not the most qualified by any means.

He was chosen because he would have taken orders without question. And he wouldn't have balls to steal from Casso (although some capos accused him of stealing, but it was unproven).

I am reading it now. Much of it seems to be old tales that don't come directly from D'Arco, or are 3rd hand accounts of things that are questionable legends. One is the old story of gangsters traveling country and disguising selves as women to do hits. Many old time gangsters are brought up, then not discussed in much detail, or totally dropped from the book. Your interest is peaked, then nothing happens.

I have read half way into it, and have stopped, using index pages to search for things that might be of interest. It's been a disapointing read so far, i'm sorry to say. His story of why he thought he was going to be killed seems a bit differnt then one he gave in past. It's as if he was having a psychotic epsiode of paranoia
during a meeting.

I am wondering how much of book is from D'Arco, and how much is put in by authors as filler.

agreed, im half way thru as well and everything you wrote i feel the same way

if the book came out 15 yrs ago it would have been great, a little to late. when vic amuso was on the run summer of 90 he labeld Bruno and mike salerno rats cause they had the largest crews and were threats to make a move. vic even had neil m shot in 93 he had no confidence always thinking someone wanted his spot, he killed them all well gaspipe was manipulating him I think. salerno first killed, then Bruno next they put the bird in his throat to let every think he was a rat but probably killed him to prevent him from doing a gotti move, Bruno had shooters and wasn't under indictment. al had never killed someone he hit some guy in the head with a pipe George neck shot him even his kid did more work' al was weak same thing when vic put joe defede in as acting boss. im surprised crea didn't take over the family 10 yrs ago. there shouldn't be any more books wrote on the 80ty or 90ty unless a westside rat writes a book or massino. there no secrets left. lil al kid was made with the Gemini twins in 88. I really wonder what the other bosses where thinking of the killings of Bruno, salerno. they were weakning there own family, Bruno and salerno were made guys from the 50tys. widely know and respected. It came out in the mafia cops trial louie didn't like Bruno and probably told a lie to casso. Bruno would bully the cops friend.

That's exactly right, pmac. I don't know much about Bruno; as you know, I'm a Bronx guy. But Mikey Salerno was making a fortune wth a legal dumpsite back then and Casso wanted it. End of story. When you own the site legit, you can manipulate everything from tipping fees to cash transactions.

Salerno was was very well liked here in the Bronx, and a lot of people around here still resent Amuso for ordering him clipped. If the guy won a miraculous appeal and came home tomorrow, he'd be shelved---at the very least. The power in that family is in the Bronx/Westchester area right now. And I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future.

Philip Carlo's bio of Gaspipe Casso stated that Salerno was clipped because he was badmouthing both Vic and Gaspipe for being promoted to the top spots.

Plus, he had a $7 million shy operation, and Vic and Gas took over after his death.

Once he gets made the story really picks up and the once he becomes a capo and then acting boss it's really great
A lot about the hits on red Gilmore, mike Salerno,pappadio,dilapi,chiodo petrucelli,chiodo, kubecka and barstow, and him and Stevie crea plotting to kill bowat baratta and casso and amuso

Yeah. If people are giving up this book half way, they are missing the crucial and interesting parts.

I just read it and I thought it was about as real as a book about the mob in a while.. You got to hear a little more about Paul vario from another source besides Henry hill.. You got a firsthand account on the day tommy desimone was lured to his death on the premise of being made.. I read gaspipe and though I thought it was a great read, it comes from gaspipe himself who was an absolute maniac, and from phil Carlo whose father was best friends with gaspipe.. I had a hard time trying to feel sorry for gaspipe on how he was screwed by the govt.. I do think al d'arco was pretty sincere.. Just my opinion though

Mob Boss was a great read. I just wish he would've mentioned who was the official underboss from 86' til 89' when Gaspipe filled the spot.

Funny because I read it when it came out and literally just started reading it a second time

Those who gave up half way/ I'd actually say skip first half of book and start reading from when he gets made and especially when he's capo

As others have said- a lot of very interesting stories about various murders

One that sticks out is the hit on that garment centre kingpin Mike pappadio

They wanted their guy Sidney Lieberman in place, and Mike it seems didn't realise how much trouble he was in

I'd agree that Al was Casso's yes man. Al wasn't a power himself and was given the power. On his own, he was zero threat

And at times I did find some stuff he mentioned quite bizarre. Like the incident where he describes a fight he was having with some local thugs and a blade was pulled. His friend came to his aid and Al claims when he turned to look at his friend, his friend was making a "chopping motion " at him

There were other stuff too that makes u question his sanity at times