My name is Christopher Graziano, the co author of Mafia Prince, with Philip Leonetti and Scott Burnstein, which comes out in paperback on April 22nd and includes a new chapter where Philip offers his insight into the current state of the Philly mob, his cousin Nicky's trial, Joey Merlino down in Florida, Joe Ligambi beating his case and of course some new news and insight on his uncle Nicky Scarfo. Look for some updates from Philip on his Huffington Post blog. I hope you enjoy the expanded version of Mafia Prince.

Interesting hearing Phil Leonetti (or is it you) emphasising myths about Whitey Bulger beating/killing women and being a male escort considering some of the rumours I have heard about Crazy Phil....

Crazy Phil. Crazy, rat coward and I won't even get into the other stuff.

Someone that stabs his own family in the back is not someone whose opinion holds merit.

And your book sucks. No offence but I wouldn't recommend it as toilet paper to anyone on this forum and I am quite open minded.

Does it come with a soundtrack too??

Is the book really that bad? I have not read it. What makes it so bad, or poorly researched and written?

It got decent enough reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Mafia-Prince-Inside-Americas-Violent/dp/0762445831

But then again so did carlo's gaspipe, which was terrible writing combined with a whitewash of history.

How was history white washed in Carlo's "Gaspipe"?

I tried reading that and his other book "The Butcher" and I found the writing to be terrible and I did not like how it focused way too much on law enforcement; but he did have advanced/terminal ALS at the time he wrote those books.

I found Carlo's memoir to be OK but I did not buy it as the library had a copy, and it was odd how it skipped around a lot but it was sad too.

Feel free to private message me as the thread is about the other book and not Carlo's books.

I came off sounding harsh, but I think gaspipe is fundamentally an apologist work. This might be because Carlo's family was so close to the Cassos- so while you get some interesting bits and pieces of casso's home life, you also get this overwhelming prospective that Anthony Casso was actually a good guy, a great criminal, a great boss that got put in some unfortunate positions.

There was no real analysis of the Casso's legal case/the documents/etc, no real fact checking of the Casso's very favorable portrayals of himself, lots of cliches. The reader is left to feel sorry for poor old Gaspipe.

If Casso wanted to self publish an autobiography, fine. But Carlo put his name on what was essentially the happy memories of a sociopathic killer, rat and con artist. He made no attempt to look into the self-serving excuses of man that seemed to have plenty of them for his dozens of murders. I didn't read Iceman, but the same sort of thing seemed to have played out- allowing a sociopath to lie repeatedly and misconstruct history with no fact checking.

I don't know how great of a writer he was pre-ALS, I think that is part of the reason everyone gives him a pass. very sad what happened.

So those that pay $4.95 for a paperback, get (a hopefully edited book this time) and an extra chapter. While those of us that paid $26 for the hardcover get fucked AGAIN?

Did I pretty much get the "gist" of what you were telling us?

are you stupid? ofc you dont get no extra book for free. nobody does.
Do you believe this guy?!

Non-fiction paperback editions often get updated, Jimmerz. Nothing new here .

And speaking of which, do you know what publisher should be ASHAMED for NOT updating a mob bio?

Harper, who published "Underboss," by Peter Maas. That book is still a decent seller, in its 30th or so printing. Very respectable numbers. And not a single word about Sammy going back to jail .

I have the hardback and I enjoyed it.

Who the fuck was asking for a free book? I was stating the facts is all.

I know PB, I was just in a foul mood last night and doing a lot of grousing. It'd be nice however if those that shelled out full retail for a hardcover got a "voucher" for a kindle version of the new updated edition, or an appendix in the mail with the added chapter, like my nigga suggested over at ground zero, the Black Hand.

yea it would be nice but come on...we all know that would never happen. We will find out any good info on the net anyway. MScott will delve out some info on RD or whoever buys it can give us the little tid bits on here. But Phil has done stories like the ones Christopher is talking about in the interview he did recently. They figured they could make a couple bucks and include that in the updated version just like Music Artist re-release albums with maybe a new song or two. Just a marketing ploy and it will get people to buy who didn't buy before. But I think it was a good book. I havent heard many bad reviews. If it wasn't a topic I really liked, I would have waited for this.

And I agree with Pizza about the other Bios like Sammy...

I agree with you but in this day and age when no one really pays that much $$ for a book and were all mob buffs he should give us mob buffs a break ...he would have support from the forums for the rest of us his life but then again he said that us"Posters don't matter"

Are you a Scarfo apologist?

Ironic that Phil acted exactly like his uncle (some say worse) back in the day
Doesn't matter now, I enjoy his opinions and insight and I think his book was great. Looking forward to the additional stuff but agree it sucks having to pay for the entire book again just for the addendums

say what you want about leonetti; rat, scumbag, whatever. I read his book. And just like every human, he embellishes a bit in his story telling. BUT, he is/was a stone killer. And, his uncle would have killed him too, if he stepped out of line. So, you try living your whole childhood and young adult life under the thumb of a complete sociopath.

I don't feel bad for the guy; I think he's fucked up. But he survived and thrived at the time. Read the crows book. He tells a story about how in Florida Phillip snapped on him and how Phillip and Nicky got all bugged out by Chuckie and Joey Merlino. They were talking about going after that whole family. He was nuts.

This dude was in survival mode when he flipped. The deck was stacked against him with Tommy Del, Nicky Crow flipping and all the other dirt they did and the State Police, FBI, Philly Police had on them. Any one of us woulda done the same.

Wasn't NickyWhip a RAT too

MikeyO is really ruffling some feathers here. I'm going to be the Al D'Arco to his Michael Pappadio and offer him some sage advice.

Pappadio, I'm telling youse for the last time. Get out of the garment district and give your books to Vic and Gas. These guyses they don't fuck around. They will kill youse where you stand. You hearin' me? They gonna fuckin' kill you. Maybe your family too. Get the fuck out of the garment district. You are what? 65? Go to Miami. Enjoy your money. Get a cushy gig. Don't make me fuckin' tell you again.

No you douchebag; his brother was. So, he should be killed too huh? I guess you may get the contract. Fucktop.

Iceman was particularly awful.

Carlo printed all the inane nonsense that Kuklinski or his family fed him.

Richard got a cold look in his eyes. A chilly look. Freezing. Rigid, even. He pursued his quarry, walking on the bells of his feet. He pulled out his gun. He was ready. Prepared. Set. Primed, even. He pulled the trigger. He eviscerated his quarry. Decimated him. Obliterated, even. Richard made his way home. He was contented, blissful, placated, rapturous, mollified.

He made his way home. Barbara, anxious, wondered what kind of mood Richard would be in. Richard opened the door. He hugged Barbara. he embraced her. He cuddled her. Barbara was relieved. Richard would not beat her tonight so she thought. Richard asked what was for dinner. Ham, Barbara replied.

Richard made the clicking sound in the corner of his mouth. This signaled that Richard was angry. Mad. Furious. Apoplectic, even. "Now you have made me angry. I told you I wanted steak." Richard replied.

NickyWhip is on vacation. Forward any messages to him to the Sandbox.

I think Mafia Prince was a pretty good book. Sure he embellishes some stuff, but so does every other so called "auto biography" of wiseguys.

I agree, most of the BS is at the beginning. He's makes it sound like Phili was the strongest in the world and of course he was the toughest.

Once it got to the actual day to day stuff and his life under his uncle it was a pretty good book. One of the better reads IMO.

"I don't feel bad for the guy; I think he's fucked up. But he survived and thrived at the time. Read the crows book. He tells a story about how in Florida Phillip snapped on him and how Phillip and Nicky got all bugged out by Chuckie and Joey Merlino. They were talking about going after that whole family. He was nuts."

-NickyWhip


You know, everybody says that all the time, how crazy and paranoid Scarfo Sr. was.

Look at how his two predecessors vacated the bosses seat....

Bruno with a 12 GA. shot to the head,

and Testa blown to pieces by a nailbomb.

Both by underlings from within their own organization. Kinda puts things in a different perspective, doesn't it?
Plus, you have all these fucking guys throwing each other under the bus and then fanning the flames of discontent.

I think there's more to that story between Scarfo and the Merlinos and Scarfos perceived treachery. I'm not saying the Merlinos were plotting against Scarfo, but I do think that something happened that gave Scarfo good reason to suspect they were.

That coupled with what he'd witnessed first hand with Bruno and Testa, I'd say gave him Damn good reason to be suspicious and not take any chances.