Since our Don, JGeoff, was kind enough to alert us to publication of this new book by Joseph ("Donnie Brasco") Pistone, I thought I'd give a brief review:
This is a light, quick, enjoyable read--you can probably finish it in one sitting. Those who read "Donnie Brasco" will find some familiar tales, but Pistone manages to shed new light on them (including some choice stories about Tony Mirra, "a very scary guy," as the young Michael Corleone might say). Pistone generalizes too much to provide any profound insights into the Mob, but you still get plenty of choice tidbits. Those here who think the Mafia is all-powerful and invincible would do well to read the last chapter.
The book includes an audio CD of tapes of conversations between "Brasco" and Lefty Guns Ruggiero, plus a transcript of same. Lefty utters such gibberish that you wonder if the greatest threat to Pistone while undercover was to die from boredom, rather than gunfire.
I give it 6.5/10 (vs. 8.5/10 for "Donnie Brasco"). Worth reading.