I just read Salvatore Polisi's book the "Sinatra Club" and he also claims Gotti was one of the smartest gangsters he ever worked with. It seems there were a few years when Gotti wasn't the idiot he ended up becoming after making himself boss.

thanks EH

bought Pleasant Ave Connection today, should have it tuesday before i go on vaca, pumped

Finally read Making Jack Falcone, great book about the Gambinos especially in the post-Gotti era. Some good stories of how DePalma took care of Gotti Sr in the can, cooked, bathed, and took care of him, etc. In the book they talk about how the Gambinos had 26 captains at the time but the FBI had only identified on their charts 20 capos. Garcia was updating his superiors as to who were the newly made guys/capos.

Some of my faves:

Five Familes by Raab is without a doubt my favorite and the best book on the mafia I have ever read.

The Outfit by Gus Russo contains some embellishments and flaws but is still probably the best on that particular organization out there. Coen's Family Secrets book is a good one to take us up to the present day.

Genoveses don't have any one book that chronicles their family's history but there are a few good books out there on Luciano and Costello that covers the family in its beginnings. Post Genovese up to Gigante literature is almost non-existant due to the secretive nature of the family but hopefully that will change in the future.

Tons of stuff on the Gambinos is out there. Capeci's book on Gotti and Davis's book on the Gambino family history are not without flaws but are nevertheless good reads.

Volkmann's Gangbusters is a decent summary of the Lucchese family history which really focuses on the Amuso/Casso era. It's a good read but a lot of the dialogue was fabricated to add a little bit to the story.

The Last Godfather by DeStefano and Donnie Brasco by Pistone are both excellent Bonanno crime family studies.

Not much on the Colombos out there - does anyone know of any good stuff on them?

need a book on the genovese...any recommendations?

The Pleasant Ave Connection was a great book...thanks to EHI for recommending it...read it in 3 days

Just bought heard they paint houses and the illustrated history of the New England mafia

Anybody currently reading anything good?

Mafia Son was pretty good IMO, its about the colombo war and greg scarpa. I met the author at a random book signing in manhattan at a seniors center, lmao. They had some good wine and cheese though.

just noticed Capeci has a new one coming out later in the year. "Mob Boss: The Life of Little Al D'Arco, the Man Who Brought Down the Mafia" Could be pretty good.

Reading Little Man (lansky) right now. So farso good, only about 90 pages in so far though. seems very well researched. Recently finished The Road to Hell, about the Hells Angels expansion across Canada and the Quebec biker war. Good read, would recommend to anyone interested in reading about outlaw bikers.

^^^im VERY MUCH looking forward to that Al D'Arco book. I have been saying I wish he would write one for yrs on these forums.

Anybody ever read Gomorra? about the Camorra in Naples

My copy of The Sixth Family just got to me today from Amazon. I've heard nothing but good things about the book. And I'm already on chapter 3, good read so far.

The Boys Of Chicago Heights: The Forgotten Crew Of The Chicago Outfit is a good book as well, my only gripe would be how short it is. It has a lot of insight about how influential the Chicago Heights crew was during the Capone era. And how they later would bring The Outfit loads of money through they're gambling, illegal poker machines, and the Calumet City strip, where pretty much every club on the strip was under the control of the Chicago Heights crew. They failed to recruit and make new men and after Al Tocco, the crew went pretty much extinct. According to the author, of course.

Let us know how The Sixth is

is it confirmed capeci and d'arco have a book coming out that will be the best book since the massino book.

It is confirmed yes, but if the book will be the best since the Massino book remains to be seen.

So the Massino book is really good?? Which one? Thanks

This is out October 1, 2013

Coming July 2nd.

Also July 2

Finally something about the Colombos. I especially wonder what version of the Ocera murder does the author support - that it was Orena or that it was Scarpa.

Just picked this up at the library, first mob book ive read, actually pretty enjoyable. Garcia sounds a little full of himself, but i still am enjoying it. Is the Sammy Gravano book any good? Is there a good one on Massino?

The Gravano book is real good, the best book on Massino is King of the Godfathers which is also a great read IMO.

That'll be great. Al D'Arco has a great story. And it'll be great to hear his perspective on almost being whacked.

Just bought Mafia Prince from ebooks.com. Should be a great read!

didnt enjoy Making Jack Falcone thought it was really poorly written,put it down before finishing it. Definitly looking forward to the Vinny Gorgeous book

Heres some new books

Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos



Final Confession: The Unsolved Crimes of Phil Cresta




Animal: The Bloody Rise and Fall of the Mob's Most Feared Assassin





In the Godfather Garden: The Long Life and Times of Richie "The Boot" Boiardo



The Boiardo and Cresta books are already out, I've got them but not read them yet, the other two are out soon.

Can't wait until the D'arco and Scarpa books are out. Little Al was a nut, he sent his own son who was barely out of his teens to do a hit!

Halfway through "Mafia Prince". Kinda disappointed there wasn't more info on the Salvie Testa hit... I thought maybe Leonetti would spoil some new details on that.

So far so good though. Liking the book and learning a lot about the Philly Mob.

Try "The Pleasent Avenue Connection" great read!