"The Outfit" by Gus Russo only $9.39 as a Kindle eBook.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I was actually sad when I reached the end. It is the never-before-told story of the great Chicago crime family called The Outfit.

It is a common misperception that all the true-life organized crime stories have been written. Yet perhaps the most compelling gangster tale is one that has been, until now, too well-hidden. This is the story of the Outfit: the secretive organized crime cartel that began its reign in prohibition-era Chicago before becoming the real puppet master of Hollywood, Las Vegas, and Washington D.C.

The Outfit recounts the adventures and exploits of its bosses, Tony 'Joe Batters' Accardo (the real Godfather), Murray 'The Camel' or 'Curly' Humphreys (one of the greatest political fixers and union organizers this country has ever known), Paul 'The Waiter' Ricca, and Johnny Rosselli (the liaison between the shadowy world and the outside world). Their invisibility was their strength, and what kept their leader from ever spending a single night in jail. The Outfit bosses were the epitome of style and grace, moving effortlessly among national political figures and Hollywood studio heads-until their world started to crumble in the 1970s.

With extensive research including recently released FBI files, the Chicago Crime files of entertainer Steve Allen, first-ever access to the voluminous working papers of the Kefauver Committee, original interviews with the members of the Fourth Estate who pursued the Outfit for forty years, and exclusive access to the journals of Humphrey's widow, veteran journalist Gus Russo uncovers sixty years of corruption and influence, and examines the shadow history of the United States.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582342...ZX5D2GTWMQS736S

I agree The Outfit is a very good book. I especially enjoyed reading about 'Curly' Humphreys.

Can anyone recommend a good audio book? I have some credits at Audible I need to use - it looks like my choices so far are Donnie Brasco and The D'Arco book, although it is not read by him.

Mafia S.A by Eric Frattini is fuckin' good.

Just finished Mafia Republic by John Dickie. It's the story of the three main Italian crime groups from 1946 to the present. And I have to say its another absolute triumph following on from his other works Mafia Brotherhoods and Cosa Nostra. If you are looking for something that reads like a novel or is based along the "Vito got whacked because he disrespected the old man" type of thing it won't be for you. He takes an academic approach to the story and lays out what each group has been up to and how they have developed since the war.
The strongest group now appears to be The Ndrangeta partly because attrition has taken a huge toll of The Mafia and The Camorra. But partly because they have had a long term policy of setting up satellite groups throughout northern Italy and establishing cells in other countries.

A good book is The Devil Himself. Its a fictional novel about how gangsters helped keeled the docks safe during World War Two, and features guys like Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegil

A good book is The Devil Himself. Its a fictional novel about how gangsters helped keeled the docks safe during World War Two, and features guys like Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegil

What about Joseph Pistone books? I want to read them but I dunno if they're good. I suppose than yes.

I did a short video on Curly Humphreys on my YouTube Channel - Bloodletters and Badmen. Most of the research came from the book "The Outfit".

Watch it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rmVKO5x-44&list=PLQhDH_WZbs1N0jqZ9y9naMtgUfZ3VoVbo

You mean the fictional ones? I read one that was ok but didn't really care for it. If you are talking about Donnie Brasco then yes it is a must read for anyone that likes the Bonanno's.

What's a good mafia book any good new mob books out?

Have you read The Sinatra Club? http://www.amazon.com/The-Sinatra-Club-Inside-Mafia/dp/1451643160/ref=cm_lmf_tit_7

or Mafia Prince? http://www.amazon.com/Mafia-Prince-Insid...ds=mafia+prince

Both came out in 2014 and are quite good. The first book is a Goodfellas type tale about a Colombo associate and the second is about the nephew of the Boss of Philadelphia/Atlantic City who becomes underboss.

I just finished Murder, Inc. by former prosecutor Burton Turkus. It is a history of the Brownsville Boys including Louis "Lepke Buchalter, Kid Twist Reles, Blue Jaw Magoon, Pittsburg Phil and others. Great book!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008C3Q...ODTZSQCNMCFSG7M

I just ordered Lou Ferrante's book 'Unlocked' - has anyone read it yet?

I read the book, didn't finish it because it wasn't that interesting to me....Everyone has their own opinion, but hey you might enjoy it.

I started reading about Richie the Boot In the Godfather Garden because these are the gangsters I know most about. So far it's ok, a little on the boring side. Then Lil d'Arco's book came out so I read that just finished that one. Capeci wrote it pretty interesting.

these look interesting, too bad they are not out for a while:

Gotti's Rules: The Story of John Alite, Junior Gotti, and the Demise of the American Mafia by George Anastasia

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062346...RPVPBFOHWYUKBC3

and: Business or Blood: Mafia Boss Vito Rizzuto's Last War by Peter Edwards & Antonio Nicaso

http://www.amazon.com/Business-Blood-Maf...72BHYWGGMKG9W3F

Is another Gotti book really needed? And who cares about Alite and the rest of those yuppies anyway.

Nice! Love to see new books coming out.

are there good books on the cleveland mob?
EDIT: which are NOT focused on the killing of danny green

I'm reading a book called Midnight In Sicily by Peter Robb, got it for a dime in library discard pile. Interesting read about Sicilian culture, food and the heavy influenced of the mafia circa 1995 or thereabouts.

Just got MAFIA PRINCE through Amazon. Looking forward to reading this one.

just ordered "Boss of bosses" - the castellano book.. looking forward to read that piece!

In your guys' opinion - what would be the top 5 best mafia books to date?

outstanding are "Five Families" by Selwyn Raab and "The Outfit" by Gus Russo

Agreed, especially if you're just starting out, Five Families is a great one...it really lays the ground work for understanding the origins and development of LCN.

oh and David Critchley's "The Origin of Organized Crime in America- The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931"

1. Five Families
2. Wiseguy (Goodfellas)
3. Murder Machine
4. Donnie Brasco
5. Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire

Has anyone ever read or even heard of a book written by William Bastone (Village Voice) (Smoking Gun) about Vincent Gigante and his Brothers ? I think that the title of the book was "Five Brothers the First Family of Organized Crime. This book was said to have been debuted in Canada on a very very limited release and then was pulled from further publication after Mr. Bastone was ASKED to reconsider future print run's, over coffee in a diner in NYC.

Wow. Really interesting. It is mentioned in several places on the web but I don't know where I could buy it.

It appears to be written in 1993: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Family-Ties-Gigante-Brothers-American/dp/0060165944