Apart from the DeMeo "Murder Machine" book, can any recommend some of the better true-life Mafia books?

When I think of the quote from Castellano "it's a great life if you don't screw up", I wish Big Paul had written an autobiography, but hey, it's difficult writing a best-seller about your life when you have to live in the shadows...

Since you appear to be interested in him, check out the book "Boss of Bosses: Paul Castellano and the FBI". Some of the book is a little "inventive", for lack of a better term, but the overarching storyline of bringing down Big Paul and his cohorts is fundamentally true.

"Gotti" by Capeci is a good read, especially back to back with the Castellano book. Gravano's book is also excellent. These three give a good summation of the Gambinos from the late seventies up to the early nineties.

the sins of my father by albert demeo is a excellent read,im also reading gaspipes at the moment which is a good read too

Thanks - I'm not a New Yorker (or even an American!) so I'm grateful for the recommendations... keep 'em coming!

Definitely read, and OWN, "Five Families" by Selwyn Raab. It is the best researched and best written book on the mob (specifically the NYC families) that is out there.

"Gaspipe" is a good book about Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso which I am sure you would enjoy. Personally I also liked "Sinatra club" although it is alleged to contain some BS and lastly I recommend "Butcher" which is the story about Tommy Pitaro, a ruthless mob killer. Enjoy.

TheArm's book is almost out about being an openly homosexual gentleman in the Buffalo mafia. It's booktitle is "Out of the Closet and into the Mafia: The Arm story"

This shit with the Arm is getting old...

Yeah he's getting old like Al Pacino in Stand Up Guys...You know when he has to rob the pharmacy w christopher walken to get boner pills

Hilarious post. Love the title. Lmao

Can you download the gotti book on internet?

im from England I love reading about the la cosa nostra

The Westies by TJ English
Reads like a cross between an impausable Mob movie, a psycho killer movie, and a story that has to be fiction, but it's 95% true

When I hear about the Westies and LCN, I think NYC must have been a much harder place back then (70s/80s)...

Yes it sure was. Hell's kitchen (Midtown west) was an especially scarey place in those days.

Arm, tell me more, please - I'm fascinated... which were the most dangerous parts of town (Bronx, Harlem, etc) and why?

Was it only unsafe after dark? I'm talking about people just going about their daily business (walking around, etc) not for gangster and crooked types. Thanks!

BTW, Hell's Kitchen is an extremely strange name - there must be a story behind that name...

Read some books and articles by George Anastasia he wrote about la famiglia in Philadelphia/AC.

There's a newer book by Jerry Capeci, called "Mob Boss". I've read some of it and I enjoyed the parts about Italian immigrants and first generation Italian-Americans in the 1930s.

Blood and Honor by Nicky the crow carramandi and George anastsia, a retrospective on carramandis rise in the Philadelphia mob until he flipped during the latter part of the scarfo era. An excellent book.

Did this list a week ago , should keep u busy

Mafia prince , mob boss , deal with the devil , in the godfathers garden , undercover cop , mafia summit , were going to win this thing , family secrets , the Sinatra club , mafia inc , mafia son , rogue mobster , vinny gorgeous , gaspipe , operation family secrets , the sixth family , mob over Miami , the last godfather , mob killer , the ice man , the mob and me , the brotherhoods , family affair , surviving the mob , for the sins of my father , Donnie brasco ( unfinished business ) , made men , mafia takedown , breakshot , the butcher , the last mouthpiece , they were all released after 2000 and that's off the top of my head , there r a lot more

If you can get the Family Man, co-authored by Robin Moore and Milt Machlin. A lot about the French Connection Heroin that was seized by the NYC Police and later resold back to the mob after it was stolen from Police Headquarters property room. Recalls also the murder of Anthony Strollo (Tony Bender) in detail as to the who how and where and why it happened. Very good detail but not written by made man, but spot on with descpiption of events.