Thanks Ciment. I guess you're right with what people prefer. I'm more into the American LCN and more specifically the 5 families. I guess I'd also have to say I'm more of a biography guy but that's not all I have in my collection. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sixth Family book on the Rizzuto's in Canada. I think I'll have to check out the Valachi Papers. Are there any other Bio's or American LCN books you'd suggest? Sorry if I'm bothering you with the questions.

i think the old time mafia books have come to a end. unless massino or i rather vitale its the end of a era in true crime books. little al and crazy phils were really good theres been a ton of shit sandwiches like that guy who had sex with scarpas wife well he jerked off and a few other guys who lie rite in there book say they were made guy but forget people have google and can pull up all new articles when they were testifying and saying they were mere wannbes. took some percs for a ear infection thing im high.

Most of the info is on the internet, now. There was a time when you had to buy a book to get information. That demand is gone. That's why writers rely so much on snark and humor, now. It's all they can sell. They can't sell information, anymore.

good point oak. it would take a good aurthor with someone with a ton of history in the mob and theres no rats left that have the history except masino or vitale. vitale being massino underboss basically could give his account of the bonanno family from 1975 to 2000 being that he was riding massino coattails plus when massino did like 8-10 yrs in prison from the mid 80tys to mid 90tys vitale was his eyes and ears. and with gotti to. hed be more interesting i think. but read his kids are still in nyc so thats not gonna happen

We need a west side snitch. If Bellomo flips. That would be a book.

I'm still holding out for a Vincent Cafaro book! It took Leonetti and D'Arco 20 years to come out with books and I haven't heard that he's dead yet


I think we have a good chance for a Michael DiLeonardo book. I know that the Gotti era has been covered, but he always comes with interesting info.

Is he still alive?

Haven't heard otherwise!

Half way through Deal w/ the Devil by Peter Lance about Scarpa sr. & Lin DeVecchio...the Fed is just as bad a criminal as his informer/killer...real scumbag... good read so far though.

Please let me know what you think about this book when you're done! Sounds interesting.

felix trangese a genovese soldier in the springfield crew who flipped in 2010 could write a good small book on the western mass and connecticut mob. he was made in 1982 im sure he forgot to tell the fbi about who he killed to make his bones in the 1970tys.. he was around in springfields powerday 70tys 80tys even 90tys they were a huge crew spread out all over new england. he wouldnt do it he around here and doesnt want to piss off the goons around springfield. let sleeping dogs lay.

Be happy 2..I don't remember u ,,,so ..welcome 2 the boards pal.....

Sure this is good for those of us who haven't read the book yet. S. Raab's 5 Family's is on You Tube in a well narrated audiobook.
Book

I thought the other Scarpa book by Harmon(?) was quite decent as mob books go. But, yeah, that FBI guy comes out of it as real corrupt.

Cullotta: The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness by Dennis Griffin. This was an enjoyable read. He actually spent only a small amount of time in Vegas and it was mainly about him being a thief in Chicago which I found even more interesting.

I read The Mad Ones by Tom Folsom, a book about the Gallo brothers. One fo the worst I have read. He idolizes the Gallos openly, to a point where it gets strange. Also poorly written, and loose on aspects of the feuds of the 1960's time period.

Five Families
Mafia Prince
Mob Boss
Valachi Papers

If you want to fall asleep read the Buffalino book. Hardly anything on him, they should change the title to Mt Airy.

I wish someone would write a book on Frank Schweihs and Joey Lombardo.

Colombo: The Unsolved Murder by Don Capria and Anthony Colombo. I started this book knowing they were going to make the argument that the FBI killed Joe Colombo and was very skeptical. They lay out a good case though. Let's just say I'm a lot less skeptical now. And I'm definitely sure it wasn't the Gallos. Anthony Colombo takes the naive stance that Carlo Gambino was such a good friend of his father's that he would never have him killed. Gambino seems to really have snowed him with the humble old man act.

It's an interesting read. Especially finding out more about Colombo's life before he started the League. The problem is the authors want to portray Joe Colombo as a Don Corleone-esque righteous and honorable Godfather, but at the same time a persecuted innocent businessman. I'd still recommend checking it out though.

It's a very good book with flaws, which you pointed out. I think every author makes his subject bigger or better than they are, Capria doesn't go as far overboard as others may have. I disagree on one thing, I believe Gambino was a close friend of his, the way the son comes across he would be slamming Carlo if he did not like him so much.

Carmine the Snake: Carmine Persico and His Murderous Mafia Family by Frank Dimatteo and Michael Benson. While I already could tell you Persico's life story from my own research, this book provides a lot of great details and insights I didn't know about taken from the authors' own research and insider knowledge.

Looking very forward to Daniel Renaud's upcoming book, Vito Rizzuto : La chute du dernier parrain.

The links below both show a publishing date of November 6 (next month), but I have a suspicion that the date is too early for the book to come out.

https://www.amazon.ca/VITO-RIZZUTO-CHUTE-DERNIER-PARRAIN/dp/2897057319

https://www.leslibraires.ca/livres/...parrain-daniel-renaud-9782897057312.html

Can anyone recommend the best - or at least a "good" - biography on Frank Costello?

"Uncle Frank: The Biography of Frank Costello", by Leonard Katz has the best Amazon rating.

"Frank Costello: Prime Minister of the Underworld", by his long time attorney George Wolf, has a little too much praise for him according to reviews. But certainly might be an enjoyable read to someone who liked him in comparison to other mobsters.

Both of these books came out in the 70s, so obviously you won't get much on what effect Frank's legacy has on events and people thereafter.

There's a new one that just came out called "Top Hoodlum" by Anthony DeStefano. Considering it's recent, one could hope the writer does a good job of connecting Frank's legacy to events since then, right up to modern day. Don't know much about it, however.

Dicarlo: Buffalo's First Family of Crime by Thomas Hunt and Michael A. Tona. One of the most thoroughly researched mob books I have read which is especially good since it is on an underreported subject matter. The authors do have a tendency to actually go into too much detail on certain topics, but at least you know you are getting the full story. Can't wait for Volume 2!

Thank you Oak!

Just ordered and downloaded the new Persico Book on Kindle, the mob books never go on sale on Kindle, this one went from 12.99 to 2 bucks... special of the day.
One day only sale.

Carmine The Snake: Carmine Persico and his murderous Mafia Family by Frank Dimattteo and Michael Benson.

https://www.nationalcrimesyndicate.com/top-10-mafia-books/

Top 10 Mafia Books

Thanks for the link

Anyone want to dispute the list or add anything to it?