5 comments about Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia.

1. This book rivals The Valachi Papers and is even written by the same author Peter Maas.It gives a good insiders view of the lies and deceptions of the mob.Gravano was able to navigate the "mob" system,make alot of money and get out before either he or his family were killed.In addition by turning "States Evidence" as did Joe Valachi,he helped put a spotlight on the "Mob" and from a read of this book,"Cosa Nostra" would not be a life to envy or emulate.
   Gotti is portrayed as truly a media infatuated figure of the eighties,a mob superstar smiling for the cameras seeming to say,"Hey look at all the fun we're having and the law can't touch us"!Did his tailor also design suits for PTL's Jim BAKKER?(My own obsevation).With all the murder,lies and deceit in this book you would have to conclude that anyone in the Cosa Nostra is capable of any crime confessed to by Gravano.I must say a whole book filled with such unadmirable and deceitful characters you will have trouble finding.
   One small anecdote from the book sums it well.John Gotti proudly tells "Chin" Gigante that he has made his own son John Gotti Jr. a "made " member of the Cosa Nostra.Chin,also a "made" member, in an honest and spontaneous reply says,"Jeez, I'm sorry to hear that"!Gravano has done an excellent job and this book definitely rivals Maas' The Valachi Papers.This book does to the Gambino "Family", what Valachi did to the Genovese "Family".



2. This is an interesting look at the mob from someone who was a made member of the Cosa Nostra. Sammy the Bull Gravano is no angel and he pulls no punches, as he regales the reader with his tale of growing up on the mean streets of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn as the dyslexic son of Italian immigrants. A high school drop-out, Sammy graduated from local street gangs to the Cosa Nostra, taking a blood oath of silence. So much for promises.
   
   This book is a series of taped interviews that are edited by the author, who interposes little analysis but serves to connect the dots. The feel of the book is gritty, and Sammy the Bull Gravano comes across as a reasonably intelligent person who made a knowing choice early on to enter into a lifestyle that was fraught with murder, larceny, greed, betrayal, and fear. The book documents his rise in the mob, until he becomes the underboss for the "Teflon Don", the ever dapper John Gotti.
   
   There is clearly little love lost between Sammy the Bull Gravano and the late John Gotti, who comes across as a narcissistic, egomaniacal, stupid, greedy thug. Of course, Sammy's take on himself, although a hard core made member of the mob, is that of a guy who was let down by the bosses who promised honor but did not know the first thing about it.
   
   While Sammy tries to whitewash himself, there is no getting around that he was a killer, a thief, and a thug. I doubt that Sammy would have talked, had he not felt that he was being set up by Gotti to take the fall for him. Clearly, Sammy's motive for blabbing to the Feds was not altruistic. Still, through his defection, Gravano was responsible for the conviction of many key mob figures. His impact on organized crime will be felt for some time to come. For those that are interested in reading about the Cosa Nostra, this is definitely a must read book for an insider's view of that lifestyle.



3. We all know by now the tragic story of John Gotti and Sammy Gravano. Here Sammy tells his side. I don't believe certain segments of this book because I know how the game goes and some things were not adding up. But he also admitted some things and did not seem to try to hide who he really was. All in all, it ends up with him flipping on John Gotti. But honestly, I don't think John left him any other alternative.



4. I love the stories about the NY crime families. Obviously I didn't like the murders and the actual "taxes" they added to cost of so many goods and services.
   
   Sammy the Bull was not a good guy. However in a twisted way, we can learn a lot about dedication and hard work. It's too bad he needed crime to be successful, albeit temporarily. His work ethic could have made him a very successful honest businessman.
   
   In any event, this is a great book for those who remember the NY crime families of the 1980's - especially if you lived in Queens, Brooklyn, or Staten Island. I'm not saying that Mafia crime didn't happen in the other boroughs. It's just that most will remember the dumping grounds in Staten Island, the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, and Gotti's neighborhood of Queens as important areas to the Mafia.
   
   The NY media was obsessed with John Gotti. This book tells a different version of the story.



5. book is very good in detailing La Costra Nostra in NYC during early 70"s. mostly 80's- enjoyed it.

5 comments about Drug Lord: The Life & Death of a Mexican Kingpin - A True Story.

1. It is interesting to me very informative. In candle wax traffic to other illicit products. I like the cover as well as the whole story. This book has the lord of the skies, Mr.Fuentes in his coffin as well. For me it is a very special book.



2. quisiera referirme al epilogo la pagina 357 para ser exactos en esta pagina el escritor le llama a mexico un pais que tiene envidia a EEUU por sus logros.... y que por eso los mexicanos traficamos droga.
   para el escritor:
   By now everyone has accepted that the fact that as long as there's demand,there will always be supply, and that whenever one supplier goes down, another inevitably rises up to fill the void.
   SUPPLY AND DEMAND-the bedrock principle of economics- thus ensures that the endless war on drugs will continue until EEUU stop using drugs...
   si sabes tanto escritor porque ocultas la verdad?????. benjamin(sinaloense)



3. After serving in the Border Patrol in the west Texas area for the last ten years, Poppa's book is the most realistic I have read to date. I get frustrated reading many books, especially when they start blaming the US for Mexico's problems. This books explains clearly corruption in the Mexican system, how it came about, and why it will probably never go away. It also demonstrates how ridiculious our politicians can be in attempting to deal with a government built on and run by corruption.
   
   The story of Pablo is great, but you could just change the name and it would fit many of the other King Pins out there and their lives too. Mexico relishes and charishes Drug Lords as heroes, and that is a fact.
   
   Question? When you have that many millions of people crossing into the United States illegally that have accepted corruption as the way things are done, what will that eventually do to our society?



4. In Drug Lord, Terrence Poppa manages to capture all the elements that a book about America's War on Drugs should have: engrossing, multidimensional heroes and villains, clearly-defined connections between the men and women who move oceans of narcotics across the Rio Grande and the larger governmental interests on both sides of the border that profit, one way or the other, from the trade, and guns, guns, guns. Drug Lord was an engrossing read, which I happened to read while touring the Big Bend area of West Texas. The book had such an impact on me that I made a 100-mile detour to visit Ojinaga, the stage where Pablo Acosta made his rise from dirt-poor campesino to mafia kingpin. Although Ojinaga today does its best to disassociate itself, at least to outsiders, from Acosta's legacy (even this pinche gringo knew better than to walk into a cantina and start asking questions), many of the tangible remnants of the bad old days Poppa describes, such as the smuggler's trucks with questionable propane tanks in the bed and houses surrounded by 12 foot-high cinderblock walls, are still readily visible. Although the book succeeds as narrative and will satisfy anyone interested in the drug war, the conclusion that Poppa comes to can be summed up in one sentence: it is all Mexico's fault. True, the Mexican government is rotten to the core, and six years under Vicente Fox doesn't seem to have changed much. But any honest examination of the War on Drugs must acknowledge the fact that Acosta and those who have come before and after him are only supplying a demand created by Americans; if the Mexicans don't sate that demand, then the Colombians will, and if the Colombians don't sate it, then the Cosa Nostra, or the Russians, and so on and so forth. I found Poppa's willingness to foster the blame for an unwinnable war on the shoulders of a country that has lost so much fighting a conflict whose victory will primarily benefit Americans to be a sad and myopic conclusion to an otherwise great book. Readers wanting an equally-engrossing but more balanced read should try Charles Bowden's Down By The River, about the Amado-Fuentes organization.



5. I've read the book and it is everything my friends told me it was. In the book Comandante Oscar Prieto is one of my friend's dad. The author gives good detail of the story of Pablo because i've heard a lot of true stories which are in the book, and of course a lot that aren't. I have family in Ojinaga and you still have the same business going on, but a lot of people from the town don't worry about it. I've seen pictures where Pablo just looks like a normal rancher from town. He always helped the people in need for food or money. He always remembered where he came from. That's why people don't remember him as a drug lord but as a person who helped the community and the poor. You will be surprised by how Pablo did his deals to cross the drugs over the border. When you read the book you will picture in your mind everything that is going on just like I did. Believe me, you will visualize.

3 comments about The King of Sting: The Amazing True Story of a Modern American Outlaw.

1. This is a book I'll read again. Exciting and fun, couldn't put it down. My son (15) and I were fighting over it!!! Definitely worth the money. This is a great story and very well told. Craig's life has been a heck of a ride so far!!



2. My favorite crime book of alltime was The Godfather, after that I enjoyed several other crime books like "Catch Me If You Can" and "American Gangster"...The King of Sting is the best true crime book I have read in a couple decades..that bares repeating THE BEST IN A COUPLE DECADES..wow, I planned to read this over a week or so...I could not stop reading this book, finished it in two days...even left work early to keep reading.
   
   The Glazer guy in my opinion, IS the most interesting 'outlaw' of our time..I relate to him as a normal guy cause in his shoes I might have done the same insane things he did...posing as lawmen,ripping off other hoods,becoming a real undercover agent,going to Hollywood to sell his story,getting back into stings, seeing his best friend and partner,Woodbeck killed, and that last sting,I could not believe it except for the writer proving it with court records....how did that miss being a national news story back then in the mid 80's...spy vs. spy...the guy even made prison pay off for him by landing a producing spot on the Ali movie Champions Forever...I will order that too...and he got that gig in prison...reads like a big time movie..for real....hope Hollywood is listening or reading...please turn this page turner into a movie before I die or better yet before Glazer does...from this book, he earned it...to sum up this was a huge suprise read for me, I got wind of it from a friend of mine who knew Glazer in Kansas City and told me to buy The King of Sting...I promise if you like crime, this is THE BOOK...



3. From the first page Glazer sucks you into his real-life (crime) drama and you won't want to put the book down until the last word. He tells his story in a cinematic fashion so that you feel like you are right there with him, sweat dripping down your neck, as he takes down drug dealers, fools the FBI, impersonates the DEA and runs for his life over and over.
   
   This book is truly amazing and I have been recommending it left and right. The idea that you can be whoever you want in this world is proven true by Glazer and luckily he lives to tell his incredible tale. The true feat is that with every high of a sting gone well, you can feel the ominous weight of what must be eventual consequences for this modern day cowboy. Read this and be captivated!

5 comments about Mr. Capone: The Real - and complete - story of Al Capone.

1. This is a very well-written and interesting book. It's not a page turner but is very entertaining. If you like mafia books or movies...you will love this book.



2. This book is fantastically written. I picked it up in the book store and could not put it down. From Italy to his death, this book tells the entire story in fantastic detail. Without restating what other reviewers have already stated, I just wanted to say that this is one of the best biographies I have ever read. Meticulously researched and written, the details bring the book to life, making you feel like you are living in the 1920's, viewing everything. The book also does a good job of telling the story of the rival gangs and gangleaders in Chicago, like Bugs Moran and the Irish, as well as the contemporary politicians of the day. From the shootouts to the drug running, the bootlegging to the day-to-day of Al Capone, this book nearly reads like an action novel!
   
   Also, having lived in Chicago for two years, I really enjoyed the references to the neighborhoods and streets.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. this book gives an interesting aspect to the Capone story particularly in regard to Capone's Florida excursion. It seems Al went to Florida to escape the "heat" of Chicago but found the heat and humidity of Florida eventually put him in jail. The IRS investigated his holdings and possesions in Miami and Big Al found that all the rackets were already covered by business developers from Ohio. These snowbirds once they got a handle on Florida's vice industries weren't about to tolerate Capone and the attention he could bring to some of their more dubious business enterprises.In alot of works on Capone the writers make the point solely that there was moral outrage and this was enough for the state of Florida to want Capone out.However from the Schoenberg book read there is alot more involved in the reasons for the riddance of Capone. It seems his high profile was not welcome because it brought to much attention to the fishbowl and no respectable fish wants to be seen devouring the smaller ones.



4. Before I say much else, let me congratulate the author, Robert Schoenberg, on this work. This study of Al Capone is an elevation of the standards of biographical presentation, and I found it as enjoyable as it was informative. The word "fearless" also comes to mind, and by that I refer to Schoenberg's capacity to advocate his own carefully-formulated views on the real Al Capone, behind the enduring legend, the misunderstandings, and the deliberate misinformation long spread as character assassination.
   
   Exhaustively-researched, Mr. Capone---the book---does everything but bring Mr. Capone---the man---from his time into ours. Capone was comparatively no monster, nor was he a saint. He was no more ruthless than circumstances in his business ever required him to be, and was by degrees shrewd, wise, cautious, generous, fun-loving, tough, pious, forgiving, sadistic, kind, and patriotic. Capone's philanthropy has never received the coverage it deserves, and his philandering has been too focused upon. Capone, let's not forget to mention here, made his name and rose to power on the strength of his talents as a peacemaker among the warring ethnic gangs of the east coast. A deft negotiator who could be trusted to deal fairly with all sides and to keep his word when given, Capone had far more friends than enemies in the underworld, and it was the strength of these alliances that he drew upon in the 1920's when he made his move to become the top power-broker in the city of Chicago: not the most powerful underworld figure, THEE most powerful person in America's second-city.
   
   Capone was a larger than life figure, and a man with as many weaknesses as talents. Foremost among his weak points was his all-possessing vanity. This vanity drove him to revel in the publicity and fame he both intentionally created and magnified via his extensive influence on the Chicago press. (It's said by 1930 there wasn't a Chicago newsman worth his salt who hadn't had dinner with Al Capone.) This desire for the spotlight put Capone into international headlines, and made him the focus of seemingly every legitimate law enforcement agent with any ambition. Schoenberg's emphasis on the role played by members of the Treasury Department, men unknown today in comparison to the self-promoting Elliot Ness, a being every bit as obsessed with his own celebrity as was his foe Al Capone, is especially refreshing.
   
   Schoenberg portrays Capone's pragmatism and realistic attitude about the conviction for tax evasion that eventually sent him to prison, first in Georgia, later in Alcatraz. Beneath his bravado ("I plan to spend a third of my sentence asleep.") Capone made the best of the bitter hand he was dealt. We come in the last chapters to meet the most surprising incarnation of "Scarface Al" Capone, that of Capone the model inmate, a man too learned in hard wisdom to make trouble for himself among either the prison population, or those who governed it. Finally we see the sad final years of the one-time boss of Chicago, as he wastes away on a modest Florida estate, a victim of cardiac troubles and neurosyphilis. One final myth, that Capone's phobic reaction to needles prevented his receiving treatment for syphilis, is exploded, and the truth revealed at last: this being that because of America's involvement in the Second World War the penicillin used in the treatment of syphilis was virtually impossible to attain on the homefront, even for the dying, and even for a legend like Al Capone.
   
   Mr. Capone is among the best examples of biography I've ever read, and should be studied for what it brings to the field of research, as well as for its presentation of an oft-mythologized man. Easily a five-star book that I'd recommend without question. It's not only great, it's good.



5. Building and expanding upon the solid foundation previously laid by Pasley and Kobler and correcting old errors, and guided by the likes of top-notch Capone experts Mark Levell and Bill Balsamo, Schoenberg has crafted one of the best Capone biographies to date, far superior to Bergreen's ludicrous fluff. The author puts perhaps too much faith in the questionable testimony of "Born Again" hoodlum George Meyer but that is abbreviated and an almost a minor aside in this comprehensive, well-researched bio of America's all-time greatest gangster.

5 comments about Cullotta: The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster and Government Witness.

1. Another well-written, factual and informative book by Dennis Griffin.
   
   This book details the life and crimes of Frank Cullotta before he became an informant and briefly covers his life after the witness protection program. It covers in depth the friendship between Tony Spilotro and Cullotta from their early days as juveniles on the streets of Chicago to the glitter of Vegas.
   
   The chapter on Bertha's was particularly engaging, where the robbery is first covered by the FBI/Metro's version of events and in the preceding section; Cullotta gives his account of the robbery before and after arrest.
   
   Cullotta makes the distinction between his role as informant to that of `rat' Sal Romano, as entirely different situations. His was a matter of self-preservation, while Romano's was to purposely set out and trap unsuspecting mobsters. It is Frank's belief that they would have got away with the robbery at Bertha's, were it not for Romano.
   
   While I don't condone crime, I couldn't help but feel relieved when Cullotta makes it out alive after becoming a government witness and now leads a relatively normal existence in an undisclosed location.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in true crime, particularly in Las Vegas.



2. An absolute great read! Mr. Griffin gets right to the point with his painstaking research in this book. Anyone would have to be afraid of a guy who would whack you if you looked at him wrong. A can't miss buy!!



3. Intense, graphic, and action-packed, "CULLOTTA" by Dennis N. Griffin is a must read for all fans of true crime.
   
   In this no-holds barred biography of Chicago criminal and Las Vegas Mobster Frank Cullotta, Dennis Griffin delivers a powerful and detailed account of Cullotta's life. From his early days when he meets the man who would become known as Tony the Ant Spilotro, through his many years as a Chicago criminal and Las Vegas Mobster, and the events that led to Cullota's decision to become a government witness, "CULLOTTA" brings the reader into the inner core of The Outfit and the life of organized crime through the eyes of a man whose life was connected to and revolved around many of the important Outfit players.
   
   "CULLOTTA" is a first for me because I've never read any true crime books, nevermind a comprehensive biography of someone with ties to organized crime. I approached "CULLOTTA" with a fair amount of trepidation. Could I enjoy a book I assumed would discuss in detail the activities of mobsters and career criminals? I couldn't even sit through one of the Godfather movies. But after reading the foreword by screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who consulted with Frank Cullotta for the Martin Scorsese film, Casino, I had to know more about a man who could talk about murdering Jerry Lisner with about as much emotion as he would have if he were ordering his meal from a fast food joint.
   
   The amount of research Dennis Griffin did for this biography and all the interviews he performed, in addition to, Frank Cullotta's contributions to the project made "CULLOTTA" the excellent book it is. I'm ready to go out and purchase Griffin's other books on crime and law enforcement in Las Vegas so I can know more about the other players involved.
   
   "CULLOTTA" delivers a chilling and exciting glimpse into the life of Frank Cullotta. And despite all of the crimes that Frank committed over the years, the reader finds herself rooting for Frank's life on the straight and narrow to succeed.



4. Cullotta has to be one of the most prolific criminals in the annals of both Las Vegas and Chicago organized crime. You'll feel like Father Confessor reading this book, where he purges his soul in what has to be the longest string of end-to-end confessions in the history of (dis)organized crime. In this book he joins forces with retired policeman-turned-writer, Dennis Griffin, who dutifully recounts each score and every hit with the cold accuracy of a Seargant Joe Friday writing his police reports. Griffin's style is perfect for this kind of book. There are no high-flown metaphors, "just the facts, ma'am."
   
   While I had second thoughts about paying honest dollars to an admitted life-time thief and killer, I didn't mind giving a few bucks to Griffin, and maybe we can keep Cullotta off the streets with a few royalties from his life story.
   
   Here a career cop has managed to write a good book with the unusual help of his natural enemy, a career criminal and big-time mobster. As for Cullotta, he has managed to somehow outlive most of his enemies, while coming clean with the G, getting witness protection, reduced sentences and now dubious celebrity. He even re-enacted one of his most infamous hits in Scorcese's "Casino" while he was in the witness protection program. Who says crime doesn't pay?
   
   This is one career criminal who seems to have nine lives and then some. He gives the details on each caper in this joint effort that was released simultaneously with the Family Secrets mob trial in Chicago, in which all defendants were convicted on all counts.
   
   Cullotta gives a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the dysfunctional family of crime figures during the mob's heyday in Chicago and Vegas. All the usual suspects are in the book, but seen up close and personal from the perspective of one of their own...the only one that got away.



5. True crime is fascinating. It has been the background of countless newspaper headlines, books, TV series and movies.
   
   Over the years, there has been a gradual trend toward more truth in "true crime" literature and more realism in the visual depictions of crime figures. Joe Pesci's brilliant portrayal in Casino is far more penetrating and revealing than were those of Edward G. Robinson. The popular series, Sapranos, is far more realistic than the old Untouchables program.
   
   I'm not sure why others are so intrigued by crime and criminals, but I wonder most what motivates criminals and how they justify and rationalize the bizarre acts they commit. Beyond all the drama and entertainment, I wonder what makes gangsters tick.
   
   That's why I found Dennis Griffin's CULLOTTA so fascinating. It is a compelling look into the mind and motives of a classic criminal. He approaches this subject with the discipline of a seasoned reporter, objectively telling both sides of the story in plain English. He doesn't add anything for dramatic effect. He doesn't embellish. He doesn't extrapolate. He doesn't try to impress you with his prose. Like the old TV crime show, Dragnet, his motto seems to be "just the facts, ma'am." (Griffin's background, by the way, is not as a reporter, but as a police detective. Nevertheless, his journalistic approach puts most modern "reporters" to shame. He has written a series of books about Las Vegas and the famous mob figures of the 1970s and 1980s. Each one is better than the previous.)
   
   His latest work, CULLOTTA, is a natural progression of more truth in true crime that began with Mario Puzzo's prize winning book, The Godfather.
   
   While The Godfather was a fictional account based upon real characters, CULLOTTA is a concrete account of a real crime figure. It is the most realistic account of organized crime I've read to date. No small part of that credit goes to the co-author and subject of the book, Frank Cullotta. Though a career criminal in every sense of the word, this mobster, turned government witness, seems to display a candid honesty that has endeared him to the enforcement officials who hounded him and the writers who tell the stories.
   
   As it says in the first line of the foreword, written by Nicholas Pillegi, who wrote the screenplay for the movie Casino, "Frank Cullotta is the real thing."
   
   So is Denny Griffin. That's why he has become my favorite true crime writer.

5 comments about Blood Covenant: The Michael Franzese Story.

1. I was pleased with the speed with which my order was processed. The book is in fabulous condition. I would definitely purchase from this seller again.



2. This is an amazing account of what can happen if you let God lead your life. Micheal found out the hard way and he is sharing his life story with you so you can go right to the top.



3. I bought the book after hearing the author interviewed on the radio. He was phenomenal on the radio so maybe my expectations were too high. I felt like possibly he still couldn't tell the full story while reading the book. Also, while I respect very much his pursuit of his religion, the last third of the book got too preachy for me.



4. First off, let me say that a lot of these previous reviewers are missing the point of his story. Blood Covenant is not just about his days as a mobster, but about what how and why he quit the mob in the first place. To explain his reasoning he had to give a detailed look into his background. And he does an excellent job at that. I did some digging and what Franzese says in his book is true according to what was made public. I've seen both Goodfellas and Godfather and Franzese's story puts both those movies to shame because his story is the real deal. If anything, the movies were trying to portray the mafia life; it is not the other way around for those who think that Franzese is a liar.
   As for the second part of his book, it does not surprise me that so many people do not understand and accept his explanation of how he came to know Christ and the role God played in his life. By telling you how he came to completely trust in God, Franzese does a good job of creating the message that God forgives EVERYTHING that you do that is not pleasing to him. Because many people do not accept the simple concept of God's grace, so many find this book to be a blow off towards the end. It is the exact opposite. Franzese's book explains God's grace and what it did for him in ways that most pastors and other religious leaders cannot explain. That does not make him a fanatic; it means he is telling the truth...a truth many do not understand and therefore refuse to accept.
   Here is my message: if you are looking for an ending that tells how he paid everyone back or how he fell back into the life, then this book is not for you. However, if you are someone who wants to see a true example of God's grace and the way he can use one person to change someone's life while getting the bonus of knowing the insides of the mafia life, I highly recommend this book to you.



5. I think this book is a compleet ripp off.
   Michael Franzese is trying to sell his new book,but is realy selling his first book and added a few pages.
   I think the guy is a compleet fake.

5 comments about For the Sins of My Father: A Mafia Killer, His Son, and the Legacy of a Mob Life.

1. I was not going to write anything about this sort of unqiue average book, but here it goes: Have any of you ever been a victim or had a family or freind who was a victim of a violent act, you like their style (the clothes , the cars , the jewerly , the hair), so now it is O.K. to embrace them and get your rocks off, idolizing this sub culture is no different then worshipping the devil. I love these people who say I go to church, I'm raising my kids right in a good town and then put down other groups for whatever, then go home and watch the sporanos with their kids. Guess what folks, all that anger that your projecting, that is YOU!



2. A companion book to this book is Murder Machine,a story about the Demeo car theft/assassin business.I take it that Mr. Demeo wrote this book as a response to Murder Machine which is a brutal Mafia expose.Since these businesses set the Demeo's up financially,Mr. Demeo's (overwhelming at times),guilt pangs ,in his book are understandable and the book may be an effort as part of a self therapy program.Demeo's story is believable as he presents "Murder Machine" from an entirely different perspective;that of a hitman's immediate family. I notice however that throughout the book DeMeo tries to convince the reader that he is not a "Rat"(government informer) and this somewhat detracts from DeMeo's credibility.Noone reading a book about the Mafia would care if DeMeo is in fact a"rat"or a (goat or horse),but just an honest expose.



3. Wow! If you've ever read books that involve Roy Demeo (The Ice Man, Murder Machine to name a few), you will know that his reputation is that of a ruthless, antagonistic, killer who was widely feared by many for such a reputation. However, this book is interesting in the fact that the author tell about his life with his father, Roy Demeo, as told from a son's point of view. This exposes Roy Demeo's "family Man" side, and shows how much he really did love his wife and children.
   
   Once criticism of the book is that it has a slow start. The first few chapters are slow and a little boring, but it gets better from there.



4. After have read Murder Machine I came over The Since of my father by accident after surfing the net...I think it's a wonderful book by Albert, that gives you the insight from a sons perspective of a mob hitman.
   Murder Machine was great, but how much did they acctually "spice up" the stories??? I thought "the sins of my father" was a fantastic book, very interesting and hearthwarming. If you like me enjoy mob-books, have a big heart and haven't read this one: buy it. Don't mind the people who gives it a low rating, they were expecting Lucky Luke or something.
   Great book Albert De Meo. May your father R.I.P.



5. We see the life of a gangster through the eyes of a young boy. A young boy who adores his father and will do anything to please him. He is slowly introduced into the workings of the Mafia. The older he gets, the more tradegy his life encounters. Very well written. My only regret was that there were not enough photos in this book.

5 comments about Shot in the Heart.

1. It's a big call, but Mikal Gilmore's heart wrenching memoir of his family has to be one of the most moving reading experiences I have ever encountered. To tell you the truth, I found this book in a second hand store here in Melbourne, Australia without a cover! I could not put this down as Mikal's words just ripped me to pieces. It drowns in sadness and despair at times, but there is a flicker of hope and redemption in it's conclusion.
   Amazing stuff.



2. This is an extraordinary book. Gives tremendous insite in to why some crimals lead the path they do. Phenominal read.



3. Unbelievably well written. This is the best book I have ever read. The story is gripping Mikal Gilmore seems to capture the reader from the first sentence and never lets go. I found myself trying to read less pages as I finished the book in fear of ACTUALLY finishing the book:) Immediately after I read the last page, I went back to the first page and started reading it again. I would suggest reading it twice, it is better the second time around.



4. This book stays with you. In telling the story of his own troubled family Mikal Gilmore manages to tell a story about families themselves- all the love, guilt, loyalty and anger that define them. This is a book about searching for meaning, about the toll poverty takes on the human spirit, about broken dreams, the violence of faith, and our terrible hunger for something to believe in. It's uniquely American in the same way books like Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" or Jean Stein's "Edie: an American Biography"
   are- as much about the society around its subjects as the subjects themselves. I wholeheartedly consider this book a masterpiece.



5. I first heard about Shot in the heart several years ago, on a tv show. The last thing I wanted to read was an apologist for Gary Gilmore making excuses. That's about the last thing Shot in the Heart is. Instead, Mikal Gilmore explores how family myths and mysteries shape our sense of self and of our family, and how this affects our vision of our place in this world. He also explores how you can love someone, even if they are incredibly dysfunctional. Gilmore writes with tenderness and courage about his family, the kind of family that made mine seem relatively normal. They were wretched, miserable people, in many ways, but they were his family.
   I have always been puzzled by the editing problems I noticed in the book, however. It's not just the mixup on when Bessie Gilmore died. There are two other date discrepancies, one of which has to do with Gary's execution. I'm from Utah, and I picked up on that error right away.
   My sister lives in Portland, and Mikal Gilmore's description of a Northwest Portland neighborhood is dead on. Gilmore knows what he's talking about-- he just needed a better editor, I think

5 comments about Running Scared: The Life and Treacherous Times of Las Vegas Casino King Steve Wynn.

1. If you're looking for a biography-style book about S.Wynn's road to being King of Las Vegas this really isn't it. I'm about 120 pages into it now, and I'm already flipping through to see if it is going to get any better. Here's a little on the book:
   
   VERY detailed! Assuming all is true in the book, you can tell there has been much research and hours of connecting people together in the stories in the book. Unfortunately, the book seems to be just that, many many small stories or bits of stories that rarely link together at once. The book really doesn't have a good time line -- it's all kinda scattered, and doesn't read very well. The worst part about the book is for me it seems the author has an agenda to destroy the reputation of S.Wynn. Every opportunity is taken to say how Wynn was asscoiated with crooked and shady characters. So many of these characters one would never recognize, so there is much wrote about why these characters are shady people, so we all will know just how bad the company of Wynn was. There just seems to be nothing good written about Wynn in the book (so far) and that doesn't seem to be changing. Maybe that's just how it really is, I don't know. There's no wonder Steve Wynn sued these people for putting this book out. If you really want a copy, you can look for mine on ebay. This will be the first book I haven't finished in long time.



2. This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to know more about the character of the man who is Steve Wynn. It is a true account of the way he has conducted himself over his history in Vegas and Atlantic City, not the image projected of him by Steve Wynn and his company. It is well written and concise. John L. Smith does an excellent job presenting the information, including several of the more uncanny incidents Steve Wynn has been involved in over the years by merely presenting the facts as they happened. He asks some very good questions that should have been asked but never were because of who the man is. He also points out numerous things that have been glazed over by the press and various agencies involved. Very informative. A definite must read.



3. So damaging to his super clean image, Wynn drove the original publisher into bancruptcy and tried everything he could manage to keep this book out of circulation. Steve Wynn vs. the First Amendment (1st 1, Wynn 0).
   
   Certainly did improve Vegas by leaps and bounds, but at what cost? Using public water to build his exclusive Shadow Creek golf course, buying art, jets and NY condos with stockholders money as the stock sank into takeover waters, untimately being shown the door by casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian. Once owned by MGM, things changed. The golf course was opened, the art, NY condo and jet all sold.
   
   How does one man undermine Federal law to build a dolphin attraction? he is on film meeting with a known mobster who used his Atlantic City casino (Golden Nugget) to launder money, but can't seem to remember anything about it.
   
   Fact: the son of a Bino Hall operator rises up to be one of the worlds leading casino developers and owners through some very shady associations. He influences Nevada politics as all people with money are able to, so no surprise there. The mob associations are clearly documented and associating with a convicted felon (Milken) is grounds for losing your gaming license, yet Wynn does so with impunity.
   
   Wynn has brought some great changes to Las Vegas, but after reading the other sidie of the story, you have to ask yourself if the ends justify the means.
   
   John L. Smith has done a great job with the facts surrounding Steve Wynn. Hat's off to him!



4. This book is a real page turner. It is amazing it ever got printed, given Wynn's many attempts to strangle the unflattering portrayal it in its infancy. That in itself is reason enough to pick it up and study it.



5. I'm not sure how true all of the "accusations" / "observations" are about the infamous Mr. Wynn, but the book is extremely well written. Paired with the "Green Felt Jungle" (another excellent book) you will be hard-pressed to put these two books down. I would recommend this book to everyone.

5 comments about Hell's Angels: Three Can Keep a Secret If Two Are Dead'.

1. This is one of the most difficult books to read from a stylistic standpoint. It is choppy and seems to bounce all over the place. The editor of this book should be fired - there is way too much extra "stuff" in the text. There is so much fluff that should have been cut out that would have made this a lot easier to read. The author's choice to use slang (to the point of vulgarity) did not go over so well with me either. I understand that this is a book about the Hell's Angels - there is going to be a lot of choice language in it, but he continues to refer to the slang when describing items that are not HA quotes. I don't think this was a necessary device considering the type of book this is - it would have worked for a fictional piece, but not for something as factual as this.
   
   There are many other books out there on the topic of the Hell's Angels or Outlaw Mototcyle Gangs. I would suggest starting elsewhere if you are looking to read about the topic. This book as some interesting parts of it, but you'd be better looking at another title.



2. This is sort of a weird book. Yves starts the book writing in the style of a wannabe Hunter S. Thompson and then decides that he may as well just start "writing". I would say that the abrupt transition starts in maybe the first 80 pages.
   
   I believe that Yves Lavigne is probably the most knowledgeable author in the world about the major motorcycle clubs, other than insiders like Barger (or even Wethern) or undercovers like Queen or Dobyns (through authors), or in-touch contacts like Thompson.
   
   But Yves has some sort of agenda that makes him report every myth and fantasy that has EVER been posited as if it is a FACT. It doesn't take long to tire of this book if you have read everything else, because you have to believe, based upon acquired knowledge, that 30% of what he says is suspect, at best.
   
   I respect Lavigne for his obviously superior knowledge of the topic as a whole. But read every other account and determine for yourself if he has some personal agenda, even if it is as simple as money.



3. The guy that wrote this book was really trying to show how cool he is. I mean the the way he wrote it was over the top. You can tell he was trying to prove something. I have read Sonny's book and others and they much better written.
   This guy skips around, repeats things he's previously talked about in the book. And the way he talks to the reader is just crude. I mean, sure he's dealing with a rough subject, but come on, use better english.
   And I know what I am talking about. I lived the underground life for many years. I knew people like this, and this writer is someone who has never lived this life. He writes like a person who has never been around the people he is writing about.
   This book is an over the top, stereotypical view of the big red machine written by a total sidewalk commando, or rather keyboard commando.
   This book could have been a much better or clearer view of the HA than it is, but the writer's crude "trying to prove how cool I am" vocabulary, unfocused chapter organization, and other poor writing errors make this book a real dud. I'm still reading it, it's not so horrible that I put it down, but it came close.
   This book should have never been published the way it is. The publisher should be ashamed.



4. Long live the Big Red Machine! 8181818181818181818181.......



5. I grew up in the the near west suburbs of Chicago from 55-73, when we moved to DuPage County. There were 2 large biker gangs in the Lyons,IL area called the Chicago Outlaws and the Hells Henchmen. I knew several of the Outlaws as acquaintances, there were a few members who I had casually met that were not very nice and I was afraid of them. One member of the Outlaws was my best friends boyfriends older brother, John Klimes. He was always very nice to both me and my girlfriend whenever we saw him. He was murdered in McCook, IL in 1981. There was a huge biker funeral for him and it was on the local news. They never arrested anyone for his murder,but rumor has it that they wanted to kill both John and his girlfriend. His girlfriend worked at a local strip club, Michael's Magic Touch, she could placed the head of the Outlaws as the last person seen with a young woman the night before she was found dead in Busse Woods. There was also speculation that the head of the Outlaws was afraid that John was going to take over the Outlaws Lyons chapter. The talk around town at the time was that "they" were trying to kill both John and his girlfriend. A bomb was planted under John's Bronco and when he went over train tracks in McCook,IL it exploded killing him, his girlfriend was not in the vehicle at the time. I was saddened at John's death because he had always been very nice to me and came to my defense when one of the bikers was threatening me. During the news footage I discovered he had been under surveillance by the FBI for drugs trafficing, prostitution and other illegal activites. That side of him I had never seen. His younger brother was anti-drugs and a very nice guy, we did not meet him until he came home from Vietman in 70-71. John "Burrito" Klimes murder has never been solved. If you go the the McCook Police department website, the open murder is posted there. This book filled in some of the information I was not aware of. Interesting read!