5 comments about Mob Cops.

1. this book is not written very well. the auther chose to jump back and forth with the time line going from the 60's to the 80's back to the 70's and so forth. this happened every couple of pages and becomes very distracting and does not flow. very irratating.



2. It is an interesting topic, but the book was written in such a hard way to follow that it is simply not worth reading. Hopefully someone will do the better job with this material in the future.



3. GREAT BOOK! I GOT LOST IN IT. BEST BOOK I READ IN A LONG TIME. I GUEST YOU GOT THE IDEA.



4. Mob Cops is the story of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, two highly decorated and respected New York City police detectives. During their careers they found themselves eventually working with and for mafia bosses across the country as they moved from New York to Las Vegas.
   
   This book tells the story of two cops, but also goes into vivid detail regarding those who were secondary players in the drama that would eventually lead to their downfall. Via flashbacks from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, the author attempts to show the interrelated stories of several characters in the criminal world who moved in and out of lives of these police. Through these contacts, they found their way into a world of money and power. With this power came the ability to do things that merely being a police officer would have never allowed.
   
   The book is interesting, but in reading the book you should be prepared for the often, and sometimes swift changes in time and location. While it is a bit confusing at first, the huge leaps from period to period slow and become more linear, making it much easier to follow the action.
   
   While reading the book you begin to realize that, as others have said before, there is a fine line between being a good cop and a good gangster, with both sides putting to use the same abilities and tactics.
   
   If you are looking for an in-depth look into the criminal world, from the lowest soldier to the mafia boss, this is a book that gives a portrayal of how the machinations of every member of an organized family can have serious ramifications throughout their entire world.



5. I was (no pun intended) blown away by Mob Cops. Smith's writing, pace, and character development makes the book transcends the genre. The book provides an amazing, in depth portrait of humanity (granted, in many cases, of its lowest form), with stunning detail, arch humor, and behind the scenes knowledge of the inner workings of the mob, NYPD, and FBI.
   
   Once again, a great book. I coudn't put it down.

5 comments about Joey the Hitman: The Autobiography of a Mafia Killer (Adrenaline Classics Series).

1. Some good anecdotes. My problem with this book is that, in contrast to books written later, it is totally anonymous. Might have been necessary in the old days, but those were the old days.



2. I read this many years ago when it first came out entitled as 'Killer' and thought it was a fascinating look at the business of crime. However, I just bought the reissue and noticed that a whole chapter devoted to Joey and his feelings about women was dropped. Why so? Were the publishers getting PC about a Mafia killer so as not to offend new readers? Anyone have the original? And does anyone have any info on Joey's real name? A mention was made of his obit in Time magazine...date and issue anyone?



3. I read the original "Killer", by Joey, back in the early 70`s.I also saw a masked "Joey" interviewed on the Sunday evening talk show "Open Mind" by David Susskind. Susskind berates Joey, at one point, for using the slur"Pollack". Susskind said"You wouldn`t want me to use an anti-Italian epithet, would you?"Joey retorted."I wouldn`t care, really, since I`m not Italian. I`m Jewish"(Susskind was stunned!) Also, in "Killer", Joey recounts a meeting in a NYC club with the reputed Columbo crime family soldier, Carmine Di Biasi, in which he describes shoving the barrel of his revolver into Di Biasi`s mouth after Di Biasi "insulted my Ethnic backround". All in all,this is not a Primer on organized crime.To really enjoy this book you are better off reading a few other books first, such as "Mafia USA","The Grim Reapers","Pictorial History of the Mafia" or "The Vallachi Papers".



4. The nagging things about this book are it's many inconsistencies. He said he was making 150 dollars a day starting at 11, but he later says he knows what it's like to make no money. What, as a 10 year old? Or he had 10 poor years with his family? He says he was a tough teenager, didn't care if he lived or died. Then he says he got that attitude at 28 when his wife was murdered. And he seems to have been everywhere and have seen and know just about everyone who is/was famous in organized crime. There's a bunch of others, I'll let you find them, as you can add an extra star for entertainment in looking for them. But these things point to a subject that was made up and not consistent because its not real. If you want a real account of "hit" men, read Murder, Inc. It still rings modern even though it was written in 1951. And you can't put it down.
   
   I give this 3 stars because of it inconsistencies.



5. JOEY IS for real. The services he purveys are death and destruction. And as a blood member of the American Mob he is also qualified to speak on hi-jacking, smuggling, loansharking, operating liquor stills and making porno films. But his specialty is murder, and he tells all about that.
   
   This is the story of a man without conscience, in his own words.
   
   "A good hit man goes out, does the job, comes home to his family and can ssit down and eat his dinner with no problems. See, the thing I do best is kill people."
   
   " I have never killed an honest man. And I have never been convicted. All I need is a clientele- a demand for my services."

5 comments about Ponzi: The Incredible True Story of the King of Financial Cons (Library of Larceny).

1. To understand the Ponzi scheme, is to understand the basic root of all types of [cheating]. This book gives a wonderful overview of the life and times of Charles Ponzi. It is written as a historical novel, but seems to be very well researched! The epilogue alone is full of details concerning an important subject about whom little has been written. I only wish the book was footnoted as to references. Donald Dunn has done history a great service by documenting the life of Mr. Ponzi. THIS BOOK IS A "FUN READ" ABOUT A SERIOUS HISTORICAL EVENT!



2. Like a great crime drama, "Ponzi" takes you down the amazing road of a simple huckster, and how close he came to making it big. I knocked it out in under 3 days; it's impossible to put down!



3. This book is a great read that all will enjoy! Fascinating story and very well written. I am recommending PONZI for my next book club meeting. And I can't wait for the movie to come out!



4. ?Ponzi? chronicles the life of Charles Ponzi who is synonymous with the scam of paying off new investors with old investors money. This entertaining character would promise a 50% return on investment in 90 days.
   
   To recruit investors Ponzi would hire people on a freelance basis, whereby they would earn 10% of new investors money. For example, if they located someone willing to invest $1000 they would earn $100. These recruiters would target both the poor and the wealthy. This caused such a surge in demand that Ponzi could afford paying off old investors with the new money that was constantly pouring in.
   
   Each major city eventually had someone working for him, and eventually there would be thousands of investors lined up, waiting patiently for hours for the privilege of investing.
   
   At one point major banks had to shut down because most account holders were withdrawing all of their funds to invest with Ponzi. Ponzi of course had enough money to rescue some banks from bankruptcy and became a majority shareholder.
   
   These investments were based on a bogus business of buying and selling International Reply Coupons.
   
   This is thrilling to read and at times what happens sounds too unbelievable to be. Other scenes are hilarious as the story moves around from one con to another. My only complaint with this book is that at times the author ?Donald Dunn? dictates what Ponzi is thinking, when there is no actual way for him to know.
   
   This is a great addition to the ?Broadway Books Library of Larceny?. You might also want to read another book in this series titled ?Where?s the Money?, which is the autobiography of Willie Sutton, a famous bank robber.



5. Written like a novel, this is the true story of Charles Ponzi, the most famous con man using the "rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul" scam. I found the book to be entertaining without a dull spot. After several unsuccessful cons, he started with a small stake and took people's money and paid them 50% in 45 days. When other people heard, the number of investors mushroomed. He finally made about $8,000,000 (in the 1920's) in this pyramid scheme before he was caught.

5 comments about Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life.

1. I can only assume the applauding professional and amateur reviewers were swept away by Lacey's evocative descriptions of Lansky's surroundings and cultural background. Lacey's detailed study is, I will readily admit, finely wrought, but this book should have been sold as fiction. Besides totally whitewashing Lansky, "Little Man" is peppered with countless factual errors (e.g. Joe the Boss Masseria was not waiting for a late lunch when he got hit in 1931-- he'd already eaten a huge lunch), many of which bolster the author's fantastic characterization of his subject. Where is there any discussion of Lansky's operation in Covington, Kentucky? Why is Murder, Inc. mentioned only three times in this book when Lansky was crucial to Siegel and Lepke's killing-for-hire enterprise? I certainly understand a biographer's decision to lionize his/her subject, but this exoneration of a well-documented monster is criminal.



2. The book is well written and is full of interesting personal facts about Lansky, but comes up shorthanded in details about the man's enterprise.There is little mention of his role in the
   rampant bootlegging in the 1920's and the violence that went along with it.This is a good book if you are already familar with Lansky and want more information on his personal character.Much of the details are provided by his son Buddy and numerous others that were close to him, but not in a "business" sense.



3. Lacey's biography is an interesting, relatively faced-paced read; although the sub-title for this book is a bit misleading. Little Man provides an interesting perspective on Meyer Lansky as a man and as a "family man." However, the book is pretty thin on describing Lansky's exploits as a gangster and about the "gangster life." This perhaps isn't too surprising since a major source for the information Lacey provides was Lansky's family members, and particularly his son Buddy, who worshipped him. Overall, I found the family perspective on Meyer Lansky provided me with a lot of new insight into the character of the man. This book served to comlement what I learned from reading other bios on Lansky that delved much more deeply into Lansky, the gangster. One big point of difference between this book and others about Lansky pertains to the amount of money he was worth at the time of his death. While according to Lacey, Lansky had lost almost all of his money in his later years and had to live quite frugally, other books claim that Lansky left a fortune of about $300 million. Whatever he was worth really isn't important to me. What I hope will be important to you is that Little Man is a worthwhile book to read.



4. This is a very misleading book about a man who was so much more then what Lacey actually claims. His sources are very questionable, especially Lansky's crippled son Buddy. It was well known that Lansky's family had caused him much heartache and his son Buddy especially. He made some bad business decisions and his health kept declining each year. Lansky decided early to keep his family far away from the criminal world so if you wanna know about Lansky Mr. Lacey, investigate criminals, FBI bugs, trial transcripts etc. etc.
   
   All of Lansky's friends died wealthy and you know why? because that was Lansky's own damn money. Robert Lacey doesn't get it. Avoid this book.



5. The life of Meyer Lansky (little Man), who became a Big Man in developing the casinos and all the entertainment in Free Cuba. Buy it!

5 comments about Mafia Wife: My Story of Love, Murder, and Madness.

1. Oh man.
   I picked this book up on vacation, intending it to be a good read...if anything something to pass the time. I have a huge interest in the Mafia and have for quite some time....however this book blew it for me. I don't think I made it past page 50...in fact I think I read the first 50 pages half a dozen times. I couldn't believe how poorly this book was written!! On top of that, like others have stated, it was so repetitive! I was shocked to say the least. I believe there to be many ways to have a book sound very much like the author, despite the authors ability to write a book, which clearly was not done with this book!!



2. I have never written a review on a book in my life, but this one so enraged me, I sought out a place to state my view.
   
   I won't expound on the whining, as others have covered that quite accurately. But what really burned my biscuits about Lynda is her feigned ignorance of how her husband earned his money. She had at least two independent confirmations from friends that her husband had become a made man in the mob. She even admitted to seeing a bandaid on his cut finger, which corroborated their story. Her response? They must be crazy. Is she color blind? The big, waving red flags were near impossible to ignore, but she somehow claims to have done it. She sees her husband brutally attack a man in their yard, in front of her children, yet has the gall to proclaim him a good and loving parent. She should have had her children taken away fron her for not protecting them from such a lunatic criminal. To make her statements even more outrageous, she knowingly participated in some of his illegal money making schemes. In fact, her 'honeymoon' was financed by stealing from the telephone company! Hey, there's a clue.
   
   For all her whining about her 'horrible' childhood, she also casually mentions many positive things, such as the nose job she had done, and the vacations the family went on. These details are incongruous with the image she paints of a poor waif of a child wearing hand me down clothing (albeit high end label stuff) and being abused by her mother, and not defended by her father.
   
   In my search for a place to vent my view, I found an interview she did on Court TV where her parting shot was, "Buy my book!" I also stumbled on her web site which you have to pay to view. For someone who claims to have had no clue what was going on in her husband's life, she lists lots of tantalizing come ons for joining her site.
   
   Don't waste your money on this book! I bought my copy used and will be selling mine soon for .01. I am only grateful that my purchase of her book did not put one thin dime into her greedy hand.



3. I was fresh off of reading "Westies" and was wishing that they had given more detail about Sissy Featherstone and Edna Coonan and their lives and ordeals with there husbands when I found this at the local bookshop. I flipped though it, thought it intresting and picked it up. I think the thing you have to understand is that when dealing with 85% of people in the mafia or associated in some way with the mafia. They aren't well educated. Or else they wouldn't have had to start doing petty crimes to get somewhere. They would have went to Law School or taken more traditional paths.
   
   At the beginning of this book, I do see where alot of people call Lynda 'whinny', but she was telling why she turned out the way she did and why she put up with Louie even though he abused her. But as you go into the book, I feel it does get more intresting and I didn't want to put it down. And for not being as well educated as most expect, Lynda did really well for herself. It's a true story, and sometimes the people with the most intresting stories are the one's that didn't finish 8th grade. I think people need to remember that.
   
   5 stars for Lynda not so much the book.



4. Having been on the inside I could relate to this one. Rita Schiano, author "Painting The Invisible Man" Painting the Invisible Man



5. I did not find this book as enjoyable as I had hoped. I think the author was very slanted and presented her side of the story in a self serving way. Really a disappointment.

5 comments about True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa.

1. This book is about a murderer's theft of the author's identity to help him escape police apprehension. The author makes much of this fact,seeing himself as a victim, but an account I read of the actual murders has no mention of the author, nor does it need any for the purpose of telling its story.
   
   Nor is the author a very sympathetic character, having announced at the beginning of the book that he has been fired for fictionalizing a news story for the New York Times. (a practice becoming more and more popular, it seems)
   
   My main complaint, however, is that the book is just not that interesting unless you're fascinated by the inner workings of a journalist's mind.



2. Back in December 2001, a heinous act occured along the Oregon coast that would forever alter the lives of the people involved with it. Christian Longo, newly relocated to the area a few months back, savagely took the lives of the people closest to him, and then fled the country. The shock and horror of the crimes reverberated strongly through the community and the state. While in Mexico, Longo assumed the identity of disgraced NY Times reporter Michael Finkel. Thus, this unusual pairing of these two men was born, and the end result, this quite unusual recounting of the Longo murders in "True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa".
   
   Michael Finkel was once top of his game, reporting on serious stories with serious implications. However, due to frabrications made in an "child slavery" story, he quickly fell from grace, retreating to his life in Montana. No sooner than that happened, his phone rang, and a reporter calling from the Oregonian fills him in on the Longo story. Having nothing better to do with his time, Finkel contacts the now-captured Longo, who responds, creating a very strange, symbiotic relationship during the time Longo was awaiting trial for the murders.
   
   This whole book is quite amazing. From Finkel's complete, honest confession to his fabrications, to the letters that Longo writes to him, the story is quite the page turner. Finkel's writing style is uncluttered and easy to read. He builds his story well, from the introduction to the final, horrifying conclusion. Finkel's honesty is compelling; he cuts himself no slack for his fabrication. You must forgive him for his mistakes, and hopefully, he'll find himself back to writing.
   
   This story is chilling, in so many aspects. Longo, a merciless killer, sits on Oregon's death row, living with his crimes. You wonder how he does, but after reading Finkel's book, which provides an unusual insight into the distorted mind of a killer, more light is shed on this subject. In short, it's a great read.



3. A thoughtful, well written description of a horrendous crime that explores the psyche of the killer; the author's growing understanding of the killer's psyche as he gets to know him; and the author's own travails while all this is going on.



4. There were times throughout this CD when I wanted to just turn it off, but somehow I made it through. The events depicted are well worth knowing about, and Mr. Finkel can ply the skills of his trade when he wants to. The research and facts are all done quite well.
   
   But long before the story was finished, I had complete understanding of why the author had gotten in trouble at the NY Times. He can't see past his own shiny self-image. The same ego that caused a talented young reporter to throw his career away while attempting to make a name for himself is the driver of the hubris that bloats this book. We know he's being taken in by a lifelong con artist ages before he can admit it to himself.
   
   The author tried to build up suspense that would lead to a moment of truth at the climax of the story, but just like his fabricated articles for the newspaper, there was no truth to be told. We know not to trust a habitual liar, but apparently another habitual liar doesn't. I would get so frustrated with his naiveté while driving in my car listening that I'd yell at Finkel as if he was a pedestrian stopped in the middle of the street before me, trying to decide whether to continue crossing the road or head back to the curb he just came from!
   
   Despite the unique nature of this bizarre tale I can't recommend the book. I'm all for author involvement ala Ira Glass' "The New Kings of Nonfiction", but in this case you'd be better off reading someone else's coverage of the same material.



5. I read this book when it was first released and it still sticks with me. The best aspect of the book is the interweaving of the author's personal story and that of the man who supposedly killed his family then fled the country. When he was caught, he was using Michael Finkel's name and identity at a Mexico resort area living the good life.
   
   Imagine getting a call to find out someone was using your identity -- and that person was suspected of murdering his family. Wouldn't you be compelled to find out why?
   
   The author is looking for redemption from his own journalistic mistakes by finding and writing the truth of a news-worthy event. Other reviewers found Finkel to be self-serving but I'd have to disagree with that. He was PART of the story itself because the suspected murderer identified with him enough to use his identity. Gradually, that identification allowed him to open up to Finkel through the taped conversations. If they had not shared that link, there would be no story.
   
   Maybe readers of murder mystery are accustomed to having an "aha moment" when the crime is solved and all the pieces of the puzzle are revealed. This book reveals more of the main characters' inner selves without having a tidy ending. I love ambiguous endings.
   
   Well worth a few intense nights of reading.

3 comments about Hunting the Tiger: The Fast Life and Violent Death of the Balkans' Most Dangerous Man.

1. This book gives a voice to all of the innocent people slaughtered at the hands of Arkan. It reveals the absurdity of those who are still blind to the horrific deeds that he left behind as his legacy.
   The author has clearly taken great risks to bring this story to us. I applaud this book. I recommend it to anyone seeking further insight into what went on in the Balkans in recent years. And let this book serve as a reminder to the brutal outcomes of our tendencies toward war, racism, nationalism and hero-worship. Bravo!!



2. We have all had at least one of those moments when we know we have made a really big mistake and we may well die from it. Somehow, we survive, rescued by the least likely or sources.
   
   In "Hunting the Tiger," invesigative reporter, Chris Stewart takes us through some of his terrifying moments and leads us into the the horrifying and riveting story of "Arkan," a bank robber and racketeer who murderously rode the troubled waters of Yugoslavia to a violent end as a "rock star" war criminal.
   
   For me, a retired judge, with military experience and time in Cambodia and Iraq, the book is not only a "page turner" but also a remarkable reflection of how vulnerable any culture can be to one determined and sober sociopath. Arkan's story is unfortunately by no means unique, but the fact that Stewart had the courage and the intiative to tell it is unique. The lessons in "Hunting the Tiger" will stay with me--sometimes, even in my dreams.



3. Hunting The Tiger is an engrossing tale of a charismatic criminal whose life sheds light on Serbia's tragic recent history. This is not an academic history, however. Mr. Stewart's style is almost breezy, despite the dark subject. I would liken it to a very extended Rolling Stone piece, which is not to say that it's not well researched or informative.
   Arkon's continued popularity in Serbia is a powerful reminder of nationalism's ability to catalyze atrocities, and subsequently rationalize, or deny, war crimes.
   All in all, a stirring, disturbing page turner. Check it out.

1 comments about Blessed with Evil: A Story of the Hells Angels and the Evil Spirits Motorcycle Clubs.

1. A very well ducumented story. A very fast pace rollercoaster of a ride type style book. The newspaper articles are all dated properly. I enjoyed reading this book.

1 comments about The Last Gangster.

1. Ex-cop Ron Previte gives you insight inside the Joey Merlino/Ralph Natale edition of the Philly mob. If you have read BLOOD AND HONOR or BLOOD OATH, then this book will come up waaaaaaay short. If you need to kill some time, read it. If not, try another book.

1 comments about The Gigantic Book of Pirate Stories.

1. Forget about Captain Jack, these are the Pirate stories that you should be reading about. This book is filled with adventure, thrills, chills, laughs, and great storytelling. Mark Twain and Joesph Conrad are two of the greats here, but none of the stories disappoint.