No comments about My Return.

No comments about Sisters in Blood (Blake's True Crime Library).

No comments about Goodbye Lake Tahoe, Goodbye Indian Joe.

2 comments about J Wilkes Booth: An Account of His Sojourn in Southern Maryland After the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, His Passage Across the Potomac And His Death in Virginia.

1. If you like Lincoln you will love this book.Long title but its excellent reading.Best book on Lincoln Ive read in a long time.



2. you can finish this book in one sitting, if you are so inclined. it is the first hand account of thomas jones, who hid and cared for booth and herold in a pine thicket for 5 days and 4 nights before he launched them off into the potomac for virginia. another person put into a situation by booth. he makes no excuses. it is what it is.

No comments about Tiananmen Follies: Prison Memoirs And Other Writings (Signature Books (White Plains, N.Y.).) (Signature Books (White Plains, N.Y.).).

5 comments about Mob: Stories of Death and Betrayal from Organized Crime.

1. Only the most ardent organized crime reader probably won't find something new in this collection of short stories dealing with reader fascination with dangerous lifestyles. This sampler of mob-lore covers stories allegedly by the folks who lived and died it, and some history to add dessert to your meal.

   For those who like the relative safety of their reading chair, we get a step-by-step process of the so-called "hit men" of the mob. They are so-called because most members who have reached any decent level of leadership have all done at least one hit, so the true full-time professional is not that common. For this profession though, we do get an evolution of the man, and his general techniques.

   The stories here are excerpts from other works, so if your a mob junkie, you might have read a lot of it already. I previously had read the Sammy Gravano book that contributed this excerpt. You not only get a sample of the self-admitted bad man, but also a taste of what I didn't like in the full-length book, which was a constant jabbering of what a decent, honorable guy Sammy really is. This book, was, of course, before the guy got busted out West for running meth labs while in witness protection.

   My favorite of the "true life" stories was the one that inspired the movie "Donnie Brasco". Here we have the story of how a guy had to sacrifice a lot of family time over a period of years to do his undercover work, even once having to spend Christmas with mobsters when he promised his own family some quality Holiday time. The book I'm reviewing is good because now I want to read the whole "Brasco" saga.

   In the history part, we do get a brief glimpse of how this whole type of society came about. True, the people of Italy were extremely oppressed at the time of it's formation, but it also tells how the local culture first establishes male "honor", then expects him to prove it via competition, and if you won by using your own rules, that made you that much more of a worthy opponent. To his credit, the editor of this compilation does not glorify this behavior, and makes it clear to the audience that any honorable "codes" only last as long as is convenient for anyone involved.




2. Overall, I think that this book was exceptional. The stories contained are, for the most part, gripping and real. I couldn't put the book down when I read the story by "Joey", the anonymous hitman. The most exciting thing about this book is the reality of it. The mojority of stories contained are about real people and real things. I recommend this book to everyone



3. This book is great,it is what got me hooked on stories about the mob and mafia. I would recomend it to any one who is intrested in organized crime.



4. You're much better off going to the original books this compilation rips off. There are editing mistakes galore in this volume, and the editor adds nothing new (except some typos). I'd sell mine as a used book but I don't want to rip off someone else with this trash.



5. This book is not unlike a buffet at a small office party. A few morsels here and there... most everything is pretty tasty, nothing's too filling, and there's one "mystery dish" that looks okay...... until you bite into it.
   
   Clint Willis has compiled a baker's dozen of mob-stories, from the infamous, to the you-never-heard-of-em. Some are great, some are good, and some might have been better to have been left on the table.
   
   On the infamous side is an excerpt from Mario Puzo's classic, THE GODFATHER. I've never read the book, but like any other self-respecting adult American male, I've seen the movie enough times to have lost count. After reading the excerpt in MOB, (regarding the memorable scene where Michael Corleone retrieves the gun from the restaurant bathroom and shoots the crooked cop in the head), I've discovered that I've GOT to read Puzo's book!
   
   Another interesting story comes from David Fisher. It comes from a book by "JOEY," a long-time mob hit-man (though not a "made" man in the mob, because, as "Joey" tells it, as a member of the Jewish faith, he is ineligible to attain that level within the organization.) Still, he considers himself really good--and quite enjoys what he does for a living. And, it would appear that he's very much a psychopath. Whether one can believe everything that is written about JOEY is questionable, as there seemed to be a number of "facts" that contradicted other "facts," but I guess that's for each reader to decide.
   
   I did actually SKIP one story: Bruce McCall's "GANGLAND STYLE: THE TRANSCRIPT." Written in the format of a play, I became disinterested after about a page and a half of reading accented-goombah-speak spelled out phonetically.
   
   Jeffrey Goldberg's piece, THE DON IS DONE, is the final chapter in the book, and is the fascinating true story of the last days--along with some of the personal insights of mob boss, Paul Castellano... whacked, so the story goes, under the orders of the notorious John Gotti, Sr.
   
   All in all, MOB was a pretty enjoyable read. And because each of the stories stands completely by itself, you could theoretically finish a chapter, and pick the book up a year later without having to start over.
   
   - Jonathan Sabin

No comments about Love or Honor: The True Story of an Undercover Cop Who Fell in Love With a Mafia Boss's Daughter.

5 comments about Cop Without a Badge: The Extraordinary Undercover Life of Kevin Maher.

1. In reading this book it makes me feel good that a person like Mr. Maher can start off life on the wrong side of the tracks and because of an officer like Detective Doherty and Mr. Maher's internal desire to change his life that could make a complete turn around with life. This book read like a true thriller and left you sitting on the edge of your seat.



2. Hey Kevin: I've been speaking with your Uncle Lawrence and Uncle Ron, this entire book is a fabrication and you know it. You are a rat in every sense of the word. Your own sister won't speak to you, your Uncles want to have a "word" with you, (guess thats why you wont tell us where in jersey you are you rat fink) your cousins Donnie & Al would like a word with you as well, your Uncle Paddy, God rest his soul wanted to kill you till his dying day and your father, Kelly, would be turning in his grave if he read all the lies in here. That story about you rushing to the hospital as he died was priceless, how do you think that crap up? He had a heart attack and died on the subway you idiot, and you got the date wrong as well, BY OVER A YEAR!!! Do some research and get your facts right before you BS around them. Kevin Maher has been exiled by his entire family, he is a rat fink who never thought of anyone but himself. This ENTIRE book is a fabrication. Ask Kevin what happened when he showed up at his Uncle Paddy's funeral. Go on, tell em Kev.



3. THIS BOOK IS GREAT AND COMING FROM SOME ONE WHO HAS HUNG OUT WITH KEVIN THAT IF THEY DONT MAKE A MOVIE OUT OF THIS STORY SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG GET YOUR BOOK NOW WHILE SUPPILES LAST! KEVIN CALL ME SOMETIME SEE HOW YOUR DOING.



4. I just got thru rearding the book and I couldnt stop, once I picked up that book and started to read I became hooked. I recommend to everyone, read the book! Hey when are we gonna get to see the movie?



5. Love this book and I recomended the book to everyone I know, and real life crime story lovers that I meet.

3 comments about Body Mike: An Unsparing Expose by the Mafia Insider Who Turned on the Mob.

1. I'm always excited to read different stories about families you don't normally hear much about. There are a myriad of books about Gotti and Capone but this book gave an inside look into the Colombo family from a FRIEND, not a made guy. So the first few chapters are interesting, providing anecdotal info. on Colombo, Gallo, etc., then this "insider" turns stoolie because of his gambling debts. The majority of the book then describes him trying to rat out his friends. The reader is hard-pressed to feel sympathy for this self-serving individual. This book never delivers that "inside" edge because Cantalupo was never involved in anything more important than numbers running. Don't waste your time, especially if you have to search for the book.



2. This is a typical example of a wanna-be gangster who testifies against his friends and associates and then goes out looking to sell his story to the highest bidder. The problem is, there is no story. He idolizes his alleged "gangster" mentor for the first few chapters and then, once he's gone, he systematically turns informant on all his associates to eradicate his gambling debts. Thank God they didn't try to make this into a movie.



3. After reading more than 20 mob books, I have found this book to be the most exciting. This book gives the reader an inside look at that inner workings of Brooklyn's Columbo Family and its intriguing boss, Joe Columbo. The reader finds how this man evaded taxes and kept in power for as long as he did, and it also describes loansharking in vivid details. Mr. Cantalupo's memory and survival is a blessing for mafia readers. Organized crime in Brooklyn is stupendously covered with this book. Only one regret about this book and that is it lacks detail on the Gallo-Profaci war. The only other book that holds a candle to this is "Blood Oath" by George Fresolone. I highly recommend this title.

No comments about In Love with a Serial Killer (Blake's True Crime Library).