The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia, Second Edition [Mass Market Paperback]

Jerry Capeci (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: January 4, 2005

You never go against the family.

Here is the most comprehensive introduction to and explanation of the most infamous crime organization in history. Completely updated with more than 70 pages of new material and photographs, it includes information about the shifts in power and tightening of ranks of different families after convictions of their key members; new inside information on the role of the families in Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, Rochester, and even Montreal; and updates on the DeCavalcante family who bragged they were the real Sopranos on FBI wiretaps.

• More than 70 pages of new material

• Full of dramatic anecdotes and photos about everything from Capone to Gotti and beyond

• Written by acclaimed expert author and reporter of all things Mafia in his weekly online column “Gang Land”(www.ganglandnews.com)

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Mobspeak is put into laymen's terms...examines the killings, convictions...plus other questions most people are too scared to ask." -- New York Daily News --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jerry Capeci is considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Mafia and organized crime. He covered the crime beat for both the New York Daily News and the New York Post (and was the only newspaperman to sneak his way into Carlo Gambino’s funeral in 1976) for more than 20 years. He is the co-author of Murder Machine, the terrifying saga of Roy DeMeo’s bloodthirsty Mafia crew, and Gotti: Rise & Fall. A native of the mean streets of Bath Beach, Brooklyn, he now lives in Manhattan.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 2 edition (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592573053
• ISBN-13: 978-1592573059
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Minimalist History of the Mafia, February 6, 2003

By 

David M. Elder (Pacifica, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to the Mafia (Paperback)

Trying to establish a true history of the Mafia, one that is both explicit and accurate, is about as meaningful as a trying to put together a true history of the CIA or Kennedy Assassination. There are two kinds of writers of Mafia, those who overstate its power and influence and those who understate it. Capeci is among the latter, though it seems for no obvious reason other than opinion given the minimal use of sources and bibliographical materials he documents, hardly sufficient justification. I suspect the truth probably lies somewhere in between.

The strength of this book is the information it provides about recent Mafia history particularly of the 5 New York Families, largely derived from Capeci?s journalistic and law enforcement sources. Here he excels and seems to know his material quite well. It falls short, however, in being a comprehensive, or even good or entertaining account of that overall history. I would recommend Stephen Fox?s Blood and Power and Nash?s Encyclopedia of Organized Crime for that.

The non-NY families are given scant coverage in this book and some very important moments in LCN history, such as the 1930 Atlantic City Conference establishing the current ?System? as it is known today envisioned by Johnny Torio, are not even mentioned, while the importance of other?s such as Luciano?s role in the Castellemmarese wars, is understated.

Though it is true that they aren?t as powerful as they once were, Capeci?s assumption that the MOB is dead in many states and all but extinct in others seems a bit pre-mature at best and ignores the LCN?s resiliency and adjustment to new circumstance, both threats and opportunities, that it has shown in the past, as well as it?s ability to adapt defensively to changes in tactics of the legal system and law enforcement that has kept it around for so long.

Overall a good starter, with valuable info on recent events of the 5 NY families, but hardly thorough and very dry in delivery.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Close to the Mark, December 31, 2002

By 

Nomad (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to the Mafia (Paperback)

The Complete Idiot's (and Dummies) format is currently one of the biggest rages in publishing. After reading the idiot's guide to the mafia I can see why. A generous (but not truly exhaustive) amount of material is presented in an adult textbook format complete with chapter goals and what amounts to a "quiz" - though not in the form of questions at the end of each chapter. The format easily hides the book's major flaws. The worst flaw is that there is almost no reference whatever to the Sicilian mafia and no discussion of what influence or control it had or has over its American cousin. Yet, when Petrosino traveled to Sicily in 1909 he found assassins waiting. They seem to have kept in touch. Second, there is exactly one reference to the "Pizza Connection" probably because it would be impossible to discuss that landmark case without reference to the Sicilian Mafia and its power with and over Joe Bonanno and subsequent leaders of American Mob families.This is puzzling because Capeci goes to great lengths to show how much Bonanno was involved in drugs yet he ignores his 1957 trip to Sicily, his meeting with Luciano and major Sicilian mafia leaders that led to the birth of the "Pizza Connection." Capeci seems to have a subtle pro-FBI bias and "Pizza" showed the FBI missed the boat from 1957 to the mid-80's. Capeci stretches at a few points to find real-life examples for scenes in The Godfather films...he is flat wrong on one. Oh well, it is overall a good intro to the Syndicate chock full of boilerplate info. It does not quite live up to the publisher's billing, however. One of the best things is that he finds the mobsters to be the thuggish dishonorable monsters that they are. No romance here.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fulfilling, January 3, 2002

By 

Joseph (Quebec, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to the Mafia (Paperback)

Highly recommended, typical Capeci; unbiased, clear, direct, detailed. If you want to know about more than just John Gotti, or Vincent Gigante, purchase this book and learn all about Cosa Nostra's villains.

Rusty