Customer Reviews

Crime Incorporated: The Inside Story of the Mafia's First 100 Years

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is clearly the worst mafia novel I have ever read! The only interesting part is in the beginning when the author describes the wars between the Italians and Irish, then the book wanes incredibly with apparent unresearched information. I have more knowledge of the mafia than these writers'!! I found myself incessantly correcting names and dates as well as spelling.This book had some of the worst spelling I have ever seen; practically every page had a misspelled name! I advise anyone who's fond of mafia novels not to purchase this book, you'll just throw it away anyhow!

Once you get past the 20s the book dries up, until you get to the 80s and a section that must have been written by Guliani's p.r. firm. The writing is not good (how many times can the author say someone died of "lead poisoning?") and the editing matches the writing. If you are not from New York, and want to know anything about the Mafia from 1930-1985, than this book is not for you.

Anyone who gives this book a positive review has not read much about the Mafia. Ccoon's review nails this book dead on. First off the author's attempt to tackle an impossible topic, the first one hundred years of the Mafia, to accomplish this, the book would have to be several volumes. They should have stuck with the beginning and gone into further detail about how the Mob originated in the United States. This part is very interesting, as I had not read much on the topic, but I question the legitimacy of it after going on to read the rest of the book, and finding several inaccuracies. For those looking to learn about the Mafia, pick an era or event and just try and find a book about that, and avoid this one if you want to know the real story.

This books is primarily a book about the wars on the docks between the Irish and Italians during the 1920's. It goes into great detail about this but then falls off once they get into the 1930's and flies through the remaining 50 years. If you want to know how the Italians became the controlling power in New York and wiped out the Irish, then this book will passify you.

Liked the historical perspective and pov. My own grandfather worked on Petrosino's elite squad of cops in the early part of the century. This book is a faithful re-telling of his own stories to me as a kid. Nary a Brando or De Niro in sight!

the book under the clock is very interesting,and i can't help but wonder if the authors great grand -uncle stayed on as godfather,if one of the crime family of new york wasn't balsamo's.

A great book for Mafia - Mob Buffs. The Docu-Drama style gives you the facts as well as the drama of the times. It gets a little tedious towards the end when the author rants about the accomplishments of the various prosecutors, etc. We all know that crime doesn't pay, and sooner or later, justice prevails.

One of the best books ever written about the roots of organized crime in the U.S.!! Fast paced and exciting! Reads like a novel, but it's true!

The first part of the book deals with the clashes between the Italian gangs and the Irish gangs of New York during 1900-30 and does a pretty good job. Unfortunately, the second part of the book offers only brief glances at the rise of the modern Cosa Nostra as brought about by Luciano et al, culminating in Gotti's ascension to capo of the Gambino family. From 1930 on, lacking in details and out of date.

An amazing story that not only tells of the works of the mafia, but for the person from brooklyn it gives insight into the details of a brooklyn that once existed. To imagine that on the streets of columbia and van brunt were stores, carts and a whole community of Italian imigrants. My family was from these streets and it gave me a warm heart to hear about a neighborhood that no longer exist. Burnt out buildings now exist where the old clock stands.My grandfather had his fish store there, my uncle his fish store, my cousins fruit store,and of course my father Iggy carrying pasta up to his grandfather Ignazio who lived above the fish store.What memories, what a book! Though it is a shame about the crime that existed and I am not proud of that, we must see it in historical perspective of a people oppressed and trying to survive and helping each other the only way they could for the time.