Customer Reviews

Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia

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I'd put money that you've already seen the movie. What you wanna know is if the book is any good/better/different, right? I'd say different. For example in the book "Donnie" is much older, perhaps over forty - his kids are in high school, whereas as I recall Jonny Depp's Donnie was late twenties/early thirties perhaps, with pre-school-ish kids....Maybe that's not a big deal. A bigger difference is much of the tension in the book comes from one of Donnie's early connections and sparring partners, Tony, who feuds with Lefty over "control" of Donnie - this is a very important strand in Donnie's rise in the Mafia, and as I recall wasn't in the movie at all. Bottom line is there is far more in the book than the bare bones story told in the film, and it's a well told tale. Forgettaboutit, just buy it....

Before you run out and spend $3 bucks to rent the movie from Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, read this book. It starts off simple enough: an agent sent to infiltrate the Mafia in NY/NJ area in the late 70s. But "Donnie Brasco" is a much more complex novel than some man faking his identity. Joseph Pistone (Donnie Brasco) was forced to use his street wits, common sense, and just plain luck against ruthless killers, thieves, crooks, addicts, and other general degenerates. Pistone was forced to abandon his family (wife and children) for months on end, and be on assignment for the FBI. He made friendships and forged alliances, posing as jewel thief Donnie Brasco in order to ingratiate himself into the inner workings of the Mafia. Brasco became so close to many members of Bonnano families and their wiseguys, that when it came out that Brasco was an FBI agent posing as a wiseguy, many were in disbelief. One Bonnano affiliate in particular, Sonny Black, was fond of Brasco and thought of him as a son. He allegedly said that he had no ill feelings toward Brasco, because he was just doing his job. (Months later, Sonny Black was found murdered in a trunk. His hands had been cut off--a symbol that Mob security had been violated.) Pistone takes the time to explain in such a way without sounding boring or grating. He explains the slang, the situation, the characters as if you were there standing over his shoulder. This has to be one of the best Mafia books out there. Don't sleep on this one.

"Donnie Brasco" the movie, while compelling, contains numerous glaring inacuracies that will jump out at you while reading the book. Two of the most galling are that Pistone (Donnie) cared what happened to Lefty (Al Pacino's character), when in fact Pistone never lost sight of the fact that Lefty was a bad guy. Also, the movie makes it seem as though Pistone's superiors interfered with his operation and did not appreciate him. The book clearly dispells this distortion. Pistone's account of life in the mafia compares with Nicholas Pillegi's "Wiseguy" as compelling reading. And it will dispell any remaining notions that mob life is glamorous. Lefty's memorable movie scene in which he prepares to meet his death is at least one moment in which the movie keeps to the spirit of this great book.

The book was based on the true life events of agent Joseph D. Pistone, and is nothing short of perfection. It tells the story of the real mafia life, which is not often portrayed on paper. Agent Pistone's book takes the reader into the life of the capo's and the soldiers of the Bonanno family. Its is a very interesting book, and also a great fim starring Al Pacino and Michael Madsen. I work in a bookstore, and have read numerous mafia books, and this is one of my favorites.

Yeah, I say that this book was better than the movie only because you learned a lot more details and Joseph D. Pistone tells the EXACT story. The movie starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino was great but since reading the book you learned that it was twisted around a little. (Im not taking anything away from the movie because I loved it)

Joseph D. Pistone went undercover for 6 years in the Mafia, and penetrated deeper than anyone has ever gone as an FBI agent. He is one of the main reasons for the Mafia's decline in todays world and this book does an excellent job of telling about the things that he came across while undercover.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who watched the movie and enjoyed it, to anyone who is a Mafia fan, or to anyone who likes a good non-fiction book. Pick up this book, never a dull moment and filled with tons of interesting things.

Joe Pistone is a real American Hero. The former F.B.I agent spent six Years deep undercover as Donnie Brasco, a jewel thief, and infiltrated the Mafia, penetrating it's upper eschalon and bringing their power structure crashing down around their heads, resulting in over 100 convictions...

Pistone, along with Richard Woodley, does a great job of bringing real-life Wiseguys like "Lefty Guns", "Sonny Black", and Tony Mirra to life on the printed page, and even though I know Pisone survived his ordeal (He obviously did- He wrote the book!), I was still constantly worried about him. Any fan of true-crime will love Donnie Brasco!

Donnie Brasco must have ice water in his veins to pull off some- thing like this;he is a step away from becoming a "made-man", but the only thing holding him back is his career, F.B.I. deepcover agent! He actually made certain members in the mob have bowel movements once they announced who he really is. What the movie fails to tell you is that although he and Lefty Two-Guns Ruggiero are friends, but after Carmine"Lilo"Galante gets whacked then they whack out Sonny Red Idelicato which puts the Bonanno crime family under Sonny Black Napalitano as the street boss while the real boss Philip Rastelli is in prison. He actually shares an apartment with this Sonny Black, that is how good this Pistone is I mean, he really started the Mafia decline, and the Bonanno's happened to be the first. Again, you learn more about each of the characters;Pacino's portrayal as Lefty, made me literally sick & I don't know who happened to be the casting director of the film but if you read this book before you happened to see the movie, they should be fired, c'mon Pacino as a chump,washed up father of a junkie son, whose only respect he gets is from "Don the Jewler" . I know some people who rather see the movie first then read the book in order to get a more in depth, better understanding of the film, well in this case, you were probably more confused than at the begining! Again I say reading is much better than seeing a movie, in that order, this is my perfect example of my theory.

If you had half a clue, you would be twice as dangerous as you already are. You say the Bonnano's should have had him whacked. If they had half a clue, like in your case, he would have never made it as far as he did. Give it up, get a life, and get a clue. This book and movie are probably the best accounts of life in the mafia that money could buy. If you want to be glued to a book or television buy both.

Joseph Pistone is a true American hero in a society that worships the likes of John Gotti. As risky as it is to be a member of Cosa Nostra, Pistone illustrates how much riskier it was to be an FBI agent under deep cover in the mafia. I saw the movie first and immediately got the book. The movie takes a lot of liberties and stretches the truth...surprise, surprise. Hollywood not sticking to the real story? I'm shocked! This book is a milestone and in my top 10, right up there with Catch-22, Johnnie Got His Gun, and All Quiet on the Western Front. Pistone's courage remains unparalleled. The tragedy is that this amazing man now has to live the rest of his life under an assumed name. Hey, maybe Hollywood will come up with a new one where Joe Pistone and Sammy Gravano hook up, become pals and fight martians or something. You just gotta love Hollywood, huh?

This book tells a great story of how the Mafia really lives. How they are a bunch of guys that don't deserve the respect the rest of the world gives them. How they live prosperously for only a couple weeks after they steal from the working class; how they are willing to kill at no cost even though they don't understand why. What got me the most about this book was the relationship between Sonny Black and Pistone. Pistone became close friends with Black (he thought Lefty as an ignorant man) and almost felt bad for him once he was killed. Sonny Black was a guy that wanted very little to do with the mob but knew he couldn't get out. The stories are great and it's very different from the movie.