Made Men: The True Rise-and-Fall Story of a New Jersey Mob Family [Mass Market Paperback]

Greg B. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 2003

For years, the DeCavalcantes, the most powerful Mob family in Jersey, labored in the shadows of the more famous families in New York—the likes of the Gambinos and the Columbos. Dismissed by the big-city capos, the DeCavalcantes finally came into their own when they found their lives mirrored in the television hit, The Sopranos. Overnight it legitimized the made men of the Garden State. Now they were a familia to be reckoned with. Unfortunately with high profile came high risk. As member turned against member, as trusted friend turned terrified informant, the FBI put the brakes on the DeCavalcante’s explosive ride into infamy, hastening a fall from honor that would become as infamous as their notorious ascension into the annals of organized crime.

Based on more than 1,000 hours of secretly recorded conversations, Made Men delivers for the first time, the unprecedented and completely uncensored behind-the-scenes truth of a historically clandestine world—of violent life and sudden death inside and outside the mob, told by the very men who made it.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Based on more than 1000 hours of secretly recorded conversations, this book tells the story of New Jersey's DeCavalcante crime family. Originally dismissed by the large New York City crime organizations, the DeCavalcantes sought the opportunity to move up in the crime world when their big-city counterparts began having legal troubles and when The Sopranos, which recounts the life of a fictional Jersey mob family, became such a hit on HBO. Unfortunately for the DeCavalcantes, they had been infiltrated by an FBI informant. Although the show's creator has denied it, much of The Sopranos is said to be based on this real-life crime family, and DeCavalcante members were even caught on federal wiretaps bragging about their similarity to the TV mobsters. But while Daily News mob reporter Smith draws many parallels between the DeCavalcantes and the fictional Sopranos, the book does not quite live up to its potential. Much of the writing seems disjointed and repetitious, and a few superfluous anecdotes scattered throughout seem to have little relevance to the rest of the story. Recommended with reservations for large public libraries where there is a strong interest in organized crime books.
Sarah Jent, Univ. of Louisville Lib., KY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Greg B. Smith, reporter for New York’s Daily News, covers the federal courts in Brooklyn and Manhattan that serve as Ground Zero in the battle to end mafia influence in America. An investigative reporter for nearly twenty years, Smith has written for The Boston Globe, The San Francisco Examiner, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and other newspapers around the country. He’s also a frequent guest on TV and radio discussing everything from racketeering to the Latin Kings street gang to world terrorist organizations. Mr. Smith lives with his wife and two boys in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (February 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425185516
• ISBN-13: 978-0425185513
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > True Accounts > Murder & Mayhem
  • #40 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > True Accounts > True Crime

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sopranos come to life...., July 13, 2005

By 

J. L. Harmon (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Made Men: The True Rise-and-Fall Story of a New Jersey Mob Family (Mass Market Paperback)

The casual, almost semi-cynical, form of writing suits the subject of this book: A minor crime family in New York area finds itself cast in a major TV production. Although the Sopranos don't labor under the lack of respect that the Decalvacantes or "farmers" receive, you do get a unique perspective of the crime family imitating fiction or vice versa. Like many Mafia books, this one is episodic as I suppose it has to be and it is difficult to keep the characters in their place (anyone ever hear of a organizational tree?). Still, it is easy to read and see what is going on.

The faults of the book are that the author's reporter-style writing comes through a bit much. He relies on structured chronological headings, almost like a time stamp. However, this isn't much of a fault and his style works well.

I enjoyed it. It was a quick read. If you like the Sopranos, you'll like this book and it will give you more insight into the real "real" life characters.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars GOOD READ...BUT NOT ONE OF THE BEST!!, November 21, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Made Men: The True Rise-and-Fall Story of a New Jersey Mob Family (Mass Market Paperback)

I have a huge collection of mafia books and have enjoy the writings of various authors relating to topic at hand. This is one of the most current books to hit the market(2003).
I greatly enjoy the book in the sense that it opened up the DECALVACANTE family a little bit more. Being that the NEW JERSEY family wasn't as big as the BIG 5 in New York, not much has been writing about them, hell... the PHILADELPHIA family has gotten more press and coverage.
This book introduces us to current mob guys that are still alive and fresh. Most mob books are about previous generation wiseguys who have since past away. It makes us realize that as "hardhit" as the MAFIA has been lately, they are still around and scams are still being pulled. It also shows how , like everything else...the mob is evolving right before our eyes....from bootlegging, prostitution, gambling to 21st century scams like insurance fraud, wall street, computer scams, mortgage scams etc.
The only complain about this book is that time and time ago, the author keeps reiterating the same thoughts and descriptions over and over again, maybe he was just trying to fill more pages or thought the reader has the memory recollection of a snail.

When you read this book, you will understand what I means as you will find the same passages over and over again.
I do recommend this book for mafia afficionados to add to their collection, just don't expect it to be a book that you can read again and again and still be entertain. You will read this book, be momentarily entertained, educated more on the NEW JERSEY family. Then you will be bored with it and put it away. The only time I picture myself opening this book again is if I needed to research a certain wiseguy that was mentioned in the book.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worthless, December 27, 2003

By 

"goodfellanyc" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Made Men: The True Rise-and-Fall Story of a New Jersey Mob Family (Mass Market Paperback)

This is one of the worst books ever written about the organazied crime. Factual mistakes, event missinterpetation, misspelled names - few examples from the bundle of errors Mr. Smith makes. Lot of references on the Sopranos and the guy misspelles GOOMAR. Vincent "Chin" Gigante's name, according to Smith, comes from his name Vincenzo - man, have you at least seen the guys picture? Look at his CHIN! I can't possibly list everything that is wrong with this book....it's just that the entire book is wrong.

Don't waste your time or money...