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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Rise and Fall of A Sicilian Empire, December 25, 2005
This review is from: Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family (Mass Market Paperback)
The introduction to MAFIA DYNASTY is author John Davis' historical recounting of the roots of the Sicilian Mafia and Neapolitan Camorra, and how these two groupings coalesced into the Five Families of New York in the early days of the twentieth century. After that, MAFIA DYNASTY quickly loses the reader's attention. The Gambino Family has always been of particular interest to this reviewer personally, having grown up in Massapequa, Long Island during the time of Don Carlo's residence there, when the grass dared not grow crooked. In actuality, residents of the town heard little of the Gambinos, though Massapequa suffered few such indignities as graffiti, petty thefts and the like until the mid-1970s. To this day, the town is a fly in the amber, almost 1950ish in its atmosphere. Thus, MAFIA DYNASTY seemed to be a promising read. It is interesting---but that is all. Essentially a rehashing of information readily available elsewhere, MAFIA DYNASTY barely scratches the surface. It tells us nothing new about the Gambino Family or of its allies and rivals. Its 500 pages look somewhat daunting for a Mass Market paperback but this book is nothing more than a quick sprint past its subject, throwing in a few over-the-shoulder glances at the major figures involved for good measure. Rather than a primary focus on Don Carlo, the late John Gotti would seem to be the centerpiece. Never the apotheosis of the Godfather, the "Dapper Don" was really just an overpromoted soldier, cunning, egotistic, brutal and inflexible, who presided over the collapse of an empire he did not help build and could not maintain in the face of outside pressures. Davis seems to have little interest in exploring the hows, whys and wherefores of this admittedly amazing rise and fall, and leaves the reader feeling shortchanged. This book could have been and should have been far better than it is, had the author felt like doing a little more homework for extra credit. As it is, I'll give MAFIA DYNASTY a pass.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gambino Crime Family - Explained!, June 9, 2006
This review is from: Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family (Mass Market Paperback)
This book does more than only focusing on the Gambino Crime Family. It throws light on the history, rise, power, and decline of the big five crime families. Because, out of the five, Gambino Crime Family was the most powerful and organized, so it tells you in detail about the bosses of this family, which includes: Albert Anastasia, Carlo Gambino, Paul Castellano, and John Gotti. However, Vincent Mangano, who was the boss of the family before Anastasia, is ignored in this book, which is quiet strange, as he played the most important part in Gambino Crime Family for more than twenty years. Many reviewers have complained that Davis has given too much detail on Gotti, but I think it is because it was Gotti who gave the Gambino Crime Family the face we know. The book is very well written, and even though it is full of lengthy details and gives so much information (sometimes Davis goes overboard), it still manages to keep the readers glued. I will give four stars to this book.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"The Gambino's from Mangano to Gotti!!", October 6, 2000
This review is from: Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family (Mass Market Paperback)
This is a classical,well written book concerning the Gambino's! It's a very large book,yet it has a very large story to tell to anyone who is a fan of the Mafia/Gambinos. It's like a time line in the book,starting with when the five familys were divided,and the Gambinos started as the Mangano family according to the newly developed commission, by Lucky Luciano! As the family grew,so did the needs of the capos,especially "the Mad Hatter" Anastasia, who killed both Mangano brothers,Phillip and Vincenzo, one was under the Syphillis bug and would rant and rave, and without other,one wasn't enough to stop Anastasia who himself was whacked by the young and up'n coming Carlo Gambino, the reasons for that remain to this day complex,Albert was accused of many things and Carlo with the permission of the Commission was given the okay. I would have to say,during Carlo's reign the whole Mafia/all 5 Familys prospered more than they ever did or ever will including present. Things started to divide when in Carlo's old age, his brother in law Paul Castellano(underboss)& Aneillo Dellacroce(underboss)for longer than Paul,who was more of a businessman,dealing with the Family's legitimate interests and left the streets for "Mr.Neil", who's favorite capo was non other than "the Dapper Don". As you continue to read, you suddenly notice the rift between Paul's and Neil's crews, meanwhile Carlo's sick awaiting death. Alot of the soldatos and capos though "Mr.Neil",should be the boss upon the death of DonCarlo. But as you know from the movie, FatPaulie was the one who was bumped up to BOSS, not Neil,who wasn't even that mad due to the cancer that he was himself dying from. As boss Paul showed major disrespect in not attending Mr.Neil's wake or even funeral! To those who were with Gotti,they knew Gotti would definitely whack out Castellano. He got the backing of all of the Gambino Capos, they voted yes, then on December 16 Gotti had DeCiccio arrange a meet with Paul,his driver/bodyguardTom"Wigs" Bilotti,along with Tommy Gambino,Carlo's son,who was informed and promised that no one would lift a finger in his direction, and that he should keep earning like before. As Paulie got out of the car, Gotti's soldiers where on him like bees to honey, three from the front,three from the back,six just for Paul and as Bilotti was hiding behind the LIncoln's door, three more came from across the street and gave him a lead supper like his boss.After that Gotti took over and things where good until he became a target for the FBI, mainly because he kept beating Court cases, one a RICO,One Assault,I'm not certain,the book has it all and in order. He got them so ticked that they bugged his Social Club and the rest is history. At present Gotti has been moved to a Hospital for a cancerous lump in his throat, God Bless Him and his personal family.
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