Mob Rules: What the Mafia Can Teach the Legitimate Businessman [Hardcover]

Louis Ferrante (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 2, 2011

The average Mafia don knows more about effective leadership than a trunkful of Fortune 500 CEOs.

For all the mob's well-deserved reputation for violence and immorality, its most successful members have always been remarkably astute businessmen. Former mobster Louis Ferrante reveals their surprisingly effective management techniques and explains how to apply them in any legitimate business.

As an associate of the Gambino Family, Ferrante pulled off some of the biggest heists in U.S. history before the age of twenty-one, netting millions of dollars. His natural talent for management led bosses like John Gotti to rely on him. Now he offers time-tested Mafia wisdom, such as:

* Three can keep a secret (if two are dead): Build trust with your colleagues.
* You don't always need a gun to hit a target: Lead people without force.
* It's never personal: When circumstances demand it, never hesitate to pull the trigger.

Ferrante brings his real-life experience to the book, offering fascinating insights into Mafia behavior and sharing behind-the-scenes episodes almost as outrageous as those occurring on Wall Street every day.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent example for business wisdom seekers. Ferrante shares cogent business advice for employees, middle managers, and bosses. A colorful and surprisingly practical business primer.
--------Publishers Weekly

Ferrante draws on an extensive knowledge of world events, mob lore, and personal experience to deliver an engrossing effort that reads like a rousing memoir, meditation on world history and mafia expose all in one. -----Kirkus Reviews

"[Mob Rules] pours out spicy tales of Mob lore to make its management points, an approach most execs couldn't refuse."
-----New York Post 3/20/11.

"Wiseguy's Wisdom. Worthwhile, sometimes humorous tips on how to succeed in business." --- --New York Daily News

"He never got an M.B.A. but ex-mobster Louis Ferrante learned enough about business on the street."  -----Crain's New York Business

"Former Gambino family associate Louis Ferrante has delivered one of the wisest and wittiest collections of reflections on life and business ever penned by a wiseguy."
-----Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"The Mafia Management Guru."-----BusinessWeek

"Leadership lessons from the mob. Ferrante's book is worth the read...colorful tales of mob life."----Forbes

"Useful lessons for entrepreneurs and even middle managers."
----London Financial Times

"Mob Rules is packed with case studies highlighting the techniques of great practitioners (with) historical insights."
----The Week (London)

"Mob Rules is a collection of lessons that can be gleaned from the long and colourful history of the Mob and applied to the legal business world." -----CTV Canada

"Mob Rules lays out the ways the rules of the Mafia can be applied in pursuit of straight-world success, injecting historical parallels and real-life anecdotes along the way."
-----New York Post 6/13/11

"It's very rare when someone from Lou's world has the heart of a writer. Criminal experiences don't usually lead to great insights. Louis Ferrante is different-his talent for storytelling shines through in Mob Rules."
------Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy and Casino

"Louis Ferrante is a wise guy in every possible sense of the word. His wisdom is extraordinary and his writing style immaculate."
-David Black, screenwriter and producer for Law & Order

"I knew John Gotti better than anyone, and if he were alive today, Mob Rules would be his favorite book."
----George "Fat George" DiBello, caretaker of John Gotti's South Queens social club during the don's reign

"Finally, Lou brings all of the Mafia's wisdom and business acumen together in Mob Rules and shows readers how they can apply the mob's best practices to their own businesses."
----Rita Gigante, daughter of the late mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante

About the Author

Louis Ferrante is a former Mafia associate and heist expert who served eight and a half years in prison after refusing to incriminate members of the Gambino family. After his release, he wrote a memoir of life in the Mafia, Unlocked, that won enthusiastic reviews. Ferrante now lectures around the country to at-risk teens and other groups about the value of learning.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover (June 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591843987
• ISBN-13: 978-1591843986
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #233,261 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Louis Ferrante is an American writer and former member of the Gambino crime family.

Ferrante was born and raised in Queens, New York. As a teenager, Ferrante made his reputation as a gang leader. Ferrante and his crew hijacked delivery trucks and drove them to drop-offs all over New York, reselling the merchandise. Ferrante eventually gained the attention of the infamous Gambino crime family. In the early nineties, Ferrante's growing Mafia connections enabled him to commit some of the most lucrative robberies in US history, all by the age of twenty-one.

When the law caught up with Ferrante, he wrote a rap song defending infamous Gambino Family Boss John Gotti, and hired controversial civil rights attorney William Kunstler to defend him. Indictments came from the Secret Service, the Nassau County Organized Crime Force, and the FBI. By 1994, Ferrante faced a life sentence in prison. He pleaded guilty and served nearly a decade in various maximum security prisons after refusing to cooperate against former associates of the Gambino family.

During his incarceration, Ferrante read his first book. He subsequently immersed himself in the study of nearly every subject possible, specifically history and literature. He also learned the art of writing, and penned an historical novel, Aleesa, set in the antebellum South.

Ferrante successfully appealed his own conviction from his prison cell, a case that is cited in courtrooms across the country. In addition to law, he studied many religions, and chose to become an Orthodox Jew.

In the U.S., Ferrante's memoir is Unlocked: a Journey From Prison to Proust in hardcover. The paperback edition is Unlocked: The Life and Crimes of a Mafia Insider. In the United Kingdom, the memoir is Tough Guy: The Life and Crimes of a Mafia Insider. The book has also been translated into Dutch.

Ferrante devotes much of his time visiting prisons and promoting literacy and education in the United States and abroad. In the U.K., Ferrante's contribution to inspiring others in the pursuit of literacy was recognized at a ceremony at Number 10 Downing Street where he was given an award by Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Ferrante is currently working on his next book, a mystery thriller, and also plans to publish his slavery novel, Aleesa.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Street Smarts June 17, 2011

By Jordan Mosley

Format:Hardcover

Mr. Ferrante offers the unique insight he acquired during his time in the mafia to reveal the inequities that plague 'legitimate' business, showing that sometimes the only difference between legal and illegal is a starched shirt and a tailored suit. In one particularly incisive passage, Mr. Ferrante compares the lending practices of a loan shark with those of a mortgage bank, a comparison that, in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage crisis, seems especially pertinent. What separates this title from other business book is its no-nonsense, straight-talking tone. Absent are any 'insider' tips from the silver-tongues of vaulted, venerated CEO's, tips that, for all their practicality, will never grant readers the unlimited wealth of industrial titans.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ANOTHER GREAT BOOK FROM LOUIS FERRANTE!!!! June 13, 2011

By mbb666

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

After reading Louis Ferrante's book Unlocked, I have been eagerly awaiting another book from him. I actually pre-ordered the book a couple of months ago and couldn't wait to get it. The day I got it I couldn't start reading it fast enough. As Mr. Ferrante did in his first book, he wrote in such an amazing way that I couldn't put the book down. It is one of those books where you are reading it at night and it's getting later and later, and after you finish a chapter you tell yourself just one more chapter and I'll go to sleep. Of course this doesn't happen and you will find yourself reading on and on.
Mr. Ferrante does an excellent job of explaining how the legitimate businessman can use teachings of the mafia. It's actually quite amazing because before I read it, I couldn't imagine how it would be possible for the legitimate businessman could learn, and use anything from the mafia to help run a legitimate business.
I can tell you that I run a medium to large size company and already I have used quite a few of Mr. Ferrante's "lessons", and I have noticed quite a difference in how my employees act and see things when I present things to them in a different manner that I learned from this book.
One thing that should be mentioned. Even if you work for someone else and "you" are not running the business this book is still a must read. I say this because most of the lessons being taught can be used in your life. These lessons are life lessons and will help you to live a better and more fulfilling life. Mr. Ferrante has a way with his writing style to really get through to you and make you understand things by using stories to put things in perspective.
I know this book is brand new, but I am already eagerly awaiting for another book. Mr, Ferrante's writing style speaks for itself. You
will not be disappointed with this book or his first book Unlocked. In my opinion this is a must read book. I have already ordered 10 more copies to pass out to friends and family. Don't miss out on this one. Both of his books are truely an amazing read, and the style of writing will keep you wanting more. Plus...it doesn't hurt that you will actually learn things while reading it, and be able to better yourself. Mr. ferrante, if you read this, I am a fan, and can't wait to see what else you have In your mind. If you are reading this review for the purpose on whether or not to buy this book....you can stop here. STOP READING THESE REVIEWS ALREADY AND BUY THIS BOOK....you won't be disappointed.
Mike from RI

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Mob Rules' is a great read! June 10, 2011

By WRRbook

Format:Hardcover

In 'Mob Rules', Mr. Ferrante has written a contemporary 'Art of War', not just for business people, but for those from all walks of life. It is a work full of wisdom, humor and an impressive grasp of both mafia and world historical events. The author relates the hardened,unvarnished stories of the most notorious underworld figures in their own words. He then cites the lessons from history that serve as reminders of Santayana's axiom regarding remembering the past. From this mix, Ferrante creates a common-sense philosophy for us all.
There are street stories, alternately funny and tragic, that give the book a gritty, real-life tone. I highly recommend this book.