Customer Reviews

Mountain Mafia - Organized crime in the rockies

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having been born and raised in Pueblo in the 1940's, as well as my father, uncles and cousins, I grew up hearing small snippets of conversation about the Mafia in Pueblo. Nobody ever gave me any specific details, but I sure believed there was Mafia in Pueblo and Colorado! My parents are buried in the same cemetery as some of the names quoted in this book, including Danna, Carlino, and other notorious Mob-related names. It was truly fascinating to me to read the actual newspaper accounts of mob "hits" in Pueblo, dating back as far as 1910, when the large wave of Italian and Sicilian immigrants first arrived to snap up jobs at the CF&I Steel Mill and coal mines in the area. Mafia members, formerly known as the "Mano Nera" or "Black Hand" also arrived and quickly began to terrorize their fellow countrymen.

I found this book to be extremely well-researched and interspersed with stories about actual extortion activities, speakeasy prohibition mob interests, etc. All in my own home town!!

I can highly recommend "Mountain Mafia". It's an easy read, enjoyable and totally fascinating stuff!

Having been born and raised in an Italian family during the 1930's and 1940's in Southern Colorado,( Walsenburg, Pueblo, Agular) I found the discussion of organied crime in the local mountain communities a step down memory lane. I found the references about Mr. Charles Blanda, aka Charlie to his friends, to be the most interesting. Mr. Blanda was a family friend, he was always a gentleman and was a very good boss. My mother was a bartender for 35 years in Walsenburg, Pueblo and Denver. She worked for Mr. Blanda at the Holliday in on 7th. St. for about 5 years 42 to 47. As a little boy I stopped in to see her from time to time and always had a Cherry Coke and a conversation with Mr. Blanda. I also recognized several other names of people that I knew personnaly as a kid. It is a very interesting look down memory lane as I am now 73 years old. Long, long ago.
Cecil R. Sowers Jr. Gysgt U.S.M.C. (Ret)

Fascinating book! Having heard so many stories about "the Mafia presence" from family members who worked and lived in Pueblo since 1906, I was intrigued by the detailed accounts drawn from actual historical records and newspaper files. Infamous names like Smaldone, Colletti, Roma, Carlino, and Danna can be found in the Pueblo cemetery, which I just visited. Especially interesting was the famous court case of "Scotty" Spinuzzi, who was acquitted of murder "because no one saw the bullet leave the gun." Unbelievable!

Covering the period from the early 1900's through the 1990's, this book represents exhaustive research and includes an extensive bibliography for each chapter. All of these factual accounts made the book really come alive for me.

I highly recommend "Mountain Mafia" as a fascinating history of real-life mobsters in the West. Better than mystery fiction!

I bought this book for my wife due to her Italian heritage and relatives in Pueblo, Colorado. Very interesting tome, and only someone from Pueblo would suspect the depth of Sicilian culture there. The book was brand new, perfect condition, and delivered promptly.

I read this book to get another slant on the Smalldone family.
Having lived during that period, it seemed more factual. Marilynn Krafft

This book is a must read for an Italian from Colorado - most specifically Pueblo or southern Colorado if you have any interest in organized crime. You will recognize names and locations and it will take some of the mystery out of all those stories you heard growing up. The writers obviously had access to records and history that validated these most unwholesome activities that existed in the last 50-70 years.

This is a great read, very light and unusual. Who knew there was Mafia activity in the small towns and mountains of Colorado! Pick this up...you will learn something and you will enjoy it!

WOW! If you are from Pueblo,CO or the towns mentioned in this book you will be amazed. Last names are very familiar as well as the places it talks about. I absolutely loved it. Now people I know are borrowing the book and there is a waiting list.

This is a great book. It is well researched and well written. I enjoyed learning about Colorado's history with the mafia. I highly recommend this book.

Good Book, Lots of history. I got the book in good time and in good condition. Thanks. JP