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Gus Russo
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Supermob: How Sidney Korshak and His Criminal Associates Became America's Hidden Power Brokers Hardcover – September 5, 2006

by Gus Russo (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings
See all formats and editions

Investigative reporter Gus Russo returns with his most explosive book yet, the remarkable story of the "Supermob"―a cadre of men who, over the course of decades, secretly influenced nearly every aspect of American society. Presenting startling, never-before-seen revelations about such famous members as Jules Stein, Joe Glaser, Ronald Reagan, Lew Wasserman, David Bazelon, and John Jacob Factor―as well as infamous, scrupulously low-profile members―Russo pulls the lid off of a half-century of criminal infiltration into American business, politics, and society. At the heart of it all is Sidney "The Fixer" Korshak, who from the 1940's until his death in the 1990s, was not only the most powerful lawyer in the world, according to the FBI, but the enigmatic player behind countless 20th century power mergers, political deals, and organized crime chicaneries. As the underworld's primary link to the corporate upperworld, Korshak's backroom dominance and talent for anonymity will likely never be equaled. And as Supermob proves, neither will his story…

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  1. Print length
    592 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloomsbury USA
  4. Publication date
    September 5, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    6.4 x 1.93 x 9.53 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781582343891
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1582343891
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
158 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-researched. They appreciate the historical accuracy and detail about the Mob's activities. The book is described as attractive and well-crafted, with a good pace.

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ReadabilityResearch qualityHistorical accuracyAppealPacing
26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it well-researched and engaging, particularly for those who lived in Chicago. The story is described as fascinating, epic, and amazing. Some readers enjoyed the first half of the book but felt the author's politics took over. Overall, they describe the book as an accurate depiction of the mob's activities in 20th century America.

"This is a great book, my only complaint is that author Gus Russo clearly used actor Gianni Russo as his source on some of these things, some of..." Read more

"Good Book, If You Would Like to Know the Story about the Graft in Washington and This Country, Told By The Jewish Mob" Read more

"...They do control the country. An unbelievable read, and not fiction. Fear not the mafia, fear the Supermob." Read more

"Super Mob by Gus Russo is a fantastic tale of Sidney Korshak, fixer of all things, lover of beautiful younger woman, Jill St. John, and Stella..." Read more

18 customers mention "Research quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and well-written. They describe it as a serious enquiry and history of an interesting time in Hollywood. The research is deep and contains a wealth of information. Many readers find the book eye-opening and say it's one of the better books about this subject.

"Gus Russo's Supermob is a meticulously researched, well-crafted piece of non-fiction that fascinatingly binds together history, politics, show..." Read more

"Wow. Russo does a fantastic job of investigative journalism connecting all the dots on slimy mob lawyer Korshak and all the schemes in which he..." Read more

"...I could not put this book down. The writing is first-rate, the research fantastic. I love all the history involving Chicago since I live there...." Read more

"Interesting, well-researched biography within good historical context. 3 stars only because too much minutiae makes it tedious to read in my opinion...." Read more

7 customers mention "Historical accuracy"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's history fascinating and epic. It provides an insightful look into America's underworld during the 19th and 20th centuries. The book covers the mobs and their influence on entertainment.

"...researched, well-crafted piece of non-fiction that fascinatingly binds together history, politics, show business, and modern business banking..." Read more

"Interesting, well-researched biography within good historical context. 3 stars only because too much minutiae makes it tedious to read in my opinion...." Read more

"...It is a history of the two prevalent mobs and their reach in the entertainment and political worlds in a way which has not been covered in..." Read more

"...Fascinating history and disgraceful that it still exists today." Read more

4 customers mention "Appeal"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book appealing. They say it's well-presented and provides an insightful look at how smart mobsters amassed control and money during the Holocaust.

"...It's an amazing look at the control and money the 'smart mobsters', the Jews, accumulated while still paying taxes, not indulging in violence, and..." Read more

"...The book is well presented and attractive. ." Read more

"...This rendering is as good as his book The Outfit!" Read more

"Fascinating look at the influence the Chicago mob and it's point man Sidney Korshak had on the hotel industry, movies and politics at the highest..." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it well-researched and engaging. The book is described as an interesting read, not fiction.

"Gus Russo's Supermob is a meticulously researched, well-crafted piece of non-fiction that fascinatingly binds together history, politics, show..." Read more

"...They do control the country. An unbelievable read, and not fiction. Fear not the mafia, fear the Supermob." Read more

"Great service. Would use again book was in good condition and a very interesting read. Will share with friends and family" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Joe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely superb
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Gus Russo's Supermob is a meticulously researched, well-crafted piece of non-fiction that fascinatingly binds together history, politics, show business, and modern business banking schemes with the Outfit, the Chicago mob that drew indelible images on American culture as we know it.

    Russo centers his book around Sidney Korhsak, the "Fixer," the man who could settle any dispute because you didn't want to become indebted to those he represented. Korshak, known by absolutely anyone of note in Hollywood, Las Vegas, Chicago and Washington, D.C., was the primary union boss—for all intents and purposes—for every union there was, as all were controlled by the Mob in mid-twentieth century America. Korshak was also the life-long best friend of MCA head Lew Wasserman, the last mogul, the man who virtually ran show business. And Wasserman was a life-long friend of Ronald Reagan. (Enough said.) Las Vegas, started by the Chicago Outfit, was basically two things to the mob: unions and the illegal skim from the casinos. Korshak oversaw it all.

    Korshak was probably the shrewdest man who ever lived. He knew how to get things done in his world, but he was also smart enough to know that his life would go a lot smoother if he kept in the background, as anonymous as he could make himself. A lawyer who never kept notes who was on the phone if not having a meeting with someone. Even Hollywood protected him. When at a party, if someone innocently took a picture that contained even part of him in the background, that person would be met with a chorus of "You can't take a picture of Sidney" s. There was not a star of any note who didn't know him. Those who didn't, certainly knew of him.

    Korshak's wide frame of reference also made him virtually untouchable to Federal authorities. All inquiries into his business dealings by government agencies were spiked when reviewed in Washington. How do you go after someone who knows where all the bodies are buried, both literally and figuratively?

    Russo's investigative research here is extremely deep. There are so many players involved it's hard to keep them straight. To me, more pictures would have helped. And this book is not running some kind of anti-Jewish bias as some—like The New York Times—have contended. Such claims are ridiculous. Reviews like that go in with their own agenda, written before the book is even read. Russo presents the facts as he finds them, giving no group any kind of pass or blame that begins or ends with their ethnicity.

    It's a competitive world. And these people banded together to increase their odds of success in it. But as Balzac said—and Russo quotes—"Behind every great fortune is a crime." Gus Russo's Supermob is full of them: great fortunes and great crimes.
    23 people found this helpful
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  • Educated Consumer
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the better books about this subject.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is a great book, my only complaint is that author Gus Russo clearly used actor Gianni Russo as his source on some of these things, some of which have since been either disproven, or others have distanced themselves from the allegations, such as the story Gianni Russo told of the doors being blown off the studio for the Godfather. No other person has ever made this allegation and in fact others have since repeatedly denied this incident as alleged by Gianni Russo, took place. Despite that one bad source the rest of the book has a lot of good connection points if not outright evidence on a subject many were afraid to talk about.
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  • Chef John Murgo
    4.0 out of 5 stars Told By The Jewish Mob
    Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Good Book, If You Would Like to Know the Story about the Graft in Washington and This Country, Told By The Jewish Mob
    7 people found this helpful
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  • bill h.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A really impressive GANG, and smooth as silk.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    T

    This is one of the few books that I have read twice. I read it a few years back in hardback and could not get it out of my mind. I bought it on Kindle, and reread it carefully, and it reads like a novel, and it is not. The power of the Supermob and it's affect on our country and our system of government is unbelievable, and how they fix everything they want the way they want, all the way up to selecting and electing the President of the US. Sidney Korshak and his co-harts really do run the country, and take large sums of money illegally, and give back less large sums to charity, and are held forth as philanthropists, when in essence they steal and con and give some back, and even Attorney General Kennedy would not touch them, as they were in ways connected to his father, and they were useful in supplying 'entertainment' for Bobby and Jack Kennedy. Wow, what a group, and the book can only be bought used, and the asking price is 198.00. We have Chicago, General Dynamics, Hollywood, Las Vegas, and worlds of continuing corruption, thanks to Supermob, and they are smooth, and very talented. They do control the country. An unbelievable read, and not fiction. Fear not the mafia, fear the Supermob.
    15 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • P. Hardy
    3.0 out of 5 stars A few books, some to look for.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The Marx essays are essential , especially as we are now, the Lombardo has no info jus picture after picture, the Huckstes is a flawed bu interesting US post WW2 novel in which sex is a fact of life. it also well documents the radio industry of the day. live is a neat riposte to the self glorification of Clive Davis' latest opus, while the Dance Band Era, although dated, is eveything Lombardo isn't. It een admits that musicians are interested in money. A useful guide.
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  • The Emperor
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining but gets a bit repetitive
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    It is an entertaining book and there are plenty of entertaining anecdotes. Ronald Reagan doesn't come out of it looking too good though! The amount of corruption is incredible.
    However I am not certain exactly how true it is. A lot of the people that are involved are conveniently dead. I am certain that most of it is fact but the author doesn't seem to do that great a job of proving that it is true,
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  • vizer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Supermob indeed
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book exposes how a small mob ( a cartel )can be controlling a nation
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