The first volume in a revolutionary new history of the American Mafia from a man who has seen it all from the inside
The first volume in a revolutionary new history of the American Mafia from a man who has seen it all from the inside
Historians have previously glazed over the mafia's formative years. In this first volume, Ferrante explores its Sicilian roots, before following a cast of larger-than-life characters who arrived as fugitives on American shores. Through these and other lives - including legendary mobsters Lucky Luciano, Vito Genovese, Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Seigel - Ferrante tells the extraordinary story of the mafia's rise in America, as they provided alcohol during Prohibition, created the gambling mecca Las Vegas and practically took over the island of Cuba.
Highly entertaining Wall Street Journal
He may be a loss to the criminal fraternity, he is most certainly an asset to the literary world ASPECTS OF HISTORY
A fascinating inside look at the history of the Mafia . . . Ferrante's familiarity with Mafia customs gives flesh and immediacy to what could otherwise be a rote historical tome, but he doesn't draw his authority from affiliation alone: this is a well-researched history in its own right. True crime fans will be captivated PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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 -- Nicholas Pileggi, author of WISE GUY and CASINO
Building his case in concise, economical prose, Ferrante draws on an extensive knowledge of world events, mob lore and personal experience . . . a rousing memoir, meditation on world history and Mafia exposé all in one Kirkus Reviews on MOB RULES
Being inside Ferrante's mind is an amazing experience -- Joel Stein TIME
A fascinating first volume . . . smoothly written and impeccably researched . . . a serious historical look at organized crime written not by an academician or a journalist, but someone who lived the life. His insights are often personal and always informative . . . It's more complex, erudite and compelling than anything you'll hear on a podcast JERSEY MAN
How the Italian mafia went global NEW YORK POST
A compelling narrative explaining the socio-economic conditions that spawned the mafia. It will not and cannot be ignored -- Frederick T. Martens former President of the International Association for the Study of Organized Crime
Louis Ferrante is a former Mafia associate and heist expert who served eight years in prison after refusing to incriminate Gambino family members. His last book, Mob Rules, was an international bestseller, and his Discovery Channel Series, Inside the Gangsters Code, earned him a Grierson Award nomination for Presenter of the Year.
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