Amazon.com

All due respect to the Gambinos and the Genoveses, but the Italian mob families aren’t the only gangsters to make for compelling memoirs. In terms of relentless ruthlessness and its obsession with the almighty dollar, the Irish mob of Boston’s James "Whitey" Bulger could match its New York counterparts hit for bloody hit. For decades, Edward J. MacKenzie, Jr. (a.k.a. Eddie Mac) was a drug dealer, enforcer, and key associate of Bulger (on the lam as this book was published). Mac's first-person account of those years is rife with more gory details per page than the entire last season of The Sopranos.

By the brutal code of honor and loyalty in the streets, the candid dishing of such dirt marks MacKenzie as a world-class rat, second only to Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, the man who put John Gotti away. But Eddie Mac has some justification in spilling the beans; in exchange for his tips, the Feds turned a blind eye toward his crimes. (It's also worth nothing that Bulger himself was an informant for the FBI.) The author certainly doesn’t portray himself as any sort of hero or "gangster with a heart of gold." Witness his charming account of one of many attempts to "enlighten" a wayward associate: "Probation notwithstanding, I had to open Steve’s eyes a little. I headed over to Dunkin’ Donuts and bought a cup of coffee for $1.24. Medium, black, scalding hot. . . .Steve was still in his car, sleeping like a baby. The window was down and he had his head against the door, hands under his cheeks. I poured the hot coffee down the side of his face, making sure to get some on his eyeballs. . . I swear if I’d had enough money to buy the gasoline that day that’s what I would have done. . .but I’d only had $1.30, so the coffee had to do."

Although MacKenzie has not one but two ghost writers (Karas is a contributor to People magazine and the author of The Onassis Women, while Muscato is a self-described "strategic communications consultant"), the prose never rises above the level of the sleaziest pulp fiction. But that of course is exactly its appeal, and fans of the true-crime genre will find Street Soldier a supreme pleasure, guilty or not. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (20)

INSIDER'S VIEW OF SOUTH BOSTON MOBSTER, WHITEY BULGER
Not asking for sympathy or forgiveness, Edward Mackenzie, a self acclaimed scumbag, tells everyone what it was like to work for Whitey Bulger. He uses graphic, bone crushing detail to portray the days when Whitey and his gang terrorized the streets of Boston. This book moves along quickly and offers a view unlike any I've read on the subject. It is not a researched, outsider's view - it's the real deal!

True or not, still a great read
I'm not "in the know" so I can't comment on the veracity of the work. It certainly reads real. I found it to be a great follow up to "Black Mass." There is a wonderful chapter or two about Whitey's character that are not touched upon in Black Mass. IOW, it gives some of the characters talked about in that book more of a personal touch, rather than an outside journalistic approach. For that reason, I found the book very interesting. Also, because the book is very current, it includes many updates to the cast of characters (Flemmi, Connoly Bulger, etc.)

As for Eddie's trials and tribulations; he is definitely blunt. There is no attempt to spin his stories. Much of the carnage he does is simply for the fact of doing it. You don't have that sense of Italian mafiosi creed of "we only mess with the people who mess with us." Eddie details racially-driven and gay bashing missions. There are some great character development stories in the beginning and towards the end. If the author has accomplished anything it has been to define himself and what he stands for.

If you're looking for a true street soldier piece, I think many others have been done better. Simply because many of the people chronicled ended up having a higher role in the organization later on and could provide the tales from both view points. "Wise Guy" is the all time classic (the movie Goodfellas is based on this book) and "Last Mafioso" chronicles Jimmy Fratiano's life. These are both superb in the trenches with a mobster type reading.

I'd strongly recommend reading "Black Mass." If that interests you, then "Street Soldier" provides a nice fill in the blank type piece. If I would have read "Street Soldier" without reading "Black Mass" first, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much (maybe 3 or 3.5 stars).

In the very least, it demonstrates that we all come from different walks of life.

Street Soldier
I thought this book tells the truth about Southie and James "whitey" Bulger. Mackenzie isnt afraid to be honest about himself which makes it easier for the reader to connect with him. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about true crime.

waste of time
i thought that the worst book i've ever read on the mob was a book by paul dimaio's son; this one takes the cake or i should say the bull!!! eddie mackenzie is the perenial want-a-be wise guy who makes up storise as he goes along;i.e. big bunch of bull. i can't believe that a publishing company put this in print. every stool-pigon who gets cought these days trys to make a buck on lie's & as far a lies go he won a five star rating! the book is more of a seinfeld episode, about nothing, than the mob. i think he is mad that he was never more than a coffee boy for whitey.

A Heartbreaking, Fascinating and Riveting Account...
This is a heartbreaking and riveting account of one man's life in the close-knit neighborhood of South Boston, and the 20th century underworld associated with it that few glimpse or know of. The temptations, codes, illegality, loyalties, betrayals, customs and excesses of New England Organized Crime under the mystique and terror of the still-missing desperate fugitive and elusive James J. "Whitey" Bulger are revealed here in very frightening terms. And yet this is also a story of a man who fought the demons of abandonment and abuse at an early age, who made his own rules, took enormous risks on both sides of the law, survived the toughest codes of Southie, and finally went straight in his middle age, in part because the FBI finally caught up with him and forced his hand, and also because of the profound love he has for his children and his community. Fascinating forward by Attorney Al Nugent, the author's lawyer and life-long friend. The author's comments on the ongoing appeal of Federal FBI Agent John J. Connelly, Jr. should be taken with a pound of salt. Be that as it may, I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not what it seems, BORING
When I picked this book up I thought I would get a nice history of Gotti. That was true to some extent but the majority of the book was devoted to the trials. If you are a lawyer or someone who is interested in that sort of thing then this book is for you. If you want a good read then pick up the Capeci book on Gotti,that is top of the line! You can also read this if you are having problems sleeping....

gotti
John Gotti started out as a nobody from Queens,New York, who would later become the biggest know name in the mafia today. After he assassinated Paul Castellano, the boss of the Gambino family John started to climb his way up in the mafia life.Through out the book the authors go into great detail about John and the family. John was always a fan of the press and media, he wanted his name to be know to all. That was also exactly what happend. John was the most feared man in New York for most of the 80's and the early 90's. After gettin extreamly popular the FBI and RICO started to fallow him and bug his hidouts and homes. In the mid 90's John and his two main men Sammy and Frankie were arrested and sentenced to life in prison.After that the Gambino family fell apart.

The book Mob Star was thrillin and exciting. After reading the first chapter it was hard not to put this book down. The way the authors go into great detail about what is going on and how it happens, you feel like you were in the same room with john at every moment.Mob Star is a very fast reading book,only because you can not wait to see what John Gotti gets into next.I would recomend this book to anyone who likes the Mafia or just wants to read an excilent book.

The author Jerry Capeci and his book
The book is a one sided story told by a man who is "obsessed" with John Gotti. Full of news reports that could be fact or fiction. This author has made a ton of money off the Gotti name and continues to do so. He will not let go, we know $$$ motivates him, we know the name GOTTI sells/promotes his web site, articles, and books, but could there be more to the relentless vendetta he has against JOHN GOTTI or is it in Italians themsleves. A dirty little secret?? The rumor is Jerry Capeci uses a pen name, and in fact he is of "irish" ethincity by birth. Could he have a hiddin agenda which motivates his writings of Italian Americans negative light????? Let us know Mr.Capeci!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done, Gene and Jerry
The final chapter in John Gottis book of life. The prologue and postscript give the reader true insight to the late John Gotti and his final days existing in solitary confinement in one of the toughest correctional facilities in the American system.
This is a must read for anyone with the least bit of curiosity about the Mafia and it's late "Teflon Don".

The best book ever on John Gotti
MOB STAR is a fascinating read--and the most up-to-date book on the story of John Gotti you'll find. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

"The Road to Al-Qaeda" is a controversial book. Written by an Egyptian human rights lawyer, it is the first English-language account of the development of tensions between violent and non-violent factions in radical Islamist movements, from the perspective of an insider. It is also a biography of one of the world's most-wanted terrorists: Egyptian-born Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri. Widely recognized as the man who will take over the leadership of Al-Qaeda after Osama bin Laden, he is also the reputed architect of the Riyadh bombings in Saudi Arabia.

The original version of this book sold widely across the Arabic world. Reproduced in translation here, with an extensive introduction from distinguished scholar Ibrahim Abu Rabi, it stands alone as an unrivalled account of the divisions within militant Islamist ideology. The author provides insight into the internal politics of Islamic Jihad, and the radicalisation of bin Laden's deputy; he examines Zawahiri's opposition to efforts by other militant Islamists to call a ceasefire with the Egyptian authorities; and he narrates the redirection of Zawahiri's activities towards the US and Israel.

As an insight into one of the key minds behind Al-Qaeda this book makes unparalleled and disturbing reading. It is an important document for anyone who seeks to understand how a minority extremist ideology came to have such an impact on world events. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Provides western readers with critically important insights
Also available in a hardcover edition (0745321763, $65.00) The Road To Al-Qaeda: The Story Of Bin Laden's Right-hand Man by Montasser Al-Zayyat is the biography of one of the world's most-wanted terrorists -- Ayman al-Zawahiri. An Egyptian, Ayman was identified as the man to take over the leadership of Al-Qaeda after the death or incapacitation of Osama bin Laden. Since the September 11 attacks, Ayman is also the reputed architect of the Riyadh bombings in Saudi Arabia. Enhanced with an extensive introduction from the distinguished Islamic scholar Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi, The Road To Al-Qaeda provides western readers with critically important insights into the tensions between violent and non-violent factions within radical Islamist movements. No contemporary Islamic Studies collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of The Road To Al-Qaeda.

Essential Reading
By rendering this book into English, Ahmed Fekry and Sarah Nimis have done a tremendous service for anyone seeking more insight into international terrorism than she can get from a talking head on the evening news.

Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi3's introduction, though a bit meandering, provides useful background and presents interesting questions.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

During the last years of his violent life, Pablo Acosta smuggled a staggering 60 tons of cocaine a year into the United States-one third of the total U.S. consumption. Set only miles from the Texas border, Drug Lord is an extraordinary inside look at how drug trafficking really works in Mexico. Based on interviews with Acosta and other insiders, Poppa weaves a tale of the smuggler's rise from humble beginnings, his violent struggle to maintain control over his empire, the treachery and over-indulgence that fostered his downfall, and his grisly death at the hands of the judiciales, the Mexican federal police he had been paying off for years and who turned against him when he was no longer of use. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A magazine atricle
Drug Lord is a series of news releases tacked together in story form. With a few interesting side trips. Terrene Poppa comes across as a journalist on a quest, but the ending is preordained and the life--drugs-ect.-- (the focus of his book) repititious. Pablo Acosta (drug lord) comes from humble beginnings and rises to power with violence and violence. A lot of people get killed, then more people get killed, and everybody is smuggling or taking drugs and then Pablo gets killed. The Mexican government in corrupt, as are an assortment of Amercan agents, but the two groups play the game, bad guys and good guys. What the book lacks is the first person power when something is written by somebody who actually experienced the life. Poppa is telling this tale from the outside, and while that suffices it leaves the reader with a hazy vision of what really was happening. Amazon thinks my reviews are partial and unfair. They're probably right, I'm too much of a critic. If though you are interested in the subject (drugs, mexico, trailer park violence) you can read this book. It's not bad, just didn't go the distance. I think.

A fascinating look at the Mexican drug cartel
Drug Lord is a pleasure to read even though its message is quite disturbing. Terrence Pappa's journalistic talents are obvious; by focusing primarily on the biography of the Mexican drug lord, Pablo Acosta, rather than directly on the issue of drug smuggling, he immediately engages the reader's interest. Acosta is a fascinating character, reminiscent in some ways of Chicago's Al Capone. However, there is one huge difference: Pappa provides convincing evidence that even most powerful drug lords, such as Acosta, are only pawns in a drug trade that involves the highest levels of the Mexico's ruling party including the brother of the former President and possibly even former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, himself. The rampant corruption in the PRI - the political party that has ruled Mexico over 70 years - illustrates how difficult it will be for Mexico to get its social and economic house in order. This means that we can expect the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs (and they are related) will end no time soon.

Excellent
Great story that exposes the ugly corrupt symbiotic elationship between the mexican drug dealers and the corrupt police and army officials. It also carefullly documents the inevitable, reccurring results...Still, with all the access to Pablo Agosta you still feel you really don't know him -perhaps there really wasn't any 'there' there--it was all about power and getting high,and killing the opposition.. There are no heroes in this story, just a grim reality which leads you to the conclusion that the more things supposedly change, the more they remain the same---no solutions offered for that part of the mexican/ american economy living on fumes. . . Oddly enough,legalization (with appropriate controls/education/treament) might offer a long term solution-these stories will inevitably get worse, more violent, and corrupt the very institutions created to suppress the drug lords GOOD Story that should have been told long ago The end was foretold early in the book so there is little suspense at the end--not great writing, but great story

GREAT READ
This is an awesome read for true crime lovers. I could not put it down.

Druglord
Druglord is the best biography that I have ever read. Poppa did a very good job describing the life of a Mexican drug dealer. This book was very sophisticated; it was hard for me to understand what he was trying to say. Poppa used very descriptive words and phrases such as Malice aforethought, and audacious. After reading this book, I realized that the audience is mainly adults. I never imagined drug trafficking being as big as it was or as big as Acosta was. When I read this book, I was surprised when the book revealed that Pablo moved over sixty tons of just cocaine alone every year that he was in business. Then it he said that he also dealt with Marijuana and Heroin. Another thing that just blew my mind was that he paid the Mexican Federal Police (The Judicials) for protection. Poppa was so well descriptive, I had pictures and scenes playing in my head about some of the drug deals and when the American Police were constantly chasing him when he was dealing here. Overall, this was a very good book. Nobody knows how often drug trafficking happened and how much money they used to make off of it. A month ago, there was a drug bust in Iowa and it sounded just like the way Pablo Acosta ran his faction. The man used planes just like Acosta, and was dealing the same amount that Acosta was but he was making more money because the price has gone up now. I would recommend this book to anyone that like challenging books. ... Read more

Book Description

Finding Freedom is a collection of prison stories - sometimes shocking, sometimes sad, often funny, always immediate-told against a background of extreme violence and aggression, written by a prisoner on death row who has become a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

BUDDHA VISITS DEATH ROW
Faith is known as a powerful force to enable one to overcome emotional and psychological barriers that would deny their humanity. Jarvis Masters shares with us his spiritual transformation in a setting that is life denying. His poignant stories gives one insight on the culture of prison life on death row.

Of particular interest is Jarvis himself. He is an incarcerated Black man whose embracing of Vyrayana Buddhism has enabled him to move beyond the violence of prison life. Usually American Buddhism is associated with a white intellectual elite group which appears to ignore the sufferings of those incarcerated. Islam has been known as the religion of choice for jailed Black men while Christianity has provided religious solace and comfort to those imprisoned.

Buddha's visit to death row and Jarvis offers a new view of Buddhism. It has broken through its chains of exclusivisity and has offered those who are incarcerated the hope of finding freedom in the worst of circumstances. Jarvis' sharing of his practice of Buddhism is a testament to the great power of a faith to make a difference in one's life. This is a book to be read by all people interested in the transformative power of religion in today's prisons.

A testimony to human strength and the power of redemption
Not your everyday prisoner's memoir! Jarvis Masters' stories from the "belly of the beast" are well-observed, written with a lot of flair, and often hilariously funny. He has spent a third of his life on death row, yet somehow finds the strength and spirit to grow beyond those walls with his mind and heart, through his life and the stories he shares with us. A truly inspiring book -- I bought it for several of my friends, and they are telling me that they have been distributing it around their own circle. This is not a political book nor an anti-death penalty manifesto, yet it makes its case quietly and simply through the personality of the writer. I can't see how anyone could read it and still be convinced that this man (who didn't kill anyone) deserves to be put to death by the State of California.

Spirituality At Its Best
I recommend that anyone who is seeking to be spiritual read this book. Jarvis Masters provides a shining example of compassion in action in cirumstances where it is very difficult to be a holy human being.

A Must Read
Masters' tales are a must-read pass to San Quentin when it was a Level IV (of four criminal/felony levels) prison and the inmates ran the blocks. His book is a word album of people and incidents on the yards, on the tiers and in the cells as races and cultures collide in a setting of despair and boredom. In one of his most powerful chapters, "Sanctuary," Masters enters the upper yard on his first day, facing down the stairs of the established cons as they inspect the "fish"; then the door slams on his 5x9' cell that will be his home for the rest of his life.
The recidivists, the young parole violators who cycle through San Quentin on 90 day plus terms, generally for drug use, with little hope for treatment, jobs or housing on the outside, are the antagonists in many of his stories. And this brings us to the present. The California prison system and San Quentin are still largely populated by young parole violators, incarcerated for drug convictions or dry outs. These youngsters, unaware, ignorant or plainly apathetic about informal prison rules, seek to achieve the "OG" (Old Gangster) status of long time inmates through predatory violence. Masters writes of his frustrating attempts to cope with them at a time that Level IV inmates all mingled together. San Quentin is now a Level II prison, confining a gentler, generally nonviolent person within its massive perimeter, and Masters now is a practicing Buddhist, a transformation remarkably documented in the book's timeline
"Three Strikes" laws and the huge campaign contributions of the CCPOA, the California prison guards' union, have lead to unparalleled growth in California's prison population with Lifers (2nd degree murder or kidnapping crimes) eligible for parole and violators routinely jammed together in every facility. California's Level IV violent cons are housed in Pelican Bay and other specially designated Security Housing Units (SHU), yet Masters' Death Row for men remains at San Quentin. And the timelessness of Masters' stories is reflected by the fact that Lifers still have the respect of almost all groups in the prison, while California Governor Gray Davis fosters despair and hopelessness with an anti-parole stance. This book is an electrifying read if you have never been incarcerated. You can share Masters' gradual transformation from a mind-your-own-business, somewhat antisocial individual, to a compassionate prosocial inmate. Amazing book. I could not put it down. Very highly recommended.

Amazing experience
This book was one that I was not too sure about when I picked it up. I just started skimming the pages. The next time I looked up at the clock, I was half way through with this book. It places you in the midst of one of the country's toughest places where souls are stomped down and spirits are forgotten about. All the while, these human beings are struggling to find their voices. The writing is amazing as Jarvis brings you into his world of sometimes humorous, often ironic and constantly brutal life in San Quentin. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this compelling history of the rise of Japanese organized crime since the end of World War II, Robert Whiting, author ofYou Gotta Have Wa (an excellent book on Japanese baseball), demonstrates that Americans have only themselves to blame for the omnipotence of the yakuza in Japanese politics and society and the rebirth of conquered Japan as one of the world's great financial giants.

Whiting's real-life protagonist, Nick Zapetti, arrived in Tokyo during the days of the postwar occupation and decided to stay. Jolted from a budding career in low-rent confidence games by a lingering bout of insolvency, Zapetti opened a restaurant on a whim. Against all odds, Nicola's Pizza became the Tokyo hotspot in the '50s for expatriates, ballplayers, entertainers, and politicians, and inevitably, the local mob. Zapetti's erstwhile adventures as a semi-honest restaurateur in a strange land frame the book's real story: the savage backstabbing and dirty dealing of Tokyo's business community, which overlaps so seamlessly with the yakuza at times that it's difficult to see where one entity ends and the other begins. Whiting expertly details the evolution of "the Great Transfer of Wealth," as he calls it (the shifting in funds from American to Japan), and explains why American foreign policy (and its fear of communism) may have unwittingly allowed it to happen. Whiting's writing is illuminating and engaging, and his conclusions belie the simplistic protectionist rhetoric heard from both sides of the fence.

As for Zapetti, he eventually became a Japanese citizen and took his wife's last name. In poor health and dogged by the financial ruin of his pizza empire, Zapetti turned rabidly anti-Japanese: "You ever see the movie Rio Bravo?" Whiting quotes Zapetti as asking one of his foreign customers one night. "You remember the scene where the leering cowboy throws the money into the spittoon ... and Dean Martin, who's the town drunk, crawls after it? That's Japan's fantasy image of us. They want us to beg like Dean Martin." --Tjames Madison ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Fascinating look at what's crawling around under the tatami
The sub-title of Robert Whiting's fine book is a bit misleading.The American gangster in question often disappears from the narrative for long stretches while Whiting explains the long history of collusion between Japanese politicians and the yakuza.Nevertheless, the result is a fascinating social history with plenty of entertaining anecdotes and colorful character profiles.Chief among the latter are Nick Zapetti himself, the "gangster" who made a fortune with pizza parlors that became the hangout of choice for expatriates, entertainers, and, most significantly, those who make their living on the wrong side of the law, and then lost that fortune through a combination of stubbornness, bad luck, and ignorance.Another highlight is the career of Rikidozan, the former sumo wrestler who became a national hero and single-handedly established professional wrestling in Japan by defeating foreign wrestlers in scripted bouts, all the while hiding his Korean heritage.Often very funny, this book appeals to both a taste for the prurient and seamy and the desire for a serious, even-handed analysis of the role of organized crime, political selfishness, and short-sighted anti-Communism in Japan's rise to power and wealth.

A side of Japan few ever see
This is one of the most entertaining books I have ever read about Japan.And one of the most informative too.What really sets this book apart from most others on the topic is the detailed account of an American living through the post-war period and the excesses and hubris of the boom and eventual bust.I can almost imagine myself in Nick's shoes as he fights his way to the top of the pile only to slip under the weight of his greed.At the same time, this book imparts a valuable history lesson on just how much of Japan's economic boom was truly the result of hard work and how much was rigged.Until I read this book, I never fully appreciated the level of collusion and stunning, open-mouthed greed of Japan's ruling classes.It seems like another world, one that I can only see through this book.

More fun than a night at Pizza Hut
This book is a hoot to read. The author got sidetracked on his expose of the yakuza and ended up focusing on the life and times of a second-rate US dimwit who made and lost a fortune in post war Japan through a string of pizza parlors. His fortune rode high on the money spent by the expanding criminal expansion of Japan's underworld, only to as quickly be lost due to his inept understanding of Japanese divorce laws. A real enjoyable book, the story was so amusing that I actually visited the locale while in Japan while on business. If you are looking for a compilation of the rise of Japan following the war, the expansion of the criminal underworld, and a personal touch from an American viewpoint, you will enjoy this book immensely.

pretty good--most of it
This book intrigued me and bored me.
The vignettes Whiting spins were entertaining to read. He writes with an understated style thats suits each episode perfectly. In these instances, the people involved are not mere names, but people in action.
In the space between these stories, Whiting lost me. He endlessly lists names, places, and events in passing, that, while it may be important to someone interested in straight facts, didn't appeal to me. I was glad to get to the end.
But I have to say that after reading this book, I have a much better understanding of that side of Japanese history. Especially enlightening was the wounded nationalism displayed by the Japanese. They wanted to be the best in the world--at first militarily, then, after being defeated, the focus changed to business--to top the US (and the rest of the world) in something. All in all, a good book. Just get past the filler.

Couldn't Put It Down
A very good writer tackling a little known (in the West) aspect of Japan and Japanese history.Although he did make errors when he discusses the historical background to his main subject (e.g., the author's assertion about the U.S.' view of Park Chung Hee of South Korea - actually, they were first afraid that he was a communist) does not detract from the readability of the book.Even the anecdotes are fascinating - I read every singly end note in the book and they are numerous and incredible. ... Read more

Book Description

A suspenseful, emotionally charged real-life Sopranos: The son of New York's most notorious Mafia killer reveals the conflicted life he led being raised by a cold-blooded murderer, who was also a devoted familyman, and the wrenching legacy of Mafia family life.

Al DeMeo will never forget the day in 1992 when a coworker, a fellow trader at the New York Stock Exchange, taunted him with a copy of the hot new book Murder Machine, chronicling the horrific criminal life of DeMeo's father, Roy, the head of the most deadly gang in organized crime. The moment sent DeMeo into a psychological tailspin: How could he have spent his life looking up to, and loving, a vicious killer?

For the Sins of My Father recounts the chilling rise and fall of the man who led the Gambino family's most fearsome killers and thieves, through the eyes of a son who had never known any other kind of life. Coming of age in an opulent Long Island house where money is abundant but its source is unclear, Al becomes Roy's confidant, sent to call in loans at age fourteen and gradually coming to understand his father's job description--loan shark, car thief, porn purveyor and, above all, murderer. But when Al is seventeen, Roy's body is found in the trunk of a car, a gangland slaying that places Al between federal prosecutors seeking his testimony and a mob crew determined to keep him quiet.

Desperate to abide by the father-son bond, but equally determined to escape his father's dangerous and doomed life, Al Demeo embarks on a courageous quest for the truth, reconciliation, and honor. With the implacable narrative drive of a thriller and the power of a painfully honest memoir, For the Sins of My Father presents a startling and unprecedented perspective on the underworld of organized crime, exposing for the first time the cruel legacy of a Mafia life. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Mafia Hit
The Godfather, The Sopranos, Godfellas, all classic movies that basically display America's fascination with mob life. What do American's like more than mob stories? True stories! There is no better combination than a true story about mob life.
In Albert DeMeo's book, "For the Sins of My Father," he dives into his dark past of being the son of one of the Gambino families top killing machines, Roy DeMeo. From the days of carrying a gun as a young child to his teen years of running the family business and dealing with prostitutes, he faces everything that the mafia has to offer. Albert never gets to live the life of young boy , instead he spends countless hours covering for his father after he became a made man in the mob.
Although mobsters seem to live a glamorous life, Albert DeMeo describes his father's rise and fall in organized crime. Albert goes into great detail about his father's attempts to escape the law in other countries and how Roy DeMeo eventually dies by the gun.
Albert's life was deeply affected after his father's death, from the times when the FBI harass him to his own mental struggles. What is great about this mob tale is that Albert eventually ends up on top. Although he deals with tough times , he rebuilds a better life in which he is an accomplished author and on living a much healthier lifestyle. But I strongly suggest if you want a peak into the world of Al Capone, John Gotti, or Sammy the Bull read this page turning memoir of the lifestyles of the rich and the powerful.

Excellent read. Read in 12 hours time
Very engrossing book. I think Albert did a splendid job on this. I read a lot of Mafia related books and tend to think some stories sound a little far fetched but I find myself to believe everything Albert writes is probably really accurate as opposed to some books. I found myself tearing up a few times while reading this because his emotions really come through in the pages of this book. Just the idea of this poor kid staying awake night after night to see if his father was coming home really hit me. I felt for Albert reading this. I also found it heart-wrenching how people outside "the life" constantly judged him for being Roys kid. I recommend this book if you want to see how the families of "The Family" had lived. I loved the whole story at the beginning with the rabid squirrel. It would make a great scene in a comedy movie. Anyway, I am glad Albert seems to have found peace and hope he has a very enriching future.

interesting angle for a mob book
As a self admitted mafia aficionado I was very interested in this book from the son of one of the most notorious mob hitmen in history,especially since I had already read MURDER MACHINE and was well aware of roy demeo's reputation.Albert seems to be a relatively good guy who was born into something that would be very hard to handle if you were 30,much less a teenager.Good for him for making it,but being a mobster's son apparently carries a born hatred for the police trying to put away a murderer and reporters who write about the horrific things your father did.Yes the guy was his father but if Roy did half the things he was accused of,it seems an impossibility to humanize Roy DeMeo as Al tries to.Read Murder Machine as well to get the other side of Roy.Albert deserves compassion,his father doesn't.

A journey into one young man's Heart of Darkness
I bought this book on the spur of the moment. It was in the sale and I thought, "What the heck, I've nothing else to read tonight!"

The author Albert DeMeo pulls no punches as he chronicles not only his father's life, the Mobster Roy DeMeo and his steady rise to power in the Mafia in New York but also his own involvement from the tender age of five in a world that was seductively charming as it was dangerous. "For the Sins of my Father" is a brutal, candid, violent, tender portrayal of a life in a huge glass bubble in which escape is not an option for anyone.

However Albert DeMeo is not an apologist for his father's actions, rather he pulls the reader in a world in which corruption is at the heart of everything. Just as you can't feel sorry Roy DeMeo for the choices he made in his life you also cannot feel anything for the Police, the FBI, the Government, the Court system because they were often as corrupt as the people they claimed they were trying to bring to justice.

Albert's father knew many people and many considered themselves law abiding whilst at the same time asking and getting favours from the Mafia Capo who was their "neighbour" and "friend".

In one chapter the young Albert helps his father's "crew" to work out how wipe clean some audio tapes that could send one of their members to jail; magnets the child tells them men can wipe clean magnetic tapes of all their contents. It is a corrupt police officer who puts a magnet next to the audio tapes so that they will be blank when they are played in court.

It is also to Mafia owned drinking dens that many court officials, police officers and other city officials attend to drink, buy drugs and enjoy the company of Prostitutes.

Roy DeMeo's murder in the early 1980s is a brutal wake up call for the teenage Albert and hounded by both the Mafia who want his silence and the FBI wanting him to turn State's evidence, Albert somehow manages to salvage his life out of the wreckage of violence his father has left behind.

This is not a fairy tale, there is certainly no happy ending but Albert DeMeo is living proof that you can walk a way from organised crime and go on to live a legitimate life, all it takes is a lot of courage, the memory of how your father, a man you loved beyond all words, died in a hail of bullets, murdered by the very people who were supposed to be his friends and associates.

This book is very different from the gratuitous Best Seller "The Murder Machine" which demonises Albert's father; this is a book that puts a life into perspective, warts and all. Violence, car crime, prostitution, gambling, protection rackets, corrupt officials, loan sharking, pornography are put on display and it is left up to the reader to judge where the line between right and wrong lies.

There is no moving away from the fact that Roy DeMeo was a murderer, a Mafia Capo and a man with a criminal mind, but the world he worked in was a world providing services and commodities that people wanted and even the law was not above the stench of death, and corruption.

Read this book with an open mind and remember a father's love can transcend even the most vile of crimes....

Puts a human face on the mafia
Mr.DeMeo write a great book of his beloved father.And about the way of life he chose.They are not all monsters that most books and movies have you believe.But men who go a diffrent and difficult path.He tells of the way he once wanted to be like his father but chose a diffrent road. ... Read more

Book Description

From master crime writer Joseph Wambaugh, the acclaimed author of such classics as The Onion Field and The Choirboys, comes the extraordinary true story of a firefighter who may have been, according to U.S. government profilers, "the most prolific American arsonist of the twentieth century."

John Orr rose through the ranks of the Glendale Fire Department to become fire captain and one of southern California's best-known and respected arson investigators. But while Orr busted a string of petty arsonists, there was one serial criminal he could not track down. Homes, retail stores during business hours, fields of dry brush in stifling summer heat -- little was safe from the fire lover's obsession to see them burn.

But after years of terror and destruction, the Fire lover finally left behind a precious clue that helped investigators discover his true identity, to the shock and disbelief of the firefighting community.

Reviews (27)

Totally biased, arrogant author
This is the first Wambaugh book that I've read. I've heard lots of good things about his books. I work in law enforcement and have enjoyed other true crime books written by former law enforcement personnel, so thought I would Wambaugh as well. I had seen the documentary about John Orr and wanted to know more.

However, although the author is an excellent writer, this book was very biased and Wambaugh comes across to me as very arrogant -- a trait that I cannot tolerate under any circumstance. In fact, his bias that police officers are better than firefighters is downright cocky.

Although I knew the story of John Orr and felt he was guilty, while reading Fire Lover, I found myself wanting him to get off from page to page because of the cockiness of the writer.

I would NOT recommend this book to anyone.

Good Read
I have always enjoyed Joseph Wambaugh. It seems a few years ago, he went through a "dark" period when his books were almost if not actually depressing. But "Fire Lover" is a very good book. What I like about Wambaugh is his insight into people and organizations. The interplay between the police departments, the fire departsments, the Federal Arson invesigators, etc, is very very interesting. Fire lover is a true story about a serial arsonist who is also the arson investigator for Glendale, California. He may have been the most prolific arsonist of the 20th century.

My only complaint is that the trial part of the book might be too long. But as usual, Wambaugh shows his insights into how the system works, or sometimes does not work. The system worked here, but it was a very long journey.

I think over the writing career of Joseph Wambaugh, we owe him a debt for telling us outsiders how police departments and now fire departments actually work. I feel we owe them a debt that they do work. The book is a very good read.

Strange book about a strange character
This is an unusual book. I don't think I've ever read a book about an arsonist before, certainly not a non-fiction book, and the story that it tells is so fantastic that it's one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that defies belief.

The book tells the story of John Leonard Orr. Orr was a frustrated individual, from a split household, who tried to become a policeman and failed, and wound up becoming a firefighter, both in the Air Force and then in the city of Glendale here in Southern California. He rose to become Glendale's senior arson investigator, actually teaching classes that other arson investigators, even Federal ones, attended. He was considered one of the leading authorities on arson fires and arsonists in California. Then suspicion fell on him and his activities, and he was arrested and accused of being an arsonist himself. The accusation was followed by a pair of trials.

Now I live in Montrose (yards from the border of the city of Glendale) and used to actually live in Glendale, so it was interesting to read about the locale and the people of my new home (I've lived here for five years). Everything's reasonably well-recreated, though I didn't think Glendale was made that unique compared with other Southern California cities. Orr comes across as something of a nerd, a doofus who's always trying to fit in while never quite making it, and always cheating on the current wife with the prospective one, while paying child support to the ex.

Wambaugh's writing style is interesting, in that he uses a lot of slang and emphasis to show what he means, and has a very conversational style. It'd be interesting to hear Ken Howard read this book: it reads as if it would sound better than it looks on the page. I will confess that the cast of characters is large enough that I had trouble keeping track of all of the investigators and attorneys involved, and I think it would have helped if the author provided a dramatis personae at the beginning of the book.

One note: several of the other reviewers presented the idea that the author thinks cops are somehow better than firefighters. This is erroneous. It's his position, stated and restated through the book, that the crime spree was solved by a firefighter turned arson investigator, and that he was ignored by his cop colleagues until the evidence confirmed his suspicions. He does say, several times, that cops themselves sometimes think themselves firefighters, but he's clear that he thinks this is unfortunate. Strange when people have read the same book as you, and come to a different interpretation of what was written. Altogether a good book, though.

Too long
I think he could have written in 200 words or less that he hated John Orr, thinks cops are better than firemen, and thinks prosecutors should always have the upper hand.

One thing he could have included was photos, to make the book less boring. And, he could have explained just how we went from the judge disallowing Orr's manuscripts into evidence to the prosecution being allowed to use them as evidence.

Fire Lover :: An Excellent Book
Fire Lover has a depressing and sad beginning, but later on, turns into a wonderful novel worth reading. Mr. Wambaugh gave a good non-biased description of the tragic events that happened those few years. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

great storytelling
...when you are looking at the cover of this book by this veteran comix artist you may wonder whether he has gone out of his famous and remarkable style and beacme more mainstream. Well, rest assured, he did not. This fine volume of Jackson historical revisionism is every bit as good as his prior famousworks, e.g. "Comanche Moon" and others. This time again it is Texas, but Texas of Reconstruction era, one period of our history that has not been fully explained and is usually taught very one-sided at the universities at al. Here, Mr. Jackson attempts and is successful in giving us a point of view that the conquered Confederate Texas might have held. Since these were times of sudden change and brutality, thus there is violence, more violence, rivalry, racial prejudice, social strife, medeival-like vendetta cycles, poverty - all told with astonishing and refreshing detail and precision of this veteran underground comix artist. Necessarily, this one is a very controversial angle of the Reconstruction era, the subject and theme being loaded with racial and social prejudices and hatred that Hardin and his kind might have had and it seems that they in fact had. This is not for the politically correct folks, but rather for those who seek to find out some reasonable explanation and to gain deeper foundation in order to gain the feel of what might have been like during those hard times in Texas. Finally, Mr. Jackson tells his story while maintaing the most amazing attention to every possible historical detail( as every personality, their guns, clothes and other period material culture items and pieces are acurately portrayed albeit drawn in his unique graphic style). One may ask what more is to ask about this work that is both the finest graphic storytelling and a fine example of reasonable yet passionate historical scholarship.

The Good (cover), The Bad (text), & The Ugly (artwork)
Intriguing, romantic cover that captures the Westerner's imagination. Too bad the cover artist didn't write & illustrate this book (really a comic book as "graphic novel" would be a complimentaryexaggeration). Text is apologist history, weak on facts, thick on excusesfor Hardin's murderous tendencies. Hardin doesn't get to his infamousgunfighting career until page 86, so "Lost Cause" doesn't evenwork as a traditional Western romp. Artwork inside is crude featuringstiff, exaggerated characters that make "Pokemon" look likeRembrandt."Lost Cause" doesn't work as history orentertainment.If you are interested in Hardin, check out Leon Metz's orRichard Marohn's bios or even Hardin's autobiography.As for "LostCause," save your money--the cover is the best part & you'vealready seen that. ... Read more

Book Description

Like his famous relative, Jesse James has captured the imagination of the world. His bad- to-the-bones hand-built choppers with their trademark flames and Maltese cross logos arecoveted by millions and ridden by wealthy motorcycle fanatics like Keanu Reeves andShaquille O’Neal. He’s one of People magazine’s "Sexiest Men Alive." But, only now, inI Am Jesse James, will his legion of fans get an up-close look at the man and hismachines.

With one hundred and sixty pages of full-color photographs grouped into three sectionscovering his bikes, his shop, West Coast Choppers, and his lifestyle,I Am Jesse James will introduce the gritty, supertalented biker who makes noapologies for who he is and makes no compromises when it comes to the artistry of hisbikes. Tattooed and devilishly handsome, Jesse James is the kind of rebel that manyteenage boys—and grown men—dream about being. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Who is the real Jesse James?
I am a big fan of Monster Garage and of Jesse James. I bought this book after reading The Man and His Machines thinking it would provide an insight into who Jesse is and some details about his life and his struggles. The photo's of the bikes are great but I have seen those same photo's over and over again. I expected to see more photo's of Jesse. I also expected it would be a more autobiographical book, not something I needed a magnifying glass to read and finished within the hour. Jesse needs to release a true autobiography. His fans would love it.

What is this thing?
I received this book as a gift, which is the only reason it's not in a trash can right now. People are paying $17 for a bunch of recycled photos, only 40 or so of which portray Jesse James, along with a few hundred words of unreadable text? This is the "authorized" biography? Is the man's life so horrible that no one could write about it? Frankly, this book is an insult to Jesse's fans. If you want to read about Jesse, buy "Jesse James: The Man and His Machines," by Mike Seate.

Kindergarten
This book's title just scream's "kids book" ... This redneck is a moron and his picture book and last review say it all. Any good book is not read "in about an hour".. if you're looking for a biography.. look elsewhere. I saw this book at the checkout in wallmart (if that tells you anything)... and read it while waiting in line. This picture book was meant for inbreeders and morons and I thought it was a good laugh... don't waste your time.

The Master Fabricator
I saw Jesse James had a book coming out so I ordered it. Upon receiving it I read it in about an hour. My reason for ordering this book was to find out more info about the man that is not written in every publication out there. What I found is there is about 15 + pages of written words and the other 130+ pages are photos. Granted these are great photos, but I have seen most of then on the West Coast Choppers and the Chopper Dogs web sites. Most of the text about Jesse James I have read before. However, there are a few cool facts, photo's etc. The best pics are those with Jesse Jr. and Cisco(his dog). Overall, a really cool book. If you're a fan of Monster Garage and Choppers then this book is for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Charged with the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl in 1984, Kirk Bloodsworth was tried, convicted, and sentenced to die in Maryland's gas chamber. From the beginning, he proclaimed his innocence, but when he was granted a new trial because his prosecutors improperly withheld evidence, the second trial also resulted in conviction; this time he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. In jail Bloodsworth read every book on criminal law available in the prison library. When he stumbled across the first use (in England) of genetic fingerprinting, he persuaded a new lawyer to try for the then innovative DNA testing.

After nine years in one of the harshest prisons in the country, Kirk Bloodsworth was vindicated by DNA evidence. He was pardoned by the governor of Maryland and has gone on to become a tireless spokesman against capital punishment.

Bloodsworth exposes the details of inevitable human error in a capital murder case and in a legal system gone awry. And it tells the story of how one man, through dogged tenacity and courage, saved his own life and the lives of many other innocent men on death row.

This is a page-turner of a book that will move hearts and change minds. ... Read more

Book Description

Against All Hope is Armando Valladares' account of over twenty years in Fidel Castro's tropical gulag.Arrested in 1960 for being philosophically and religiously opposed to communism, Valladares was not released until 1982, by which time he had become one of the world's most celebrated "prisoners of conscience."Interned all those years at the infamous Isla de Pinos prison (from whose windows he watched the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion), Valladares suffered endless days of violence, putrid food and squalid living conditions, while listening to Castro's firing squads eliminating "counter revolutionaries" in the courtyard below his cell.Valladares survived by prayer and by writing poetry whose publication in Europe brought his case to the attention of international figures such as French President Francois Mitterand and to human rights organizations whose constant pressure on the Castro regime finally led to his release. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

PROOF OF HOPE....
I HAVE NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS BOOK, UNTIL MY FATHER READ ME A FEW VERSES THAT HE WAS MENTIONED IN IT THE OTHER DAY. THIS BOOK REPRESENTS THE STORY OF MANY CUBANS THAT GAVE THEIR LIFE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT. MY FATHER WAS A CELL MATE OF VALLADARES, AND WAS ONE OF THE MEN THAT WERE LEADING STRIKES AGAINST THE PRISON SYSTEM. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THE STORY BEHIND THIS BOOK, AND THAT THE REASON MOST WERE PRISONERS FOR OVER 14 YEARS ,LIKE MY FATHER, WAS TO FREE CUBA OF THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT THAT IS STILL ACTIVE. FOR HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR HIS COUNTRY. I HAVE YET TO READ THIS BOOK, BUT BY MEETING VALLADARES, AND ALL OF MY FATHER'S FRIEND THAT WERE IN PRISON WITH HIM, I KNOW THIS IS A STORY OF HOW YOUNG MEN GAVE THEIR LIFE TO TRY TO BECOME HEROES TO THEIR COUNTRY.
ROBERT ALVAREZ

Cuba's reality
This is book should be required text. It is an in depth account of the torture suffered by many under the oppressive dictatorship of the Castro regime. Those who would try to sympathize with the communist-dictatorship should read this real life account of a man with the courage to stand up for human rights and freedoms in a country where neither of these is respected. In vivid detail, you live through Mr. Valladares' horrific experience and get to celebrate in the strength of the human spirit.

One of my favorite books
Beautiful in its stark, dark reprisal of life in a Cuban Gulag. Through all the grotesque trials and tribulation, Armando finds strength in the truth of his principles and in his God. He is a hero of mine, for I'm not sure I could withstand what he did. The beatings, the psych and chemical torture, the (...)pits, the knowledge that the family suffers because of your absence, the hunger strikes, for twenty years. Hundreds of anecdotes, mostly depressing (...), line the pages. This should be mandatory reading for the Danny Glovers of the world, who sickingly worship the ghoul Castro. Armando Valladares makes the world a better place, and we should all profit from learning about his life. It is a book that will stick w/ you, in its message of overcoming the darkest of the dark w/ the thin light of Heaven and freedom.

Are you ever against adversity??
Are you ever against adversity?? Then, I would read this book!

But I do wish to articulate:

I lived near the Northern Border of Mexico, in the early mid 1980s; when Liberation Theology was in Central America; when insurgent movements were across Latin America; I had a shortwave radio and among other things, I listened to "Radio Havana Cuba", I am anglo, but I learned the Spanish language in college. I watched the excellent movie "El Norte" addressing the problems of Mayan Indians from Guatemala migrating to the U.S. (and probably a good unbiased movie to watch as well). I read and read and I saw even Socialist demonstrations in Mexico along with murals for all of the assorted parties there besides those with the hammer and sickle.

But it made me wonder; what is the truth?

So famous, is that "Scarface" movie of the early eighties; about a Cuban Prisoner of all things; coming over to Florida on the Mariel Boatlift. During that time, I took a class on Cuban history and I may have been a shade positive attitude towards Fidel Castro; but after reading this book; I became very neutral, not knowing what to think, about the "workers paradise" of that Caribbean isle.

Fidel; and in fact, others, Che Guevara and the dictator's brother, Raoul; all are mentioned in this book, additionally in no favorable way;

If half of what Valladares writes in this book were true, that would be rather sad for the ruling regime of Cuba; but then, I have to read it, and wonder, what motives would Valladares have to write untruths? How could he even come up with some of the stories in this book, if not true, such as depriving a prisoner of certain minerals (and he eludes to such countries as East Germany, as this era is during the time of the Iron Curtain) so that they develop chemical imbalances in the body, or prison cells that are so tiny, you only have room really, to just lie there; and many, many tales.

We learn of heroes as well; those who die in prison as the victim of the system, of priests and common peoples.

In my life, I have known adversity; this book, is something to read in those times; in fact, I have loaned this book out, not getting it back and making sure I follow up in obtaining another copy.

And again, I tend to believe Valladares, he was finally freed after over 20 years (I believe) of imprisonment through international action. And true, the original charges he was brought up on, are very petty. You will read, in this book, throughout those years, how Valladares was moved from prison to prison.

The left, the right, have all committed wrongs, maybe man in general; but this is a testament to the indomitable spirit of man too. You turn the pages and read it in rapid succession, it is so interesting.

This should be required reading in any colleges offering Latin American Studies or Caribean Studies.

Valladares' amazing survival of Castro's prison camps.
"Against All Hope" is Armando Valladares' account of the near-quarter century he spent in Fidel Castro's Soviet-style gulags. Valladares was arrested shortly after Fidel's revolution, simply for not placing a Marxist slogan on his office desk, that would have required him to deny his Savior, Jesus Christ. Several days after this refusal, his house was stormed in the middle of the night, and he was hauled off to prison in Havana, with his mother promised that he would be returned shortly thereafter. Valladares didn't see her in freedom until 22 torturous and terror-filled years later.

The greatest thing Armando Valladares has done for the free world is to shatter the myth (CNN and Jimmy Carter, not withstanding) that Fidel Castro's Cuba is a semi-free place, persecuting only a handful of capitalists and subversives. Valladares tells story after story of hundreds (among tens of thousands of others) of prisoners he knew personally, who were tortured, maimed, starved, and executed. Scores of these prisoners Valladares came to know were not upper class or "white" but poor "campesinos" (and many black Cubans), many of whom once fought for Fidel Castro and Che Guevarra's Revolution... only to have that Machine of Death turn and kill them as well.

After nearly 400 pages of death and terror at the hands of Fidel Castro and his minions, I found myself wanting to just close the book and forget the rest. But then, I realized that's what the United Nations (ah, what a noble-sounding title that is) and the Western elitist Left has been doing for years with Castro... ignoring his terrorism. Ultimately, I was glad I finished the book, because even though Valladares does not put some lame happy spin on the story, he is at least freed (22 years of his life stolen), and now he can openly speak the truth of his Savior, to Fidel's power. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (6)

A Terrific Read; Americana at its Best
An enjoyable and engrossing examination of a unique confluence of time, place, and people ... Eastern European Jewish immigrants, their first-generation-American children, the Great Depression, Brownsville NY, and the crime Syndicate born of Prohibition.

Ron Ross recreates a world of candy stores, pushcart vendors, tenement apartments, petty thugs, corner gyms, notorious gangsters, and the struggle for life and dignity admist poverty, crime, and prejudice. Vivid, colorful, and often humorous, it's also grim, unblinking, and heart rending.

A great book for students of Jewish-American history, for boxing enthusiasts, for organized crime buffs, and for those who simply appreciate a great story.

devasting story of trying to survive the depression...
what a masterpiece....it parrallels the rise and fall of jewish mobsters and al "bummy" davis during the great depression in brownsville, brooklyn, the toughest neighborhood around ...davis rose above it to become a top lightweight contender during the late 30's...he had his ups and downs crossing paths with murder inc, who prevented him from fighting for the championship...however, his story is more....he's a fierce customer in and out of the ring, but does have a heart of gold...he doesn't want to be rich and famous, he wants to buy his parents a house and have a wife and family....he stands up to the mobsters admirably, even at his own loss....the book details the candy stores, shops and pushcarts of depression life,of which "bummy" got his start....there's a cast of characters named, "bugsy" "puggy" and "fat yerna" etc...your emotions will be stirred as to what happens to them...i'm glad i read this book and would like to say i have more admiration for al "bummy" davis than anyone else except my own father who grew up in similar surroundings in the bronx...

A Great Human Interest Story
You don't have to be a fan of boxing to enjoy this book. It is more of a human interest story than anything else. Once you start reading this book, you will find it very difficult to put down. As you are reading this book, you feel like you are transformed back to Brownsville, Brooklyn with all of the characters and living in that time period. Congratulations to Ron Ross for his hard work and research of an ill-fated boxer who had a heart of gold and got a bum rap from the press and the media. This book is simply a must read for everyone who enjoys reading.

Depression era Brooklyn
Ron Ross' dazzlingly descriptive biographical novel does a wonderful job in the recreation of the Brooklyn Jewish ghetto of Brownsville during the throes of the Great Depression. Ross exhaustively researched his material to give us a feel for the sights, sounds, smells of the crowded, sometimes squalid tenement that Brownsville was, complete with Yiddish expressions and verbiage common for the time.

Brownsville spawned both Murder Inc., the Jewish Mafia, and Albert Abraham Davidoff, better known as Bummy Davis, a dynamic lightweight boxing contender with a thunderous left hook. Murder Inc. was headed by Louis "Lepke" Buchalter. He used local Jewish thugs such Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, "Pittsburgh Phil" Strauss and "Buggsy" Goldstein to enforce policies
of protection, loan sharking, extortion, prostitution, and bootlegging. They terrorized the community using murder to keep everyone in line.

Davis, whose dad was a local merchant, had an older brother Willie who was a Lepke henchman. Davis who was a loyal, thoughtful, industrious and respectful guy, could never shake a negative image brought about by the exploits of his brother. After working as a fruit peddlar from a pushcart at the tender age of 10, he soon discovered that his fighting skills learned on the streets could be honed into productive boxing skills.

He turned professional at 16 lying about his age and became a money making prize fighter with exceptional skills. He used his money to buy his parents a home and refused to be controlled by the mobsters in cohoots with Murder Inc.

The story goes on to chronicle both the rise anf fall of the Brownsville Jewish mafia. Unfortunately the storied life of Bummy Davis was also abbreviated. At the tender age of 25 having retired from boxing due to the rampant corruption and prejudices that existed and about to begin a new career, he was gunned down in a bar room stick up trying to protect his friends.

MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2003
ALL I HAVBE TO SAY IS WOW... WHAT A GREAT BOOK. THE DOPES IN HOLLYWOOD HAD BETTER MAKE THIS INTO A MOVIE FAST. THIS BOOK READS LIKE THE BEST FIGHT STORY OF ALL TIME. I ESPECIALLY LOVED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUMMY AND HIS BROTHER. DON'T WALK... RUN TO BUY THIS BOOK. I READ IT IN ONE NIGHT.

RON ROSS KEEP IT UP. I THINK YOU HAVE ANOTHER 10 BOOKS IN YOU JUST FROM THIS ONE. INCLUDING THE STORY OF LEPKE, GURRAH AND THE OTHER BOYS. HOW ABOUT ONE ABOUT ALL THE JEWISH BOXERS INCLUDING BENNY LEONARD AND RUBY GOLDSTEIN?

THIS IS A CLASSIC. ... Read more

Book Description

Joey Coyle was down and out -- the affable, boyish South Philadelphian hadn't found dock work in months, he was living with his ailing mother, and he was fighting a drug habit and what seemed like a lifetime of bouncing into and out of bad luck. One morning, while cruising the streets just blocks from his home, fate took a turn worthy of Hollywood when he spotted a curious yellow tub he thought might make a good toolbox. It contained $1.2 million in unmarked bills -- casino money that had just fallen off the back of an armored truck.

Detective Pat Laurenzi, with the help of the FBI, was working around the clock to track it down, Joey Coyle, meanwhile, was off on a bungling, swashbuckling misadventure, sharing his windfall with everyone from his girlfriend to total strangers to the two neighborhood kids who drove him past it. To hide the money, Joey turned to the local mob bos -- a shadowy, fearsome man who may or may not have helped launder it. But as adrenaline-filled nights began taking their toll, Joey Coyle's dream-come-true evolved into a nightmare: Whom could he trust?

By one of our most evocative and versatile chroniclers of American life, Finders Keepers is not only a gripping true life thriller, it is the remarkable tale of an ordinary man faced with an extraordinary dilemma, and the fascinating reactions -- from complicity to concern to betrayal -- of the friends, family, and neighbors to whom he turns. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Breezy book with an edge
I received this as a Christmas present, and what a neat present it was!
I started reading this obviously fictional book about this unemployed meth addict Philadelphian dockworker named Joey who finds $1.2 million in unmarked unsequential $100 bills laying on the street -- a $1.2 million which literally fell off the back of the truck. He immediately enters into all these improbable and zany adventures, capped by an arrest at the airport as he's getting ready to fly to Acapulco! During his trial, his attorney opts for a temporary insanity defense, which the jury buys because the guy's buddies testify he "went bananas" for a week when he found the money.
Yet this comedy has an edge to it -- the tragedy of "men who were raised to go to work out on the docks like their fathers and uncles and older brothers, only there's no work for them on the docks anymore, and there's nothing else they know how to do.... It's a story about addiction, about the belief that there is a shortcut to true happiness."
When I got to the Epilogue, I was quite surprised to find that this obviously fictional story was true! The author tells what happened after the trial, and how Joey's story was literally Disneyfied -- and how his good fortune turned out to be his tragic ruin.
The typeface used is a bit distracting since there is no "1" -- and unlike ancient typewriters, instead of the small "L," the capital "I" is used: thus $100 is $I00 and 314 Dunfor Street is 3I4 Dunfor Street.
This is a great book because it encompasses universal themes -- Joey is a Greek tragic figure whose internal flaws, despite his good fortune, emerge to undo him. Many of us, likewise, have envisioned what we would do if sudden riches came upon us.

I Know What I Would Do!!
What would you do if you found over a million dollars lying by the side of the road in a yellow metal tub? I know what I would do, but I'm not saying. This is the dilemma 28 year-old Joey Coyle found himself in with two of his friends while driving down a side road in Philadelphia. Joey's answer was very simple: 'Finders Keepers'. This is an exciting true-life story from the author who also wrote the book 'Black Hawk Down'.

In February 1981, over a million dollars in unmarked bills fell off the back of an armored truck in South Philadelphia. Joey Coyle, a popular, working-class, young man who's addicted to drugs, goes from rags to riches, and eventually becomes somewhat of an urban hero. Joey finds himself in a drug-enhanced frenzy for the next week trying to decide what to do with all the money. The story is actually quite funny at times. Joey has a hard time keeping the money a secret, and tells just about everyone he meets about it. Will this be Joey's downfall or saving grace? Joey does get involved with the wrong people, as the entire city becomes swept up in the search for the money. What happens to Joey takes several different turns and this story has many unexpected surprises in store for us.

What an riveting story! This is a remarkable story of an ordinary young man who comes face to face with an extraordinary opportunity, and has the make the decision of right from wrong? Or does he? I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good true-to-life thriller.

Joe Hanssen

Losers, are Always Weepers
Written like a fiction novel, Bowden tells the true story of an i