Gaspipe

Confessions of a Mafia Boss

By: Philip Carlo

Narrated by: Alan Sklar

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the boss of New York's Lucchese crime family, was a Mafia superstar, responsible for more than 50 murders. Currently serving 13 life sentences at a federal prison in Colorado, Casso has given journalist and New York Times best-selling author Philip Carlo the most intimate, personal look into the world of La Cosa Nostra ever seen. By pure happenstance, Casso had lived next door to the family of young Philip Carlo, who was able to get into the mind, heart, and soul of one of the most cunning, ruthless mob bosses in the annals of crime history. In Gaspipe, Casso reveals the shocking details behind headline-making crimes and crime figures, such as:

The mob's decision that John Gotti had to be taken out after whacking Big Paul Castellano without approval - and how Casso got the order to hit Gotti

A fly-on-the-wall view of the Mafia commission sit-down at which John Gotti was made capo di tutti capi, the boss of all bosses

The insidious relationship between La Cosa Nostra and the Russian Mafia, and how the Lucchese family murdered the most-feared assassin in the Russian mob

Details of secret sit-downs with mob bosses Vincent "The Chin" Gigante and John Gotti, and the notorious Sammy "The Bull" Gravano

How Gravano made fools of the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI

The real story of the Mafia Cops and the revelations of other law enforcement personnel on Casso's payroll

How the Mafia managed to get a tight stranglehold on most unions in America

The truth behind the Mafia's real role in bringing huge amounts of narcotics into the United States

How federal prison officials were bought and sold by the Mafia

The intimate details of the women behind the Mafiosi

The truth behind the assassinations of JFK and RFK

Who killed Jimmy Hoffa, and where his body is

©2008 Philip Carlo (P)2008 Tantor

best book ever the writer is one of my favorites

Philip carlo does a great job every time he made me feel like if I was there

Outstanding!

I’ve done several books on organised crime and this is one of best! It’s compelling, fast paced and does a excellent job of portraying the humanity of one “LCN’s” most infamous figures. I can’t recommend it enough.

Very good

This is an engaging tale with fascinating characters - and nicknames to boot - and a superb narration.I only found it lacking when explaining why Gaspipe converted into a rat.

Enthralling behind the scenes look at LCN

Wow. Just wow.

I literally couldn't get enough of this, and this biography has intrigued me enough to look at other true crime books in the same vein or genre.

This audio feature follows the course of Anthony "Gaspipe" Carlo from a man in his early 20's through all the ups and downs that come with the territory of being a 'Made Man' to Underboss, to Family Head before everything comes crashing down.

I don't understand some of the other reviews that beleive the author is boased to make Gaspipe a 'hero', lack of enthusiasm, fails objectivity. I have no idea what book they were listening to at all. I thought this book was very fair in portraying Gaspipe, both as a hardened, cold killer and a man who loved his wife, kids, and family.

I wouldn't expect anything less about LCN and the mafioso lifestyle. There is going to be decadence, respect, a code of honor among thieves....and then there is their eventual downfall. The stories, history, and different threads through various points in his life are all addressed: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Caso doesn't get off scott-free at all. The man who caused so much pain for the 'business', end up receiving just as much, and doesn't glorify him at all. If anything, the book points out how corrupt law enforcement is as well..from local cops, to judges, to FBI agents and then lets us on a dirty little secret - The government doesn't honor its word either.

If anything, for as bad as Gaspipe and his cronies and partners were (and they were bad men, no question) the failure and shortcoming of our law enforcement agencies (read: politics) make "legal" men just as ugly and disapointing as one would expect, but like to think differently. It all comes down to money and power.

The schemes, the "hits", the "contracts", and the reasonings behind their decsions all make sense, if you are indeed a twisted individual. These gangsters played chess with human pieces. It's sad....but real, and in full detail. I would love to see this turned into a Biography show, or mini-series.

The narrator Alan Sklar does a wonderful job, and the post script, epilogue and "where are they now?" section at the end is fascinating, and no one looks like a hero. In teh end...tragedy all around.

Fascinating

This is a fascinating mob story. I tale of treachery and love with a look inside the life of a real mafioso.

Entertaining

Gaspipe is one insane ,vicious but interesting characters . "besta foods ,besta wines". Gaspipe Casso.

Disjointed, standard Mafia fare

I, like many others, am fascinated by the inner workings of La Cosa Nostra. Although the late author gives us some revealing, behind-the-scenes views, his writing style leaves much to be desired. He would tell us something and then, a few minutes or pages later, he would tell us the same thing. Did he forget that he already mentioned what had transpired? He also made some assumptions (such as what someone was thinking moments before his death) that he had no way of knowing. Most readers will likely be conflicted at the end wondering whether to feel sorry for Casso or thinking that he got exactly what he deserved. I believe he got what he deserved, but that doesn't excuse the methods applied by law enforcement if, in fact, they acted in the manner described by Carlo. If you like stories about the Mafia you will probably enjoy this book.

A COMEDY

This is a story about a group / culture that got the idea they would live happily every after, running all over dead bodies, stealing, lying, killing, torturing and setting others up for loss pain and misery. Then they all turned on one another and gobbled each other up. That includes the U.S. Government.

a tour de force

Carlo has a unique and refreshingly real take. he is missed. the narrator is good, if a bit too fructose, especially given what a pig Casso was.

Great Book about mob

Very good never realized how powerful Gaspipe was. Casso was the real godfather. Loved this book.