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The Good Rat  By  cover art

The Good Rat

By: Jimmy Breslin
Narrated by: Richard Davidson
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Publisher's summary

Jimmy Breslin can sniff out a story like he can sniff out a rat. Here, he tells a lifetime of anecdotes in his inimitable New York voice, giving us a view through the keyhole of the people and places that define the Mafia: characters like Sammy the Bull, the original snitch; Gaspipe Casso, named for his weapon of choice; and hangouts like Pep McGuire's, the legendary watering hole where reporters and gangsters (all hailing from the same working-class neighborhoods) rubbed elbows and traded stories.

But best of all, Breslin captures the moments in which the Mafia was made and broken. Breslin was there the night John Gotti celebrated his acquittal, for example, having bribed his way to innocence.

In The Good Rat, Breslin brings together the most recent, most memorable, and the long forgotten stories to create a sharp-eyed portrait of the mob as it lived and breathed, as it sounded and survived.

©2008 Jimmy Breslin (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"[Breslin is] the city's steadiest and most accurate chronicler." (The Village Voice)

What listeners say about The Good Rat

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not so good of a rat

I am fascinated by stories about the mafia. However this book is long winded and not fascinating at all. The author laments the death of the mafia and glorifies these guys at times. I liked 'Mob: Stories of Death and Betrayal from Organized Crime' much much better. If you want to hear stories about the kinds of things these guys did without praising them or getting the feeling the author misses them, look elsewhere.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

What the !?

Being a fan of mob books I thought I would try this one. It took me two attempts to finish it. It seems to be wandering memories of Mr. Breslin. It jumps around telling seemingly unconnected stories. Don't expect too much from this one.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Good Rat

Who on earth would give this totally fascinating and compelling listen a one? Someone with some kind of moral agenda no doubt. Excellent!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Interestin Topic

I am extremely interested in Mafia stories. I have a feeling the actual book would have made more sense with page breaks and punctuation, but as it sounds it was a tribute to ADD. The story was all over the place. It had some cohesion with the Burton Kaplan story, but honestly, the lack of organization made it less enjoyable.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Descent Story

Always a fan of stories about the mafia, the best being the Godfather. This book is okay but there are bunch more better ones. But still take a listen for yourself and then decide. The narration by Richard Davidson was okay.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

I just wish there were ten more just like it.
Its really so great! Beautiful prose and perfect performance.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A really great story

This was a great book the story was awesome generation was great it really felt like you were hanging out with mobsters or sitting in a quart room overall I truly enjoyed it I devoured this book I listen to it in three Sitting

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

EXCELLENT audiobook!

EXCELLENT audiobook by my ALL TIME FAVORITE author Jimmy Breslin!
Narrator was excellent as well
Highly re8!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

I read a few reviews and had some doubts about this book but after starting I couldn't stop listening. It was enjoyable and well read. Among my favorites of the mob genre.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Hi
  • 11-19-20

great story

The actual mob guy tells a better story than the narrator. still a good book even for a snitch.

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1 person found this helpful