Gangsters of Harlem

The Gritty Underworld of New York City's Most Famous Neighborhood

By: Ron Chepesiuk

Narrated by: J. D. Jackson

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Author Ron Chepesiuk chronicles the little known history of organized crime in Harlem.

African American organized crime has had as significant an impact on its constituent community as Italian, Jewish, and Irish organized crime has had on theirs. Gangsters are every bit as colorful, intriguing, and powerful as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, and have a fascinating history in gambling, prostitution, and drug dealing. In the late 1800s, Harlem became a highly fashionable neighborhood.

©2010 Ron Chepesiuk (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

weak --reader is terrible!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

total waste of time and credit

What was most disappointing about Ron Chepesiuk’s story?

the writing was mediocre at best but the narration was really poor -- the reader couldnt pronounce some of the most basic historical crime names

was embarrassing to hear -- The narration clearly wasn't edited

How did the narrator detract from the book?

big time

Could you see Gangsters of Harlem being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

no

Any additional comments?

many better options

Excellent Book

I grew up in Harlem in the early 60's and have had a lot of contact with most of the characters via family members associated with them and seeing them on the streets.
It truly is sad what men like these men have done to the community they lived in, it is even worse what life choices the left for there children.

Many innocent people died due to their greed they never deserved any breaks.

True Crime Fans Will Eat This Up

I fell in love with the mobsters in Gangsters of Harlem just as many people have with the characters in The Wire or The Sopranos.

Despite their shady business, it was easy—disturbingly so—to become invested in these mobsters. One detail that's going to stick with me for a long time is Chepesiuk's description of the "Murder Stables," owned by Ignazio Lupo of the Morello Gang, where hundreds of his rivals were tortured and murdered in the early 1900s.

In a Wire-esque finale, Chepesiuk looks at the involvement of the NYPD with organized crime. If your cup of tea includes a dash of lethal bathtub gin, this is your hot toddy.

Good book

I never realized how many gangsters were in harlem. Great book to read abo it the underworld

great book loved all the great information

i loved it learned alot about African american gangsters i didn't know about. Only complaint is the reader couldn't pronounce the mobsters last names right

most of this is urban myth.

History of other's culture can be tricky. you may fool some folks, but the fact is you don't know if the truth is really being told and this guy and youtube sensation Al Prophet are hacks.

I enjoyed it. “Gang in blue” (police)

Some of the information about the black gangsters seem a bit off from other stories I’ve heard, who knows…

Police properly being called a “gang” and having their own chapter was on point!

OUTSTANDING BOOK

LOVED THE BOOK, COULD NOT STOP LISTENING TO THE AUDIO BOOK. I GIVE IT FIVE STARS.

great book

loved the book. Narrator could have worked on pronunciation of Italian names. Good story though.

Great Reviewer

Quite Interesting! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the stories, describing the transition of Harlem.