• McMafia

  • A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld
  • By: Misha Glenny
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (260 ratings)

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McMafia  By  cover art

McMafia

By: Misha Glenny
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's summary

Misha Glenny's groundbreaking study of global organized crime is now the inspiration for an eight-part AMC crime drama starring James Norton (War and Peace), Juliet Rylance, and David Strathairn.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the deregulation of international financial markets in 1989, governments and entrepreneurs alike became intoxicated by dreams of newly opened markets. But no one could have foreseen that the greatest success story to arise from these events would be the worldwide rise of organized crime. Today, it is estimated that illegal trade accounts for one-fifth of the global GDP.

In this fearless and wholly authoritative investigation of the seemingly insatiable demand for illegal wares, veteran reporter Misha Glenny travels across five continents to speak with participants from every level of the global underworld - police, victims, politicians, and even the criminals themselves. What follows is a groundbreaking, propulsive look at an unprecedented phenomenon from a savvy, street-wise guide.

©2008 Misha Glenny (P)2008 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Former BBC World correspondent Glenny presents a riveting and chilling journey through the myriad criminal syndicates flourishing in our increasingly globalized world....Readers yearning for a deeper understanding of the real-life, international counterparts to The Sopranos need look no further than Glenny's engrossing study." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about McMafia

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Worthwhile Overview

Misha Glenny, in McMAfia, provides a general overview of the rise of organized crime over the past twenty years. She covers every point of the globe, inserting historical background, economic context, and sociological insights. The book will be an eye opener to those who have yet to be introduced to the dark side as Glenny presents it. The book is well written, very informative and aptly read by John Lee.

Other books available through Audible which I have heard and which flesh out topics covered by Glenny might be of additional interest.

The Informant by Kurt Eichewald - an abridgement telling the story of one person's experience as a whistle blower and the ADM price fixing scandle.

Ivory Ghosts - The story of the ivory trade historically and in contemporary context.

Snakehead - the smuggling of undocumented native Chinese from Fujian province into New York city in the 1980s and 1990s.

Havana Nocturne - English's tale of the mob in pre-Castro Cuba.

Gomorrah - Saviano's gripping account of Naples and the rule of the Cammora crime network. Don't miss this one.

Murder City - Charles Bowden - the decay of Ciudad Juarez and mob activity.

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12 people found this helpful

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

McDisturbing

Did you know that organized crime is responsible for an estimated 15 to 20% of the world GDP (counting tax evasion)? Or that narcotics accounts for about 70% of criminal profits, with energy, guns, prostitution, and gambling making up the bulk of the rest? I didn't know any of this - and I'm not sure I'll be able to think about "the economy" ever again in the same way. Written by a journalist, but with an insiders perspective and a novelists sense of character and pacing, McMafia is one of the best books I read in 2008.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent overview of global organized crime

This is a well-written, exhaustively-reported book that takes you in-depth to all parts of global organized crime. I found the section on the Balkans and Russia to be particularly enlightening, not just about the mafia but also in how Glenny explains the overall history of these regions through the lens of lawlessness. I feel like I finally understand what a Russian oligarch actually is.

If anything, the book gets a bit dull towards the end due to the repetiveness of each national history. The same story seems to unfold everywhere, but I only really got bored in the book's final sections.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Starts off great and veers off track and off topic

What disappointed you about McMafia?

It started off as an impressive investigative work. Reader's accent adds personality to characters and author's interviews and personal accounts are quite interesting. However, the second part of the unabridged audiobook ends up on a seemingly irrelevant rant about the United States government being corrupt, incompetent, racist and outright combative towards other countries and their treatment of drug offenses.

While I disagree, I think the author is more than entitled to express his views about the United States and any of its policies that he takes issue with, but not in a book about organized crime (Unless it directly relates to the material, which in this case, it did not).

After spending 2 credits and being very excited about listening to this piece, I found myself annoyed at the fact that 1 of those credits was entirely wasted.

Another reviewer suggested some other organized crime audiobooks which I will be purchasing, I suggest you do the same and pick up a cheap copy of this book on amazon so you can stop reading when all the nonsense starts and only spend a fraction of what I spent.

Would you ever listen to anything by Misha Glenny again?

No

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

He added great character to the many different personalities explored.

What character would you cut from McMafia?

The author

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2 people found this helpful

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

Excellent book - good for repeated listening

You might not want to listen to this if you're involved with marketing illegal drugs to teenagers, but there are only one or two chapters which discuss the complete and utter failure of our government organizations to protect us from illegal drugs. This is hardly a radical notion and if you don't know someone whose life has been ruined by illegal drugs despite the fact that they're not supposed to be available for purchase, you've been very fortunate. The reviewer who stopped listening halfway through missed some excellent chapters on organized crime in Asia, btw. Those who prefer to live in denial should give this one the swerve. However, if you're interested in the topic and you're already somewhat familiar with the fact that corruption might exist in your home country too, then this is probably the book for you. I'm glad I didn't listen to some of the more negative reviews.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Cool Rundown of Global Organized Crime

You get great detail on Russia, the Caucuses, and much detail on the Chinese criminal organizations. The story could just be Russia and that would be great. The rest is a bit sappy. The USA stuff is weak-sauce.

The details on human trafficking are very sad. The women that are processed in the system are poor people that are used and abused by a very cruel system. Much detail on the trafficking of women to Israel.

There are some bad chapters too. There is a weird and wasted chapter on US crime. The author gets into US punishment for drug offenses. Decides to take a racialist angle, it's stupid. There is no mention of USA meth culture or black tar heroin. Some people die and some people just go to jail.

After Russia, the book is really not that great.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Depressing and confusing

I thought this would be a great way to understand global politics. Instead it is chock full of characters and places that are not explained in a simply way. Perhaps I am not intelligent enough to follow this seemingly endless unwinding of globalization since the fall of the Berlin wall. John Lee is a great narrator,but the topic is too depressing and confusing to the lay person to bring out his brilliance. I gave up at chapter 4 and asked for a refund. Give this one a pass;unless you are already steeped in global politics thoroughly.

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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

Great book

Those who criticized the book for criticizing US policy under Bush 2 clearly weren’t listening or understanding how short sighted his policies were.

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

Deep Insight

This was a great book and EXTREMELY insightful into a world that only gets a iceberg tip worth of coverage as most shows and news tends to cover. I honestly hope for a second book.

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

Brilliant

Simply brilliant..a must read. You will see every business from a different perspective after reading this book.

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