The Last Longshoreman: A Chilling Tale of Crime and Corruption on the Boston Waterfront

By: Marc Zappulla

Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Anthony “Tony” Costa grew up admiring his Uncle Dom - a made member of the New England mafia - so when Dom asks him to collect gambling debts from around the neighborhood, Tony is happy to help. Even after his uncle gets thrown in jail, he does his nephew a good turn from behind bars, getting him a job as a longshoreman on the Boston waterfront. The year is 1958, and Tony is only 18. His new job quickly teaches him what it will take to survive on the docks.

Tony and his violent new friend Butchie Shea soon carve out a life for themselves on the pier. But when Butchie convinces him to take desperate, brutal action against an adversary, Tony realizes just how badly his criminal lifestyle has tainted him. He vows to go straight and focus on his wife and family - but old habits die hard, and the opportunity of a lifetime yanks Tony back in. The job could lead to big rewards, but Tony might not see just how risky it is until it’s too late.

Read by award-winning narrator Chris Andrew Ciulla, a native Bostonian.

©2016 Marc Zappulla (P)2021 Leonardo Audio

Amazing story; amazing narration

This is not the kind of story I typically listen to. However, within minutes Chris Andrew Ciulla’s narration had me hooked. Before I knew it I was on the Boston Harbor, walking along with the glorious and sinister characters, I was in East Boston and Southie, I was on the docks and feeling the damp, chilly sea air. I quickly forgot I was listening to a novel, and got completely engrossed in the world of the characters. Ciulla’s ability to voice and bring to life the characters in this book is masterful - I had to remind myself they were fiction and not real people. I also had to remind myself that it was one narrator and a cast production. I came to care about them like they were actually a part of my life. This is a great story with outstanding narration. Well worth the listen.

Great Narration, Story is Boston as Hell

Grew up in the area. Authentic and VERY believable Boston dudes. Great take on the "I'm just going to do a little bit of crime" story. The build up and pace is great. Some really high stakes and unexpected turns, but plausible. Also, Butchie is nuts and a REAL character.

Great Story Great Reader!

Good Job!

Story was great, you know I never heard that one before.. I don’t care or care if story was real. My eyes.. Haha
Seemed real to me and a lot of truth.. Im a Boston guy.. Whoever read story, cool job.. Stuck here in Thailand on Memorial Day Weekend! Again.. Away yonder... Feel like going Castle to Castle and Buying a hotdog, clams and fries.. The Waterfront! Nice job!

Gripping and good fun!

This is one of those novels that works better as an audiobook than a printed book. The writing is strong, the characters are three-dimensional and believable, and the episodes in the narrator’s life are gripping. But it’s much more episodic than plot-driven. It has the feel of a memoir rather than a novel and because it lacks the kind of narrative thrust you’ll find in a more traditional novel, it feels a bit disjointed.

So what makes THE LAST LONGSHOREMAN a solid 5-star audiobook? The performance of Chris Andrew Ciulla. His narration is pitch-perfect! He brings the novel’s characters to life beautifully (with a perfect Boston accent, I might add)! My wife and I both loved listening to this audiobook together. Ciulla’s performance had brought just the right amount of tension and humor to the story to keep us gasping and laughing all the way through!

TLDR: Just get this audiobook and revel in the amazing performance!

A Great Journey

'It wasn't the waterfront that made the choices for me.' This story was fantastic! Set in Boston shoreline. follows the life of Tony who ultimately is a loyal man thrust into criminal activity. The events of an era can truly live behind the eyes of a man. I love the heart of this story! The narrator delivered that honesty and truth. Excellent!

Great story and Narration

Such great storytelling. The Narrator really got me engrossed in the story, and I loved his characters.

Great narration of a good story

The narrator really knows how to deliver a tale. Great characters, great narrative, great overall. Story was good. Seemed a little too easy at times. And the final few chapters could have been condensed into an epilogue. But I liked Tony enough to keep going. Would certainly recommend.

Great performance!

Being a native of the Boston area, I could vividly picture all of the places that Mark Zappulla writes about in this book. Even for those unfamiliar with the area, he crafts a very compelling story of life on the waterfront and all of the characters and events that revolve around it. The grit, the many crimes, and the remorse the characters feel about them, or not.

Chris Ciulla‘s narration is excellent, right down to the local accents, and character voices for everything from the main character to the women in his life, and even an old Irish priest.

My only quibble with the book – and it truly is a quibble – is that after barreling forward at a high rate of speed for most of the book, the last couple of chapters trail off, and don’t match the intensity that leads up to them. Perhaps that’s intentional, as a reflection of the quieter life the main character eventually finds, but it left me a little flat at the end.

Wow! Great book!

This author is an up and coming star. This book is one you can’t put down and is better as an audio book! The performance by the narrator is perfect.

I’d be willing to bet this is made into a movie!
10stars!

Story washes over you like a warm blanket!

Ciulla’s voices bring Boston, the waterfront and its characters alive-chilling at times, (who would think pot roast could be used as a threat) and filled with warmth and love at other points. I found myself rooting for “Tony Costa” and was very pleased that he survived life on the waterfront. Story and narration a superb fit!