The Quiet Don

The Untold Story of Mafia Kingpin Russell Bufalino

By: Matt Birkbeck

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

To what extent was Rosario “Russell” Bufalino involved in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa in 1975? In the CIA’s recruitment of gangsters to assassinate Fidel Castro? In organizing the historic meeting of crime chieftains in 1957? Even in the production of The Godfather movie.

Secretive - even reclusive - Russell Bufalino quietly built his organized crime empire in the decades between Prohibition and the Carter presidency. His reach extended far beyond the coal country of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and quaint Amish farms near Lancaster. Bufalino had a hand in global, national, and local politics of the largest American cities, many of its major industries, and controlled the powerful Teamsters Union. His influence also reached the highest levels of Pennsylvania government and halls of Congress, and his legacy left a culture of corruption that continues to this day.

A uniquely American saga that spans six decades, The Quiet Don follows Russell Bufalino’s remarkably quiet ascent from Sicilian immigrant to mob soldier to a man described by a United States Senate subcommittee in 1964 as “one of the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States.”

©2013 Matt Birkbeck (P)2014 Tantor

Important But Edited By Lawyers?

Micheal Prichard's voice is as flat as a big swath of Matt Birkbeck's writing. Birkbeck's a newspaper reporter, not a writer in the magazine or fiction sense. Moreover, he's challenged here by a big cast of characters and events. Topping it off he imposes some literary devices… flashbacks in particular… that make the story bumpier than the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Anyway, the corruption Birkbeck intimates or alleges here is unnerving. It's an important read for anyone with Pennsylvania roots even if the story arc feels as if the it's had potentially risky chunks hacked away by the publisher's legal staff.

Overview

Was excited to read about Russell Bufalino but found the book was only about 30% about him. The author was kind of all over the place and found myself confused. Michael Prichard was kind of boring. I would probably not listen to another book narrated by Michael. Overall about a 2 out of 5.

Not enough Bufalino and too much Denaples

Would you try another book from Matt Birkbeck and/or Michael Prichard?

Probably not.

Would you be willing to try another one of Michael Prichard’s performances?

Absolutely not.

Was The Quiet Don worth the listening time?

No

Any additional comments?

Michael Prichard absolutely slaughtered the Italian names. Bufalino, Delia and Osticco mispronounced. There were others also. Shame on Pritchard.

sucks

a complete bore of what should have been great material we dont suggest it avoid

Not Much On Bufalino

There seems to be a lot on scandals and corruption in Philadelphia with Mayor then Governor Rendell and others but Russell Bufalino's story remains just intermingled as if incidental to the political misdeeds chronicled. If you are interested in corruption in Philadelphia, Pa and/or Pa in general this book should be on your to-read[listen] list. But this is certainly not a Russell Bufalino story.

information

i loved it it kept my attention i learned a bunch of information on Bufalino and his Family that i had never heard before

Close to terrible

I have never reviewed a book before, but this was so bad I felt compelled to do so. The book read as if thrown together to meet a deadline. Half of the book centered on Pennsylvania corruption after Bufalino's death. Topics were jumbled, there were lengthy quotes from testimony in various hearings, repitition, a few obvious inaccuracies, and a paraphrase of "I Heard You Paint Houses. Ugh.

Not really about Buffalino.

It’s really not accurate or really about Russell. It is more about Louis Denaples.

It’s made up from immaculate sources.

Unfocused

This book explores many side stories without warning and seems to only touch on Buffalino randomly. Poorly mapped out book.

great book nicely read too.

it was a great book , its not often i find one I would share. super cool stuff to add to stories i have been hearing since i was a kid.