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Top Hoodlum
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- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
For years, the DeCavalcantes, the most powerful Mob family in Jersey, labored in the shadows of the more famous families in New York - the likes of the Gambinos and the Columbos. Dismissed by the big-city capos, the DeCavalcantes finally came into their own when they found their lives mirrored in the television hit, The Sopranos. Overnight it legitimized the made men of the Garden State. Now they were a familia to be reckoned with. Unfortunately with high profile came high risk.
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
A rich biography of the legendary figure at the center of the century’s darkest secrets: an untold story of Golden Age Hollywood, modern Las Vegas, JFK-era scandal, and international intrigue from Lee Server, the New York Times best-selling author of Ava Gardner: Love Is Nothing....
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Animal
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- By: Casey Sherman
- Narrated by: Jim Goad
- Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 24
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Story4 out of 5 stars 19
Joe Barboza knew that there were two requirements for getting inducted into the Mafia. You had to be Sicilian. And you had to commit a contract killing. The New Bedford-born mobster was a proud Portuguese, not Sicilian, but his dream to be part of La Cosa Nostra proved so strong that he thought he could create a loophole. Barboza’s legacy, buried for years thanks to the murders or deaths of its participants, is finally coming to light and being told in its unvarnished brutality by one of America’s most respected true crime writers.
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5 out of 5 stars
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stay away from good weed
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Boston Mob
- The Rise and Fall of the New England Mob and Its Most Notorious Killer
- By: Marc Songini
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story4 out of 5 stars 11
The New England Mafia was a hugely powerful organization that survived by using violence to ruthlessly crush anyone that threatened it, or its lucrative gambling, loansharking, bootlegging, and other enterprises. From information based on newly declassified documents and the use of underworld sources, Boston Mob spans the gutters and alleyways of East Boston, Providence, and Charlestown to the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C., and Boston's Beacon Hill. Its players include governors and mayors, and the Mafia Commission of New York City.
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The Sinatra Club
- My Life Inside the New York Mafia
- By: Sal Polisi, Steve Dougherty
- Narrated by: Pete Simonelli
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 149
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 138
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 138
The Mob was the biggest, richest business in America...until it was destroyed from within by drugs, greed, and the decline of its traditional crime family values. And by guys like Sal Polisi. As a member of New York's feared Colombo Family, Polisi ran the Sinatra Club, an illegal after-hours gambling den that was a magic kingdom of crime and a hangout for up-and-coming mobsters. But the nonstop thrills of Polisi's criminal glory days abruptly ended.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The gangster with a heart of gold...
- By Rodney on 03-03-18
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The Rise and Fall of a "Casino" Mobster
- The Tony Spilotro Story Through A Hitman's Eyes
- By: Frank Cullotta, Dennis N. Griffin
- Narrated by: Clay Lomakayu
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 185
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 174
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 172
Tony Spilotro was the Mob's man in Las Vegas. A feared enforcer, the bosses knew Tony would do whatever it took to protect their interests. The "Little Guy" built a criminal empire that was the envy of mobsters across the country, and his childhood pal, Frank Cullotta, helped him do it. But Tony's quest for power and lack of self-control with women cost the Mob its control of Vegas; and Tony paid for it with his life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A terrific listen. Author and narrator were Great
- By rob on 07-19-17
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Mob Cops
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- By: Greg B. Smith
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 21
Describes how two highly decorated former detectives, Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito, were convicted of murdering eight people on the orders of a vicious mob boss.
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5 out of 5 stars
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absolutely phenomenal
- By Arthur F. on 10-19-18
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The Mafia Philosopher: Two Tonys
- By: Shaun Attwood
- Narrated by: Tom Campbell
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 19
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 16
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Story4 out of 5 stars 16
Breaking bones, burying bodies, and planting bombs became second nature to Two Tonys while working for the Bonanno Crime Family, whose exploits inspired The Godfather. After a dispute with an outlaw motorcycle club, Two Tonys left a trail of corpses from Arizona to Alaska. On the run, he was pursued by bikers and a neo-Nazi gang bloodthirsty for revenge, while a homicide detective launched a nationwide manhunt.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Un-put-down-able Due To Two Tonys Voice
- By Anonymous User on 10-02-18
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A Man of Honor
- The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno
- By: Joseph Bonanno
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 177
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 155
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 153
Born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Joseph Bonanno found his future amid the whiskey-running, riotous streets of Prohibition America in 1924, when he illegally entered the United States to pursue his dreams. By the age of only 26, Bonanno became a don. He eventually took over the New York underworld, igniting the "Castellammarese War", one of the bloodiest Family battles ever to hit New York City.
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5 out of 5 stars
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amazing
- By Amazon Customer on 12-31-17
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The Vory
- Russia's Super Mafia
- By: Mark Galeotti
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 93
Mark Galeotti is the go-to expert on organized crime in Russia, consulted by governments and police around the world. Now, Western listeners can explore the fascinating history of the vory v zakone, a group that has survived and thrived amid the changes brought on by Stalinism, the Cold War, the Afghan War, and the end of the Soviet experiment.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great
- By Kelli Sladick on 06-19-18
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Chin
- The Life and Crimes of Mafia Boss Vincent Gigante
- By: Larry McShane
- Narrated by: Paul Costanzo
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 81
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 81
Vincent "Chin" Gigante. He started out as a professional boxer - until he found his true calling as a ruthless contract killer. His doting mother's pet name for the boy evolved into his famous alias, "Chin", a nickname that struck fear throughout organized crime as he routinely ordered the murders of mobsters who violated the Mafia code. Vincent Gigante was hand-picked by Vito Genovese to run the Genovese Family when Vito was sent to prison. Chin raked in more than $100 million for the Genovese Family, all while evading federal investigators.
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4 out of 5 stars
-
Not as good as others
- By KMRKR on 02-05-17
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The King of Con
- How a Smooth-Talking Jersey Boy Made and Lost Billions, Baffled the FBI, Eluded the Mob, and Lived to Tell the Crooked Tale
- By: Thomas Giacomaro, Natasha Stoynoff
- Narrated by: Thomas Giacomaro
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
The King of Con is the true story about a smart, streetwise Jersey boy who talked his way to the top and became richer and more successful than his wildest dreams. It offers an unforgettable look into the life of a man who became hooked on living life to thrilling and dangerous excess, rubbing elbows with celebrities and crime bosses, until he was humbled by the FBI, by the US Attorney, and by life itself. Now, Tom Giacomaro is back in his old neighborhood. His mob cronies are calling, his palms are itching to make billions again, and the US Attorney's office is watching.
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5 out of 5 stars
-
good listen
- By Daniel L. on 04-22-19
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Family Secrets
- The Case That Crippled the Chicago Mob
- By: Jeff Coen
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
Even in Chicago, a city steeped in mob history and legend, the Family Secrets case was a true spectacle when it made it to court in 2007. A top mob boss, a reputed consigliere, and other high-profile members of the Chicago Outfit were accused in a total of 18 gangland killings, revealing organized crime's ruthless grip on the city throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Painting a vivid picture of murder, courtroom drama, family loyalties and disloyalties, journalist Jeff Coen accurately portrays the Chicago Outfit's cold-blooded killers.
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2 out of 5 stars
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I wouldn't......
- By Leslee Beyers on 01-10-19
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The Unknown Mongol
- By: Scott Junior Ereckson
- Narrated by: Jeff Hays
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 500
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 460
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 457
This is the true story of ex-Mongols M.C. National President Scott Junior Ereckson. From a young teen, peering from behind a bush at an unknown Mongol, Scott fulfills his childhood dreams. In later years, after many experiences, he becomes one of the most respected and feared Mongols to this day.
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5 out of 5 stars
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amazing and drags you in
- By justin on 02-18-16
-
Darkest Hour: John Alite
- Former Mafia Enforcer for John Gotti and the Gambino Crime Family
- By: S.C. Pike
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars 12
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Story3 out of 5 stars 12
A college baseball scholarship was his way out of the inner city, but his dreams of going pro were crushed by an arm injury. John Alite was forced to return home to the only life he knew, where having to live on the streets of New York meant one thing - earning how to survive. From a young age, he found himself influenced by the wrong crowd. Enticed by the wealth, power, and prestige of the mafia, he immersed himself in a world that was foreign to most. But the cold, bitter truth was he was expendable, and his sworn allegiance was rewarded with betrayal.
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2 out of 5 stars
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All his childhood, no mafia content whatsoever...
- By Blake on 03-04-19
-
Gaspipe
- Confessions of a Mafia Boss
- By: Philip Carlo
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 371
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 264
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 268
Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the boss of New York's Lucchese crime family, was a Mafia superstar, responsible for more than 50 murders. Currently serving 13 life sentences at a federal prison in Colorado, Casso has given journalist and New York Times best-selling author Philip Carlo the most intimate, personal look into the world of La Cosa Nostra ever seen.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Very good
- By J. M. Batista on 06-05-12
Publisher's Summary
The press nicknamed him "The Prime Minister of the Underworld". The US Treasury's Bureau of Narcotics described him as "one of the most powerful and influential Mafia leaders in the U.S." But to friends and associates, he was simply "Uncle Frank". Who was Frank Costello really? That's the question Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Anthony M. DeStefano sets out to answer in this definitive portrait of one of the most fascinating figures in the annals of American crime....
Using newly released FBI files, eyewitness accounts, and family mementos, Top Hoodlum takes you inside the Mafia that Frank Costello helped build from the ground up, from small-time bootlegging and gambling to a nationwide racketeering empire. Sometimes shocking, sometimes amusing, and always riveting, these are the stories that have inspired American crime classics like The Godfather, Casino, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos. This is the man who made the Mafia such a powerful force in our nation's history. This is Top Hoodlum.
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- Jeffery D. Giuliani
- Sterling Heights, MI United States
- 08-14-18
Excellent look at Frank Costello
I am a serious fan of this genre. This book gives a great overview of Frank Costello. You don't have to have previous knowledge and it doesn't assume you do. Narrator does a pretty good job.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Arthur F.
- 07-13-18
Great book!
I usually don't like books that are not first person. I think that they are redundant and often misinform. From everything I know about Frank Costello This Book is pretty spot-on. I think that the narrator does a great job as well. In fact if you like this narrator you should read Philip Leonetti's book Mafia Prince. if you are into mafia books then I would highly advise this one. It was a great read.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful