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| hellkat |
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hellkat
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 Posted: 19:53 - 04 Mar 2017  Post subject: |
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| chickenstrip wrote: | mafia book recommendations |
Hmm, an interesting line up of thiings I haven't yet read. 
I've mostly read a lot of the older stuff, pre-Gotti.
I read Donny Brasco LONG before the film came out.
About the same time I read Honor Thy Father.
And the biography of Lucky Luciano, can't remember what that was called.
Also, quite an interesting one called The Pizza Connection: Lawyers, Drugs and Money*, which is about the battle between New York mobs in the 1980s and the lawmakers who were struggling to apply the new RICO laws when they first came out. Interestingly, it includes Ruldoph Giuliani as the successful District Attorney, and which did his career no harm at the time.
These were all back in the day when I used to go in the libraries and all those kind of books had had their shiny centre-pictures section razored out by Unknown Persons  I always used to wonder if it were the librarians under instruction from the council, or whether some junior mafioso came along and sliced them out surreptitously in each library ... 
*which always reminded me of that old Warren Zevon song, "Bring Lawyers Guns and Money, the shit has hit the fan..."
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hellkat
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chickenstrip
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Posted: 21:24 - 04 Mar 2017  Post subject: |
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| hellkat wrote: |
Also, quite an interesting one called The Pizza Connection: Lawyers, Drugs and Money*, which is about the battle between New York mobs in the 1980s and the lawmakers who were struggling to apply the new RICO laws when they first came out. Interestingly, it includes Ruldoph Giuliani as the successful District Attorney, and which did his career no harm at the time. |
I think I've read that one, a while ago. There's a bit about that mob war in the Gotti one I'm reading now. Chin Gigante (Genovese boss) took umbrage against Gotti knocking off the Gambino boss, Paul Castellano (who he then usurped) - wasn't the done thing to kill another boss, against the rules; although all the rules were being broken left, right and centre in the 80s.
| hellkat wrote: | These were all back in the day when I used to go in the libraries and all those kind of books had had their shiny centre-pictures section razored out by Unknown Persons I always used to wonder if it were the librarians under instruction from the council, or whether some junior mafioso came along and sliced them out surreptitously in each library ... |
Could be the cops, pinning them up on a board in their incident room, trying to figure out the mob hierarchy? (I know all this stuff...seen it in the movies, init )
Have you read this one?:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003LPUXJE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Makes the American Mafia look like a bunch of pussies 
And I'm looking for one I'm sure I've seen mentioned, about the Sicilians in New York, 1980s 
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chickenstrip
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| Posted: 21:45 - 04 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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Just added this one to the reading list:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007R2WKRK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
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hellkat
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| Posted: 14:50 - 05 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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Ehhhh ... I've not read either of those, either.
Been yonks since I've got caught up in mafia biogs.
Might go back to 'em*, cos I recently binge-watched the whole of The Sopranos and I kinda miss the lingo. I've started going "Ohhhhhhhhhwwwwww" out loud in "that accent" if something bad happens
*when I've finished reading the half dozen books I'm currently halfway through 
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chickenstrip
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| Posted: 17:24 - 05 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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| hellkat wrote: | I recently binge-watched the whole of The Sopranos |
I haven't ever seen one episode of that. 
Something told me to stay away from a mob soap opera. I thought it might be like Neighbours with the odd murder thrown in
Is it actually worth a look then?
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hellkat
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| Posted: 17:34 - 05 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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I was the same, tried to watch it, couldn't get past first episode for years.
Worth it.
Only started watching it last year, well after James Gandolfini was dead, so I knew from the start there would be no more.
Then I got addicted and binge-watched it from end to end.
Until I watched it, I never knew that my favourite of the lieutenants is in Bruce Springsteen's E Street band (Steven Van Zandt)
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| Pigeon |
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Pigeon
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| Posted: 23:48 - 05 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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I watched Sopranos when it was on Channel 4 in 2000 and loved it. It's dark comedy, casual violence and the way it constantly challenges your opinions of the characters.
For me, the greatest TV of all time (my lifetime anyway) (closely followed by Band of Brothers).
It raised the bar of everything that followed. Consequently, I'm not sure if would have the same impact coming to it now, with so many aspects having been re-used in other series. But only one way to find out!
James Gandolfini was incredible, but so were the whole cast. The writers and producers went on to more acclaim and became heavy weights in the TV series market.
Pine Barrons is one of my favourite episodes. Just wonderful.
Without giving too much away. The final episode caused a bit of controversy (first world problems yo) and left me open mouthed the first time I saw it. But having watched it again, it definitely cemented the legacy of one of the greatest TV shows of recent times.
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hellkat
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| Posted: 19:56 - 06 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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Yeah, Pine Barrens is REALLY good, whatever happened to that Russian who knows!
I was watching Mean Streets (Scorsese: DeNiro/Keitel) the other night, and it really reminded me of the Sopranos.
Whilst I was binge-watching the series, my sense of compatriotism with Tony Soprano, was that I was getting to such a level of enmity with my own mother, that - even though he annoyed me in sooooo many other ways - I could really relate to him on that level. How can you love your mother and yet still want to crack her one over the head with a shovel for her behaviour.
The whole series resonated with me on various levels, though.
I had a crush on at least half the cast.
I even related to the shrink (wtf, nobody relates to shrinks )
I think it must be the accents
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Pigeon
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| Posted: 22:54 - 06 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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hellkat
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| Posted: 23:09 - 06 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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chickenstrip
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| Posted: 23:10 - 06 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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I can't believe you got that dialogue right. What, nobody said, "Fuggedaboudit!" ? 
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hellkat
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| Posted: 23:12 - 06 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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They say it alllllllllla the time
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groovylee
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| Posted: 20:09 - 07 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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just finished reading the Surtees - my life on two and four wheels - book. bit of a coffee table effort tbh, rather than one to read in bed, but I did find it very interesting 
before that - 2nd and 3rd guy martin books. liked them both.
next? god knows 
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hellkat
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| Posted: 11:13 - 08 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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God, I remember that being in my dad's library when I was a kid
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chickenstrip
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| Posted: 23:08 - 19 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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| chickenstrip wrote: |
Currently reading Gotti - The Rise and Fall, by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain. |
Essential reading for Mafia buffs.
| Quote: | Gaspipe: Confessions of a Mafia Boss, by Philip Carlo. Story of the Lucchese family boss, Anthony 'Gaspipe' Casso. |
Can't really recommend this one. Carlo is obviously starstruck and not impartial, and Casso complains about the erosion of omertà and the mob's traditional 'values' - whilst being a big-time drug dealer himself; complains about how he was virtually forced into the position of Lucchese family boss against his will; complains about how everyone turned into rats - then became the biggest one himself; complains about how he was ill-used by the FBI after turning. It's like he's looking for sympathy. I mean, really? Its only saving grace is that it does add one or two things to the overall picture of what went on in the mob at that time, but only really when you can confirm things elsewhere.
| Quote: | Murder Machine. The story of the DeMeo crew, among the most violent of hitmen for the mob. |
Excellent read. Rings true, and very evocative of the Mob lifestyle in New York in the 70s and 80s. Recommended.
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Oldie
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| Posted: 22:18 - 21 Mar 2017 Post subject: |
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Here's one for those of you who want to know who they really are
The Brain (David Eagleham) is a brilliant introduction to what's going on in your head. It's really amazing and I honestly believe that we should all know this stuff. Never boring, never trying to be clever, just a clear description of the crazy things going on in your noddle.
Yeah, I know, it sounds shit, but read it and then tell me you don't rate it.
And don't be put off by the various "peer" reviews claiming that it's over simplified. It's an introduction, not a bloody magnum opus 10/10 |
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chickenstrip
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Posted: 22:23 - 21 Mar 2017  Post subject: |
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| Oldie wrote: |
The Brain (David Eagleham) |
There was an accompanying series on the telly. Was very interesting and well presented.
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 7 years, 35 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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