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31 May 2013
Underboss: Peter Maas- Salvatore "Sammy The Bull" Gravano
Underboss is the story of Salvatore "Sammy The Bull" Gravano. Sammy was born and bred in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He came from second generation Italian/ American parents, who were, as were a lot of people from that generation, trying to provide a better life for their children. Sammy came of age in Bensonhurst, and grew up in a culture that could not be found in many others cities around this country. I have heard it said that Brooklyn is so diverse that you can travel two blocks and feel like you've entered another world entirely. Sammy went to Public School in Brooklyn and found that comprehension was very difficult for him. He did not learn as fast as the other students. This may seem like a minor issue, but to a young child, and eventually a young man it caused him to reject school, and learning, which is the path that leads many young young people to either have success, or failure. He rejected school and resorted to his other option, the streets of Bensonhurst. He describes himself as a well behaved child. He got along with his parents, and siblings. He loved his family. He was obediant at home and respectful. On the streets he was another person. He learned early on that being tough, physically, and mentally was what counted in a dog eat dog world so he became what his surrondings demanded. He built his body up and fought with anybody who disrespected him. Sammy was a short squat man. Eventually he progressed to running with street gangs. By his teens he was a young hoodlum in training and building a reputation for himself as being tough on the street. His next progression after that was to join the Mafia culture that prevalent in Bensonhurst at that time. By his early twenties he had become an associate in the Old Profaci Family. He was in a crew under an old timer in the Family that was very well respected. During this progression he learned the difference between being a hoodlum and a racketeer. A hoodlum uses violence and fear as a means to his ends. A racketeer uses his brain, has class, and is a business man. Sammy emulated the racketeers he saw and came to know in Bensonhurst. He carried himself with respect and came to the attention of mob higher ups. His tenure as a associate of the new Colombo Family came to an end over an argument with his mentors family and because it involved blood ties Sammy was put in the crew of a Captain in the Gambino Family to squash the bad feelings. His new Captain was "Toddo" Aurello. Toddo took Sammy under his wing and wanted to raise him right in the world of the Mafia which produces some pretty shady characters. Sammy liked Toddo and said he reminded him of his father. Toddo introduced Sammy around the Family and Sammy grew into a man. He was a tough guy but also had a mind for business. He got involved in the Gambino Family's hold over the construction business in New York. Sammy was also a killer, and showed that he had the stomach for the dirty work that needed to be done. Sammy's wealth and power grew. He was married, and had a daughter, then a son. Around 1985 a power struggle in the Gambino Family broke out. The result was boss Paul Castellano being murdered by one of his own soldiers, John Gotti. As a result of the murder Gotti was promoted to Family boss. Sammy hitched his ride to Gotti's star eventually becoming Underboss of the Family. Things went sour between Sammy and Gotti when Gotti was caught on tape blaming Sammy for murders that he had ordered.
11 July 2009
Mafia Encyclopidia 1st Edition.
This book originally printed in 1988 is the First Edition of the Mafia Encyclopidia Series.It is full of pictures of famous gangsters from the past century.It contains short biographies of the twentieth century's most famous mobsters.Basic information that any mafia historian would already know.Some uncommon pitures.Since it's printing Carl Sifakis has put out a Second,and Third Edition,which are basically the same version of the First Edition, just reprinted.If you are a book collector like Me you would probably buy all three just to have.A good addition to any collection.
15 November 2018
Gangster Life Doesn't Pay
This is the story of two young men who grew up in the same small part of the world, but could not have been more different. Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone grew up in Hell's Kitchen- Manhattan. They both gravitated towards a life of crime. Coonan became a more disciplined gangster, while Featherstone was kind of a wild man. He spent time in the military, had been to mental institutions, and had been to jail. Coonan was more into the rackets. It was a chance encounter that tied them together. Featherstone got into an argument with someone. He needed a gun to fight with. He found Coonan and he gave Mickey a gun with no questions asked. That was the start of their friendship. Mickey felt like he owed Coonan after that. What would emerge was a group of about twelve Irish gangsters that terrorized Hell's Kitchen for years. Mickey killed on impulse, while Coonan was all business. He liked to make his victims disappear by cutting them up. I won't spoil the end for who ever might want to read this fascinating book. Worth the money for a paperback copy. If you can find a nice hardcover- First Edition- Even better!