Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life

by Robert Lacey

Book Overview

Based on interviews with Lansky's close friends and criminal associates, with law enforcement experts, and with members of Lansky's own family, and using previously unpublished documents written by Lansky himself, this is both the biography of a mob boss and a social history of American crime.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316511684
• ISBN13: 9780316511681
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 547 Pages
• Weight: 2.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life

The life of Meyer Lansky (little Man), who became a Big Man in developing the casinos and all the entertainment in Free Cuba. Buy it!

Chairman of the Board....more like Member Without Portfolio!

A fascinating study of one man, the myths that surrounded him, his business and his family. Robert Lacey certainly did his research. In the final two chapters and in his acknowledgements he firmly lays to rest many of the fables that followed the Lansky name.

Dispells many myths about "gangsterism."

This is the book for someone who really wants to know what the gangster life was all about. Quite unlike the dramatic movies, like the Godfather, and Godfather II, Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life tells the whole story about the infamous gangster. The author went through great lengths to get accounts from family and friends, business partners and enemies. I'm not much of a reader, but I finished this 550 page book in three days. I was interested in finding out the truth about Meyer Lansky. If that is what you are looking for, this is the book to read.

Gripping, myth-demolishing and humane - an important work.

A really important work that strips mercilessly away many of the hoary myths that have stuck barnacle-like to the subject of American organized crime. The tale that emerges is no less gripping for that; Indeed the struggles personal and financial that dogged this less than omnipotent Lansky become all the more compelling and human. This is not a reading that finds total acceptance, and time and the inherent shadow-dwelling of organized crime mean that the absolute truth will never be nailed down, but Lacey's conclusions (that the post-Kefauver view of the Mafia as a coherent, nationally structured organization with Lansky the criminal mastermind at the centre of events, his overseas bank accounts overflowing with untouchable millions is simply not sustainable), the product of good research and common sense, are hard to refute. A tendancy to chide Lansky for not taking the turns in life that Lacey (probably erroneously) believes were open to him is one slight irritant, but that apart the book is an essential step in restoring balance to accounts of the Mafia's wealth, power, indestructability and even existence as popularly held. No more talk of $300 million!

Lansky was a criminal in Relative Terms

Fascinating book about a highly successful businessman. If it were not for the excessive values imposed by prohibitions advocates and anti-gambling advocates, Meyer Lansky would have been a respected businessman. The book reveals, and I believe it to be true, that the demand for the "illegal" services of Meyer Lansky and other mobsters was from a whole cross section of society. Everyone from the average working person, to professionals, to politicians created the market for liquor and gambling that Meyer Lansky supplied. I think this book exposes a societal hypocrisy. The mere fact that we have a fascination with crime which we demonstrate by flocking to the theater to see The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Casino, and nominate academy awards to the actors and producers seems quite contrary to our law enforcement. While Meyer Lansky may very well have been involved in or responsible for some real crimes such as murder, extortion, narcotics, etc., the main "crimes" revealed in this book for which he was known (liquor and gambling), were really only competition with the government for distribution. Meyer Lansky was revealed to be honest and trustworthy amongst the people he dealt with, yet he is labeled a criminal. While many "legitimate" businessmen are complete crooks. You may not condone all of Meyer Lansky's activities (I don't), however, you will not be able to help having a certain respect for the man and what he did.