Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family

by John H. Davis

Book Overview

The Gambinos--they arrived in America from Sicily when the '20's roared with bootleg liquor. For thirty years they fought a bloody battle for control of New York's underworld to emerge as the nation's richest and most powerful crime family. Now Mafia expert John H. Davis tells their compelling inside story. Here are the chilling details and deceptions that created a vast criminal empire. Here are six decades of the uncontrolled greed and lust for...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061091847
• ISBN13: 9780061091841
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: HarperTorch
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Entertaining and Informative

This book is very well written and detailed. It is about 500 pages covering mainly the Gambinos in earlier parts, including Joseph and Thomas. There is some overlap with the other New York families. As one proceeds through the book, attention shifts to Gotti and it becomes a story about him. It covers his trials and the eventual exclusion of Bruce Cutler from his defence, and of course the flip by the "bull" to work for the prosecution. Maloney and other prosecutors are included. All quite interesting and well executed (if I can use that phrase in this book review). I read this book along with a few other selected books which seem to follow a downfall in the garbage collection monopoly, and the decline on garment district trucking business, meat and fish markets all about the same time in the late 1980's early 1990's when "the chin" Gigante was also sent to jail and the Genovese family slipped. This book gives just a partial view and you need to read more to get the complete picture of the evolution from the docks to control of trucking and hijacking. Good book on the subject, holds the reader, and suggest read related books also.

A solid Mafia history

I picked this book up on a whim. I had just read the Westies and I wanted to learn more about the Italian mafia. Well this book was probably the best I could have picked up for an overview and it led me to some other more cetralized books. I see a lot of reviewers have complained that it centers too much on Gotti and yes this is true. In fact the book mostly focuses on Gotti and Castellano. I feel this is because there isn't much to go on for the older bosses in the way of written history. Davis does a good job of piecing together bits to create a history of the Cosa Nostra from the turn of the century to Carlo Gambino. You can tell that information is pretty scarce because he moves quickly through the bosses and the histroy and you get to Castellano after like 200 pages. Most of Davis's information comes from Gotti's and Castellano's tapes. Therefore the remainder of the book gets very detail oriented and recounts much of the history at a pretty rapid pace. One thing I think Davis could have done better would have to not be so repetitive about quotes. He used many of Gotti's and Castellano's quotes from the tapes and testimony over and over. But if you are looking for a solid history and are new to this genre of reading then this is probably the best you can find. Then if you want more precise novels pick up; Boss of Bosses, Bound By Honor, The Westies, Wiseguy, Donnie Brasco, Underboss, etc...

"The Gambino's from Mangano to Gotti!!"

This is a classical,well written book concerning the Gambino's! It's a very large book,yet it has a very large story to tell to anyone who is a fan of the Mafia/Gambinos. It's like a time line in the book,starting with when the five familys were divided,and the Gambinos started as the Mangano family according to the newly developed commission, by Lucky Luciano! As the family grew,so did the needs of the capos,especially "the Mad Hatter" Anastasia, who killed both Mangano brothers,Phillip and Vincenzo, one was under the Syphillis bug and would rant and rave, and without other,one wasn't enough to stop Anastasia who himself was whacked by the young and up'n coming Carlo Gambino, the reasons for that remain to this day complex,Albert was accused of many things and Carlo with the permission of the Commission was given the okay. I would have to say,during Carlo's reign the whole Mafia/all 5 Familys prospered more than they ever did or ever will including present. Things started to divide when in Carlo's old age, his brother in law Paul Castellano(underboss) & Aneillo Dellacroce(underboss)for longer than Paul,who was more of a businessman,dealing with the Family's legitimate interests and left the streets for "Mr.Neil", who's favorite capo was non other than "the Dapper Don". As you continue to read, you suddenly notice the rift between Paul's and Neil's crews, meanwhile Carlo's sick awaiting death. Alot of the soldatos and capos though "Mr.Neil",should be the boss upon the death of DonCarlo. But as you know from the movie, FatPaulie was the one who was bumped up to BOSS, not Neil,who wasn't even that mad due to the cancer that he was himself dying from. As boss Paul showed major disrespect in not attending Mr.Neil's wake or even funeral! To those who were with Gotti,they knew Gotti would definitely whack out Castellano. He got the backing of all of the Gambino Capos, they voted yes, then on December 16 Gotti had DeCiccio arrange a meet with Paul,his driver/bodyguardTom"Wigs" Bilotti,along with Tommy Gambino,Carlo's son,who was informed and promised that no one would lift a finger in his direction, and that he should keep earning like before. As Paulie got out of the car, Gotti's soldiers where on him like bees to honey, three from the front,three from the back,six just for Paul and as Bilotti was hiding behind the LIncoln's door, three more came from across the street and gave him a lead supper like his boss.After that Gotti took over and things where good until he became a target for the FBI, mainly because he kept beating Court cases, one a RICO,One Assault,I'm not certain,the book has it all and in order. He got them so ticked that they bugged his Social Club and the rest is history. At present Gotti has been moved to a Hospital for a cancerous lump in his throat, God Bless Him and his personal family.

Deliciously Intriguing

I have read several books regarding organized crime, but above all, this book has been the best. Not only did it give a history of how organized crime came about and has evolved, but it also gave information and insights on the several families involved in organized crime. The insights ranged from capos to bosses. Magnificently written and deliciously intriguing.

A good history

My first Mafia book. I now own 10 books and 4 true life movies. This book started me on an adventure I have never come back from. It's just so amazing to know how people who never finished high school are running multi-million dollar operations while looking over thier shoulder for cops and other mobsters alike. Bravo, John Davis.