Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia

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Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 364.1092 EAN: 9780060930967 ISBN: 0060930969 Label: Harper Paperbacks Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 336 Publication Date: 1999-02-01 Publisher: Harper Paperbacks Release Date: 1999-01-27 Studio: Harper Paperbacks
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Editorial Reviews: Sammy the Bull Gravano is the highest-ranking member of the Mafia in America ever to defeat. In telling Gravano's story, Peter Maas brings us as never before into the innermost sanctums of the Cosa Nostra as if we were there ourselves--a secret underworld of power, lust, greed, betrayal, and deception, with the specter of violent death always waiting in the wings.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Classic "Gangland" expose. Comment: This book rivals The Valachi Papers and is even written by the same author Peter Maas.It gives a good insiders view of the lies and deceptions of the mob.Gravano was able to navigate the "mob" system,make alot of money and get out before either he or his family were killed.In addition by turning "States Evidence" as did Joe Valachi,he helped put a spotlight on the "Mob" and from a read of this book,"Cosa Nostra" would not be a life to envy or emulate. Gotti is portrayed as truly a media infatuated figure of the eighties,a mob superstar smiling for the cameras seeming to say,"Hey look at all the fun we're having and the law can't touch us"!Did his tailor also design suits for PTL's Jim BAKKER?(My own obsevation).With all the murder,lies and deceit in this book you would have to conclude that anyone in the Cosa Nostra is capable of any crime confessed to by Gravano.I must say a whole book filled with such unadmirable and deceitful characters you will have trouble finding. One small anecdote from the book sums it well.John Gotti proudly tells "Chin" Gigante that he has made his own son John Gotti Jr. a "made " member of the Cosa Nostra.Chin,also a "made" member, in an honest and spontaneous reply says,"Jeez, I'm sorry to hear that"!Gravano has done an excellent job and this book definitely rivals Maas' The Valachi Papers.This book does to the Gambino "Family", what Valachi did to the Genovese "Family". Customer Rating: Summary: ANOTHER MOB HIT... Comment: This is an interesting look at the mob from someone who was a made member of the Cosa Nostra. Sammy the Bull Gravano is no angel and he pulls no punches, as he regales the reader with his tale of growing up on the mean streets of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn as the dyslexic son of Italian immigrants. A high school drop-out, Sammy graduated from local street gangs to the Cosa Nostra, taking a blood oath of silence. So much for promises. This book is a series of taped interviews that are edited by the author, who interposes little analysis but serves to connect the dots. The feel of the book is gritty, and Sammy the Bull Gravano comes across as a reasonably intelligent person who made a knowing choice early on to enter into a lifestyle that was fraught with murder, larceny, greed, betrayal, and fear. The book documents his rise in the mob, until he becomes the underboss for the "Teflon Don", the ever dapper John Gotti. There is clearly little love lost between Sammy the Bull Gravano and the late John Gotti, who comes across as a narcissistic, egomaniacal, stupid, greedy thug. Of course, Sammy's take on himself, although a hard core made member of the mob, is that of a guy who was let down by the bosses who promised honor but did not know the first thing about it. While Sammy tries to whitewash himself, there is no getting around that he was a killer, a thief, and a thug. I doubt that Sammy would have talked, had he not felt that he was being set up by Gotti to take the fall for him. Clearly, Sammy's motive for blabbing to the Feds was not altruistic. Still, through his defection, Gravano was responsible for the conviction of many key mob figures. His impact on organized crime will be felt for some time to come. For those that are interested in reading about the Cosa Nostra, this is definitely a must read book for an insider's view of that lifestyle. Customer Rating: Summary: HELL , WOULDN'T YOU RAT!? Comment: We all know by now the tragic story of John Gotti and Sammy Gravano. Here Sammy tells his side. I don't believe certain segments of this book because I know how the game goes and some things were not adding up. But he also admitted some things and did not seem to try to hide who he really was. All in all, it ends up with him flipping on John Gotti. But honestly, I don't think John left him any other alternative. Customer Rating: Summary: Great for Mafia fans Comment: I love the stories about the NY crime families. Obviously I didn't like the murders and the actual "taxes" they added to cost of so many goods and services. Sammy the Bull was not a good guy. However in a twisted way, we can learn a lot about dedication and hard work. It's too bad he needed crime to be successful, albeit temporarily. His work ethic could have made him a very successful honest businessman. In any event, this is a great book for those who remember the NY crime families of the 1980's - especially if you lived in Queens, Brooklyn, or Staten Island. I'm not saying that Mafia crime didn't happen in the other boroughs. It's just that most will remember the dumping grounds in Staten Island, the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, and Gotti's neighborhood of Queens as important areas to the Mafia. The NY media was obsessed with John Gotti. This book tells a different version of the story. Customer Rating: Summary: the bull Comment: book is very good in detailing La Costra Nostra in NYC during early 70"s. mostly 80's- enjoyed it. More Reviews