A Man of Honor: The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno

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Binding: Mass Market Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 920 EAN: 9780312979232 ISBN: 0312979231 Label: St. Martin's Paperbacks Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 416 Publication Date: 2003-01-20 Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks Studio: St. Martin's Paperbacks
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Editorial Reviews: "Friendships, connections, family ties, trust, loyalty, obedience-this was the 'glue' that held us together." These were the principles that the greatest Mafia "Boss if Bosses," Joseph Bonnano, lived by. Born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Bonnano found his future amid the whiskey-running, riotous streets of Prohibition America in 1924, when he illegally entered the United States to pursue his dreams. By the age of only twenty-six, Bonnano became a Don. He would eventually take over the New York underworld, igniting the "Castellammarese War," one of the bloodiest Family battles ever to hit New York City... Now, in this candid and stunning memoir, Joe Bonanno-likely a model for Don Corleone in the blockbuster movie The Godfather-takes readers inside the world of the real Mafia. He reveals the inner workings of New York's Five Families-Bonanno, Gambino, Profaci, Lucchese, and Genovese-and uncovers how the Mafia not only dominated local businesses, but also influenced national politics. A fascinating glimpse into the world of crime, A Man of Honor is an unforgettable account of one of the most powerful crime figures in America's history.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: No sworn statement but still an amazing story Comment: Who you lookin' at? That's as Italian De Niro can get. Expect the same kind of flavour when reading this book and then add some extra hot sauce. You have to be aware this book was written by a mobster who considered himself a man of honor. What you think of the world is the way you are raised and how you live your life. This book shows a great deal of information about the way of Sicilian life in the early 1900's and the booze-jammed 20's and 30's in the U.S. To read about that is fun alone, but reading about mobsters and their organization is even more exciting. This is a personal story, told by the man who reigned over Italian America for a great deal of time. Ofcourse, Bonanno has nothing to do with leading all organized crime he tells us. But you know how Italians like food, so add a pinch of salt to this book. Customer Rating: Summary: Fun Reading~~ Comment: This title was fun to read. Mr. Bonanno was definitely an interesting individual. Really! But, there is something missing. Though I doubt that the government's prosecutorial attempts were all clean, I do think Mr. Bonanno sugarcoated his autobiography and left out his true criminal side. I know I couldn't write a biography about being a man of honor and Mr. Bonanno's attempt to convince Americans that he's an ordinary man just interested in doing business is full of holes. No one wants to read about an ordinary man doing business legally....generally. Customer Rating: Summary: a man of honor Comment: This was a very good read as I enjoyed the information that this book made available. Sincerely, Kathy Klein Customer Rating: Summary: A little dull at times and not a complete tell all Comment: The book was a decent read but I found Bonanno to be quit repeatative at times. He goes on and on about the Sicilian way of life, and how American's more or less don't understand it. Furthermore he tiptoes around all violence that comes with being in the "Family" as he so eloquently puts it. I found it to be a little dry, not so "tell all", and in the end I find Mr. Bonanno using his Sicilian background and way of life as justification for being in organized crime. Although he himself would never admit that the "Family" he was apart of was organized crime, the crux of the book. He calls himself a "Man of Honor" yet he admitly cheats on his wife and lived a life ingrossed in organized crime, hypocritical to say the least. Customer Rating: Summary: Man of Honor provides history Comment: Great historical piece although quite biased. Gives the reader good insight into the Sicilian philosophy of life and business. Excellent read if you have an historical interest in the mafia and organized crime. More Reviews