Overview

The stunning blood-soaked saga of a real-life Godfather—Don Carlo Gambino—the quiet gangster with a whispery voice who struck fear into his enemies as he rose to the top of the Mafia family ladder, told by an insider who lived in that world, knew those families, and met Gambino face-to-face . . . He was one of the four Mafia leaders who inspired Mario Puzo’s The Godfather—and perhaps, next to Lucky Luciano, the most powerful Mob boss of them all. Born into a mafioso family in Sicily, Carlo Gambino came to America illegally as a stowaway in 1921. Jumping ship in Virginia, he joined his cousins in Brooklyn and the Sicilian gangs that ruled the streets. By 1931, he was a soldier in Joe “The Boss” Masseria’s war with the Castellammarese clan, a bloody rivalry between Old World crime families that ended with the creation of the Five Families system by Luciano. Over the next three decades, Gambino rose higher in the ranks after a series of brutal Mob hits and executions. In 1957, following the murder of Albert “Lord High Executioner” Anastasia, Gambino took over—becoming the biggest crime boss in America. This is the life and times of an underworld legend. Packed with shocking details and firsthand insights, Carlo Gambino: Boss of Bosses is the definitive account of this real-life Godfather, written by someone who grew up in that world and met Gambino personally. Author Frank DiMatteo’s chilling recollections of his encounters with Gambino add a rare human dimension to one of the greatest crime sagas ever told. It is the story of a quietly understated Mob boss who allegedly orchestrated some of the Mafia’s most infamous hits—including the barbershop shooting of Anastasia—but who miraculously served time only for tax evasion. For better or worse, Gambino’s story is the story of America, filled with ambition, fueled by greed, and riddled with bullets.

Full Product Details

9780806544236

Table of Contents

Reviews

Praise for the work of Frank DiMatteo and Michael Benson “Finally, Don Carlo receives a fresh look with his cold and quiet calculations, and his unique mastery of Mafia politics. Frank DiMatteo is the real deal and tells a great story along with co-author Michael Benson.” —Louis Ferrante, internationally bestselling author of the Borgata Trilogy, on Carlo Gambino: Bosses of Bosses “Carmine the Snake, written in a conversational style with street vernacular and sprinkled with Frank DiMatteo’s personal anecdotes and reminiscences, offers another look at the infamous crime boss.” —The Washington Times “DiMatteo tells what it was like to grow up with Mob royalty.” —VICE on The President Street Boys “The authors give a detailed account of the suspected assassins [and] don’t shy away from discussing Gallo’s flaws . . . Fans of true crime and Mafia stories will appreciate the insider’s look at the figures and neighborhoods that comprised New York Mob life in the 20th century.” —Library Journal on Mafia Hit Man “The President Street Boys is nothing like any other Mafia-related book I’ve ever read. I loved this book. I will be reading it again in the future. The level of detail is so high, to me, it requires multiple passes to absorb it all.” —Crimespree Magazine “At times, this book is unsettling. Other times, it's humorous. No matter what part you're reading, it’ll remain a tour-de-force.” —Criminal Element on The President Street Boys “This title will please Mafia fans looking for gruesome details.” —Library Journal on Lord High Executioner “Takes me back as if it was a time machine . . . Compelling reading. I loved the book because I was there.” —Sonny Girard, author of Blood of Our Fathers, on The President Street Boys

Praise for the work of Frank DiMatteo and Michael Benson “Carmine the Snake, written in a conversational style with street vernacular and sprinkled with Frank DiMatteo’s personal anecdotes and reminiscences, offers another look at the infamous crime boss.” —The Washington Times “DiMatteo tells what it was like to grow up with Mob royalty.” —VICE on The President Street Boys “The authors give a detailed account of the suspected assassins . . . don’t shy away from discussing Gallo’s flaws . . . fans of true crime and Mafia stories will appreciate the insider’s look at the figures and neighborhoods that comprised New York Mob life in the 20th century.” —Library Journal on Mafia Hit Man “The President Street Boys is nothing like any other Mafia-related book I’ve ever read. I loved this book. I will be reading it again in the future. The level of detail is so high, to me, it requires multiple passes to absorb it all.” —Crimespree Magazine “At times, this book is unsettling. Other times, it's humorous. No matter what part you're reading, it’ll remain a tour-de-force.” —Criminal Element on The President Street Boys “This title will please Mafia fans looking for gruesome details.” —Library Journal on Lord High Executioner “Takes me back as if it was a time machine . . . compelling reading. I loved the book because I was there.” —Sonny Girard, author of Blood of Our Fathers on The President Street Boys

Praise for the work of Frank DiMatteo and Michael Benson “Finally, Don Carlo receives a fresh look with his cold and quiet calculations, and his unique mastery of Mafia politics. Frank DiMatteo is the real deal and tells a great story along with co-author Michael Benson.” —Louis Ferrante, internationally bestselling author of the Borgata Trilogy, on Carlo Gambino: Bosses of Bosses “Carmine the Snake, written in a conversational style with street vernacular and sprinkled with Frank DiMatteo’s personal anecdotes and reminiscences, offers another look at the infamous crime boss.” —The Washington Times “DiMatteo tells what it was like to grow up with Mob royalty.” —VICE on The President Street Boys “The authors give a detailed account of the suspected assassins . . . don’t shy away from discussing Gallo’s flaws . . . fans of true crime and Mafia stories will appreciate the insider’s look at the figures and neighborhoods that comprised New York Mob life in the 20th century.” —Library Journal on Mafia Hit Man “The President Street Boys is nothing like any other Mafia-related book I’ve ever read. I loved this book. I will be reading it again in the future. The level of detail is so high, to me, it requires multiple passes to absorb it all.” —Crimespree Magazine “At times, this book is unsettling. Other times, it's humorous. No matter what part you're reading, it’ll remain a tour-de-force.” —Criminal Element on The President Street Boys “This title will please Mafia fans looking for gruesome details.” —Library Journal on Lord High Executioner “Takes me back as if it was a time machine . . . compelling reading. I loved the book because I was there.” —Sonny Girard, author of Blood of Our Fathers on The President Street Boys

Author Information

Frank DiMatteo is a lifelong Brooklynite, Mafia “survivor,” and publisher of Mob Candy magazine. He is the author of Mob Candy’s Brooklyn Gangsters and Manhattan Gangsters, and the co-author, along with Michael Benson, of more than half a dozen nonfiction books on the history of organized crime, including his acclaimed memoir, The President Street Boys: Growing Up Mafia. He is a retired gangster and the son of a Mob hit man, with past interviews and appearances that include the New York Post, VICE, Business Insider, Late Night with Johnny P, and One on One with Steve Adubato. He was also an expert source in the HISTORY TV documentary American Godfathers: The Five Families. Michael Benson is the acclaimed author of nonfiction history and crime books, including Gangsters vs. Nazis, Hollywood vs. Nazis, Evil Season, and Betrayal in Blood, as well as Moguls, co-authored with Craig Singer. He is also one of America’s most accomplished and popular Mafia experts, having co-authored numerous books on the subject, including Carmine the Snake, Mafia Hit Man, Lord High Executioner, Red Hook, Carlo Gambino, and Olive Oil King with Frank DiMatteo and Mafia Secrets with Gianni Russo. He is a regular commentator, appearing on numerous radio and television shows such as 20/20, On the Case with Paula Zahn, and Deadly Sins on the ID: Investigation Discovery channel. A recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award, he can be found on Facebook at /AuthorMichaelBenson.

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