Man of Honor, A

by Joseph Bonanno

"Friendships, connections, family ties, trust, loyalty, obedience-this was the 'glue' that held us together."

These were the principles that the greatest Mafia "Boss of 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.

Genres: True Crime, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Crime, Autobiography, Audiobook

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1984

About the author

Joseph Charles Bonanno, sometimes referred to as Joe Bananas, was an Italian-American crime boss of the Bonanno crime family, which he ran from 1931 to 1968.

Bonanno was born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, where his father was also involved in organized crime. At the age of three, Bonanno immigrated to New York City with his family, where he lived for about 10 years before he moved back to Italy. He later slipped back into the United States in 1924, by stowing away on a Cuban fishing boat bound for Tampa, Florida. After the Castellammarese War, during which Salvatore Maranzano was murdered in 1931, Bonanno reorganized most of the crime family as the Bonanno family. At age 26, Bonanno became one of the youngest-ever bosses of a crime family. In 1963, Bonanno made plans with Joseph Magliocco to assassinate several rivals on the Mafia Commission. When Magliocco gave the contract to one of his top hit men, Joseph Colombo, he revealed the plot to its targets. The Commission spared Magliocco's life but forced him into retirement, while Bonanno fled to Canada. In 1964, he briefly returned to New York before disappearing until 1966. The "Banana War" ensued and lasted until 1968, when Bonanno retired to Arizona. Later in life, he became a writer, publishing the book A Man of Honor: The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno in 1983. Bonanno died on May 11, 2002, in Tucson, Arizona.

Reviews

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting exercise in self deception and revisionist history. I'm sure he wasn't the innocent victim he portrays himself to be. Who among us just happens to have a loaded shotgun handy in the event of an intruder?

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all I'm going to of this book, about 3/4 of it. The first part was interesting, but very, very similar to The Godfather, written 15 years before Bonnano's autobiography; so similar in fact it reflected Puzo's book almost scene for scene, just with different names. Then Bonnano gets on this "the mafia doesn't exist, it was made up by the American media" kick. Strangely enough, the Italian government and judicial system would appear to disagree with him, even today; but then Bonnano wants us to believe that "his tradition" is non-violent, just immigrants helping each other out, and that the US media hated them for sidestepping the system. Uh-huh. That's why he could later speak of "wars" and shootings and wholesale death...because after all, according to him, it never happened except in the movies...never mind the very real bodies. I have very vivid memories of the family wars of the 1970s, that affected even my sleepy rural Midwestern hometown. But according to him, it wasn't personal, it was business. Just business.

His ghost writer needed a better proofreader and editor. Misused punctuation litters the text, as well as some very strange turns of phrase that are not Italian American in origin. In one case: "Men have been known to keel over for good without so much as saying adieu." ??? Sweetie, if you're having a stroke or a heart attack, you don't think about "saying adieu." In another case, this non-violent non-mafioso wonders if he should "prosecute a war." Granted, I'm an ESL teacher and translator, but between that and the text running out of direction--let alone steam--I'm done here.

[Michael L Wilkerson (Papa Gray Wolf) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a work of fiction. Well that's my opinion at least.

Yes, it's purported to be an autobiography and thus you would assume it to be true, but that falls apart immediately with the title.

Joseph (Bananas) Bobanno lead a crime family that dealt in extortion, theft, racketeering, prostitution and murder. No matter how Bobanno tried to justify that as Tradition (his upper case 'T', not mine) I don't see that as a profession that an honorable man is involved in.

I've made it one third of the way through this book and this is going to be a rare DNF for me. Having read other accounts of that time I don't fine much veracity or honor in it and enough is enough. Reading bullshit disguised as literature is a harder job than I care to take on now.

[Walter Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

People need money but the economy won’t help so they find a way. In turn, the police/FBI etc. crack down on various groups of people for their unlawful ways of earning. America’s government always seemed surprised that people tend to do this time and time again. America sees it as “these people can’t come in here and just take what they want, that’s not right” when America did just that, Manifest Destiny my ass. I’m not saying these alternative ways of earning are correct or fair or justified, it’s just funny is all. I love a good biography, they’re always insightful. Who knows if he was telling the full truth or just framing himself in a positive light, I choose the benefit of the doubt sometimes because it’s more fun that way.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeping in mind that the author is unwilling and unable to provide the complete picture of his life for fear of legal reprisals, this book is actually quite revealing. To understand the Families and their traditions, one must first understand how Italy was ruled throughout the centuries. Each region of Italy operated independently within the whole and the necessity for protection and cooperation was essential for survival. Bonanno, a Sicilian, explains all of this in his book.

He outlines his bootleg operations during Prohibition. I found this particularly interesting because a major town for storing the illegal alcohol is Wappingers Falls, NY. I have relatives who live there and a family surname is mentioned repeatedly throughout the book.

Bonanno offers a detailed account of the Families in America, their leaders, and insider details from meetings and confrontations among them. He gives glimpses into his home life with his wife, sons, and daughter. This provides a domestic backdrop against which the activities of the larger Family play out.

Very fascinating is how our Federal Government maneuvered and manipulated facts and fallacies in an attempt to destroy what has come to be known as Mafia organizations. Just as our government imprisoned Al Capone for tax evasion, unable to convict him for any other crimes, they tried doing something similar with Bonanno. The Federal Government spent copious amounts of money and manhours in an effort to imprison Bonanno for illegal business dealings at which they failed. Incidentally, the word "Mafia" is an American word and not used in Sicily at all. Historically, it's interesting how the Kennedy's, politics, and greed figure into the whole American story of mobsters and the Cosa Nostra.

Regardless of how the old-time Sicilians are perceived today, Bonanno was an educated, well-read man. He embraced the old Traditions of honor, virtue and respect. In these traditions, I can find no fault. I view these traditions, whether wrongly or correctly presented through movies and books, with both skepticism and admiration. I'm glad this book concentrated on the more time-honored, virtuous qualities of Sicilian Tradition.

[Natalie iacovetto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It gave an interesting perspective on the families and it gave perspective on the origins of the families and how they began and their purpose. Would highly recommend if interested in the mafia or the mob.

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mafia has always held a weird fascination for many people. As an amateur history buff, I've found the idea of gangsters and their interactions with the larger society interesting. Even the romance genre (especially interracial romance) has gotten into the act with mafia-themed romances. But I've thought many of those books tend to brush aside the darker side of what the mafia is and what it does in favor of the alpha male stereotype (ironically one book I've read, even though it failed miserably in other ways, actually comes close to dealing honestly with what the mafia was/is truly capable of). So instead of getting the candy-coated romance treatment, I figured I'd go right to the source.

Okay, so I expected that the late Joseph Bonanno might choose to write his memoirs in such a way that the dark side of what he called "Tradition" is viewed either off camera or glossed over altogether. However, I'm inclined to give the man the benefit of the doubt in some instances. Given that he wrote this in the latter part of his life, there was a sense of his retelling as romantic and idealistic recollection. He clearly states that the "Mafia" as he saw it in the 60's, 70's and 80's was not the same as it was in his heyday. In fact, Bonanno goes out of his way to disavow the modern iteration of what he called "Family".

Overall it was a fascinating read about a man who saw himself as an honorable keeper of a way of life that changed once on these shores. I really loved reading about his wife Fay. Despite his keeping his family and The Family separate, I had the feeling that the wise and steady Fay knew exactly what her husband was into and how dangerous it could be. I was also surprised that he had no mention of the famous Donnie Brasco, the undercover FBI agent who infiltrated deep into the Bonanno Family and set the stage for its eventual demise. I would have been interested in his take on that.

[Anna Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew nothing about Joe Bonanno upon starting this book. At the end, I knew of a man dedicated to The Tradition from his Sicilian homeland, and his correct judgment that Americans are too concerned with money, not caring enough about family. Along the way I learned about others within that Tradition, and some not. Mostly I got to know Joe Bonanno as a person, his views and ideas. Whether or not they are all accurate matters little; as a man, Bonanno lived an intriguing, sometimes hazardous life. This isn't a typical Mafia memoir; Bonanno is witty and thoughtful, not wishing to appeal to crime readers, but to state his story in his style. It just so happens that his business interests coincided with New York's Five Families. The ending falls a little flat, otherwise I would have given it five stars.

[Joefred · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part of the book is interesting and flows pretty good, but the last half is more and more just a man bitchig how misunderstood he is.
Would not recommend the book to anyone without a special interest in the "mafia" (which Mr. Bonanno wouldn't like it to be called)

[WhiteChocolateWiggle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Bonanno’s memoir is one of the more fascinating Mafia autobiographies, but it should be read critically. It feels like a genuine old man’s reflection on a bygone era.

The book doesn’t actually begin with political commentary, but one of the earlier things that stands out is Bonanno’s complaints about Mussolini. He portrays himself as a victim of fascism, which is ironic coming from a mafioso. While there are legitimate criticisms of fascism, their campaign to crush the Mafia was not one of them—it was a good thing. Bonanno even complains that, after the fascists took over, he was forced to wear a black shirt instead of a white one at the naval academy, and claims this trivial change shattered his dream of becoming a sea captain. To present a shirt color as the great injustice of his youth, while ignoring the fact that Mori’s campaign targeted actual killers, is absurd.

Where the book is strongest is when Bonanno defends his role in Mafia politics. He insists he never appointed his son as consigliere but allowed the family to vote freely. He denies involvement in the Commission coup with Magliocco, arguing that his son’s mere act of driving Magliocco to a meeting created the false impression of complicity. He also portrays himself as the target of jealousy from his cousin Stefano Magaddino, who resented Bonanno’s higher prestige despite being older and once more influential. Bonanno claims this jealousy was the driving force behind Magaddino’s push to install Gaspar DeGregorio as the new head of the Bonanno family. According to him, DeGregorio was too weak to act independently and could only have attempted such a coup with Magaddino’s backing and manipulation.

Bonanno also frames his refusal to appear before the Commission as principled—he saw it as an “illegal body.” By his argument, the Commission had not been properly ratified in its previous session, and therefore, by its own internal rules, it had no jurisdiction to try him. To appear before it, in Bonanno’s eyes, would not only have legitimized a body that had no real authority, but also would have meant confessing guilt to something he insisted he had no part in. This framing makes his defiance seem less like cowardice and more like a calculated stand on principle.

A consistent theme is Bonanno’s self-image as an “old school” mafioso. He portrays himself, along with Profaci and Mangano, as the conservative faction of the Commission: opposed to narcotics, prostitution, and overt exploitation, more tied to Sicilian traditions of helping one’s own. There is, however, strong debate about Bonanno’s supposed anti-narcotics stance. I lean toward the interpretation that while he officially forbade narcotics, he likely turned a blind eye when someone like Carmine Galante was making massive profits from the trade.

His account of the so-called “Banana War” is particularly interesting. Contrary to its reputation, he argues it wasn’t a real war at all—fewer than 15 people died, and most of the killings were unrelated outsiders settling scores. He even dismisses it as a minor “family squabble” rather than a war, insisting that the conflict was blown out of proportion by outsiders and the press. Considering how little solid evidence exists about the supposed conflict, Bonanno’s explanation is plausible. He contrasts this with the more destructive Castellammarese War, which really did reshape the Mafia landscape.

Bonanno also dwells on his declining health—three heart attacks and a stroke—which he says explains his retreat to Arizona. He recounts how the FBI harassed him relentlessly, even ransacking his home, spitting on his sick wife’s belongings, and possibly contributing to her death. He even claims the FBI once tried to bomb his Tucson home. Whether or not it was an agent acting on their own or with backing from Washington, this did happen.

The memoir closes with Bonanno presenting himself as a man who tried to preserve an older tradition, only to see it overtaken by greed, betrayal, and government pressure. Unlike mobsters who broke omertà for money or protection, Bonanno insists he wrote this because the Mafia he knew no longer existed, and thus he wasn’t betraying it. Given that he was already wealthy, had little to gain, and often admits his own faults, the book feels more candid than most mob memoirs.

In the end, A Man of Honor is not a saint’s confession, but the reflections of a survivor from a vanished world. Bonanno tries hard to cast himself as a principled conservative amid scheming opportunists—and while much of that is self-serving, the memoir remains a valuable window into how the Mafia saw itself, and how one of its last “old world” leaders wanted to be remembered.

Update: Upon further inspection, I realized I had accidentally cut out a portion of my review when I ran it through spellcheck and grammar check. I also wanted to note how Joe Bonanno specifically met Franklin Roosevelt, who thanked him for corruptly delivering votes through the Tammany Hall political machine. What I find amusing about many of these Mafia books is that it’s almost always Democrats who are shown accepting help from the mafia. (And just to be clear, pointing this out doesn’t mean I’m some kind of Republican supporter.)

[elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, especially since he spend a fair number of years, including after he retired, in Tucson, AZ, where I currently live.
I enjoyed his descriptions of his childhood and his early years in New York. His folks died when he was pretty young, so he turned to others for mentorship, and he was very devoted to his wife.
According to Bonanno, he never did anything illegal, but of course, we know this is not true. There are no grizzly murders in this book, and I recommend it if you are looking for an insiders view of the early days of the Cosa Nostra in NY, then expanding to the west, especially AZ. Got a little long at the end, but it works to just skim the last 40 pages.
Was surprised to see that the original owner of Caruso's, one of my favorite Tucson eateries, was part of the Mineo crime family in NY. Came out west because he was wanted by someone else in the family. Bonanno was able to smooth that over and he continued in the restaurant business. Mangia bene!

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book “A man of Honor” was a really great book with many unexpected turns to those who already know the basics of New York city crime. To those who are completely unfamiliar with the crime then this would absolutely be a great book to understand how New York was rigged for so many decades. The autobiography of Joe Bonanno explains the making of the underworld in New York and the entire country. The extremely detailed book gives a complete overview of the thoughts and motives of the men in power. The different chapters in the book go through from the Castellammarese War, which when ended started the forming of the new syndicate. After that it explained the making of the commission in the national sphere of crime. The conversations and situations Joe Bonanno had in his life were in this book and they were extremely detailed and thorough. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a gruesome true story of an immigrant to crime boss.

[Patrik Kovač · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would've recieved four stars if it were shortened by a dozen chapters at least. Other than that, it is quite fascinating reading about Joe Bonnano's justifications for his actions, as if he came from an alien race whose laws are incongruous with human ones. This is evident in his perennial struggles in dealing with law enforcement and judicial system where he is constantly perplexed as to why they are bothering and pestering him and his family. I think there are two explanations to this, he either thinks the reader is naive or he really holds sentiment that he has not done anything wrong (at least morally).

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love memoirs because they are a way into the mind of the author and being the person I am, I like nothing better than to look around inside other people’s heads. This did not disappoint. There were some interesting stories here and some ridiculous coincidences - at the very least this book is self-serving and the at worst - full of lies. But I think Joe Bonanno does reveal himself to the reader and that is worth the price of the book for me.

[Daniel Raymer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what it was, the book was very good. It offered great insight into a mysterious and often fantasized world of the Mafia. While it’s obvious that the author could not reveal every detail about his illicit life, it’s surprisingly informative.

Although I doubt that Mr. Bonanno was as innocent as he would lead you to believe, the book is a good read.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange story and at times interesting. Started out by revering everything to clans and saying that they did not force anyone people gave of their free will some of the information was good. The end of the really just him rambling.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, if highly biased and controversial history of the New York mob by a former mob boss. Even considering the obvious omissions, it is a good book.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 STARS

It was okay - even though it is told from his POV I just did not feel it.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This book is my declaration that my Tradition has died in America. The way of life that I and my Sicilian ancestors pursued is dead. What Americans refer to as "the Mafia" is a degenerate outgrowth of that life-style." Joseph Bonanno wrote his autobiography in order to tell his side of the story. He calls out previously written books based on the testimony of men he claims were not a part of his life, or life-style, as "bad, no so much for their inaccuracies and pretensions as their insincerity." In A Man of Honor, Bonanno wants to set the record straight. It's obvious from the start that the book is highly biased. He calls his life-style his "Tradition." He asserts that claims about his life of crime are exaggerated and based on ignorance of what he stands for, and what he was trying to accomplish throughout his life. The book is a fairly comprehensive look at his life from his own point of view, with a few glaring omissions, and it must be taken with a grain of salt. Clearly he paints himself with the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. And yet it is a very interesting history of the various Families that make-up organized crime in America, their Sicilian (and for some, un-Sicilian) roots, and how they interacted with each other. Bonanno details his rise to power (or, as he would see it, his growing success in America as a legitimate business man who sometimes does things that are ok in Sicily but are not accepted in America). He shares his views on what the Bonanno Family meant to him, what his own family meant to him, what he was most proud of and even of his regrets.

The book is insightful and introspective, even if it sometimes feels as insincere as other books that he scoffs at. The insincerity comes from his unwillingness to own up to being a criminal in any way, shape, or form. According to Bonanno, that part of his life is fabricated. Sure, the rest of organized crime might be bad, but he was legitimate. His sons were innocent. He was harassed for no reason. Might the government have been overzealous in their pursuit of criminals? Most definitely they were, and are. Was it all completely unfounded? It seems highly unlikely that the boss of a crime family in New York City was innocent of all wrong-doing, regardless of the morality brush he paints himself with. Still, for content and story this is a 4-star book, however the timeline is loose and the narrative keeps jumping back in time, repeating stories that have already been told, and then moving forward, all in an effort to tie the past and present together within the narrative but with the result of feeling quite repetitive. For this it dropped to 3-stars for me, because the pacing was quite slow and it was a challenge not to speed read a story being told for the third time within as many chapters.

This book is biased, certainly, and clearly omits subjects and events that the author believes would hurt his case. Since the point of an auto-biography is to hear the person's own account, though, I didn't expect it to be any different. I thought it was fascinating to see how a person that by all known accounts could be quite ruthless and was responsible for many terrible things could view himself as a family man, an honest man, indeed a man of honor. It's a different kind of mind that such a person possesses, and one has to imagine that someone living such a life as organized crime requires must look upon their own actions much differently than the layperson. Bonanno shows himself to be a man of a great mind. He also showed the capacity for regret - he spoke often about his failures to his children and his wife, although he quickly moved on from it, preferring to dwell longer on areas of his life that he viewed as accomplishments, such as his many investments and friendships. I think he described quite well how an educated immigrant who worked hard to establish himself in a new country and build a network of relationships saw himself and the world around him. Don't read A Man of Honor to read a true account of crime and punishment; read it to get a sense of just how the Mafia was immigrated to America along with its most infamous leaders, and what it originally meant to be of "the Tradition."

[Peter Thurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my reading about the mafia over the last while, I'd seen a note that indicated that when former New York Mafia Family Boss Joe Bonanno died, no one from his mafia days attended his funeral as is customary in Sicilian mafia families. This was, apparently, because Bonanno decided to write an autobiography. It was claimed that his book, published in 1983, gave then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (and current clown show and January 6th co-conspirator) Rudy Guiliani the impetus to pursue and prosecute the leaders of most of New York's Five Families, bringing the Era of the New York Mob to an end. One of the key claims is that until Bonanno's book was published, the existence of the famed Commission, which was intended to keep the peace between the Five Families, had never actually been confirmed. The subject of legend and intrigue, the Commission had remained out of the grasp of the federal government for a long time, and once it was confirmed, Guiliani felt he had enough to go on to begin his famed investigation.

Truthfully, I didn't finish the book, but gave up with only a short bit left to read. Former Colombo mob enforcer Michael Franseze says in a Youtube video that the reason that Guiliani was driven to pursue the Commission was the disarming way that Bonanno talks about the mafia life. At first, the way he talked about the life, as a set of Traditions handed down to community leaders who became like Fathers to a Family in the old world of Sicily, was intriguing. But he kept up the schtick for the entire book, repeatedly claiming that the 'mafia' doesn't exist, except in the mind of paranoid law enforcement agencies and a doe-eyed public seduced by movies like The Godfather. Instead it was always about The Tradition, The Family, the Father, as if Bonanno was part of some quaint family ritual that reflected mainstream Sicilian values instead of a key part of a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that involved a whole host of unsavory elements, including murder.

Bonanno's writing style is what you might expect from someone who spent their life living the criminal life but still imagines themselves a respectable person. There are several notable omissions in the book, including the Donnie Brasco fiasco, but most notable of all was the omission of Bonanno's apparent plan to murder a number of Bosses on the Commission, including his own cousin Stefano Magaddino of Buffalo. The widely accepted story is that after Bonanno was sold out by the hitman Joseph Colombo in 1964, he went into hiding, headed first for Montreal, where he tried to buy a 20% stake in The Saputo Cheese Company before being arrested by Canadian authorities for lying on his immigration forms. Weeks after returning to the United States, he went missing again, this time for two years. After describing how he was treated like a King in prison in Montreal, he became an unwilling victim as he described a humiliating kidnapping by his own cousin Stefano Magaddino. While it's hard to know what actually happened while Bonanno was in hiding and/or kidnapped, his constant protestations of both innocence and ignorance eventually started to wear on me. To hear Bonanno tell it, he was always the victim in inter-family conflict, always misunderstood, and never at fault.

The description of his confinement with Magaddino is a turning point in the book, as Bonanno moves from describing life in the Volcano as a part of a Family and the business of bootlegging to the repeated theme of retirement, taking his claims of both ignorance and innocence to new levels. Where the first half of the book read like someone describing an illicit life in the best possible light, as if telling a story with a wink and a nose tap, the second half of the book read like the mad ravings of an old man. He seemed convinced that the government's interest in him was somehow based on contrived misunderstandings of an innocent Sicilian Tradition of Family. He was convinced that he deserved to be left alone to enjoy a well-deserved retirement in Tuscon after devoting his life to the role of Father, protecting and caring for the ragged men and women who had immigrated to New York City from the same part of the Old World. Indeed, I couldn't finish the last section of the book, which he, without apparent irony, titled The Grand Inquisition, as his repeated and breathless claims to both ignorance and innocence just seemed far too unbelievable. If he had wanted to come across looking like a statesman, it might have been best to omit the last section of the book, as if it had never happened.

I suppose there are several reasons someone like Joseph Bonanno might write an autobiography. For some, it might be an opportunity to clear their conscience after a long life of less-than-reputable actions. For Joe Bonanno, however, I think the most important reason for him to write the book was to convince himself that he was really was a Goodfella all along, that for all the treachery, corruption, double-crossing and murder that he was personally involved with, that he personally oversaw, he truly deserved to be called A Man of Honor.

Some excerpts:
On the subject of violence:
"My work sometimes exposed me to hazardous situations. Sometimes I was in danger of my life; occasional showdowns were unavoidable. I accepted this risk. It didn’t seem any different from the risk of violence that any “man of respect” in Sicily accepts as a matter of course. I was not frightened by the risk. If anything, it made me feel even more alive. During normal times, I didn’t consider this risk of violence an obstacle to getting married or raising a family."

On who used violence:
"Within our Family, only a minority were combatants. The majority were noncombatants such as bakers, butchers, undertakers, masons, doctors, lawyers and priests. They all pitched in, helping us out with their special skills. We all saw nothing wrong in us Sicilians settling our differences among ourselves."

On the Closeness of Family, the Role of the Father, and Machiavelli's Threat:
"Picture, then, an assortment of relatives and friends who share a common Tradition and who, although pursuing different activities (most legal and some illicit), do so within the framework of a Family because this enhances their chances of success. The Family members can be from all walks of life. Some of them have a high character and some of them have a low character. Some are rich and some are poor. Some are bad and some are good. To make this form of cooperation work they have to give allegiance to one man, the Father. He’s the symbol that holds them together. He’s the coordinator and the conciliator. He’s the mediator and the fixer. He makes connections. He puts things in order when life gets complicated.

The Father has to be somewhat of a universal man. He has to deal with a variety of people, both within the Family and outside it. He has to deal with men of reason and with men who only understand force. Like a head of state, a Father has to be adept in the use of diplomacy as well as in the use of force. This is a fundamental condition of mankind.

As Machiavelli said in The Prince:
“For a man who, in all respects, will carry out only his profession of good, will be apt to be ruined among so many who are evil. A prince, therefore, who desires to maintain himself must learn to be not always good, but to be so or not as necessity may require.…
“You must know that there are two ways to carry out a contest; the one by law, and the other by force. The first is practiced by men and the other by brutes; and as the first is often insufficient, it becomes necessary to resort to the second.”"

On murdered men in a family war:
"To describe each individual incident, even if I could, would be tedious. Some people were killed and some were wounded. For the most part, they were men of inconsequential position, men on the fringes of the Family, dissidents looking for any excuse to rebel and advance themselves. What violence there was came as a result of the general confusion rather than as the outcome of a master plan."

On the Leader of the rebellious faction:
"Gaspar DeGregorio, the nominal leader of the insurgents, escaped death. I had favored trying to bring back Gaspar into the Family, no matter how much he had disgraced himself. However, the general consensus in the Family was that Gaspar should die."

[Ennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Joseph Bonanno, with great erudition, had marked the epigraph of this book with lines from Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses”;

“That which we are we are…
…to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”.

In the argument of nature vs nurture, in opposition to materialist thought, I believe that nature is solid and unchanging and that nurture only changes how that nature is expressed. This requires belief in the soul. Don Bonanno believed in principles, in morality, and in character. He tenaciously remained true to what defined him. With a different environment this man, Don Joseph Bonanno, could have been a king’s musketeer, a cavalier, or even a knight. But either way he still would have been a Man of Honor.

But what is a manly man? What is a mafioso?
The definition Bonanno gives is as follows;
“Above all, he is intensely aware of himself, like a stallion in the wild.”

What is honor? Don Bonanno’s son, Salvatore Vincent “Bill” Bonanno, in his book “The Last Testament of Bill Bonanno”, writes the Sicilian proverb that reads;
“A man has honor if he holds to an ideal of conduct even though it is inconvenient or dangerous.”

And what is unmanly? Joseph Bonanno writes that modern war is unmanly, due to its impersonal nature. That narcotics and other vile vices are unmanly. And above all, betraying yourself and your friends is unmanly.

Don Bonanno writes of the Mafia code of ethics, the Omertà, which acts not as an external precept that Men of Honor must obey, but rather the explanation of an internal law that already resides within the very souls of the men who practice it.

Don Bonanno explains it thus;
“Omertà comes from the word omu or omo—which means “man.” In my Tradition, omertà has come to describe the “manly” behavior of someone who refuses to get his friends in trouble…The informer is willing to talk. This is unmanly behavior. Omertà is an injunction against allowing yourself to be the instrument of another man’s downfall. When a man betrays his friends…he betrays himself.”

And Don Bonanno’s son, Salvatore writes;
“But when a man betrays his Family or friends, he betrays himself. Forever after, he is destined to wander aimlessly in that purgatory of the subconscious and the soul, nevermore to find peace or contentment.”

Thus a Man of Honor, or a Mafioso, is a man; proudly aware of his own existence, conscious and awake, and honorable; staying true to his Ideal, no matter what, and in this way he preserves his soul.

-

This book chronicles the rise of Don Bonanno and his Mafia family as well as his eventual resignation from “The Commission” (the American Mafia’s ruling five families) due to his staunch resistance to non-Sicilian elements corroding his beholden sacred tradition, with particular reference to the admittance of the narcotics trade in their business.

On the erosion of traditional Sicilian Mafioso values, Don Bonanno writes;
“The lack of respect for Family-based virtues—such as loyalty, trust and honor—created the general conditions under which my Tradition deteriorated. But the specific catalyst of change was money. There was too much money in America, and in many cases it was all too easy to make. People worshiped money in this country. Money turned people’s heads completely around, to the exclusion of every other value…In its pure form, my Tradition is against narcotics. We consider narcotics morally wrong. It’s not a point of debate…By the 1960s, and certainly by the 1970s, my Tradition in America had become a grotesque parody of itself.”

This echoes François Fénelon’s (1651-1715) “Adventures of Telemachus” where Ericthon, the inventor of money in the story, regrets his creation.

Fénelon writes;
“Ericthon was the first who introduced the use of silver as money, in order to facilitate commerce among the islands of Greece; but he foresaw the inconveniences which would naturally result from his invention.”

Ericthon then repented, saying;
“I greatly fear that I have made you a fatal present. I foresee that this money will excite avarice and ambition, the lust of the eye and the pride of life; that it will produce innumerable arts, which can only corrupt virtue and gratify idleness; that it will destroy your relish for that happy simplicity which is at once the blessing and the security of life.”

Similarly, Léon Gautier (1832-1897), wrote in his book “Chivalry” the following;
“But when all is said, that which best became chivalry, the spice which preserved it the most surely, was poverty! Love of riches had not only attacked the chivalrous orders, but in a very short space of time all knights caught the infection.”

-

Don Bonanno later in the end writes not only of the degradation of his tradition but of the modern West in general;
“This book is my declaration that my Tradition has died in America…In America, however, and increasingly throughout the industrialized world, the glue that holds people together is their economic relationship…I’ve turned my back on what I consider a debased form of my traditional life-style. Most of the names I read in the newspapers are new to me, and their activities, such as narcotics trafficking, are entirely repugnant.”

Léon Gautier had also written a eulogy of the Chivalric Tradition, as Don Bonanno did for the Sicilian Tradition. Gautier wrote;
“Chivalry was destined to disappear.”

Writing on the themes of manliness mentioned above, Don Bonanno writes that;
“I believe Americans are strongly attracted to such themes because they are witnessing the erosion of kinship and of personal honor in their culture…I think Americans also miss the extended family and are having a difficult time trying to find a substitute. Americans yearn for closeness. Most of all, and I say this in a figurative sense, Americans yearn for a ‘father’”

Thus Don Bonanno’s story in “A Man of Honor” belongs, in my opinion, to the greater romanticist tradition, lamenting the rise of modernity and the fall of old traditions and virtues. This book should be considered along the ranks of Kenelm Henry Digby’s (1797-1880) series “The Broadstone of Honour”, particularly “Godefridus” (First book of the series).

Digby contrasts the figures of old and new, writing;
“How far do the men of religious and chivalrous spirit differ from these modern sophists?…It is even so,—as much as the living from the dead."


-

Although I did not read this book, “A Man of Honor” cover-to-cover, I read enough to understand the man behind its story as well as this man’s ideal. This is my first Goodreads review and I have tried my best to explain the essence of this book to any of those curious about reading it. I will end this review with Don Bonanno’s closing remarks;

“I have learned that true power comes from self-control.
I have learned that true strength comes from a clear conscience.
I have learned that true wealth comes from a good family and good friends.”

DISCLAIMER: Neither I, nor my review of this book, present any glorification, justification, or vindication of crime or criminal lifestyles.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book because I watched 'Inside the American Mob' and they said the government used this book to bring down the mob. I had to read it and see what gave them the key information they needed.
I didn't care for this book overly much, especially the first 3rd of the book. The first 11/12 chapters were an absolute slog to get through, but as soon as part 2 started, the information they needed was right there, explained very clearly and thoroughly.
Bonanno likes to spout many times in the beginning of the book that he wasn't a mob father and that the public had a poor image of him because of the media. But he goes on to say even more times throughout out the book that he is the father of the family and talks about many of the things he's done, leaving out mostly murder unless it was from someone else.
He knew names and had pictures placed in the book of the other family's father's and seconds and even more. There is no way he's innocent. He just wanted to portray himself as such, either through delusion of his life or because he really believes he did nothing wrong and that that way of life is perfectly acceptable.
I read the book throughout his reign and subsequent retirement. After that, it was a bore again. The many likes to talk and talk about ridiculous things. Honestly, I don't care about the food you ate or the color of your suit. Really, I don't.
That man was irritating to read, having a very high opinion of himself and his life, but it was interesting and enlightening nonetheless.

[Troy Sonnenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is unable to provide the complete picture of his life for fear of legal reprisals, this book is actually quite revealing. To understand the Families and their traditions, one must first understand how Italy was ruled throughout the centuries. Each region of Italy operated independently within the whole and the necessity for protection and cooperation was essential for survival. Bonanno, a Sicilian, explains all of this in his book.

He outlines his bootleg operations during Prohibition. I found this particularly interesting because a major town for storing the illegal alcohol is Wappingers Falls, NY. Bonanno offers a detailed account of the Families in America, their leaders, and insider details from meetings and confrontations among them. He gives glimpses into his home life with his wife, sons, and daughter. This provides a domestic backdrop against which the activities of the larger Family play out.

Very fascinating is how our Federal Government maneuvered and manipulated facts and fallacies in an attempt to destroy what has come to be known as Mafia organizations. Just as our government imprisoned Al Capone for tax evasion, unable to convict him for any other crimes, they tried doing something similar with Bonanno. The Federal Government spent copious amounts of money and man hours in an effort to imprison Bonanno for illegal business dealings at which they failed.

[Danny · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a Mafia-nut, read this. If you aren't, read the first half if you feel like it.

The first chapter concerning his childhood and Sicilian culture and lifestyle is most interesting and necessary to understand the background of Cosa Nostra.

I bought this book looking forward to his narration of the Castellamarese War. The Castellamarese War and The Commission are, in fact, the most fascinating chapters - the former is action-packed and on many occasions had me on the edge of my seat, the latter delves thoroughly into the psychology of a member of the Mafia, as it is packed with tense stories of sit-downs with rivals and potential enemies where lives are at stake. Bonanno's opinions on leadership and decision-making are nothing short of educational and something to be reckoned with.

I admit I did not care to read the last chapters where he mostly writes about the relationship with his sons and wife - I predicted it was going to bore me to tears. The true reason why I dropped the book in its final part was that Bonanno becomes increasingly self-righteous and defensive as the book progresses, which brings about the emotion of almost unbearable annoyance in the reader - especially when at a point it becomes impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood.

[Michael Selthea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm being a little generous here because the parts of this book that spoke to me - really spoke to me. Sometimes slow and sometimes difficult to follow, the story Bonanno is attempting to tell seems to be a repudiation of the modern era (sometimes called the golden age) of La Cosa Nostra in the late 60s and throughout the 70s. Even all the way up to John Gotti. He paints "men of his tradition" as traditionalists and laments the usurpation of it by more greedy second generation Italian Americans who became more interested in money than tradition. This also includes a healthy dose of "the other side" from what was portrayed by Giuliani's prosecution of "The Commission" in the 1980s. Bonanno rides a delicate line (ok maybe not so delicate at times) between delusion and confessions of a man who did his best given his heritage and traditions of his family. The best bits are about his abduction and the period of his life where he had disappeared for nearly two years. These areas really provide the most insight into what many would think is a complicated person who would later get disgusted by the perversions of his tradition by those who would follow him.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you looking for a factual, objective account of Mafia history? If so, don’t bother reading this book.

Do you want to read a pleasant, cleansed mobster autobiography filled with so many outright lies that you’d swear Joe Bonanno’s ghost was sitting next to you, elbowing you in the ribs and winking while saying ‘good one, right?’ as you both share a laugh? Then this book is DEFINITELY for you!

On one hand, it’s very interesting to read stories from one of the original five family fathers.

On the other hand, how much of it can you believe? There are so many things he says that we know today that just aren’t true.

I made notes of a lot of passages but I’m not going to bore you because you’re probably not even reading this, are you? I’ll leave you with one.

The following was at the end of his life after his wife was gone and his sons in jail:

‘I amused myself with plans to build a bocce court across a side lawn. Then I would berate myself. Even if I did build a bocce court, I told myself, who would come play with me?’

How sad.

[Ocean G · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read which, despite everything, has quite a lot of interesting information. Revealing to hear about Sicily when he was a child, and about the old names (Maranzano, Masseria, Terranova, etc.). Also revealing to hear that Luciano had a "street accent", while it seems like most of the other dons of the period, including the "young turks" like Anastasia and Gambino, had thick italian accents.

Some obvious lies and possible self-deception going on. I very much doubt he would pick the moment Magliocco died, and the liberal faction took over the commission, to travel the world with his wife. Much more likely he'd try to escape to Canada, as the feds believed he was doing.

Also, interesting to note how many of these original old-timers ended up telling all. Bonanno and Luciano both wrote autobiographies. Costello was about to. Luciano died on his way to have a movie made of his life. I guess the concept of omertà was pretty ambiguous even back then. Bonanno does try to justify this, but I doubt his definition would hold in the commission.

[Dragos · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my (re)search to understand how different leaders think and act, i started this book several times, but never finished it. Finally, i pushed myself...The book is very factual vs. what i was expecting - a more philosophic approach. It is a chain of events that spread over 70 years through the lens of a business man. Which feels very retarded (lying straight to your face), given that the author was an aknowledged gangster - one of the big ones. So, overall, it was disapointing. One paragraph that I enjoyed: "In Sicily we referred to our leader as our Father. In America, Father became boss, Family became organization, friend became business associate, 'man of respect' became gangster." Subtle way of saying that he was a gangster and that he was proud of it.

[Lloyd Maio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read ,

Coming from Italian heritage and upbringings
It is imprinted on me to understand some of the ideals and values within a certain style of life.
I’m not saying I condone all the activities
but I also understand in protecting your own and trying to get yourself ahead as much as you possibly can to pave the way for ones children.

I liked how Mr Bonano conducted himself.
sometimes I wanted more decisive action taken on certain matters but I can’t believe he was as clean cut as portrayed in this book. I will have to read Lucianos book, gambino’s, to be honest there are quite a few on the Maffioso to read.
Shame Costello never got his down on paper before he died. He knew a lot of powerful people especially political, it would of been very interesting.

[Justyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, I do not think I'll read it again tho. but it had my attention throughout and I enjoyed listening to it. it is worth reading once for sure.

I had read a few different great reviews and plus reading different people talk about how this book laid out all the necessary details for him to be convicted of crimes in his RICO case. That is what got my attention and made me want to read this one. I am happy now I know the story of Joseph Bonnano, and the reading of this book can be another trophy on my bookshelf. I'll be buying this on Amazon very soon so I can have my trophy :). Check it out peeps!

4 stars.