My Life in the Mafia

by Vincent Charles Teresa, Thomas C. Renner

This is the book no one thought would ever be written - the actual, first-person memoir of a top Mafia figure. Vincent Teresa was not only the No. 3 man in his Mafia crime family and its top money-maker; he was also an intimate of many of America's leading Mafiosi. Furious because the mob betrayed him while he was in jail, Teresa decided to break the Mafia code of silence. He became the government's most important witness against organized crime, and his testimony has caused more than fifty top crime figures to be indicted or convicted. No Teresa lives in hiding, protected night and day by federal marshals from the mob assassins who have a $500,000 contract to kill him.

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

366 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book that chronicles the life and crimes of Vincent Teresa, a former Mafia lieutenant in the Masschusetts-based Patriarca crime family. Based on prison interviews with Vinnie, the book mixes the ex-mobster's colorful first-person anecdotes with background content written by crime journalist Thomas C. Renner. The book traces Vinnie's life from his days as a middle school thug all the way to his tenure as a hunted man hiding out in the Witness Protection Program. There is some very amusing sucking up to different FBI officials near the end of the book and even more amusing justification of Vinnie's swindling of "suckers". Most interesting, however, is his inside knowledge of mob doings; what really happened, who whacked who and what really went down. It is a highly entertaining read; the double standards and oh so very unreliable narrator are just icing on the proverbial cake.

[Richp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mostly grew up in the town Teresa lived in at the time he was busted. I knew a lot kids in his neighborhood, but not his kids. It was no secret he was a successful mobster until his career ended.

For those who claim he likely stretched the truth and comes across as whiny about his bust I have no disagreement. I can verify current events was the first few minutes of history or social studies class and that his arrest was the item all the kids talked about. Teresa became the town's most famous former resident when he testified.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The how and whys of crime and the choice to live the life. Mr. Teresa was assassinated in San Francisco after bragging about his background on a commercial flight. It just goes to show you that when you choose a life of crime, you have no friends, not the police, not your fellow criminals, not even your own family.

[Walt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I thought it was a fascinating look at the New England Family in the same style as Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco, many people have found inconsistencies and lies in his narratives. So, read it with a grain of salt.

[Ann Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not fond of this book. I found it not to be a very on the edge of your seat book; and I've read a lot of mob books. Oddly, they all refer to My Life in the Mafia in theirs as the book to read. So, now, I've read it and it was no big deal.

[Musfiq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling and breathtaking real life mafia world...

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the first of its kind, so why not better?

It avoids some of the axe-grinding which I grind an axe over. I actually learned from this book (don't go getting any ideas) and find it pretty amusing in many ways. It's exciting to be in such a high pressure place in life.

The math doesn't add up; he thinks a little too highly of the people who are going to do him in; hard to like guys who steal and then waste it on wine, women, song, high living, dice games, rigged this or that scams. "I know it's crooked but I did it anyway" doesn't say much for your IQ; "I love my wife but everyone was doing it" doesn't say much for honor.

I do admire Vincent Teresa for coming clean on what's true about the Mob being a cancer on the land. Is it still? Do we still have an FBI willing to find ways to go after people? We have more incarceration and more corruption than ever. Was the Mob preferable to the Vice Lords? Crips? All questions beyond the scope of the book, beyond the scope of the time frame.

[kartik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people I know have never heard of this book. I have no idea how it ended up in my book shelf either. It is a wonderful insider's look into the mob.