The Mafia: Corruption, Violence and Degradation

by Al Cimino

The Mafia began on a small island in the Mediterranean, Sicily. It grew to become a major political force in Italy, while its tentacles penetrated every aspect of life in the United States. Through drugs, it spread its influence around the world. This is its story.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Crime

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Giuseppe Milazzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book and great use of real photography gives a sense of what times were like during various eras of the mafia

At times it would be a bit wordy and confusing, but on the whole it was pretty interesting

[Joshua Ramirez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid lil' history, but not very well written or organized.

[Sydney Boncoddo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting material. But no through-line narrative, so things felt disorganized. Things that should have tied together well did not.

[Tami Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is packed with information, and it is obvious that the authors did their research. I was disappointed in the way the book jumped around, though. I understand the tangled web of connections with these characters, but I believe there could have been an easier way to divide the content...perhaps by year, or family or something like that to make it easier to understand the timeline and the connections. As a descendant of Vito Genovese, I am always interested to learn more about his history and involvement with the mafia. The graphics and a few photos throughout the book were a wonderful addition.

[John Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting information. I was able to get some interesting facts I can use in my Criminology class on organized crime.