The Cigar: Carmine Galante, Mafia Terror

by Frank DiMatteo, Michael Benson

From the godfathers of American Mafia history, the brutal and blood-stained biography of Carmine Galante, the ruthless Bonnano boss who rose from tenement street thug to masterminding the legendary global heroin trafficking network, the French Connection – always with a cigar in his mouth.

HIS WAR “I RULE EVERYTHING.”
FOR HALF A CENTURY HE ALMOST DID.

The son of Sicilian immigrants, Camillo Carmine Galante was raised in Manhattan’s Little Italy and by all accounts born bad. At age ten his home away from home was juvenile detention. By fifteen he was terrorizing the streets of New York’s Lower East Side, scoring high marks for the “errands” he was running for his La Cosa Nostra elders. When he turned twenty, Galante was already one of the mob’s top enforcers­–a sadistic thrill killer and clinically diagnosed psychopath with big whack his way into controlling organized crime the world over, vowing to kill Mafia chieftains Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino and take control of their mob families.

Carmine “Lilo” Galante’s rise to Mafia star was hit man for the Luciano and Genovese crime families; named consigliere by Joseph Bonnano; he wiped out eight members of the Gambinos; on behalf of Mussolini he assassinated the publisher of an anti-Fascist newspaper. “The biggest dope peddler in the country” according to law enforcement, Galante helped orchestrate one of the largest heroin trafficking operations on record—a power move too dangerous for his rivals in the narcotics trade. The heads of the five New York families decided that the psychotic Galante had to be stopped. On July 12, 1979, finishing his lunch in a Brooklyn restaurant, Galante got what he’d dished out his whole a shotgun blast to the face, his trademark cigar still clenched in his teeth…

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

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 28, 2023

Reviews

[Grace Convertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carmine (Carmillo) “The Cigar” Galante was said to have been born troubled and continued this worsening trend throughout his life. Already in juvenile detention at the age of ten years old, he was “the terror of the East Side” as a runner for members of organized crime. At twenty, he was already a murderer for some of the most famous crime families in history, a clinically diagnosed psychopathic personality who sadistic kills were matched by the delight he took in performing them. He was determined to become the boss of all bosses (“capo di capi”) by killing the heads of the biggest crime families world wide. (This didn’t sit right with many of the heads of organized crime families, as one might imagine). The rise of Carmine “Lilo” Galante was infamous, first as a hit man for the Genovese and Luciano families, and eventually promoted to “consigliere” (advisor, a very high position) by Joseph Bonnano. Nicknamed “Lilo” because of the ever-present Sicilian stogie cigar in his mouth, he became the biggest illegal drug dealer in the country, selling more heroin than any rival would dare according to police officials. Eventually, the heads of the five crime families decided the psychopathic Galante needed to be stopped, and so ordered his death. His murder occurred while he sat on the outdoor patio of his cousin’s restaurant in Brooklyn, on July 12, 1979, at the age of sixty-nine.

“The Cigar” was a fascinating look into a bit of history regarding organized crime. It was written by Frank Dimatteo and Michael Benson, the former being a low-level member of organized crime. DiMatteo’s father and uncles were shooters for The Gallo Brothers, and his uncle was the capo in the Genovese family and bodyguard to Frank Costello, head of the Lucky Luciano family. He heard and saw that to which no young man should ever be exposed, hence, he speaks about what he knows through these pages. I have always been fascinated by the drama and portrayals of organized crime, and I’ve read books and seen movies. I did really enjoy the honesty reading “The Cigar,” though there was much gore and many murders described in detail. It was a straightforward account by first person observation regarding the lives of men in organized crime families, which also talked about the hierarchy within each structured family. (There was also mention of FBI undercover agent Joseph Pistone, aka Donny Brasco, who got further into an organized crime family (The Bonanno family) than any other police official ever did. Pistone wrote a book and was featured a Hollywood movie (that Pistone claimed was “85% accurate”) that I equally enjoyed, and he was discussed many times throughout the pages. He and his family remain in hiding today). This is my first, but I would happily read more books by Frank DiMatteo regarding his first-person account of the many men he either encountered or of whom he had intimate knowledge. If you are a fan of organized crime and its members and/or true crime stories, this book is for you. (Note: graphic violence, murder, drugs, and language).

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Frank DiMatteo, Michael Benson, and Citadel Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Blake Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are into mob stuff….this is your book. It gives a very well documented perspective on one of the most famous mob bosses in us history. The dude sucked

[Christina Faris (books_by_the_bottle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Carmine Galante, the terrorizing boss whose catch phrase was “I rule everything”. He was called a “sadistic thrill killer”, a psychopath and “the biggest dope peddler in the country” - always seen with a cigar in his mouth. In 1979, in a restaurant in Brooklyn, Galante got what many saw as a long-time coming: a shotgun blast to the face, his cigar still clenched between his teeth.

This was a very diligent account of Carmine Galante’s life as a mobster. I am always fascinated by “mafia history” - as long as I am on the outside looking in! That being said, my family originated from Brooklyn (and before that, Naples), so some of the places mentioned are familiar to me from growing up. Also — this was a very special buddy read for me: I got to read it with my husband. He is the cigar aficionado around here and it was fun to read and discuss together :)

Thank you to Netgalley, Frank DiMatteo, Michael Benson and Citadel/Kensington publishing for the ARC! “The Cigar: Carmine Galante, Mafia Terror” releases March 28th!

This review will be shared to my isnstragm blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of books about organized crime. I knew bits and pieces about Galante, but I never knew the presence and reputation he had. I really enjoy nonfiction that feels like a conversation. I love the little quips sprinkled through out. It makes all the murder a little more palatable. I was excited to see all the other books the authors have, definitely adding to my want to read list!

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers distinct lessons in writing good, bad, and ugly. It is very unique in that it looks like there are two very distinct authors writing parallel stories, but not talking to one-another. At points the narratives become mutually exclusive. Both vantage points are good in their own ways. DiMatteo is writing from the perspective of someone who directly witnessed the New York mob in its heyday even though he was barely a teenager. His knowledge is sketchy, vulgar, and raw. Benson is more of a seasoned researcher going through court documents, genealogical records, and microfilm.

The book covers the life of Carmine Galante, a notorious New York Mafia leader who was just a step down from the truly famous gangsters like Capone and Luciano. He also had a reputation for tossing out the status quo and causing instability in the underworld. Both narratives emphasize his violence and unpredictability while grudgingly acknowledging that he had both charisma and organizational ability. He was John Gotti before there was John Gotti.

DiMatteo's style is to throw out facts as he remembers them or invents them. In the opening pages, he almost sunk the entire book when he gives a history lesson for the New York Mafia and says police found 60 murder victims hanging on meat hooks in Ignazio Lupo's horse stable ca 1910. The police did not discover anyone on a meat hook. In fact, I am pretty sure no bodies were found in the so-called "murder stable." However, at least three people connected with the establishment were murdered. Obviously, DiMatteo did not have direct knowledge of the Murder Stable, nor does it have any bearing on the Galante story. He may have heard that from his older relatives in the mob; but it is patently untrue and hurt the credibility of the book right at the beginning. In another instance, they mention Tommy Lucchese was in prison for narcotics trafficking - another easily refuted fact.

Benson takes over for a few chapters with a spotty record of Galante going in and out of court. Benson (maybe DiMatteo) did some fine detective work and opens up the early life of Galante to which few people know anything about. His role in the Bonanno Family is conspicuously absent from Joe Bonanno's autobiography. Benson found a lot by digging up various records. He traced Galante's employment (probably coinciding with underworld activities) and his lifelong friendship with Lucchese Family leader Joe Beck DiPalermo. It was touching that when DiPalermo was on his deathbed in a hospital in Texas, Galante flagrantly broke his parole to travel there to say goodbye. The authors poke fun of him for the trip, but it speaks a lot about his priorities and what kind of friend he could have been. He was not all murder and mayhem.

Galante spent 1960-1974 in prison for narcotics. When he got out in 1974, DiMatteo picks up the story and talks about his brief (2) encounters with Galante. Remember, he was a teenager at the time. He did not speak to Galante or vice-versa, he only saw the man, and remembered what was said about him. Galante was causing instability within the underworld as he sought to be boss of the Bonannos - and he needed allies. DiMatteo does not know what he offered his relatives, so they must not have been receptive. The violent disruptive behavior of gangsters like Galante and Gotti gathered like-minded people to him; but by 1974 the Gallos were led by timid Kid Blast Gallo, rather than the unpredictable Crazy Joe. So the Gallos did not support Galante.

Throughout the book, DiMatteo and Benson attribute one murder or suspicious death to Galante after another. They claim these deaths all represent his cruelty, malice, and will to dominate...one hoodlum to rule everything. There is very little evidence connecting the deaths to Galante. At one point, they attribute the deaths of Lucchese drug dealers to Galante, and a Gambino underboss killed some of Galante's dealers in retaliation. Huh? The chapter on the Carlo Tresca Murder has DiMatteo telling readers that Vito Genovese ordered Galante to murder Tresca, even though Genovese was a leader in another family. Benson spends way more time outlining how the order to murder Tresca probably came from Galante's boss, Frank Garofalo. It is a rare example when the two authors do not agree.

The Galante story ends spectacularly in July 1979. The book lists the gunmen and the conspirators. It is very interesting that most of the conspirators were staunchly anti-Galante and pro-Rastelli. Galante and Rusty Rastelli being the contenders for the position of boss of the Bonannos. It appears that Rastelli, who obviously won the contest, subsequently turned on seemingly all of the gunmen and conspirators in the Galante Murder. The authors try to give background on all of them, so it is surprising that they were nearly all low-key hoodlums, and strange that Rastelli viewed them as a threat. These later chapters are possibly the most interesting in the book.

Overall, there is a lot of good information here. Galante is not the subject of any other books, so his story fits very well into the literature. His story has not been told previously. It hurts the book when there are demonstrably false elements that casual readers can pick up. But it is easy to read. Benson's dry journalism is balanced with DiMatteo's colorful anecdotes. It is the first mob book that I have read in a long time that taught me something new.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about New York & New Jersey mafia from the 1930’s to 1980’s focusing on Carmine Galante. The author has done a lot of research but also has first hand account information. A lot of mob families are discussed and how they are intertwined with each other. The books starts off in Italy and then comes to the U.S.

I didn’t know a lot about the mafia and how they intersected with each other. The only thing I knew was from the movies The Godfather and Goodfellas. One thing that irritated me a bit was when the author would bring up one of their previous books. I understand why they did that but putting a note at the end stating if readers were interested in these specific topics/people look for their previously published works. This book is good for someone who is interested in the mafia or Carmine Galante and the types of crimes they committed and how some of them got caught.

The narrator was perfect for this book. Their voice was easy to listen to and told the story well.

#NetGalley and Tantor Audio provided an advanced listeners copy.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy true crime, especially ones about the Mafia. I find this culture truly fascinating. This follows, Carmine Galante, through his life of crime. And it spans decades!

Carmine Galante was raised in NYC Little Italy. His life of crime began at a very young age. He spent many of his younger years in and out of juvenile detention. But, by the time he was in his early twenties he was a vicious killer for the Luciano and Genovese crime families.

The intricacies of the mafia underworld and the grasp of the bosses and their empires is all encompassed in this book. Talk about well researched! This is a very engaging true story about a psychopath which had his fingers in almost every piece of crime the mafia was known for.

The narrator, Eric Jason Martin did a superb job, very smooth and polished.

Need a good mafia true crime book…THIS IS IT. Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cigar is a chronicle of the violent life (and death) of mobster Carmine Galante. Meticulously detailed, this is a fascinating account of Galante’s life in the Mafia, and his ascension from street thug to ruthless killer and his insatiable quest for power, which ultimately led to his death. Lots of name-dropping here, as the author does a remarkable job of recounting mob hits and locations, culled from police and court reports and interviews. Loved the “conversational” and witty writing style, this is a must read for any mob aficionado. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a look at the life of Carmine Galante, a none too savvy mobster. There is debate whether he was born in Italy before his family moved to the US, or if he was born here in the US as his birth certificate showed. It made it harder for him to be deported as they could never prove he was from Italy. Another good mob read by this pair of authors.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a highly detailed, yet informational read about Carmine Galante. If one was not familiar with the mafia, this was a good read that will educate one about it. While it was detailed oriented, it also was surprisingly funny at times and also surprisingly candid. I enjoyed this read and if one was looking to learn more then this is the read for you.

[pallav mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first organized crime non-fiction (the first fiction being Puzo’s The Godfather). Chronicles the life and activities , the rise and inevitable fall of one of the most ruthless characters in American Mafia, Carmine “Lilo” Galante- from his delinquent childhood to his rise through a rather eventful time in the history of organized crime in America.

[Sandra Berryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story of Mr. Galante, of which I had very little knowledge of. Anyone interested in Mafia stories will find this an interesting read, with all the whacking of mob guys you wonder how some of them lived past middle age.

[Paul McDonald · Rating 1 out of 5]

Easily some of the worst writing I’ve ever read. Frank Dimatteo can’t write worth shit. I felt like I was reading a narrative written by the ghost of Jimmy Cagney in parody form. I wouldn’t wish this level of writing on my worst enemies.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carmine Galante may have been born in New York's Little Italy, but the US government maintained, but couldn't prove, that he arrived in the US as a four-year old boy. Nicknamed "The Cigar" or "Lilo," he became one of the New York Mob's most feared enforcers, a hit man for the Luciano and Genovese crime families. Police psychologists diagnosed him as a psychopath with below average intelligence, and he was a full-blown sadist with a pronounced flair for cruelty. He became a major player in NYC crime, orchestrating one of the biggest heroin smuggling operations in history, and ruthlessly eliminating rivals until it all ended in a Brooklyn restaurant on July 12, 1979 with a shotgun blast to the face.
In March of 2023, Mafia historians Frank Dimatteo and Michael Benson published his story. It's a fast-paced story written as Mob historians write, quick choppy sentences filled with street vernacular. Dimatteo grew up in and around the Brooklyn underworld and has published several memoirs and histories. Benson's most recent book was the great Gangsters xs Nazis, published last year. If you're interested in the history of organized crime, you definitely need to pick this up.

[Christopher A Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one

Very readable, one of the best of the many dozens of mafia books I've read. Written with intelligence but in the language of the street

[Carl A. Marine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh..Okay Book

I read a lot of books on the mafia. They all read pretty much the same. Same information, slightly different spin, same people. At least information is consistent.

[Paul Mastrodonato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lesser known mob boss, at least to me. This book had a ton of information and insight into what a psychopath Galante was

[Russell Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly great

Some good info told in a way that was new without trying to rewrite history. Gonna read more by author

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is just crazy.