The Life We Chose: William “Big Billy” D’Elia and the Last Secrets of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Family

by Matt Birkbeck

“ The Life We Chose —an unforgettable story. A really great read.” — Nicholas Pileggi , author of Wiseguy and Casino and screenwriter of Goodfellas From Matt Birkbeck—investigative journalist and executive producer of Netflix’s #1 movie  Girl in the Picture —a revelatory father/surrogate son story that takes readers deep inside the inner workings of the mob through the eyes of William “Big Billy” D’Elia, the right-hand man to legendary mafia kingpin Russell Bufalino, who ran organized crime in the US for more than fifty years. William “Big Billy” D’Elia is Mafia royalty. The “adopted” son of legendary organized crime boss Russell Bufalino, for decades D’Elia had unequaled access to the man the FBI and US Justice Department considered one of the leading organized crime figures in the United States. But the government had no real idea as to the breadth of Bufalino’s power and influence—or that it was Bufalino, from his bucolic home base in Pittston, Pennsylvania, who reigned over the five families in New York and other organized crime families throughout the country. For nearly thirty years, D’Elia was at Bufalino’s side, and “Russ’s son” was a witness and participant to major historical events that have stymied law enforcement, perplexed journalists, and produced false and wild narratives in books and movies—not the least of which being the infamous disappearance of union boss Jimmy Hoffa. In addition, their reach was illustrated by their relationships with Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Michael Jackson, Suge Knight, and many other celebrities and personalities. D’Elia became the de facto leader of the Bufalino family upon Russell Bufalino’s imprisonment in 1979, and he officially took control upon Bufalino’s death in 1994 until his arrest in 2006, when he was charged with money laundering and the attempted murder of a witness. He pled guilty to money laundering and witness tampering and was released from federal prison in 2012. Candid and unapologetic, D’Elia is finally ready to reveal the real story behind the myths and in so doing paints a complicated, compelling, and stunning portrait of crime, power, money, and finally, family.

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

272 pages, Hardcover

Published July 11, 2023

About the author

Matt Birkbeck (born Brooklyn, N.Y.) is a bestselling author and journalist.
His debut work of fiction, The Wicked, was published in August 2025.

He is best known for his nonfiction books A Beautiful Child, which told the tragic story of "Sharon Marshall" and Franklin Delano Floyd, and the sequel Finding Sharon, which is a memoir about his ten-year effort, along with the FBI and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, to find Sharon's true identity.

Both books were adapted by Netflix for the hit 2022 film Girl in the Picture, which Matt served as executive producer.

He is also known for The Life We Chose, about William "Big Billy" D'Elia, the former head of the Bufalino crime family; Deconstructing Sammy, about the life of Sammy Davis, Jr. and efforts to resolve his debts and his legacy; The Quiet Don, about Mafia boss Russell Bufalino; and A Deadly Secret, about New York real estate scion Robert Durst, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathie Durst and two others. A Deadly Secret was adapted in 2017 by Lifetime for the film The Lost Wife of Robert Durst.

He has also authored magazine pieces and features for Boston Magazine, Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Times, Reader's Digest, Playboy and others, and was a correspondent for People magazine focusing on crime and human interest stories.

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good mafia book by Matt Birkbeck, the 2nd true crime book I’ve read by him. It tells about Billy D’Elia and his history coming up, becoming close to childless mob boss Russell Bufalino. D’Elia began driving Bufalino where he needed to go on a regular basis. They became so close that eventually Bufalino began introducing D’Elia as his boy or son and would later pronounce Billy a “made” man. Lots of mob history and name dropping as Russell was very influential and well known in many areas and types of businesses.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! What a great book!!! An amazing inside look from someone who knows and was there! I enjoyed learning about not only the details regarding the mob and D'Elia's place in it, but also about D'Elia's life in general and how he came to be who he is. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a deep look inside a mob life ...and a real life. Thank you, Matt, for this book. You are definitely an autobuy author for me (ever since I read A Beautiful Child) and I will continue to support you in any way I can :)

[Derrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed reading this! I was not at all familiar with the Buffalino family. The author did a great job with his research. It reads like a novel so it's crazy to think all this stuff actually happened! This made for a wonderful and necessary addition to my neverending obsession with Mafia/gangsters/organized crime.

[Terry Primrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Right in our backyard! Never knew. But after reading I thought everybody was suspicious.

[Carlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5ish. The lack of a defined timeline and the constant barrage of names/places and jumping back and forth between them made it difficult to follow - could have been organized much better.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “JUST REMEMBER ONE THING: THIS IS THE LIFE WE CHOSE, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL GET THEIR GRAIN OF SALT.’”THEN HE (RUSSELL) WALKED IN. HE WASN’T MAD OR SCARED. ABSOLUTELY NOT. AND HE NEVER COMPLAINED, EVER.”
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One of the top five genres of my personal library is organized crime. So over the last half-century I have read quite a lot of books on the Mafia. Over the last ten to twenty years that number has continually dwindled down to a mere droplet of books. Why? Because first of all… the Mafia has been basically erased from the active crime scene… especially considering the historical numbers that used to exist. Along with law enforcement succeeding in it’s job… old age has wiped out the mafia characters… that wasn’t wiped out by its own “families”! What also disappeared completely over the last thirty years… is the supposed lifelong… holier than thou… highly publicized… formerly sacred oath of **OMERTA** …. The code of silence… and never squealing… aka… **RATTING-OUT-A-FAMILY-MEMBER**. That oath went out the window… quicker… and more completely… than Chris Christie’s… New Year pledge not to eat donuts, cake, cookies. Candy bars… and every Hostess product manufactured in the last hundred years.

Once Sammy “The-Rat” Gravano started squealing and became government rat number-one… thirty years ago… the Mafia brotherhood seemed to take numbers at the butcher shop counter begging to be next in line to squeal on their “disgraced-OMERTA-back-stabbers”!

This book is the memoir of Big-Billy D’Elia… a near lifetime Mafia member… who came into contact with one of the leading (if not top) Mafia leader of the ages Russell Bufalino… not only the head of the Pennsylvania mob… but perhaps the leader of them all. As a teenager Billy became a driver for Russell… and then literally became like a son to him. In fact Russell started introducing Billy as his son… to friends and foes alike. Additionally the fatherless mob boss and his wife Carrie… literally became the equivalent of Grandparents to Billy and his wife Ellen’s children after they got married and had children.

The author Matt Birkbeck… does a wonderful job not only in his writing style… which keeps him clear of the usual un-enjoyable literary pitfalls of constant phrases such as… “he recalled”… “he reminisced”… “he remembered”… that is all too common in books such as this… whether the subject is sports or crime. The reader gets to enjoy a steady historical flow… whether the particular pages are discussing events of people from fifty years ago… or a year ago.

As mentioned earlier in this review… I have read innumerable Mafia books… but I never forget that… though these stories are interesting... that these people depicted are despicable monsters. They kill people without blinking an eye… they torture people with great glee… they have no empathy for stealing a family business that everyday people like you and I have worked their whole lives for… and put the entire well-being of their family on the line for…

And I tip my hat to the author (this is not a spoiler… it is more a mea culpa… for those who read my review… the author who wrote the book… and a human… empathy… for the countless victims.)… when the author writes regarding Billy D’Elia… “HE’S PLEASANT, EVEN FUNNY, AND HIS NATURAL CHARM CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. HE HAS THE SAME DISARMING PERSONALITY AS RUSSELL. BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE: BILLY D’ELIA WAS A STONE COLD GANGSTER.”

The author shares Russell Bufalino’s entire sordid past in the Mafia before Billy was involved… their meeting… their becoming like Father and son… D’Elia’s growth into a full blown Mafioso with burgeoning power… as Russell goes to jail… ages… dies… and Billy becomes the Boss. One of the reasons that Billy gives for participating in the writing of this book… is he didn’t like the way Russell was portrayed in the Scorsese film “The Irishman”.

The breadth of the names covered in this book… that were involved with this group of Mafia henchman is mesmerizing. From the early days (pre-Castro) of casinos in Cuba and giving kickbacks to Batista… and figuring when Castro took over they’d just increase his cut… and then being shocked when…

“BUT WHEN CASTRO WINS, HE TAKES OVER THE CASINOS AND GIVES RUSSELL AND EVERYONE ELSE TWELVE HOURS TO GET OUT OF CUBA. NO BAGGAGE, NO MONEY, NO NOTHING.”

The greatest Mafia movie… and maybe the greatest any kind of movie… ever made… “THE GODFATHER”… wasn’t allowed to be made… until Russell handled a teamster’s strike… and called off all his “street-soldiers”… from stealing all the equipment needed to make the film. Additionally Marlon Brando spinelessly asking Russell for tips on how to play a REAL GODFATHER… and James Caan staying with Russell and Billy during the filming.

Of course the whole history of Jimmy Hoffa… not just his disappearance… but the whole long history of corruption between the Mafia and Teamsters. The hatred of the Kennedy family… and the interaction and teamwork between the Mafia and the CIA! If that isn’t enough a couple of deals with Donald Trump in Atlantic City… Billy becoming co-manager of Michael Jackson…

If you’re a Springsteen fan… before he went way too far left… his famous opening lines in “ATLANTIC CITY”…

“WELL THEY BLEW UP THE CHICKEN MAN IN PHILLY LAST NIGHT…
AND THEY BLEW UP HIS HOUSE TOO.”

Is based on Phil “The Chicken Man” Testa… who was an underboss in Philly.

D’Elia is everywhere… just like the roaches on the floor of a cheap motel when you turn on the lights… even involved with gambling debt collections of the San Francisco 49er family of Ed DeBartolo… and Carmen Policy.

Judges… congressman… Hollywood… dictators… CIA… FBI… assassinations…

And according to this book… stop digging up graves… cracking open cement… looking for Hoffa… according to this tale… he went up in smoke… courtesy of a local friendly cremation.

How much of this all-telling… self-ingratiating… breaking his arm… patting himself on the back… book is fact…

Who knows… but based on my years of study… a lot of the pieces fit.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

William “Big Billy” D’Elia and Russell Bufalino were arguably two of the most successful Mafia dons in history. D’Elia had no criminal record until 2006 and wasn’t even considered a blip on the radar by the numerous organized crime task forces who’s sole responsibility was tracking their every move. Bufalino and D’Elia accomplished this by sticking to one simple rule: lay low. Something many mobsters never could seem to master.

Birkbeck did an amazing job of making it feel like a genuine conversation. I loved hearing D’Elia talk about Frank Sheeran and Charles Brandt, especially after reading “I Heard You Paint Houses”. I’d be interested in reading the other 5 versions of Sheeran’s story. I also recently read “The Last Honest Man” by James Risen, which tells the life and work of Idaho Senator Frank Church. When reading books like this, It feels like putting a huge historic puzzle together. Learning each side of the story and seeing how it all shaped our nation as we know it.

[David Allen Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I live in northeastern Pennsylvania, know or know of many of the people in this book, and indeed have had a now 35+ year career in municipal government including having served as an elected official, and have some pretty strong feelings about it all, I held off reading this book for a while, but finally did, and have, as I expected, mixed feelings about the book.

To understand this book, you need to know that a man named Russel Bufalino, from the late 1950s to the late 1970s, was the alleged head of a major branch of the Cosa Nostra crime family, whose origin in the area was Italian mafia immigrants in the 1880s some of whom came to live in northeastern Pennsylvania and first had influence over coal mines then when the anthracite coal mining industry collapsed in the 1950s, had influence over the large garment factories that replaced them until the 1980s when most of that industry moved to foreign nations.

Since he spent most of his last decade in prison and died on early release due to ill health more than 30 years ago, younger people may not know of Mr. Bufalino but in his day he was known, feared and respected. In fact, he was the organizer of the infamous 1957 Appalchin mafia meeting that police blundered across and led to the FBI crackdown on organized crime.

But Mr. Bufalino's influence went far beyond the garment industry. His family had ties to gambling, money laundering, jewelry, durable goods, and many politicians. But the public in northeastern Pennsylvania respected him because the garment industry provided much needed jobs at a time when coal mining had collapsed and the national economy was often a mess. In fact Mr. Bufalino was a neighbor of mine living on Dorrance Street in my hometown of Kingston on the same street the elementary school I attended once stood on, and he is buried in a crypt not far from my family plot at a local cemetery. Today I work for the City of Pittston where both Bufalino and the subject of this book are legends.

Mr. Bufalino did not have any children. William D'Elia, who told his story to the author of this book, came from a rough tough background in Pittston. Like many he knew and and interacted with Mr. Bufalino, and in time, he evidently became a major family player and a de facto personal aide to Mr. Bufalino.

Mr. Bufalino was alleged to have played a role in the disappearance and likely murder of former teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa in 1975. Hoffa was seeking to regain control of the Teamsters after being released from prison but while he had been in prison it was thought Bufalino and other alleged crime figures had gotten influence over some Teamsters operations and their massive pension fund. For whatever reasons, the feds clamped down hard on any organized crime figure that may have been involved in the Hoffa case and Mr. Bufalino would come to be convicted of extortion and witness tampering and sent to jail.

Reports from the Pennsylvania Crime Commission from 1970 to 1990 detail the power Mr. Bufalino had until his incarceration and declining health. Bufalino was released in 1989 due to poor health and lived only to 1994 in increasingly poor health ending up living in a local nursing home then a hospital. The crime commission's reports largely pointed to others as the ones who took over the family but in this book D'Elia makes the case that he was the favored successor and was quite effective for a while, while largely overlooked by investigators until the very end. But as time went on most of the major players aged out and died, and D'Elia himself was finally arrested, tried, convicted and imprisoned. Eventually he was released and lives an apparently quiet retirement here in the area. The Bufalino crime family today is extinct.

I'm a local history diehard, as well as deeply immersed in local politics for decades now, so what do I think of this book? I've known or known of many of the people discussed in the book. I know enough of the area's history to find much of the book true or at least plausible. There are enough personal anecdotes related in this book that include just enough provable history to make you wonder if they just aren't true and add even more historical dimension to long ago events and provide some insight into organized crime. But at the same time this is basically a self-promoting book. It does make the subject seem much more important than he likely was. And I know from accounts told by others that there are other spins on many of the tales told. It reads most like a man who gained close access to an accomplished childless mafioso at the end of his career and life then took advantage of his situation, experience and determination to be the successor, but there were clearly other competitors, and the crime family itself was in irreversible decline.

Is it worth reading? Yes, if you are interested in the final history of the legendary Bufalino crime family and want one key player's personal perspective. I am willing to bet there is more than a germ of truth in some of the anecdotes D'Elia relates that may be found nowhere else. I think his refutation of some of the theories behind who killed Jimmy Hoffa are likely accurate. The recent film The Irishman may have been a very good movie, but in the end I think it was just a movie only loosely based on fact.

I feel the same way about Birnback's early book "The Quiet Don" based on Russel Bufalino, and while I know for a fact some of that book is wrong, it's worth a read too, because there is a lot of truth.

[Davi Kladakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I like reading about the mob.

[Joe Kraus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is too much fun. Not only do we get the ‘world according to retired mob boss Billy D’Elia,’ but we get a look at the community where I’ve lived for more than the last two decades.

At the same time, there are clear problems.

I heard of D’Elia as soon as I arrived in the Wilkes-Barre area. By all reports, he succeeded Russell Bufalino as the boss of the Pittston crime family. Russell had lived a few houses away from our local Little League field, and D’Elia’s son lives there now. Then, a few years ago, Bufalino had a vogue. Two biographies came out in rapid succession, and he was a featured character – played by Joe Pesci! – in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

Now, we get the promise of the subtitle of this one: “…the last secrets of America’s most powerful Mafia family.” To Matt Birkbeck’s credit, he doesn’t make any such claim in the book, but this is what we’re asked to accept here: an extension of the claim that Bufalino was one of the most powerful Mafiosi in the country.

Was he so influential that he was, as D’Elia claims a couple times, “more important than the Commission” of leaders of the five recognized Mafia families of New York? I suspect Carlo Gambino or Vito Genovese would have had a good laugh over the idea.

Was he an influential and important figure in organized crime? I’m convinced that he was. He had his fingers in labor and gambling, and he hung around a very long time. I believe it when D’Elia tells us that he had holdings in Miami and NYC, though I doubt they were as extensive and secure as he suggests.

Was he appointed the interim boss of the Pittsburgh and Buffalo crime families? That’s a hard one for me to accept. Why would a bunch of criminals accept the leadership of someone not a part of their own group? (The answer to that depends on thinking of the Mafia as a settled and consistent structure that exists in more or less the same form from city to city and across decades. I’m skeptical of that.)

The thesis of this book is that D’Elia, now aging and irritated by claims that Bufalino had something to do with killing Jimmy Hoffa, has chosen to spill his secrets – his and Bufalino’s. Much of what he tells us is steeped in what I like to call ‘Mafia mythology,’ the sense that we all more of less ‘know’ the greater history of the Mafia and need only to have the individual characters identified.

So, D’Elia has reasons both to believe and to amplify that larger, “frame story” of the Mafia. He knows what his audience wants to hear, and he knows what Birkbeck is looking for to flesh out this book.

The result is that I’d have only a lukewarm reaction to this if it were about any other mob group.

But this is about “my” town. When Bufalino and D’Elia meet with important out of town people, it’s at the nightclub/restaurant that my friends owned. When D’Elia elevates an old pal to ‘consigliere,’ it’s the great-uncle of a former student. When we get photos in the center of the book, it’s of someone who’s almost certainly the relative of one of my son’s friends. And the same with the attorney who comes onto the scene late. And the brothers who serve as numbers two for Bufalino – one has a daughter who lives right behind me.

My point is that it’s a lot of fun to read the rumors and myths I’ve been surrounded by for 20+ years. Some are believable. Others are rumors made to feels more real for appearing in print.

I believe D’Elia when he talks of the famous people with whom he’s rubbed shoulders – Michael Jackson and Donald Trump – but I don’t think that’s ultimately evidence that he was a secret godfather in his own right.

The mob depends on its mythology, and those of us who study it can’t help appreciating that mythology – even if, in my own case, I feel called to critique it. I’m glad that D’Elia and Birkbeck have shared this much, even if I take a lot of it with several healthy grains of salt/

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

For devotees of the true mob genre, there’s nothing juicier than a book by a made man. I say “by” a made man because even though the co-authors might have done the writing, it was the mobsters who unfurled the stories. Only a select few true crime authors have scored deals with made men, and the rarity of such books seems to be only increasing as the ranks of made men continue to thin as the American Mafia fades further into history.

So when I heard about a new book featuring Billy D’Elia, I got pretty excited. Never mind that I’d never even heard of D’Elia before. Credible sources were saying he was the top guy in the Bufalino Family - the heir to Don Russell Bufalino himself. This I gotta read!

Anyone familiar with Russell Bufalino would feel the same way. Matt Birkbeck’s previous book, “The Quiet Don” offers the definitive history of the most influential godfather and his highly efficient crime family. When I read it years ago, I remember being blown away at the Bufalino Family’s power, breadth, versatility, and diverse portfolio, which included ownership of a munitions plant with military contracts. “The Quiet Don” is essential reading, but even that excellent book didn’t have a Mafia insider as the primary source.

But was Billy D’Elia the real deal? Why hadn’t I heard of him? I admit, I was skeptical. And as I read on, I became more skeptical; for much of the book, D’Elia seemed to be little more than Bufalino's driver, and at the half-way point, “The Life We Chose” was shaping up to be a retread of “The Quiet Don.” I was starting to get disappointed. Sure, Russell Bufalino is endlessly interesting and D’Elia was bringing in new anecdotes, but having read “The Quiet Don,” and “I Heard You Paint Houses,” I was already familiar with the major stories surrounding Russell Bufalino, and it was Bufalino, not Billy D’Elia, who seemed to be the main character in “The Life We Chose.” At two-thirds of the way through, I wondered if D’Elia was ever going to step out from behind the shadow of Russell Bufalino.

It was worth the wait. The stories D’Elia brings to the table are the stuff that makes the true mob genre great. There’s not a lot of violence, but there’s intrigue and connections galore, and it’s all fresh as paint. If you like mob stories that span multiple cities, you’re in for a real treat. Few mobsters were as well traveled as Billy D’Elia. The last thing I was expecting was new information on Kansas City, especially via an eastern mafioso, but D’Elia delivers that and plenty more. You’ll practically get jet lag reading about this guy and the wide geographic span of his operations and influence.

But the KC stuff did raise my antenna. D’Elia and Birkbeck both refer to Tony Civella multiple times as Nick Civella’s son. But like Russell Bufalino, Nick Civella had no children. Tony “Ripe” Civella was Nick’s nephew. Was this evidence that D’Elia exaggerated his connections? Was Birkbeck’s failure to catch the mistake evidence of shoddy fact checking that could further question D’Elia’s credibility?

The answer to both questions is "no." D’Elia described a ticket scalping racket that was exactly the type of thing Tony Ripe and the KC guys would’ve been doing at that time. Later, D’Elia refers to Byron Fox, the KC lawyer who represented Tony Ripe. Having written about Tony Ripe and Byron Fox in my recent book, “Mafia Dreams: A True Crime Saga of Young Men at the End of an Era in Kansas City,” I can argue with a degree of authority that D’Elia’s connections to KC pass the smell test. D’Elia could easily have simply misremembered Tony Ripe as Nick’s son. I’m sure D’Elia and Birkbeck are not the only people to assume that Tony Civella was Nick Civella’s son, and it would not be fair to interpret Birkbeck’s Tony Civella mistake as evidence of shoddy fact checking.

But I do think it’s fair to point out that Birkbeck is also wrong about “Senator Joe McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee.”

The HUAC was not McCarthy’s committee. He was in the Senate, not the House, and he had no direct involvement in the HUAC. It’s a pretty minor point, but Birkbeck continues to display ignorance about the HUAC as he repeats the standardized yet highly flawed academic interpretation of the HUAC and the so called “Red Scare.” He also says that it was Roy Cohn who sent the Rosenburgs to the electric chair. But Cohn was a prosecutor, not a judge. It was Judge Irving R. Kaufman, not Roy Cohn, who sent the Rosenburgs to the electric chair. This is not the time or place to debate the HUAC or the propaganda that academia and Hollywood have spread about hardcore Stalinism in the United States, but Birkbeck pontificated on it, so it’s only fair he should be called out on it and encouraged to look beyond the canned narrative that he seems to have taken as gospel.

These are minor criticisms of Birkbeck, whom I admire very much as a researcher and author. He did a terrific job with “The Quiet Don” and he hit it out of the park with this sequel. Of course, most of the credit goes to Billy D’Elia, who did true mob fans and American history a gigantic favor by telling his story. I definitely recommend this book.

[Dan Dundon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in Scranton in the 50s, we were constantly exposed to stories about the mob influence in the area. From prosecutors and judges to clergy and elected officials, I had the impression that nearly everyone was on the take in one form or another. Whether true or not, I concluded many of the companies especially in mining, trucking and construction were either controlled by the mob or paid "tribute" to bosses as the price of doing business.

Matt Birkbeck's book "The Life We Chose" seems to confirm many of my suspicions. His treatment of Russell Bufalino, however, is primarily from the perspective of William Billy D'Elia. Billy was a local boy who was first Bufalino's driver and later became a boss himself when his mentor was in prison. This perspective glosses over much of the violence that surrounded mob enterprises and emphasizes more of the family aspects of Bufalino. While apparently accurate, I came away feeling the mob was a somewhat vanilla organization that stayed away from drugs and prostitution and confined itself more to gambling and loan sharking. This is especially true of the portayal of Billy who generally asks no quesitons, sees no evil and just does what he's told. Readers are constantly reminded of the "good" the organization did in the community by helping many of the less fortunate. But perhaps this is a side of the mob we generally don't get to see and for this reason the book is illuminating and certainly worth the read.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me it was nearly a 5 star read despite having too many characters and individual to individual relationships to keep them clearly in mind/ juxtaposition to the whole.

The history of that area of Pennsylvania is also excellent.

Too complex to begin to enter a posit for now that would be comprehensive to the post 2000 adult crowd. It was a time and a place. And multitudes were interconnected. Quite beyond the Mafia named set. There are just as many politicians, entertainers, and influential business tycoons in the mix.

Well worth a read. Incredible research and superb photos. Which came near the end and as the book was a new copy and very stiff- I did not know they were there until I reached that point near the conclusions of Billy's story. And the people were not so much in appearance as I pictured them, except for Billy himself.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fascinating, but I think people who lived during this time or are more familiar with the history of the mafia in the United States may get more out of this book. For me, it was A LOT of information to process, and I found myself re-reading passages to make sure I stayed grounded in the narrative.

Overall, this is very readable and engaging, although I wish Billy had been a bit more upfront about his role in the mafia's activities. The book left the impression that he simply had "conversations" and that that magically made him influential over so many powerful (and violent) men is simply too hard to believe. It made the narrative ring a little off, and perhaps even superficial.

I recommend to those looking for a strong non-fiction read, particularly on the American organized crime scene from the 70s to the early 2000s.

[Al Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it hard to follow as there are so many people mentioned and so much in passing of time but that’s just how it really has to be. It was done as a story/interview and stayed true to basically a report of what happened and what was said and done. A very interesting read on the inner working of the Mafia at the time in the United States. I do wish there was included some kind of explanation from Billy D’Elia of why they decided to break the silence and spill everything they knew. Wouldn’t they also be worried on getting in trouble? There was nothing said on this so it leaves me definitely wondering. Otherwise though very fascinating and a definite read for anyone wanting to understand the criminal history and dynamics of politics in our country.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of William D’Elia and his time as the Bufalino family mob boss. While the story was extremely compelling, my favorite part had to be the relationship between Billy and Russell Bufalino, who was once considered to be the most powerful man in the mob.

There is a powerful dichotomy of hearing about intense organized crime, while also enjoying and appreciating the characters. They don’t come across as evil or wicked, but rather people who could be a father figure or grandfather figure. This book was a beautiful combination of truth telling and what chosen family really means.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fascinating. And I find myself surprised to say that a book about the mafia can be....heartwarming? The relationship between Billy and his surrogate father Russell is charming. Their families intertwined with Russell and Carrie becoming grandparents to all of Billy's children. And then Carrie willed the Buffalino home to Billy's son Russell when she died. The pics at the end brought tears to my eyes. The mafia is run just like any business---well except for the killing part. I am glad that Billy finally decided to tell his story and set the record straight.

[Illy Evzen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title: "Mob Mosaic: An Unfulfilling Tale"

In "Mob Mosaic," the allure of a captivating mob narrative beckoned, promising a swift plunge into a riveting story. However, despite my penchant for mob-themed tales, this book failed to ensnare my interest. Despite giving it a valiant effort and reading half of the book, the anticipated excitement and immersion never materialized. In the end, the lackluster writing and inability to engage left me with no choice but to abandon the tale, for my time deserves a more rewarding investment.

⭐️ ⭐️

[Amy M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this one. I was interested in the surrogate father/son relationship that formed between a Mafia boss and a young man who worked for him. Some of the stories he tells are interesting and involve historical characters I was familiar with, like Jimmy Hoffa and Bobby Kennedy, but the huge number of characters that he introduced (about 100) made it difficult to keep all the players in mind.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at one of America's most influential mafioso's. I knew almost nothing about this particular crime family before reading this book and it was a very good introduction. I was hooked immediately with the stories and mythology that accompanies organized crime families. The personal relationships felt real inside these larger than life stories and accounts. I recommend it to anyone that's interested in the mafia and these types of crime stories.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book tended to flow chronologically, it still seemed a bit disjointed to me. The relationships of the primary characters kept the story together, but I never felt there was a smooth pace to the overall story. There were lots of new people introduced who came and went quickly. I enjoyed the story and found the information interesting, but for me, it wasn't one of those books that "you just can't put down".

[Jocie · Rating 3 out of 5]

No interest in the hierarchy or power moves within the mafia, but the family dynamics and Billy's commitment to Russell was interesting. Didn't care for his adultery being a footnote- his wife was extolled for sticking with him and I found that disturbing. "Go girl!" when she cut the collars off his shirts and threw his diamond ring to the geese.

[kevin moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good mob book.

Very much along the lines of Goodfellas - the young acolyte, his marriage and how he deals with his profession, the wining and dining as his power accrues.

Mayhem, killings, prison time ensue...

Bonus points for (Goodfellas) reminders of the Copa three minute tracking shot winding up with the stage front table.

[Katie Parrent-Gonyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is very interesting to learn about your own hometown and what goes on there. A lot of these names still float around town and are very recognizable as people I know and grew up with. It is a good book, all facts and just a great read if you’re interested in crime families or the mafia. 3.8 stars rounded to 4.

[Alana DElia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Life We Chose was just okay for me. While it had some interesting moments, it also felt petty in certain areas and veered into unnecessary details. Honestly, I didn’t need to know whether or not someone brought him snack cakes—it didn’t add much to the story. Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t leave a strong impression either.

[John Casella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.! a must page turner for those of us who grew up in North Eastern, Pennsylvania and have a
very basis familiarization with many of the individuals
Depicted in this creative stoty
John Casella.

[John Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book about one of the most powerful mafia families that has very few books about it. It answers some questions raised in The Irishman. I will have to read the author’s book on Russell Bufalino.

[Melinda Gaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with these stories, being from The Back Mountain. The details in this book are so unbelievable. These men had so much power and notoriety, yet they lived somewhat modestly as likable family men. Real life can be so interesting!

[Timothy Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It definitely kept my attention but the writing and stories were disjointed which felt confusing at times. Every page there seemed to be a new character who needed a half page of backstory so it made the book hard to follow at points.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tries to tell dramatic Mafia stories, but they're mostly thirdhand. Matt writing about Billy talking about Russell. Overall corny and underwhelming.