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Joe Dogs: The Life & Crimes of a Mobster
"Joe Dogs" is a fast, funny, real-life, fascinating Mafia story, by the man who, turning against his fellow mobsters, provided the FBI with the key to destoying the mob, all the way up to the major "godfathers" and John Gotti.
Hardback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 26, 2018
Dave Letterman once offered his audience a list of "10 ways to tell if your neighbor is in the Mafia." One of the items was if his jokes always end with the phrase "so I blew his head off." Joe Dogs' tag line would be a little different. His stories usually end with the phrase "so I banged her." The book is as much Iannuzzi bragging about his sexual conquests as it is about the Mafia. He was a low-level grunt even though he goes to extreme pains to prove to his readers otherwise.
I first read this book many years ago - before the market was flooded with first-hand accounts of mafiosi after they cooperate with authorities. Iannuzzi may have been one of the first hoodlums who turned on his boss and then wrote his memoirs. Re-reading it years later, after I have become accustomed to these narratives (and thousands of student papers), there are plenty of holes in the story. Some of it has to do with the circumstances of Iannuzzi cooperating.
Iannuzzi appears to have been a thug for hire in New York and Florida. He cashed in on the economic boom of Southern Florida in the 1970s where every crime family was seeking a foothold. A strong arm like Iannuzzi was desirable. Joe Dogs talks about how his fists earned him money as a thief, gambler, enforcer, loan shark, and labor racketeer. The only thing he really went into any detail was gambling on the dog races. His most successful scams involved fixing races. He probably did not understand other rackets to describe them clearly. If the ghost authors could not get a clear picture, the reader is really left at a disadvantage. Throughout the book, Iannuzzi tries to create the image that he was a successful racketeer; but that picture has plenty of problems.
To begin, the book begins with the vicious assault on Joe Dogs by his boss and friend, Tommy Agro, a rising member of the Gambino Family. The beating is the catalyst for Joe Dogs turning on his friends and associates. However, the beating was allegedly due to Joe Dogs not paying his weekly debt to Agro on a loan he took from Agro. As a loan shark enforcer he knew the risk. His claims that he could easily pay off the debt (including the principal) show up at different occasions in the book. Yet by his own admission, he was often broke and desperately waiting for a new scheme.
The next problem is his association with the Colombo Family. Again, Joe Dogs name drops every major member of that organization. Captains, ex-captains, and bosses knew him and liked him. Joe Dogs also reverently described his closest friends as members of that organization. However, he stubbornly refused to join with them, and instead stay with Agro. Iannuzzi never clearly explains why. He was smitten with Agro's machisimo; but the Colombos certainly has that as well. Instead, tells his readers that he wanted to stay independent. Again, he knew the risks. More likely he was a simple grunt who took orders. Looking back, he could not justify staying with Agro.
His relationship with Agro and the Gambinos is also puzzling. Iannuzzi may have been smitten with Agro; but Agro spent most of his time in New York. Agro's chief guy in Florida was "Skinny Bobby," a man Iannuzzi clearly hated. His antagonism towards Skinny Bobby throughout the book shows that he disliked him more than Agro. Again, why stay with the Gambinos? The result is that a careful reading may suggest that Joe Dogs had other problems with the Gambinos than a shylock debt. Similarly is the sting operation Joe Dogs joined. It ensnared a Gambino captain - but not Agro's captain. Joe Armone was barely mentioned in the book. Why was Andy Ruggiano in Florida instead of Armone, especially if Agro was spearheading the Suite 100 gambling operation? Joe Dogs clearly did not know, nor did he guess.
The bulk of the book is Iannuzzi having a great time with Agro - tough talk and banging broads. There is not much detail. Both guys were minor cogs in the machine. The stories sound a lot like Henry Hill's recollections in Goodfellas. The tough talk, the violence, the greed. Joe Dogs' story and Goodfellas mesh in several ways. The result is probably an authentic narrative of life in the front lines of the Mafia on the cusp of RICO.
Joe Dogs was a minor guy in a boom town when he was brutally beaten and left for dead ca. 1980. The FBI and the federal government were just beginning to really tackle organized crime. The first RICO case was brought against Frank Tieri; but there is no mention of that in the book. FBI agents were slowly learning how to infiltrate the mob and flip members. Joe Dogs tells his readers how he frequently played jokes on the agents working with him. It was all fun and games. For Joe Dogs, his cooperation was probably just another scam. In many places he relishes cheating the FBI out of money. By the 1990s, few if any, turn-coat mobsters could dictate terms to their FBI handlers on a seemingly constant basis. The blase attitude of government agents and prosecutors to Iannuzzi's lifestyle is another strange aspect of the book.
Overall, the whole story is missing. There are obvious problems with his narrative that Joe Dogs either skims over or conveniently ignores. However, the look and feel of the story supports other narratives from that era. Joe Dogs certainly embellished his role in the story; but the plot is entertaining and the book is a quick read.
I first read this book many years ago - before the market was flooded with first-hand accounts of mafiosi after they cooperate with authorities. Iannuzzi may have been one of the first hoodlums who turned on his boss and then wrote his memoirs. Re-reading it years later, after I have become accustomed to these narratives (and thousands of student papers), there are plenty of holes in the story. Some of it has to do with the circumstances of Iannuzzi cooperating.
Iannuzzi appears to have been a thug for hire in New York and Florida. He cashed in on the economic boom of Southern Florida in the 1970s where every crime family was seeking a foothold. A strong arm like Iannuzzi was desirable. Joe Dogs talks about how his fists earned him money as a thief, gambler, enforcer, loan shark, and labor racketeer. The only thing he really went into any detail was gambling on the dog races. His most successful scams involved fixing races. He probably did not understand other rackets to describe them clearly. If the ghost authors could not get a clear picture, the reader is really left at a disadvantage. Throughout the book, Iannuzzi tries to create the image that he was a successful racketeer; but that picture has plenty of problems.
To begin, the book begins with the vicious assault on Joe Dogs by his boss and friend, Tommy Agro, a rising member of the Gambino Family. The beating is the catalyst for Joe Dogs turning on his friends and associates. However, the beating was allegedly due to Joe Dogs not paying his weekly debt to Agro on a loan he took from Agro. As a loan shark enforcer he knew the risk. His claims that he could easily pay off the debt (including the principal) show up at different occasions in the book. Yet by his own admission, he was often broke and desperately waiting for a new scheme.
The next problem is his association with the Colombo Family. Again, Joe Dogs name drops every major member of that organization. Captains, ex-captains, and bosses knew him and liked him. Joe Dogs also reverently described his closest friends as members of that organization. However, he stubbornly refused to join with them, and instead stay with Agro. Iannuzzi never clearly explains why. He was smitten with Agro's machisimo; but the Colombos certainly has that as well. Instead, tells his readers that he wanted to stay independent. Again, he knew the risks. More likely he was a simple grunt who took orders. Looking back, he could not justify staying with Agro.
His relationship with Agro and the Gambinos is also puzzling. Iannuzzi may have been smitten with Agro; but Agro spent most of his time in New York. Agro's chief guy in Florida was "Skinny Bobby," a man Iannuzzi clearly hated. His antagonism towards Skinny Bobby throughout the book shows that he disliked him more than Agro. Again, why stay with the Gambinos? The result is that a careful reading may suggest that Joe Dogs had other problems with the Gambinos than a shylock debt. Similarly is the sting operation Joe Dogs joined. It ensnared a Gambino captain - but not Agro's captain. Joe Armone was barely mentioned in the book. Why was Andy Ruggiano in Florida instead of Armone, especially if Agro was spearheading the Suite 100 gambling operation? Joe Dogs clearly did not know, nor did he guess.
The bulk of the book is Iannuzzi having a great time with Agro - tough talk and banging broads. There is not much detail. Both guys were minor cogs in the machine. The stories sound a lot like Henry Hill's recollections in Goodfellas. The tough talk, the violence, the greed. Joe Dogs' story and Goodfellas mesh in several ways. The result is probably an authentic narrative of life in the front lines of the Mafia on the cusp of RICO.
Joe Dogs was a minor guy in a boom town when he was brutally beaten and left for dead ca. 1980. The FBI and the federal government were just beginning to really tackle organized crime. The first RICO case was brought against Frank Tieri; but there is no mention of that in the book. FBI agents were slowly learning how to infiltrate the mob and flip members. Joe Dogs tells his readers how he frequently played jokes on the agents working with him. It was all fun and games. For Joe Dogs, his cooperation was probably just another scam. In many places he relishes cheating the FBI out of money. By the 1990s, few if any, turn-coat mobsters could dictate terms to their FBI handlers on a seemingly constant basis. The blase attitude of government agents and prosecutors to Iannuzzi's lifestyle is another strange aspect of the book.
Overall, the whole story is missing. There are obvious problems with his narrative that Joe Dogs either skims over or conveniently ignores. However, the look and feel of the story supports other narratives from that era. Joe Dogs certainly embellished his role in the story; but the plot is entertaining and the book is a quick read.
March 7, 2018
So, are you really going to believe that the author is being completely truthful or is telling all of the story? Not to say he isn't, but I'm just saying. I know some people love these type of tales from the dark side, but it was hard to find much worth while coming out of such a person, though at least he seems honest about the louse he was, especially toward his wife. He doesn't hide his misogyny, racism, brutality, and greed either. I rather enjoy reportage about their misdeeds and their comeuppances, though. These are not good folk, and it is sad anyone would admire them. I admit, I liked the SOPRANOS, but l that was fiction. What I found most interesting was that this story takes place during years l remember, and it does give some insight into organized crime.
December 23, 2023
This book was so gloriously stupid. As someone who loves mob tales, I appreciated its unvarnished, irreverent look at 70s-80s mob life in Florida. Not a lot has been written about that specific locale despite its outsized importance to mobsters. It’s also hilarious that this mope is the one who brought down so many big shots. Shakespeare it ain’t but I enjoyed it immensely.
April 18, 2018
Well deserving of a 5/5. Mixes brutality with humor. I doubt he's admitting all his crimes but he's very insightful.
September 17, 2019
The story of an insider in the Mob, someone who due to a misunderstanding almost got beaten to death. Kind of a choppy story.
April 22, 2020
Amazing and interesting true crime novel.
December 2, 2016
this book was excellent it was an awesome insight to the life of a mobster I really enjoyed the way Joe dogs expressed himself in the book he didn't hold back any others feelings or the way he talked in general although and the end he did say if it wasn't for certain people that help them with the book that there would be a lot more four letter words I definitely would have been okay with that I caught myself at times laughing out loud just reading what him and t. A. would say to each other and how they would say it or certain other conversations. I honestly think that if you want 2 start reading about the mafia or the mob and you're just starting out this is a perfect book for you because he goes in great detail about who's who in the beginning of the book he let you know what rank everybody is and where they're from and in the book it's like you're almost there with them. I enjoyed this book and I honestly would read another book by Joe dogs just because I like his style of writing.
May 10, 2007
It's a fun read, but no "Goodfellas" ("Wiseguy")
Read
September 30, 2007This was a good book from the first person account of an NY connected mobster that ran a crew in Florida. He ended up turning witness and bringing down a bunch of mob guys.
December 29, 2008
Yeah...I'm reading it again! It's a good fast paced story!
February 18, 2013
Very interesting if your into these types of books.
July 28, 2016
good read..fans should also check out the fbi recordings of tommy agro on youtube threatening joe dogs
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews