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Donnie Brasco #1
Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia
A former FBI special agent tells how, posing as jewel thief Donnie Brasco, he lived as a Mafia insider for over six years and informed the FBI of the mob's involvement in extortion, gambling, theft, bribery, drug trafficking, and murder
373 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
March 25, 2020
Gets old after a while--mostly cuz there's no psychological depth or very little analysis of what's going on. So it turns into: this happened, then this happened, then that happened.
August 11, 2009
I know this book is a watershed in the history of Mob literature, and that Pistone's investigatory efforts were a breaking point for the Mob. But this book of his just leaves me dozing. I don't know what it is; maybe he's just a boring guy. Everyone blathers on about how great this book is, but I don't get it. It was made into a far worse movie, incidentally. One of the things the book does have going for it is that Pistone explains at great length what undercover agents can and can't do. Sawing up bodies? Pretty firmly on the "can't do" list. The movie completely ignores that, but then...hey, who cares, right? It's not like it REALLY HAPPENED or anything.
Anyway -- if you are a Mob buff or researcher you HAVE to read this book, because the case is so critically important in history. Drink lots of coffee while you do it.
Incidentally -- it doesn't make any difference to me what a man does for a living, understand -- but his ghostwriter on this also wrote The Bad News Bears Go to Japan. I'm just saying.
Anyway -- if you are a Mob buff or researcher you HAVE to read this book, because the case is so critically important in history. Drink lots of coffee while you do it.
Incidentally -- it doesn't make any difference to me what a man does for a living, understand -- but his ghostwriter on this also wrote The Bad News Bears Go to Japan. I'm just saying.
September 4, 2012
Cool. Good. Un-romantic. Not psychologically insightful, by design. Pistone spent so many years undercover, separated from his family, working on taking the Mob down, and he categorically states that the experience didn't affect him emotionally. Just a job. I think that's a great example of compartmentalization, if I may be so bold to presume; and he sure had to be capable of it to get through this experience successfully. So the movie goes the other direction, obviously, as the drama is of the story is inherently about identity; therefore, we want to know about the human being struggling with the decisions he's made to obscure and inflate the identities he is taking on... but Pistone refuses. Not in an asshole kind of way either, he just states it flat and goes on to describe another Mafia operation - which are described in a detailed and fascinating way.
I left this book feeling totally disillusioned from the romantic Mob movie image, which is probably a good thing. The Mafia deals with intercepting shipments of goods, mostly. Daily, boring, difficult stuff, and you have to work just as seriously hard at it as any other profession, with the added dirty glamour and power trips that go along with it. Probably you have to work harder not to get caught, which is probably part of the attraction as well. But it's just - petty, mean, male crime.
Friday night is mistress night and Saturday night is wife night. 'Nuff said.
I left this book feeling totally disillusioned from the romantic Mob movie image, which is probably a good thing. The Mafia deals with intercepting shipments of goods, mostly. Daily, boring, difficult stuff, and you have to work just as seriously hard at it as any other profession, with the added dirty glamour and power trips that go along with it. Probably you have to work harder not to get caught, which is probably part of the attraction as well. But it's just - petty, mean, male crime.
Friday night is mistress night and Saturday night is wife night. 'Nuff said.
June 18, 2026
This book is FBI agent Joseph Pistone's memoir about his time posing as jewel thief Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the mafia. He learned to talk a certain way and to read a room of men who would kill him if they discovered he was a federal agent. His main entry point was Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero. Lefty vouched for him, treated him like a son, and faced death for that sponsorship once the operation was exposed.
Pistone documents how the mob actually functions day to day. Most of it involves tedium, hierarchy, and money. He dismantles any notion that there is romance in the mafia, portraying organized crime as a grinding bureaucracy of greed where violence is a “management tool.”
I had mixed feelings about the book. I valued the descriptions of how the mafia operates and what Pistone went through to fit the expected mold. The main drawback is the writing style. It is controlled, almost flattened, and the co-written prose can feel like a deposition. As a narrator, Pistone is reliable about events and guarded about himself. He expresses guilt about the deaths that followed his disclosures, but most of the impact on his sense of self is declared rather than shown. That reticence may be true to him, but it still leaves a gap.
I had recently read Jay Dobyns's No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels, about a federal agent infiltrating the Hells Angels. Dobyns does a much better job of self-disclosure and of conveying the toll on his own life. This book is interesting, but it pales in comparison.
Pistone documents how the mob actually functions day to day. Most of it involves tedium, hierarchy, and money. He dismantles any notion that there is romance in the mafia, portraying organized crime as a grinding bureaucracy of greed where violence is a “management tool.”
I had mixed feelings about the book. I valued the descriptions of how the mafia operates and what Pistone went through to fit the expected mold. The main drawback is the writing style. It is controlled, almost flattened, and the co-written prose can feel like a deposition. As a narrator, Pistone is reliable about events and guarded about himself. He expresses guilt about the deaths that followed his disclosures, but most of the impact on his sense of self is declared rather than shown. That reticence may be true to him, but it still leaves a gap.
I had recently read Jay Dobyns's No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels, about a federal agent infiltrating the Hells Angels. Dobyns does a much better job of self-disclosure and of conveying the toll on his own life. This book is interesting, but it pales in comparison.
July 7, 2011
I first ran into this book when an excerpt of it was inserted in "The Mammoth Book of the Mafia". At that time I read it as just a short peek into the life of the wiseguys, but when I bought my Kindle, I downloaded a sample of it and then bought the book.
Joe Pistone, an FBI agent, didn't really aim for six years in the Mafia, far from it. He started a six-month undercover stint into the stolen trucks business, trying to get a crack into the organized racket. What happened was that his undercover role started gaining the trust of criminals, and within a year and a half, he had the trust of his first mobster friends.
Posing as a jewel thief and shylock, Pistone aka Donnie Brasco started getting his toe into the door of ever bigger operations, such as vending machines, gambling clubs, and the like. Groomed by wiseguy Benjamin "Lefty Two Guns" Ruggiero, he learned how to pose as a connected man, one close to the Mob but not yet a made member. He managed to work his way up in the Cosa Nostra, eventually gaining the trust of a Captain.
Only after Donnie was assigned a hit to do, he had to leave his cover, and go back to the FBI to start the legal proceedings. Such was his career as Donnie Brasco that the Mafia canceled the 500,000 dollar contract on him, and the wiseguys he cheated went on record saying he beat them square and fair. Dozens of convictions resulted from his work.
I recommend this book to any student of organized crime, especially one who likes to see how the choreography of the Mob works - who talks to who, how does one talk, what not to do ever etc. A wonderful book by a very brave man.
Joe Pistone, an FBI agent, didn't really aim for six years in the Mafia, far from it. He started a six-month undercover stint into the stolen trucks business, trying to get a crack into the organized racket. What happened was that his undercover role started gaining the trust of criminals, and within a year and a half, he had the trust of his first mobster friends.
Posing as a jewel thief and shylock, Pistone aka Donnie Brasco started getting his toe into the door of ever bigger operations, such as vending machines, gambling clubs, and the like. Groomed by wiseguy Benjamin "Lefty Two Guns" Ruggiero, he learned how to pose as a connected man, one close to the Mob but not yet a made member. He managed to work his way up in the Cosa Nostra, eventually gaining the trust of a Captain.
Only after Donnie was assigned a hit to do, he had to leave his cover, and go back to the FBI to start the legal proceedings. Such was his career as Donnie Brasco that the Mafia canceled the 500,000 dollar contract on him, and the wiseguys he cheated went on record saying he beat them square and fair. Dozens of convictions resulted from his work.
I recommend this book to any student of organized crime, especially one who likes to see how the choreography of the Mob works - who talks to who, how does one talk, what not to do ever etc. A wonderful book by a very brave man.
August 29, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. My thoughts on the book itself, and my thoughts on the person that was Donnie Brasco.
My thoughts on the book itself. The writing was ok. Pistone was an FBI agent not a writer so remember that. The story flowed chronologically. There was a lot of repetition. Not necessarily repeating the same scene but multiple scenes were very close to the same. Bad guys need money, bad guys scheme to get money. Bad guys need money, bad guys scheme to make money. You get the point. That's 75 percent of the book. The inner workings of the mob that Donnie got to experience firsthand are truly fascinating it was a side of the underworld that America had never seen before and was revolutionary.
My thoughts on agent Pistone....selfish, snitch, jackass, tough, badass, and dedicated. As you can see I have mixed emotions about agent Piston. He left his wife and kids to go do this undercover job essentially for his own glory, I mean no one is that dedicated to their job to basically abandon their family for 6 years (selfish jackass). But what guy could blame him for that. He got to be a bad guy in the mob (badass) and an FBI agent at the same time (also badass). He made friends and established a life with these guys for 6 years and then lots of them got whacked because they were vouching for an FBI agent (snitch). I can't imagine the stress this man was under I mean to be sitting in a room while a wise guy checks up on your background and if he hears something he doesn't like your getting whacked right then and there no more questions asked (tough). Then to keep the job going for 6 years. He was so close to becoming a real wise guy (dedicated). I'm not sure how to feel about the guy but he had some grit to run with mobsters for 6 years you gotta give him that.
Good book. If you like true crime or mobster books this is a good one for you.
My thoughts on the book itself. The writing was ok. Pistone was an FBI agent not a writer so remember that. The story flowed chronologically. There was a lot of repetition. Not necessarily repeating the same scene but multiple scenes were very close to the same. Bad guys need money, bad guys scheme to get money. Bad guys need money, bad guys scheme to make money. You get the point. That's 75 percent of the book. The inner workings of the mob that Donnie got to experience firsthand are truly fascinating it was a side of the underworld that America had never seen before and was revolutionary.
My thoughts on agent Pistone....selfish, snitch, jackass, tough, badass, and dedicated. As you can see I have mixed emotions about agent Piston. He left his wife and kids to go do this undercover job essentially for his own glory, I mean no one is that dedicated to their job to basically abandon their family for 6 years (selfish jackass). But what guy could blame him for that. He got to be a bad guy in the mob (badass) and an FBI agent at the same time (also badass). He made friends and established a life with these guys for 6 years and then lots of them got whacked because they were vouching for an FBI agent (snitch). I can't imagine the stress this man was under I mean to be sitting in a room while a wise guy checks up on your background and if he hears something he doesn't like your getting whacked right then and there no more questions asked (tough). Then to keep the job going for 6 years. He was so close to becoming a real wise guy (dedicated). I'm not sure how to feel about the guy but he had some grit to run with mobsters for 6 years you gotta give him that.
Good book. If you like true crime or mobster books this is a good one for you.
June 16, 2018
I have always been interested in 'Mafia' novels. I find them to be very chilling, gripping, and exciting to read. Joseph D. Pistone's book was not an exception. He worked undercover inside the Mafia for six years. That is no mean task. His work alone was able to bring about over one hundred convictions from the underworld. Attorney General, William French Smith and the FBI director Webster presented him with the "Attorney General's Distinguished Award" for the outstanding agent in the FBI at the time. His courtroom performance also btought him more praises from the District Attorney's office describing him as "most impressive".
The trial of the La Costra Nostra underworld ring attracted a lot of media attention. While the authorities and the public were bursting with excitement, FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone aka Donnie Brasco was fearing for his and his family's wellbeing. There was a contract out for his life and the sum for the hit was $500,000 to anybody who could find him and kill him. The operation was conducted perfectly. It was really good police work. I was impressed with the professionalism that Mr. Pistone employed when doing this work. He had to infiltrate the bad guys and was expected to remain credible for the trial and tbe jury. That requires a great deal of discipline. This book is an example of how it is done. It can go a long way to those working organized crimes all over tbe world.
The trial of the La Costra Nostra underworld ring attracted a lot of media attention. While the authorities and the public were bursting with excitement, FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone aka Donnie Brasco was fearing for his and his family's wellbeing. There was a contract out for his life and the sum for the hit was $500,000 to anybody who could find him and kill him. The operation was conducted perfectly. It was really good police work. I was impressed with the professionalism that Mr. Pistone employed when doing this work. He had to infiltrate the bad guys and was expected to remain credible for the trial and tbe jury. That requires a great deal of discipline. This book is an example of how it is done. It can go a long way to those working organized crimes all over tbe world.
March 12, 2010
One of my favorite books. It read like a movie and being a fan of Mafia history, this was informative. I often recommend this to students who are trying to get into reading, but hate reading big novels. They like the story line. The movie butchered the book.
June 5, 2020
Right, I’m off to watch the movie and check for continuity errors
December 21, 2025
I've read this book three or four times since buying it in 1997 and will no doubt read it a few more times yet. The conversational and understated writing style is wonderful. This memoir strips away the Hollywood glamour of La Cosa Nostra; these wiseguys are greedy hoods who cheat, chisel, hustle, steal, rinse, repeat, and occasionally get whacked for their troubles. Meanwhile, Joe Pistone would have be one of the toughest people that ever lived.
March 22, 2016
Bought it because I'm a huge fan of mafia stories, and what better book to read (I thought), than a real-life story.
Though the book starts off well, and there's a decent amount of info about the families, I could've done with more.
The writing isn't too gripping, and the second half of the book has too much of Lefty, which becomes a bit of a bore.
But I shall watch the movie though.
Though the book starts off well, and there's a decent amount of info about the families, I could've done with more.
The writing isn't too gripping, and the second half of the book has too much of Lefty, which becomes a bit of a bore.
But I shall watch the movie though.
May 16, 2020
Portrayal of the true Mafia.
June 27, 2025
Donnie Brasco, written by Paul Attanasio, based on the books by Joseph D. Pistone and Richard Woodley
10 out of 10
Notes and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This film?
- “Forget about it!!”
As Donnie Brasco explains when asked by his fellow FBI agents, this is a catch phrase, leitmotif used by the mobsters.
They used for a car that was not good, for a meal that they enjoyed and was extraordinary or just to say…forget about it.
When I used it for the film itself, I meant to say that it is astounding and one of my favorite, top twenty movies.
The director, Mike Newell is behind two other motion pictures that I liked: Four Weddings and a Funeral and Mona Lisa Smile.
I was surprised to find that this staggering production was only nominated for an Academy Award and no Golden Globe.
It was the year when The Titanic has taken all the possible prizes, leaving nothing for the rest of the better works
In my book, Donnie Brasco is much better, even if the effort, the daring, innovation and power behind the catastrophe movie are to be appreciated.
Donnie Brasco is actually the assumed name of FBI agent Joe Pistone, on whose book the script of the film is based.
Donnie Brasco has the task of infiltrating the mafia in order to get evidence that would put criminals behind bars.
Johnny Depp proves yet again that he is a master of this art and his performance is…As Good As It Gets…for which Jack Nicholson won the Oscar, in 1998 and Depp would have deserved a nomination at the very least, much more than Dustin Hoffman for his presence in a rather unexceptional film- Wag the Dog.
Lefty Ruggiero is the first contact, a mobster that is portrayed with brilliance by Al Pacino- I am not sure if this was not the last great role, for this viewer, of an actor who has been for a good many years on a descending slope.
Donnie becomes attached to Lefty, who introduces the young man in the underworld of the group controlled by Sonny Black.
There are disputes for the top position and Sonny Black is in conflict with another, older leader called Sonny Red.
Trying to fit in as well as possible, in order to protect his real identity and life, agent Pistone becomes…much like the Mafiosi.
This leads to violent disputes with his wife Maggie (Anne Heche), who is accusing her spouse of becoming a bandit.
And she is right, Donnie- Pistone himself admits it, saying that he has become one of them and he is worried by the things he has to do.
Life on the edge is really the experience of this undercover agent, who has a few brushes with exposure and hence death.
At one moment, the Goodfellas are supposed to eat in an Asian restaurant, where they have to take their shoes off, only in the case of the FBI agent, his boots are the hiding place for the recording device he is carrying…
So he has to act theatrical and racist, pretending that America has won the war and not these bastards and he would not take his boots off…
Some events are awkward, sad and hilarious, like the gift of a lion, given by Sonny black to Lefty, because he knows he likes wild life…the latter is indeed watching a lot of National Geographic documentaries on TV.
Throughout the film, one of the most compelling aspects is the drama of Lefty Ruggiero, who appears like a sad old man, quite often.
His life is a failure in some ways, his son is a drug addict that has an overdose and ends up on life supporting machines.
Lefty is forever waiting to be “sent for”, which could mean something good, but very often it is a bullet in the head, which is exactly what would happen to him if and when agent Pistone pulls out from the game.
The Mafia will be ruthless with the man who has recommended that Donnie Brasco would become a “made man”, a member of the exclusive organized crime group.
As agent Pistone says to his wife: “it is like I would kill him myself, practically putting a bullet through his head”.
Donnie Brasco is a glorious film.
10 out of 10
Notes and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This film?
- “Forget about it!!”
As Donnie Brasco explains when asked by his fellow FBI agents, this is a catch phrase, leitmotif used by the mobsters.
They used for a car that was not good, for a meal that they enjoyed and was extraordinary or just to say…forget about it.
When I used it for the film itself, I meant to say that it is astounding and one of my favorite, top twenty movies.
The director, Mike Newell is behind two other motion pictures that I liked: Four Weddings and a Funeral and Mona Lisa Smile.
I was surprised to find that this staggering production was only nominated for an Academy Award and no Golden Globe.
It was the year when The Titanic has taken all the possible prizes, leaving nothing for the rest of the better works
In my book, Donnie Brasco is much better, even if the effort, the daring, innovation and power behind the catastrophe movie are to be appreciated.
Donnie Brasco is actually the assumed name of FBI agent Joe Pistone, on whose book the script of the film is based.
Donnie Brasco has the task of infiltrating the mafia in order to get evidence that would put criminals behind bars.
Johnny Depp proves yet again that he is a master of this art and his performance is…As Good As It Gets…for which Jack Nicholson won the Oscar, in 1998 and Depp would have deserved a nomination at the very least, much more than Dustin Hoffman for his presence in a rather unexceptional film- Wag the Dog.
Lefty Ruggiero is the first contact, a mobster that is portrayed with brilliance by Al Pacino- I am not sure if this was not the last great role, for this viewer, of an actor who has been for a good many years on a descending slope.
Donnie becomes attached to Lefty, who introduces the young man in the underworld of the group controlled by Sonny Black.
There are disputes for the top position and Sonny Black is in conflict with another, older leader called Sonny Red.
Trying to fit in as well as possible, in order to protect his real identity and life, agent Pistone becomes…much like the Mafiosi.
This leads to violent disputes with his wife Maggie (Anne Heche), who is accusing her spouse of becoming a bandit.
And she is right, Donnie- Pistone himself admits it, saying that he has become one of them and he is worried by the things he has to do.
Life on the edge is really the experience of this undercover agent, who has a few brushes with exposure and hence death.
At one moment, the Goodfellas are supposed to eat in an Asian restaurant, where they have to take their shoes off, only in the case of the FBI agent, his boots are the hiding place for the recording device he is carrying…
So he has to act theatrical and racist, pretending that America has won the war and not these bastards and he would not take his boots off…
Some events are awkward, sad and hilarious, like the gift of a lion, given by Sonny black to Lefty, because he knows he likes wild life…the latter is indeed watching a lot of National Geographic documentaries on TV.
Throughout the film, one of the most compelling aspects is the drama of Lefty Ruggiero, who appears like a sad old man, quite often.
His life is a failure in some ways, his son is a drug addict that has an overdose and ends up on life supporting machines.
Lefty is forever waiting to be “sent for”, which could mean something good, but very often it is a bullet in the head, which is exactly what would happen to him if and when agent Pistone pulls out from the game.
The Mafia will be ruthless with the man who has recommended that Donnie Brasco would become a “made man”, a member of the exclusive organized crime group.
As agent Pistone says to his wife: “it is like I would kill him myself, practically putting a bullet through his head”.
Donnie Brasco is a glorious film.
December 30, 2019
This is the book version of the motion picture by the same name. Written by undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone. In the book, Pistone chronicles his undercover operation infiltrating the Bonanno Crime Family one of the five crime families in NYC. The author does a great job highlighting his investigation mingling with mobsters in NYC, Tampa, and Milwaukee while orchestrating the schemes to bring a case against them. This is a highly readable narrative that anyone would enjoy reading even if your not into these types of books. There is minimal violence as it's from the viewpoint of an undercover FBI agent so you read the book from the viewpoint of an ongoing investigation.
March 31, 2020
3.5 Stars - Joe Pistone is the real deal, so much so he still likes to sound like a gangster, despite the time passed and what gangsters would do to him even today if they found him.. I enjoyed the movie but to me the book has just so much more grit, whilst also remaining more faithful to the fact JP was more of a mobster than he was cop in the final months, as well as giving a clearer picture of the tire players and their roles in this incredible saga that just about brought down the mob in one fell swoop when viewed in hindsight!
April 19, 2014
Interesting if you wanna learn a lot about the inner workings of the Mafia and one of the biggest coups in law enforcement history.
The writing style is appalling though, and while Joseph D. Pistone was an effective FBI agent, as a person he's really boring and unimaginative. His ghost writer didn't do a very good job.
Lots of eyeroll moments are to be had if you pick up this book, a book written badly about an interesting subject matter.
The writing style is appalling though, and while Joseph D. Pistone was an effective FBI agent, as a person he's really boring and unimaginative. His ghost writer didn't do a very good job.
Lots of eyeroll moments are to be had if you pick up this book, a book written badly about an interesting subject matter.
September 27, 2021
I'm torn. It started off really interesting but about 3/4 the way through I was sick of reading about all the schemes of these mob guys. It was the same song and dance but to a slightly different tune.
And when I finally reached the end, there was little satisfaction in the epilogue.
Could just be me.
And when I finally reached the end, there was little satisfaction in the epilogue.
Could just be me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2023
Burned through it in a matter of days.
Realistic portrayal of the underworld. Simple, straightforward writing style, good material that doesn't get diluted. Clearly explains how his personal life was affected.
All-in-all, good read for a holiday.
The movie does NOT do the book justice, it deviates far from the real story.
Realistic portrayal of the underworld. Simple, straightforward writing style, good material that doesn't get diluted. Clearly explains how his personal life was affected.
All-in-all, good read for a holiday.
The movie does NOT do the book justice, it deviates far from the real story.
June 22, 2018
I have always been a monster movie/book fan and seen it on Amazon for a good price so I jumped on it.( was actually looking for the “You paint houses”because the Hoffa murder story is coming out very soon and I always love to read the book before I see the movie
(Just always been like that.)
But this is a true story of a under-cover agent infiltrating the Mob. He ends up doing well getting in good with these guys(almost becoming a made-man!) This book is full of old school mob characters and new scenarios not shown in the movie. It really was a fun fast paced read
*Fun Fact Lefty the main mob guy to Donnie his Grand-Daughter is on the hit show Mob Wives!! She is very protective of her Grandfathers name and reputation.
(Just always been like that.)
But this is a true story of a under-cover agent infiltrating the Mob. He ends up doing well getting in good with these guys(almost becoming a made-man!) This book is full of old school mob characters and new scenarios not shown in the movie. It really was a fun fast paced read
*Fun Fact Lefty the main mob guy to Donnie his Grand-Daughter is on the hit show Mob Wives!! She is very protective of her Grandfathers name and reputation.
June 21, 2020
What can you say about Pistone! he fooled the mafia mobsters and humiliated them for five years and came out alive, a very rare case of a man, and a very interesting one to read about!
Surely this man has more guts and bravado than the whole mafia put together.
Surely this man has more guts and bravado than the whole mafia put together.
January 25, 2026
after watching the Donnie brasco film a few months back it was very cool to see that Joseph Pistone released a book too and we'll I was actually amazed at this read. very surreal that one man was able to infiltrate the mafia and help the FBI crack down one of the biggest investigations ever. a very fun enjoyable read.
April 29, 2026
Pretty good book especially if you enjoyed the movie
May 14, 2021
Unique, to say the least
Donnie Brasco Review
It’s a fascinating story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it’s clearly one of the best mafia biographies. But I do get the feeling he’s playing it a little safe in his writing, like there’s something unspoken bubbling beneath the surface. Maybe some darknesses he’s not willing to reveal. He mentions punching a hole through his bedroom door one time when he’s home with his family. But he never says what made him mad, or if his violence was influenced by his criminal guise. Maybe he’d need a therapist to figure it out himself. But if someone can con ten dozen mob associates for years, he can easily con a reader if he wants to. Maybe he’s being dead earnest, but I’d have no way of knowing.
Still, it certainly is an interesting story, and told well. Few people have had this kind of access into the mob, and fewer still were on the side of the fbi, so you’re getting a bonafide unique perspective. He’s no philosopher though, and he doesn’t pontificate much on the psychological toll such an unbelievable job must take. The only real insight into the struggle between “good” and “evil” is that soldiers on the street might not be the smartest guys in the world. Not to say that the FBI are pure either, the FBI takes all the money the undercover agents make and funnels it right to the top. They’re profiting off of crime in their own right.
If Pistone wasn’t such an iron will, it might have been a deeper story. Despite hanging out with these people 18 hours a day, working with them for years, often even living together, Brasco doesn’t seem to ever feel for these people, or waiver in his commitment to the law. He sets up all his best friends to possibly get murdered by the mob for harboring an agent, and Joe doesn’t much care. Joseph Pistone is a stone cold gangster in his own right, just playing for a different team.
Sure they’re bad guys he’s taking down, there’s no argument against that. But saying “these people should go down,” and living a fake persona for years to make it happen are different categories; not many people can do it, and fewer still would. So like I said, this is a unique book. And worth a read.
Donnie Brasco Review
It’s a fascinating story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it’s clearly one of the best mafia biographies. But I do get the feeling he’s playing it a little safe in his writing, like there’s something unspoken bubbling beneath the surface. Maybe some darknesses he’s not willing to reveal. He mentions punching a hole through his bedroom door one time when he’s home with his family. But he never says what made him mad, or if his violence was influenced by his criminal guise. Maybe he’d need a therapist to figure it out himself. But if someone can con ten dozen mob associates for years, he can easily con a reader if he wants to. Maybe he’s being dead earnest, but I’d have no way of knowing.
Still, it certainly is an interesting story, and told well. Few people have had this kind of access into the mob, and fewer still were on the side of the fbi, so you’re getting a bonafide unique perspective. He’s no philosopher though, and he doesn’t pontificate much on the psychological toll such an unbelievable job must take. The only real insight into the struggle between “good” and “evil” is that soldiers on the street might not be the smartest guys in the world. Not to say that the FBI are pure either, the FBI takes all the money the undercover agents make and funnels it right to the top. They’re profiting off of crime in their own right.
If Pistone wasn’t such an iron will, it might have been a deeper story. Despite hanging out with these people 18 hours a day, working with them for years, often even living together, Brasco doesn’t seem to ever feel for these people, or waiver in his commitment to the law. He sets up all his best friends to possibly get murdered by the mob for harboring an agent, and Joe doesn’t much care. Joseph Pistone is a stone cold gangster in his own right, just playing for a different team.
Sure they’re bad guys he’s taking down, there’s no argument against that. But saying “these people should go down,” and living a fake persona for years to make it happen are different categories; not many people can do it, and fewer still would. So like I said, this is a unique book. And worth a read.
April 25, 2022
Sometimes in life fact is stranger than fiction. I knew the Hollywood version of Donnie Brasco but now had the opportunity to read the version penned by real life FBI agent Joe Pistone, who infiltrated the Mafia Stateside for a period of six years from the late seventies to the early eighties.
The day to day pressure of working as an undercover agent screams aloud across each page as does the personal toll of Pistone being separated from his immediate family for long periods of time and unable to tell them anything of what his 'work' life entails. However, it is the day to day lives of these real life 'wiseguys' that is exposed authentically that stays with the reader. This is even more compelling upon the realization that this deep cover role had previously never been attempted by the FBI in the closeted corridors of the Mafia. This male dominated world leans heavily on machismo and unwritten rules of honour that duty bound each foot soldier. The camaraderie is clear with a lot of settings based at 'community' or 'social' clubs and must have proven alluring to those embroiled within. The relationships are very real and Pistone's convincing gifts for playing his given role truly disguises his true vocation and yet his eventual 'coming out' ironically led to his and his family's own undercover life with a significant price being targeted on his head.
The day to day pressure of working as an undercover agent screams aloud across each page as does the personal toll of Pistone being separated from his immediate family for long periods of time and unable to tell them anything of what his 'work' life entails. However, it is the day to day lives of these real life 'wiseguys' that is exposed authentically that stays with the reader. This is even more compelling upon the realization that this deep cover role had previously never been attempted by the FBI in the closeted corridors of the Mafia. This male dominated world leans heavily on machismo and unwritten rules of honour that duty bound each foot soldier. The camaraderie is clear with a lot of settings based at 'community' or 'social' clubs and must have proven alluring to those embroiled within. The relationships are very real and Pistone's convincing gifts for playing his given role truly disguises his true vocation and yet his eventual 'coming out' ironically led to his and his family's own undercover life with a significant price being targeted on his head.
June 3, 2012
Many people are into reading books like Hunger Games and I'm observing a big trend in the Fantasy genre. Something that the book Donnie Brasco written by FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone isn't. This book brings the reader into the menacing life of an FBI Undercover agent, who has to infiltrate himself in the mafia. All and everything inside the book is a true story, from his connection with Tony Mirra to Milwukee mafia vending-machines. This is the type of book that only interest readers that like cold, hard, facts about reality, and have a lot of time in their hands to read. Yeah, I said it. This novel is 413 pages long, and the font is extremely small. In fact, I was reading until the last minute because of its length. That doesn't mean it's not a horrible book. This book literary kept my mouth open with excitement everytime I flipped a page. One quote, really took the book to the next level though. When Donnie, the main character says, "An ordinary citizen could look at this and not see anything. A wiseguy (Mafiosi) sees things if there are wiseguy things to see:how a person acts how they carry themselves; and what difference is paid to them".So, read DONNIE BRASCO BY JOSEPH D. PISTONE!!!!! SHOUT OUT TO THE BONANNO CRIME FAMILY!!!!
August 13, 2023
This is the book that a rather underrated film is based upon and it's by far the most interesting mob book I've ever read. Goodfellas, Casino, The Irishman, forget about it. This book is far better.
Rather than the self-justifying and smug prose of the others and their exaggerations, this book is well measured and objective. It gives you a far better insight into this world, too. It's also got a happy ending, which makes a change.
Reading this, it makes you wonder why anyone would become a mobster, as there are only 3 outcomes: jail, informer, or prison. It's also a vicious and unpleasant world where everyone is trying to rip everyone else off and no one can even trust their friends.
There are quite a few differences between film and book, with the film getting the tone right, even if not all of the facts are as they are in the book. The film should be much better appreciated.
Rather than the self-justifying and smug prose of the others and their exaggerations, this book is well measured and objective. It gives you a far better insight into this world, too. It's also got a happy ending, which makes a change.
Reading this, it makes you wonder why anyone would become a mobster, as there are only 3 outcomes: jail, informer, or prison. It's also a vicious and unpleasant world where everyone is trying to rip everyone else off and no one can even trust their friends.
There are quite a few differences between film and book, with the film getting the tone right, even if not all of the facts are as they are in the book. The film should be much better appreciated.
June 24, 2011
Joe Pistone spent 6 years as an undercover agent for the FBI, working to gather intelligence on the Mafia. Up to that point in time, the FBI had never done an undercover mission lasting more than a few weeks. Pistone's mission was scheduled to last 6 months, and ended up lasting 6 years. Joe Pistone, under the alias "Donnie Brasco" gathered enough evidence to put over a hundred members of the mafia behind bars with sentences ranging between 20 and 100 years. Several mafia members (the ones who worked closest with Brasco) where killed by the mafia themselves. To this day, Pistone still carries a $500,000 contract from the mafia, to be paid to anyone who can find and kill him. Many agree that the success of this agent is the reason that the mafia's presence today is almost nothing compared to their influence in the early decades of the 20th century.
Excellent read.
Excellent read.
January 20, 2022
Wow - I devoured this in about a week and loved every minute of it.
I'm not usually into true crime and/or organized crime subjects. I've never seen the Sopranos; I don't like the Godfather; Scarface sucks. But this was great. I may even end up reading Pistone's other books. I've never gotten a glimpse into a true Mafia story like this, but I was definitely unable to put it down.
It's heartbreaking because these Mafia guys are actually supremely intelligent. They would make so much more money outside the Mafia, plus have the added benefit of not getting whacked. I found myself developing feelings for the criminals, like Pistone did.
If you've seen the movie, it's a pretty accurate portrayal. Again, I don't like Mafia movies, but Donnie Brasco was really good (maybe because the book is so good).
I'm not usually into true crime and/or organized crime subjects. I've never seen the Sopranos; I don't like the Godfather; Scarface sucks. But this was great. I may even end up reading Pistone's other books. I've never gotten a glimpse into a true Mafia story like this, but I was definitely unable to put it down.
It's heartbreaking because these Mafia guys are actually supremely intelligent. They would make so much more money outside the Mafia, plus have the added benefit of not getting whacked. I found myself developing feelings for the criminals, like Pistone did.
If you've seen the movie, it's a pretty accurate portrayal. Again, I don't like Mafia movies, but Donnie Brasco was really good (maybe because the book is so good).
January 14, 2015
3 STARS
"Posing as jewel thief "Donnie Brasco," FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone carried out the most audacious sting operation ever, working undercover for six years to infiltrate the flamboyant community of mafia soldiers, "connected guys," captains, and godfathers. Now his unforgettable eyewitness account brings to pulsating life the entire world of wiseguys—their code of honor and their treachery, their wives, girlfriends and whores, their lavish spending and dirty dealings." (From Amazon)
It is a great autobiography of a straight arrow FBI agent who goes undercover into a mob family and finds himself sympathetic to the underworld. Pistone is away from his family most of the time and is Lefty's partner skating on the line of crime.
"Posing as jewel thief "Donnie Brasco," FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone carried out the most audacious sting operation ever, working undercover for six years to infiltrate the flamboyant community of mafia soldiers, "connected guys," captains, and godfathers. Now his unforgettable eyewitness account brings to pulsating life the entire world of wiseguys—their code of honor and their treachery, their wives, girlfriends and whores, their lavish spending and dirty dealings." (From Amazon)
It is a great autobiography of a straight arrow FBI agent who goes undercover into a mob family and finds himself sympathetic to the underworld. Pistone is away from his family most of the time and is Lefty's partner skating on the line of crime.
January 12, 2014
Interesting book and I would still recommend it. But annoyingly, it felt like it was trying to come across as a novel rather than an in-depth account of what Joseph D. Pistone went through while undercover, also because of this is started to feel like it was going on too long. By the 300 page mark I felt myself getting bored and just wanting him to get on with it instead of telling us every conversation (Which I also question how, since he was undercover for 6 years, I fail to see how he can recall such full and vivid conversations. Even some of which he wasn't even around for.)
All in all, still an okay read. Just annoyingly drags on a bit too long.
All in all, still an okay read. Just annoyingly drags on a bit too long.
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