Five families : the rise, decline, and resurgence of America's most powerful Mafia empires

Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese. For decades these Five Families ruled New York and built the American Mafia (or Cosa Nostra) into an underworld empire. Today, the Mafia is an endangered species, battered and beleaguered by aggressive investigators, incompetent leadership, betrayals and generational changes that produced violent and unreliable leaders and recruits. A twenty year assault against the five families in particular blossomed into the most successful law enforcement campaign of the last century. __Five Families__is the vivid story of the rise and fall of New York's premier dons from Lucky Luciano to Paul Castellano to John Gotti and more. The book also brings the reader right up to the possible resurgence of the Mafia as the FBI and local law enforcement agencies turn their attention to homeland security and away from organized crime. For Half A Century, The American Mafia Outwitted, Outmaneuvered, And Outgunned The Fbi And Other Police Agencies, Wreaking Unparalleled Damages To America's Social Fabric And Business Enterprises While Emerging As The Nation's Most Formidable Crime Empire. The Vanguard Of This Criminal Juggernaut Is Still Led By The Mafia's Most Potent And Largest Borgatas: New York's Five Families. Five Families Is The Vivid Story Of The Rise And Fall Of New York's Premier Dons From Lucky Luciano To Paul Castellano To John Gotti And More. This Definitive History Brings The Reader Right Up To The Possible Resurgence Of The Mafia As The Fbi And Local Law-enforcement Agencies Turn Their Attention To Homeland Security And Away From Organized Crime. A Fiery Saint -- Tumac's Tale -- Roots -- The Castellammarese War -- Dirty Thirties -- Runaway Jury -- Unlucky Lucky -- Prime Minister -- Murder Inc. -- A Profitable War -- Serene Times -- Wake Up, America! -- Heroin And Apalachin -- Death Of A President -- The Ring Of Truth -- A Splendid Band: The Mob -- The Birth Of Rico -- Unity Day -- Ubazze And Lila -- The Fbi Wises Up -- The Big Boys -- Operation Jaguar -- Planting Season -- This Is It! -- The Curtain Rises -- The Concrete Club -- Far From Finished -- Turning Point -- Snake Charmer -- Carmine's War -- Dynasty -- A Hell Of A Legacy -- Quack-quack -- Shame On Them -- He's Like Robin Hood -- Mrs. Cirelli's Holiday -- I Want To Switch Governments -- Bitter Aftermath -- Self-worship -- Gaspipe -- Blood Purge -- The Professor And Fat -- Tumac's -- 455 Years In Prison -- Team America -- The Pajama Game -- Psychological Warfare -- The Real Boss -- Chin's Millions -- I Know Where Bodies Are Buried -- Brought To Bay -- Last Hurrah -- Nothing Magical: Forensic Accounting -- You Did A Good Job, Louie -- Good-looking Sal -- The Mob's Horatio Alger -- The Genial Godfather Aka The Ear -- Mafia Groupies -- Divided And Conquer -- The Domino Syndrome -- Afterword: Back To The Caves -- Appendix A: Family Trees -- Appendix B: Mafia Boss Succession -- Principal Sources And References. Selwyn Raab. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [742]-745) And Index. 1. A Fiery Saint -- 2. Tumac's Tale -- 3. Roots -- 4. The Castellammarese War -- 5. Dirty Thirties -- 6. Runaway Jury -- 7. Unlucky Lucky -- 8. Prime Minister -- 9. Murder Inc. -- 10. A Profitable War -- 11. Serene Times -- 12. "Wake Up, America!" -- 13. Heroin and Apalachin -- 14. Death of a President -- 15. "The Ring of Truth" -- 16. A Splendid Band: The Mob -- 17. The Birth of RICO -- 18. Unity Day -- 19. Ubazze and Lilo -- 20. The FBI Wises Up -- 21. The Big Boys -- 22. Operation Jaguar -- 23. Planting Season -- 24. "This Is It!" -- 25. The Curtain Rises -- 26. The Concrete Club -- 27. "Far from Finished" -- 28. Turning Point -- 29. Snake Charmer -- 30. Carmine's War -- 31. Dynasty -- 32. A Hell of a Legacy -- 33. Quack-Quack -- 34. "Shame on Them" -- 35. "He's Like Robin Hood" -- 36. Mrs. Cirelli's Holiday -- 37. "I Want to Switch Governments" -- 38. Bitter Aftermath -- 39. Self-Worship -- 40. Gaspipe -- 41. Blood Purge -- 42. The Professor and Fat Pete -- 43. Tumac's Turn -- 44. 455 Years in Prison -- 45. "Team America" -- 46. The Pajama Game -- 47. Psychological Warfare -- 48. The Real Boss -- 49. Chin's Millions -- 50. "I Know Where Bodies Are Buried" -- 51. Brought to Bay -- 52. Chin's Last Hurrah -- 53. Nothing Magical: Forensic Accounting -- 54. "You Did a Good Job, Louie" -- 55. "Good-Looking Sal" -- 56. The Mob's Horatio Alger -- 57. The Genial Godfather aka "The Ear" -- 58. Mafia Groupies -- 59. Divide and Conquer -- 60. The Domino Syndrome -- Afterword: Back to the Caves -- Epilogue: The Lucchese Family and "The Mafia Cops" -- Appendix A. Family Trees -- Appendix B. Mafia Boss Succession.

For half a century, the American Mafia outwitted, outmaneuvered, and outgunned the FBI and other police agencies, wreaking unparalleled damages to America’s social fabric and business enterprises while emerging as the nation’s most formidable crime empire.  The vanguard of this criminal juggernaut is still led by the Mafia’s most potent and largest borgatas: New York’s Five Families.

Five Families is the vivid story of the rise and fall of New York’s premier dons from Lucky Luciano to Paul Castellano to John Gotti and more. This definitive history brings the reader right up to the possible resurgence of the Mafia as the FBI and local law-enforcement agencies turn their attention to homeland security and away from organized crime.  The paperback has been revised and updated, with a new epilogue focusing on the trial of the notorious “Mafia Cops.”

The New York Times - Bryan Burroughs

Mafia nonfiction is not a genre given to rigorous documentation and sound sourcing. What makes Raab so wonderful is that he eschews legend and suspect anecdotage in favor of a Joe Friday-style just-the-facts-ma'am approach. In a 765-page book, not one gangster is ''linked'' to anything more profound than a keychain. Readers raised on stories of mob ties to this president or that Hollywood chieftain will be disappointed. Frank Sinatra gets two paragraphs tops, Jack Kennedy's Mafia connections barely a clause. But just about everyone who should receive his due does, from Meyer Lansky and Joe Valachi to ''Donnie Brasco'' and John Gotti.

Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese. For decades these Five Families ruled New York and built the American Mafia (or Cosa Nostra) into an underworld empire. Today, the Mafia is an endangered species, battered and beleaguered by aggressive investigators, incompetent leadership, betrayals and generational changes that produced violent and unreliable leaders and recruits. A twenty year assault against the five families in particular blossomed into the most successful law enforcement campaign of the last century. Selwyn Raab's Five Families is the vivid story of the rise and fall of New York's premier dons from Lucky Luciano to Paul Castellano to John Gotti and more. The book also brings the reader right up to the possible resurgence of the Mafia as the FBI and local law enforcement agencies turn their attention to homeland security and away from organized crime. "For half a century, the American Mafia outwitted, outmaneuvered, and outgunned the FBI and other police agencies, wreaking unparalleled damage on America's social fabric and business enterprises while emerging as the nation's most formidable crime empire. The vanguard of this criminal juggernaut is still led by the Mafia's most potent and largest borgatas: New York's Five Families." "Five Families is the vivid story of the rise and fall of New York's premier dons, from Lucky Luciano to Paul Castellano to John Gotti and others. This definitive history brings the reader right up to the possible resurgence of the Mafia as the FBI and local law-enforcement agencies turn their attention to homeland security and away from organized crime. Fully revised and updated, this paperback features a new epilogue focusing on the trial of the notorious " Mafia Cops." Book jacket."--Jacket A history of the mafia's infamous "Five Families" traces events within the Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo, and Lucchese clans; identifying their role in damaging American industries and their fierce rivalries with one another. As Tony Accetturo recited this grave oath, the holy picture in his hand perished in flames.