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Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia
 
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Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia (Mass Market Paperback)

by Peter Maas (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; Reissue edition (13 Jul 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0061096644
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061096648
  • Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.4 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 28,036 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #25 in  Books > Biography > True Crime > Mafia & Organised Crime
    #52 in  Books > Biography > Historical > United States
    #95 in  Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Law & Disorder > Criminology

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Product Description

Product Description

In March of 1992, the highest-ranking member of the Mafia in America ever to break his oath of silence testified against his boss, John Gotti. He is Salvatore ("Sammy the Bull") Gravano, second-in-command of the Gambino crime family, the most powerful in the nation. Because of Gotti's ability to escape conviction in state and federal trials despite charges that he was the Mafia's top chieftain, the media had dubbed him the "Teflon Don." With Sammy the Bull, this would all change.

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Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia
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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
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 (6)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Honourable Rat?, 21 Dec 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Underboss (Paperback)
Peter Maas does an excellent job of intertwining Salvatore Gravano's dialogue with his own informative writing. Every chapter is compelling; the story tells like a "Goodfellas" tale from the eyes of a made guy (Henry Hill was never, and could never be made, since his father was Irish).

"The Bull" makes clear his attraction of "The Life" was the honour, living and dying by the codes of Omerta and yet he broke a large number of these very codes. Most were quite understandable, but the major and most interesting defection perhaps is harder to understand. Thus newspapers at the time reported on how sad it was that Sammy had turned rat. Sammy explains the situations leading to his "change of governments" but does not explain specifically, in his own words, why he did this or what was going through his mind at the time. This, I would have liked to have read more about.

Gravano's tales seem mostly believable and are often enforced by Maas explaining the facts. Gravano does not hesitate in passing on his shortcomings, even situations which could be of embarrassment to him. However, I'm sure much of "The Bull's" supposed dialogue has been reworded by Maas to make the story flow in such a compelling manner. This does not make his accounts any less authenticate.

On the whole, a brilliant piece of work my Maas with Salvatore Gravano being infinitely more truthfully than I first expected. This is a truly compelling story of a gangster rising through the ranks of the Gambino Family.

If you enjoyed the Goodfellas movie, you'll love every page of this. Add it to your shopping basket now!

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, in-depth look into Mafia life!!!, 12 Jan 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Underboss (Paperback)
I was lucky enough to have lived in America for a year, and got the chance to read this book! Granvano explains how he met Gotti, turned on him and even killed his brother-in-law. It is a definite read. I never felt so passionately about any other Mafia book. You won't let go! Thats for sure!!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An explosive story of Sammy The Bull's mafia life, 26 Feb 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Underboss (Paperback)
This is the story of Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano, who was underboss of the notorious Gambino crime family. He became quite close to Paul Castellano when he became boss of the family. It is drawn to the rest of the family that Castellano is not a true Gangster, rather a business man. Together, fronted mainly by John Gotti, the family decide to "get rid" of Castellano. The book also goes into, at times groteque, detail of the hits that Gravano carried out for the family. If you know about the Gambino crime family you will know how the story concludes. Even still this book will make you keep coming back. A must read for mafia fans.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mafia Hit
A really well written book.

It is perhaps even better simply becuase Gravano, at the time of his defection, was the underboss for the most powerful mafia family in... Read more
Published 10 months ago by R. A. Watson

4.0 out of 5 stars ANOTHER MOB HIT...
This is an interesting look at the mob from someone who was a made member of the Cosa Nostra. Sammy the Bull Gravano is no angel and he pulls no punches, as he regales the reader... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Lawyeraau

4.0 out of 5 stars Mafia insights
I have always been interested in the mafia lifestyle since i watched the Godfather at an early age. This book was an obvious choice for me to read therefore as it is the true life... Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2004 by D. Prosser

4.0 out of 5 stars They're bad people, but they're our bad people.
Sammy 'the Bull' Gravano is a rat, if you're reading this, you probably already know the basics on him, at least. But this book offers something new that others can't. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2004 by dsheardown2

4.0 out of 5 stars very good book! but I'm missing a Gambino family tree..
This is a very good book, cause you see the inside of the mafia. In the mafia movies you see everything on the outside, but not really what they're thinking. Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars A jurney into the mind of a psychopath
Iwas very surprised by this book, after seeing a documentary on sammy bull i decided to give this book a read, iwas glad i did, this book really lifts the lid on the inside... Read more
Published on 18 Oct 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars An absorbing and mesmerizing book
Underboss, in my opinion is breathtaking, it is truly absorbing from page one, the insight into the mafia, as told by Sammy The Bull Gravano, is really quite an experience... Read more
Published on 20 April 2000

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