From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Decades before the Five Families emerged and more than half a century before Mario Puzo wrote The Godfather, Giuseppe Morello and his family controlled all manner of crime in New York City. Bestselling historian Dash (_Satan's Circus_; Tulipomania) presents an enthralling account of this little-known boss of bosses,ั dubbed the Clutch Handั because of his deformed arm. Arriving with his family from Corleone, Sicily, in 1892, Morello soon set up a successful operation counterfeiting American and Canadian bills. His empire expanded to include extorting local businesses, insurance scams and kidnappings. The Mafiaโa term that Dash underscores was used by outsiders, not membersโwas in its infancy when Morello came to America, but by the time he was gunned down in 1930, families had cropped up in all five boroughs and in cities across the country. Dash depicts the balance between loyalty and betrayal as an ever-changing dance and nimbly catalogues the endless gruesome murders committed in the name of revenge and honor. Readers may think they know the mob, but Morello's ruthless rule makes even the fictional Tony Soprano look tame. Maps. (Aug.)
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From
While most Americans can name two or three famous Mafiosi, few have ever heard of Giuseppe Morella. Dash's vivid, fascinating account of his life and times may change that. Dash combed through century-old newspaper articles, police files, and court transcripts, and his extensive research shows on every page and sets the record straight on pre-Prohibition mob operations. The narrative brims with anecdotes and little-known facts, and Dash's animated, eloquent prose results in a convincing and powerful story. However, Dash doesn't soften the edges of this gritty, violent era: a few critics complained that the book was, at times, too gory. The First Family is nevertheless a valuable contribution to our understanding of this uniquely American institution.