CHIN: The Life and Crimes of Mafia Boss Vincent Gigante-Larry McShane

On June 10, 2016 By Genyc79In Organized CrimeLeave a comment

chin2 On December 19, 2005, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, died at the age of 77 at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. The late mafia boss gained notoriety on the streets of Little Italy as he walked about in a bathrobe speaking incoherently to himself and those around him. He became known in the media at the “Oddfather”. His death marks the end of an era as the late Gigante is considered to be among the last of the old-fashioned Mafioso who controlled the streets of New York City. The former boxer, trigger man and boss remains a legend in organized crime history.

But just who was the true Vincent Gigante? And what really went on behind the bathrobe and mystifying ramblings? Larry McShane, a writer for the NY Daily News, presents to us an inside look into the life of one of the most intriguing mob bosses to have ever lived. Based on interviews with those who knew him, including his younger brother Father Louis Gigante, court records, investigation records and testimonials of mafia members, McShane has composed a definitive account of Gigante’s life from his beginnings on the lower East Side all the way to his final confession that his “demented” state was an act to throw off authorities. And what has resulted, is an incredible life story of a complex character committed to the life of La Costra Nostra.

Before reading this book, I had little knowledge of Gigante’s vast family, including several siblings and the two women in his life with whom he created two separate families while at the same time, ruling a Mafia family with an iron fist. The careful don evaded conviction through several decades due to impeccable street smarts and a cloak of privacy that confused and threw off investigators for years before the final curtain call. Once a confederate of such names as Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, the late Gigante was a walking history book having witnessed some of the most important events to have taken place within the American Mafia. And even among some of the most hardened members, his name evoked fear and images of murder and other acts of vengeance.

Today, the Genovese crime family is far different from under the leadership of the Chin. The big names are either deceased or in prison and the family no longer has the power it once did. The RICO act combined with the testimony of cooperating witnesses served as the final nail in the family’s coffin. But while the family has lost a large portion of its aura, the Gigante name lives on as does the Chin’s legacy. Some of us will feel that he was nothing more than a street thug who came up with a ridiculous gimmick while others will look back on their time with him and remember a loving relative and good friend. His past deeds and life aside, he remains a crucial figure in New York City and American history. For those who are interested in the Italian-American Mafia and the life of one of its most colorful bosses, this book is a must read.

Good Cop, Bad Cop: Joe Tromboli’s Heroic Pursuit of NYPD Officer Michael Dowd-Mike McAlary

On June 4, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In New York City1 Comment

good-cop The arrest and subsequent conviction of former NYPD Police Officer Michael Dowd highlighted the perils of decades long corruption that plagued many precincts in the New York City Police Department. Dowd and several other officers had engaged in a multitude of crimes ranging from narcotics trafficking and possession, armed robbery and accessories to murder . Several had even violated department protocol by appearing for work under the influence of alcohol or narcotics or sometimes both. When the scandal in the 75th precinct made headlines, a whole city was stunned and for many, it confirmed many of their beliefs about the NYPD being a corrupt agency full of crooked cops. The fallout from the scandal would force Mayor David Dinkins and Police commissioner Lee Brown to act quickly. The Mollen Commission was created to investigate the pattern of police corruption that had been plaguing the City of New York. Its final report was published in July, 1994 and remains freely available for those interested in one of the darkest periods in New York City history.

One nagging question that never went away was how was Dowd and the other cops allowed to operate for so long without being noticed? The official story was that their activities were well hidden from prying eyes. However, the late Mike McAlary (1957-1998) who worked for the NY Daily News for 12 years, brings us the story of retired officer Joseph Tromboli who pursued Dowd for several years before he was apprehended by Suffolk County detectives in a separate drug trafficking case. And what we learn in Tromboli’s story sheds light on the repeated failures of the Internal Affairs Division of the NYPD to remove Dowd from the NYPD and formally charge him with the many crimes he had been freely committing. A seasoned investigator and no-nonsense officer, Tromboli dedicated his life to catching down and in the process sacrificed his own happiness and many important parts of his life. His efforts however, were not in vain and upon the publishing of the scandal in the City’s newspapers and the Mollen Commission that followed, Tromboli would be vindicated as the cop who had tried but was prevented from bringing down the most corrupt cop in New York City history. This is his story and the good, the bad and the ugly side of the blue wall.

Murder Machine-Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci

On June 4, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In Organized Crime1 Comment

murder machine DeMeo and his crew of psychopathic killers engaged in killing on a scale that rivaled the actions of the former crew of contract killers out of Brownsville, Murder, Inc., during the early half of the 1900s. And although he’s been deceased since 1983, his name and reign of terror remain legendary in mafia history. Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci bring us their account of DeMeo’s reign of terror in this excellent investigative report that gives the full story of the rise and fall of one of the most violent street crews in New York City history. Carefully researched and aided by firsthand accounts of former associates and witnesses, the duo revisits the past and the early lives of Antonio “Nino” Gaggi, Roy DeMeo and Dominick Montiglio, the only surviving member from DeMeo’s crew.

While society tends to glorify stories about the mob through films and documentaries, this book is anything but that. What we learn in these pages is that the characters we follow, operate in a completely different world. The majority have limited education, are prone to acts of violence and often fall victim to the many vices that lie in wait on the gritty streets of the inner city. Deceit, suspicions, greed and homicidal urges take center stage revealing a complex web that devours nearly all of its participants. The crimes are grisly and the crew’s “disposal” of bodies borders on the macabre. The book is not for the faint of heart but it is the definitive account of the murderous reign of one of Brooklyn’s most feared killers next to the grim reaper himself, Greg Scarpa.

Similar to Goodfellas, the stories are entertaining and thrilling, the fallout is tragic and in the end we are able to see the dark side of a life in crime and the many victims, both living and deceased that are created in the pattern of dysfunction filled with the worst traits a person can have. The authors did a phenomenal job of covering the trials and convictions of the major players. The private and mysterious Walter Mack also makes an appearance and his role and importance in the convictions is on full display. And the heroic efforts of the many detectives that spent countless hours in their investigations are rightfully profiled. Nearly all of the gangsters in the book are gone with almost every single one having met a violent end. However, their names are still mentioned today and their stories continue to be told. Their stories are a critical part of the history of New York and will remain with us until the end of time. For those who enjoy true crime and are fascinated by the inner workings of the American mafia, this book is among the best.

ISBN-10: 0451403878
ISBN-13: 978-0451403872

The New Jim Crow-Michelle Alexander

On May 27, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In American HistoryLeave a comment

In the 240 years that the United States has been in existence, the feats and accomplishments of this nation have been nothing short of history changing and in some case earth shattering. As one of the world’s superpowers, the United States continues to be a prime destination for immigrants all over the world looking for a new opportunity in the land of the free and home of the brave. And while the public face of the country touts freedom, liberty and justice for all, there’s a much darker side to the country rarely seen by many of the people wishing to immigrate to America an those who currently live in the nation. Incarceration rates have been on the rise in the United States since the start of the 1980s. And shockingly, the United States continues to incarcerate people at a higher rate than any other country on earth. The rates show no sign of slowing down or even declining and as a result, more prisons are being constructed and more Americans of all backgrounds are entering prison cells than ever before.

I vividly remember as a kid in the 1980s, the government’s commencement of the war on drugs. Television commercials, posters, documentaries and news broadcasts regularly reminded us of the dangers of narcotic use. Nancy Regan famously reminded us to just say no. In 2016, the war on drug continues, but its success and consequences remain the topic of fierce debate. While the primary focus of the war may have been the elimination of illegal drugs, there was a heavy price to be paid by those on the wrong end of the campaign. The laws passed as a result of the anti-drug campaign have resulted in some the harshest prison sentences in the world for drug use. Young African-American and Latino make up the majority of all drug convictions pursuant to those same laws and the system of mass incarceration has appropriately been called by Michelle Alexander in this phenomenal book, the ‘New Jim Crow’. While the Jim Crow laws that cast a dark cloud on the United States were struck down many decades ago, the systematic incarceration and ostracism that convicted men and women find themselves in, is some ways equally as dangerous as the former system of legal segregation. Those who do enter the system, often find that they carry a stigma for life as a felon and sometimes never fully re-integrate into society thus becoming the unwanted and living with the shame and neglect as many minorities did during the violent and regretful Jim Crow era.

Alexander has done a masterful job of bringing to light what could be considered an epidemic in American culture. The fallout from the war on drugs and high incarceration rates among Black and Latino youths, has resulted in the continuation of the destructive cycles in the ghettos across America that were responsible for their lifestyle from the beginning. Thoroughly researched and thought-provoking, her investigative report challenges us to re-examine our own opinions about convicted felons and drug use. She also forces us to considered the economic benefits from the incarceration of millions of Americans and the financial black hole that has resulted from the war on drugs. Her reporting is shocking and infuriating for it reveals many dark secrets about the American penal system and the American attitude to crime and punishment. And as someone who was raised in an environment that produced many young men and women who have fallen victim to the new Jim Crow, this book is a brutal reminder of the life long consequences of a life in the street and the cost of the mistake for many Americans that are otherwise productive members of society.

This book should be required reading in homes and classrooms across America in the effort to prevent young men and women from entering a life long system of discrimination and oppression. Michelle Alexander has done a great service to the citizens of this nation who are unaware or unwilling to face our fear of topics of race, prison, poverty and politics. Only then, can we begin to dismantle the new system of Jim Crow and successfully rehabilitate those in the penal system and help end the decades long poverty that has plagued neighborhoods all across America.

ISBN-10: 1595586431
ISBN-13: 978-1595586438

Once a King Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King-Reymundo Sanchez

On May 24, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

Reymundo Sanchez, the author who brought us his incredible life story in ‘ My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King’ returns with this follow-up book about his final defection from the Latin Kings and the phase in his life that begins. At the beginning of the book, he is still entrenched in the gang life but desperately trying to find a way out. That way out would come in the form of arrest and subsequent incarceration. The time he spends in prison opens his eyes and minds to the harsh realities of the gang life and the preciousness of freedom. The dysfunction and hopelessness he witnesses inside the walls of a prison serve as the catalyst for his final defection from gang life and onto the path of redemption. The events that follow and his response and adaptation to them, form the nucleus of this incredible story. His perseverance and success in confronting his past demons are some of the best parts of this fascinating story.

In the first book, we witnessed the dysfunctional childhood endured by the young Sanchez, complete with a neglectful mother, abusive stepfather, sexual predators, violence, money, drugs and tragedy. Some of the same characters make an appearance in the second part of his story but the nature of the relationships are much changed from what they once were. However, they all play in part in the events that happen and the changes he makes in his quest for a new life. The new aspect of his life on display here for the first time, is love. In this part of his life story, we are witnesses to the first real relationship he has with a member of the opposite sex not based on drugs, money or just sex in general. And as the author points out, this relationship is what finally allowed him to face the demons that haunted him for so many years. Those same demons however, would not go away quietly and rear their ugly heads at more than one point during the book as the author struggles to keep his composure as he tries to break old habits that insist on dying hard.

Some moments in the book are a tough read but necessary to understand the dramatic transformation that the author goes through. Perhaps the most tragic part of the book aside from family relationships and intimate relationships with women, is that even though you leave a gang, sometimes that life never fully leaves you. And he realizes that once a king, always a king, even if unwillingly. And it this message that is conveyed in this eye-opening personal account. Today, Sanchez is no longer a Latin King, but he continues to carry the many scars from his early life, some of which will never fully heal. He freely admits that he does the best he can but at times, it is far from easy. His story and message should be read and heard by all young women and men interested in the gang culture and a life of crime and parents wishing for their children to have as normal of a life as possible. Sanchez’s story is tragic, violent and at times tough to read, but his life and transformation is rare among many of his peers. It took enormous courage for the author to write these two books, but his story has become a personal favorite of mine and I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the Latin Kings and the brutal life that exist within a gang. And in addition to his own story, he also wrote the story of a female gang member, the incredible book ‘Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen ‘, with former gang member Sonia “Lady Q” Rodriguez.

ISBN-10: 1556525532
ISBN-13: 978-1556525537

Chiang Kai-Shek: An Unauthorized Biography-Emily Hahn

On May 20, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

April 5, 1975-Chiang Kai-Shek dies at the age of 87 in Taipei, Taiwan from the effects of renal failure enhanced by cardiac malfunction. His death marks the end of the life of one of the most important figures in the history of modern-day China and the 20th century. As leader of the Kuomintang Nationalist Party, he oversaw efforts to resist the Japanese occupation of China and the efforts of the Chinese Communist Party, led by a young Mao Tse-Tung, to seize control of the Chinese government. Mao finally succeeded, formally declaring the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. In the years that followed, Chiang’s role in the history of China was often diminished and overshadowed by Mao’s ‘Great Leap Forward’, the controversial plan that brought China to the brink of disaster. In recent years, Chinese society has seen a surge in freedom movements and the efforts the youths of China to bring change to a system in place for decades. And as the country continues to see itself transformed as new ideas are presented, many may reflect back in time to a period in which a nationalist was fighting to bring democracy and avoid a Communist empire.

Emily Hahn presents to us this biography of the late leader which follows his life from the small village of Chikow up until his exile to Taiwan following the push forward into mainland China by Mao’s Chinese Communist Party. Known as the Generalissimo, the rise and fall of the KMT marked a tragic time in Chinese history in which the nation was caught in a battle between several nations to control the future of China. His decisions and actions were often questioned and even his loyalty came under scrutiny by officials in the United States government. However, this is the real Chiang Kai-Shek, the good, the bad and even the mysterious. A complex figure as all world leaders are, there is no single adjective to accurate describe the late leader. However, Hahn’s account is an informative and valuable look into his life and the many trials and tribulations that afflicted the legendary figure. The relationship between the Generalissimo and his foes and allies in the U.S. is a case study in the controversial U.S. foreign policy prior to, during and following the second World War. Hahn’s account also sheds light on the roots of the Cold War that eventually developed between the United States and Soviet Union. For a good read on Chiang Kai-Shek, the Chinese Communist Party and the alignment and eventual disconnect between America and Russia, this is a good place to start.

ASIN: B0007DLT00

My 21 Years In the White House-Alonzo Fields

On May 16, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

In 1994, Alonzo Fields died at the age of 94, having lived a life that was nothing short of fascinating. Fields is best remembered for having served as a butler and then Chief Butler at the White House for 21 years under four Presidents. In 1960, he wrote this short but intriguing memoir of his time in Washington and the many important historical figures that he encountered during his time at the White House. As a book about the behind the scenes workings of the White House kitchen and support staff, one may be tempted into thinking that the pages of the book will be filled with curious tidbits of gossip about the personal lives of the occupants. This is book is anything but that. Never intended to be a gossip account, Fields stays away from rumors and the secretive lives of the presidents and their families. He mainly recounts his encounters and his opinions regarding his day-to-day interactions with the presidential families.

While Fields’ account does not contain any provocative information, students of history will pick up things here and there throughout the book. And the foreign leaders and ambassadors that visit provide additional memories that Fields fondly recalls. The encounters with Sir Winston Churchill are nothing short of humorous and support the common notion of Churchill being one of the most grand leaders in world history. More often than not, a common misconception about the presidency is that the holder of the office has unlimited power and lives in the most grandest fashion. From Fields’ eyes, we see that isn’t always the case and level of frugality varied from one President to the next. Additionally, the President serves as the top-level head of the nation but his job and the job of the First Lady also dedicates a significant portion of time hosting others. And supporting these endeavors is an amazing and highly tuned supporting staff which Fields proudly recalls having been part of for 21 years of his life. Some of the best witnesses to history are often the silent ones for with the eyes and ears open and mouth closed, they are able to observed and analyze almost everything they encounter. Fields, who remained friends with President Truman and is mentioned in the records of the Truman library, held one of the most important positions in the nation and as a result left us with this good read of what it was like working for the President of the United States.

ISBN-10: 1530072379
ISBN-13: 978-1530072378

Blacklisted by History: The Untold Story of Senator Joe McCarthy-M. Stanton Evans

On May 15, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In American HistoryLeave a comment

On May 2, 1957, Joseph Raymond “Joe” McCarthy dies at the age of 48 in Bethesda, Maryland from the effects of acute hepatitis. The late Senator from the state of Wisconsin is famously remembered for his campaign to extricate employees from positions within the United States government suspected of being members of the American communist party, under the direction of the Soviet Union. During his campaign and for many years following his death, McCarthy was viewed as being paranoid about communism, intent on ruining the lives and reputations of honorary citizens and a self-destructive force who died in part due his own personal demons. One of the beautiful things about history is the ability to look back and re-examine events in the quest to find out what really happened. More than 50 years after his death, McCarthy’s name is still mentioned in conversation and used as the end of jokes about anyone who is suspected of being overly concerned about any type of foreign influence on the domestic policies of the United States. But just who was the real Joseph McCarthy? And was he the out of control hunter of communist who attacked his targets at all costs?

M. Stanton Evans answers these questions and more in this definitive look into the life and actions of the late Senator. Painstakingly researched, Evans’ account is both eye-opening and sobering for it reveals the true Joseph McCarthy and his beliefs regarding communist ideology in American society and the espionage that had been occurring throughout the U.S. government by agents of the Soviet Union. Through Evans’ research, a new picture of McCarthy emerges that is in stark contrast from the historically jaded image that we’ve come to recognize. A new McCarthy is seen, as man who through patriotic beliefs, leads a crusade against what was then a threat to the national security of the United States. Targeted by enemies in the State Department and the Truman administration, a war was unleashed to discredit McCarthy at all costs. Fabrications, missing evidence and evasive testimony would serve as the foundation for endless attacks upon his credibility and beliefs. The Watkins committee and its final result remain the darkest time in McCarthy’s life next to his untimely death.

Evan’s account is a masterpiece of investigative and contains a full roster of some of the most remembered names in history, many of them making an appearance in the book. He was hated by some and loved by others, but his name and crusades remain a critical part in U.S. history. Judgment is often passed quickly upon him, but most fail to see the true Joseph McCarthy and the patriotic battle he waged against an enemy within. The most tragic part of his story, is that it took decades for his vindication to take place. We now know that not only was he right about his beliefs but the hunt for Soviet moles within the U.S. government continued for decades after his death and would reach its culmination under the direction of the mysterious CIA Chief of Counterintelligence, James J. Angleton. Harry Truman once remarked that the only truth is the history we do not yet know. Truer words have never been spoken. For the real story on the crusade of Joseph McCarthy, this is it.

ISBN-10: 1400081068
ISBN-13: 978-1400081066

Retired Dallas Police Chief Jesse Curry reveals his personal JFK Assassination File-Jesse Curry

On May 3, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In JFKLeave a comment

71osgnowlrl Chief Curry had been in the lead car of the motorcade making him a crucial eye-witness to the events in Dealey Plaza. He gave his testimony before the Warren Commission on April 15, 1964. This limited collector’s edition of Curry’s book reveals the beliefs of the former chief and sheds slight on several interesting parts of the crime that have never been fully explained. Curry is frank and to the point making it clear that the book is not intended to support the Warren Commission’s conclusions or any other conclusions that have been made about the crime. He further states that it is up to each person to make up their mind on what they think really happened on that day. Provided in the book are miscellaneous pieces of evidence such as documentation taken off of Oswald, homicide reports and statements of officers of the force regarding the custody of Oswald and the alleged relationship between Jack Ruby and the Dallas Police.

In the years that have passed since the release of Curry’s book, a staggering amount of information has come to light regarding the events of that day. And what we know now conflicts with some of the statements in Curry’s book. But whether Curry was unaware of these facts or misstated certain facts is knowledge he took with him to the grave. In fairness, the book was never intended to be a smoking gun about the crime but rather the recollections of the top office in the Dallas Police at the time. With that being said, I think it’s a good read and unquestionably relevant to the growing amount of literature regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

ASIN: B0006CZR8M

Sleep My Little Dead: The True Story of the Zodiac Killer-Kieran Crowley

On May 3, 2016December 10, 2018 By Genyc79In New York CityLeave a comment

When Heriberto “Eddie” Seda was apprehended on June 18, 1996, the residents of East New York, Brooklyn and the detectives tasked with finding him breathed a sigh of relief. For six years Seda terrorized East New York and the City of New York in a murderous rampage intended to mimic the infamous Zodiac Killer that terrorized California in the 1960s. When Seda was arrested, I was 16 years old and lived several blocks from the 75th Precinct, which was tasked with patrolling the neighborhood that had become recognized as one of the worst parts of Brooklyn. The shootings became the topic of discussions among my father, friends and classmates in school. We had been warned by our parents to be vigilant and report anything we saw or heard that was out of the ordinary. Kieran Crowley, a former reporter for the NY Post, was assigned to cover the story and spent hours in East New York interviewing witness and countless more hours reviewing documents and articles. He has put together the only account of one of the most heinous killing sprees to terrorize New York City.

The book was written in 1997, roughly a year after Seda’s capture. And at the time it was published, Seda was still waiting trial. Since then he has been tried, convicted and is currently incarcerated at Great Meadow Correctional Center in Comstock, New York. He will not be eligible for parole until 2081 and will never again roam the streets of Brooklyn.. For the younger generation of East New York, Seda’s name is unknown but to the older generation, his name conjures up memories of a dangerous time in East New York to which they never hope to return. Crowley’s investigative report is the definitive account of the crimes and Seda’s life and the wave of terror he inflicted. The dysfunction and mental instability and degrading relationship between Seda, his mother and sister are covered in detail providing the necessary back story to the infamous crime spree that gripped a neighborhood. Many years have passed since East New York was paralyzed with fear but Seda’s reign of crime remains with us reminding us of the many horrors that once plagued New York City.

ISBN-10: 0312963394
ISBN-13: 978-0312963392

FREETHINKING BIBLIOPHILE

Author: Genyc79