For more than 25 years as a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer George Anastasia has made tracking the demise of the American Mafia his regular beat; writing investigative pieces; profiles and slices of underworld life. Mobfiles is a compilation of some of his best work stories told from street level and often based on insights and access provided by investigators; prosecutors and the mobsters themselves. They are tales of murder and mayhem; love and betrayal; and the loss of honor and loyalty. All of these factors have contributed to the disintegration of La Cosa Nostra. Indeed; the steady deterioration of the mob s own internal value system and sophisticated law enforcement have combined to take down the once secret and powerful underworld society. The characters around whom the stories are framed include mob bosses; turncoat witnesses; high living wiseguys and the women who loved and lost them. The names Nicky Scarfo; John Gotti; Phil Leonetti; Vincent Gigante; Ralph Natale; Joey Merlino will be familiar to anyone who has followed the headlines. Mobfiles provides the true stories around which classics like The Godfather and The Sopranos have been built. Anastasia s writing is a rare window into this murky world; bringing the reader up close to the principal players; their crimes; and their ultimate fates.
#453776 in Books Adventures Unlimited Pr 2004-09-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.00 x 6.00l; 1.97 #File Name: 1931882312595 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Solar MessiahsBy Edward WallThe delicate topics surrounding the historicity of solar messiah figures; echoing the astrotheology; fertility; Pagan; etc. roots are treated realistically by the author. After all; when there is so much in parallel in so many belief systems; often in mirror images; an explanation is required. The Roman Catholic Church still apparently teaches that the devil did it to confuse the believers; to test their faith. Well; that church has done more to test the faith of their believers over millennia than an imaginary devil could ever dream up. The thesis that the priests; working with secret societies; with their eyes on the long time scale; have entrapped people by indoctrination and terror; into gaining small solace at great price; by surrendering their minds; holds much credibility.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Presenting a macro view of the major religionsBy Jon BurnhamThe genius of this book is the way it takes the macro view of the three major historical religions. Rarely do we find such a clear focus from such a wide angle point of view. By zooming out on the three religions; and I mean zooming all the way out into outer space and looking back at them from a space satellite point of view as it were; the author discovers similarities that are not apparent in a close up examination. As it turns out viewing these religions from such a far distance; from the perspective of our sun looking down on planet earth; turns out to be a natural and organic viewpoint to take. It is; in fact; the proper angle from which to view the origins of these religions; for only from this macro perspective do we discover what they share in common. We discover the roots of the three major religions are grounded; earthed; and birthed in solar mythology. This is the common baptism in light shared by each of the three major religions. Such a revelation becomes apparent only by taking the macro view. That is the genius of the author's approach in this book. This book is not light reading but it is illuminating for those who wish to view the three major religions from a cosmic perspective.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Very importantBy BJSThis is a very important book. The writer shows with tons of information and historical references how ancient religions were created and how they hang together. It also explains how biblical texts are really to be understood and how they were designed to impart information to the initiated while leaving the uninitiated with stories that were never meant to be taken literally.Read this book and you will understand how billions of people are caught in the matrix - a surreal world conjured up by cunning priests over centuries.For a comparison with the Bible and other holy scripture I recommend The Life of Apollonius of Tyana. It was written in antiquity and at the time millions believed the miracles described in it just as today many believe the miracles of Jesus.
