Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5
Audiobook7 hours
The Quiet Don: The Untold Story of Mafia Kingpin Russell Bufalino
Written by Matt Birkbeck
Narrated by Michael Prichard
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
To what extent was Rosario "Russell" Bufalino involved in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa in 1975? In the CIA's recruitment of gangsters to assassinate Fidel Castro? In organizing the historic meeting of crime chieftains in 1957? Even in the production of The Godfather movie?
Secretive-even reclusive-Russell Bufalino quietly built his organized crime empire in the decades between Prohibition and the Carter presidency. His reach extended far beyond the coal country of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and quaint Amish farms near Lancaster. Bufalino had a hand in global, national, and local politics of the largest American cities, many of its major industries, and controlled the powerful Teamsters Union. His influence also reached the highest levels of Pennsylvania government and halls of Congress, and his legacy left a culture of corruption that continues to this day.
A uniquely American saga that spans six decades, The Quiet Don follows Russell Bufalino's remarkably quiet ascent from Sicilian immigrant to mob soldier to a man described by a United States Senate subcommittee in 1964 as "one of the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States."
Secretive-even reclusive-Russell Bufalino quietly built his organized crime empire in the decades between Prohibition and the Carter presidency. His reach extended far beyond the coal country of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and quaint Amish farms near Lancaster. Bufalino had a hand in global, national, and local politics of the largest American cities, many of its major industries, and controlled the powerful Teamsters Union. His influence also reached the highest levels of Pennsylvania government and halls of Congress, and his legacy left a culture of corruption that continues to this day.
A uniquely American saga that spans six decades, The Quiet Don follows Russell Bufalino's remarkably quiet ascent from Sicilian immigrant to mob soldier to a man described by a United States Senate subcommittee in 1964 as "one of the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States."
Author
Matt Birkbeck
Matt Birkbeck is the author of A Beautiful Child: A True Story of Hope, Horror, and an Enduring Human Spirit and A Deadly Secret: The Strange Disappearance of Kathie Durst. A reporter for The Morning Call, he served for nearly a decade as a correspondent covering crime and human interest stories for People magazine, and his articles have appeared in The New York Times, Reader's Digest, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and other periodicals. He lives in Pennsylvania.
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Reviews for The Quiet Don
Rating: 3.7777777777777777 out of 5 stars
4/5
9 ratings5 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It gives much more insight on the man, the myth and legend, totally awesome
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Too much about events after McGee's death, but overall it was a good book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If you’re from NEPA, it’s a must listen. A lot of familiar names and places
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Confusing to follow the narrative as it jumps back and forth and back again with no apparent rhythm. Subject matter is fascinating and the author does a good job associating the real people with those that have been featured in movies.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Moves slowly, boring details, and actually about 10 percent about Buffalino. How can a book about a Mob Don be boring? This one put me to sleep