Advantages: a rare look into "this thing of ours" from the inside Disadvantages: is all the information completely accurate
...I am an AlPacino nut with most of his films on dvd so when the chance came to purchase this book i snapped it up without hesistation and im very glad i did.
The book tells the story of Joseph Pistone a FBI agent who spent 6 years undercover in the BONANNO family, one of new york's "five families" and details how he managed to live a double life with the fear of being caught out and the consequences he would face.
Agent Pistone used the name Donnie Brasco and to protect his cover, Joe Pistone (Donnie Brasco) went to school to learn about precious gems and diamonds. Eventually he befriended Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero a well known and respected wiseguy and for the next 6 years collected evidence as he became more and more entwinned into the way of a mafiosa.
As time goes by Agent Pistone uses his "connections" to assit other federal...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
...The brilliantly written piece about the Mafia living, dying then thriving within 1950s America was a clasic when released and went on to spawn 3 films through the late 1970s and 1980s which firmly established AlPacino as one of the greatest film stars ever.
Mario Puzo's novel is centred around the Corleone family, at the time the most powerful Mafia family in America (although this is a coverted position). The family is based in New York, with most of it's interests here. The family is headed by Don Vito Corleone, an old, but wise, and respected Mafia Don who wants the best for his family and friends and looks out for their interests.
The story builds around this central character, introducing his friends and how they owe allegiences to him, and also portrays his family well, his three sons, the butch Sonny, the quiet Fredo...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: great escapist compelling read Disadvantages: not an original story
...more occurs in the book than i have time or space to describe and it reads smoothly with a fair number of key characters.
So did I enjoy it - yes, i grudgingly admit it was a very good read. However it is not too difficult to find the influences that motivated Carcaterra in this and it does follow a tried and tested pattern. The story is very closely related to the works of Mario Puzo (The Godfather and Omerta.) Certainly the career of Angelo Vestieri is almost identical to that of Michael Corleone. There is more than a passing reference to 'The Untouchables' and the characters can be seen to have similarities to 'Goodfellas.' However I think this works in the portrayal of the characters. Angelo to me looks feels like AlPacino, Pudge like Joe Pesci, and this imagery helps picture the characters that the story is heavily reliant on.
So...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: a rare look into "this thing of ours" from the inside Disadvantages: is all the information completely accurate
...I am an AlPacino nut with most of his films on dvd so when the chance came to purchase this book i snapped it up without hesistation and im very glad i did.
The book tells the story of Joseph Pistone a FBI agent who spent 6 years undercover in the BONANNO family, one of new york's "five families" and details how he managed to live a double life with the fear of being caught out and the consequences he would face.
Agent Pistone used the name Donnie Brasco and to protect his cover, Joe Pistone (Donnie Brasco) went to school to learn about precious gems and diamonds. Eventually he befriended Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero a well known and respected wiseguy and for the next 6 years collected evidence as he became more and more entwinned into the way of a mafiosa.
As time goes by Agent Pistone uses his "connections" to assit other federal...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
...The brilliantly written piece about the Mafia living, dying then thriving within 1950s America was a clasic when released and went on to spawn 3 films through the late 1970s and 1980s which firmly established AlPacino as one of the greatest film stars ever.
Mario Puzo's novel is centred around the Corleone family, at the time the most powerful Mafia family in America (although this is a coverted position). The family is based in New York, with most of it's interests here. The family is headed by Don Vito Corleone, an old, but wise, and respected Mafia Don who wants the best for his family and friends and looks out for their interests.
The story builds around this central character, introducing his friends and how they owe allegiences to him, and also portrays his family well, his three sons, the butch Sonny, the quiet Fredo...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: great escapist compelling read Disadvantages: not an original story
...more occurs in the book than i have time or space to describe and it reads smoothly with a fair number of key characters.
So did I enjoy it - yes, i grudgingly admit it was a very good read. However it is not too difficult to find the influences that motivated Carcaterra in this and it does follow a tried and tested pattern. The story is very closely related to the works of Mario Puzo (The Godfather and Omerta.) Certainly the career of Angelo Vestieri is almost identical to that of Michael Corleone. There is more than a passing reference to 'The Untouchables' and the characters can be seen to have similarities to 'Goodfellas.' However I think this works in the portrayal of the characters. Angelo to me looks feels like AlPacino, Pudge like Joe Pesci, and this imagery helps picture the characters that the story is heavily reliant on.
So...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
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23.11.2005
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