General Mob Questions

[John W]

I’m pretty sure Mafia Brotherhoods and Blood Brotherhoods are the same book, I think he changed the name for the paperback version for some reason

[z23]

I’m pretty sure Mafia Brotherhoods and Blood Brotherhoods are the same book, I think he changed the name for the paperback version for some reason

I forgot to mention after reading the table of content for each book as well as bit of the preface to Mafia Republic on Amazon Blood Brotherhoods is actually the two books Mafia Brotherhoods and Mafia Republic combined into a single 800 page volume. The table of content for Blood Brotherhoods and the table of content for Mafia Brotherhoods and Mafia Republic are identical except there is a break where the first book (Mafia Brotherhoods) ends and the second book (Mafia Republic) begins. He (John Dickie) also suggests in the preface to Mafia Republic that the reader should have read Mafia Brotherhoods prior to reading Mafia Republic. I think that's why he issued the single volume combining both books. The book Cosa Nostra: A History is a single stand alone book. The author also wrote a book titled Darkest Italy. The Nation and Stereotypes of the Mezzogiorno, 1860-1900 (New York, 1999). I was just trying to find out if this guy is any good or is he another self proclaimed expert charlatan looking to cash in. His credentials and book/s Table of Content all look good but I have already been burned by a few of these guys in the past with there claim of expertise and all the rest. He is a college professor so he definitely has the "windbag" credential going for him.

In case anyone is interested a few of John Dickie's books are available for free download in pdf and epub format at this location:
https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=John+Dickie

Here is a write up about the author from Wikipedia.
Professor John Dickie (born 1963) is a British author, historian and academic who specializes in Italy.

Born in Dundee, he was brought up in Leicestershire and went to Loughborough Grammar School. He studied Modern Languages at Pembroke College, Oxford, obtaining a Bachelor's degree with first class honours. He continued his studies at the University of Sussex, completing a Master's degree and becoming a Doctor of Philosophy. He is Professor of Italian Studies at University College London, where he has taught since 1993.

Dickie is the author of various books: Darkest Italy. The Nation and Stereotypes of the Mezzogiorno, 1860-1900 (New York, 1999), Cosa Nostra: A History Of The Sicilian Mafia (2004),[1] Delizia! The Epic History of Italians and their Food (2007), Una catastrofe patriottica. 1908: il terremoto di Messina (A Patriotic Catastrophe. 1908: The Earthquake of Messina, Rome, 2008), Blood Brotherhoods: the Rise of the Italian Mafias (2011) and Mafia Republic: Italy's Criminal Curse. Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta and Camorra from 1946 to the Present (2014).

He states his research interests as "Representations of the Italian South, Italian nationalism and national identities, cultural history of liberal Italy, cultural and critical theory, organized crime, Italian food."

In 2005 President of the Italian Republic awarded him the Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity), an Italian knighthood.[2]

In 2005 he married the author Sarah Penny; they have three children.

References:
(1) Vulliamy, Ed (15 February 2004). "The Observer review: Sins of the godfathers". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
(2) King, Carol (18 July 2012). "Interview with John Dickie". Italy Magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2018.

External links:
http://www.johndickie.net
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/selcs/people/ital ... ohn-dickie

[John W]

I’m pretty sure Mafia Brotherhoods and Blood Brotherhoods are the same book, I think he changed the name for the paperback version for some reason

I forgot to mention after reading the table of content for each book as well as bit of the preface to Mafia Republic on Amazon Blood Brotherhoods is actually the two books Mafia Brotherhoods and Mafia Republic combined into a single 800 page volume. The table of content for Blood Brotherhoods and the table of content for Mafia Brotherhoods and Mafia Republic are identical except there is a break where the first book (Mafia Brotherhoods) ends and the second book (Mafia Republic) begins. He (John Dickie) also suggests in the preface to Mafia Republic that the reader should have read Mafia Brotherhoods prior to reading Mafia Republic. I think that's why he issued the single volume combining both books. The book Cosa Nostra: A History is a single stand alone book. The author also wrote a book titled Darkest Italy. The Nation and Stereotypes of the Mezzogiorno, 1860-1900 (New York, 1999). I was just trying to find out if this guy is any good or is he another self proclaimed expert charlatan looking to cash in. His credentials and book/s Table of Content all look good but I have already been burned by a few of these guys in the past with there claim of expertise and all the rest. He is a college professor so he definitely has the "windbag" credential going for him.

In case anyone is interested a few of John Dickie's books are available for free download in pdf and epub format at this location:
https://b-ok.cc/s/?q=John+Dickie

Here is a write up about the author from Wikipedia.
Professor John Dickie (born 1963) is a British author, historian and academic who specializes in Italy.

Born in Dundee, he was brought up in Leicestershire and went to Loughborough Grammar School. He studied Modern Languages at Pembroke College, Oxford, obtaining a Bachelor's degree with first class honours. He continued his studies at the University of Sussex, completing a Master's degree and becoming a Doctor of Philosophy. He is Professor of Italian Studies at University College London, where he has taught since 1993.

Dickie is the author of various books: Darkest Italy. The Nation and Stereotypes of the Mezzogiorno, 1860-1900 (New York, 1999), Cosa Nostra: A History Of The Sicilian Mafia (2004),[1] Delizia! The Epic History of Italians and their Food (2007), Una catastrofe patriottica. 1908: il terremoto di Messina (A Patriotic Catastrophe. 1908: The Earthquake of Messina, Rome, 2008), Blood Brotherhoods: the Rise of the Italian Mafias (2011) and Mafia Republic: Italy's Criminal Curse. Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta and Camorra from 1946 to the Present (2014).

He states his research interests as "Representations of the Italian South, Italian nationalism and national identities, cultural history of liberal Italy, cultural and critical theory, organized crime, Italian food."

In 2005 President of the Italian Republic awarded him the Commendatore dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity), an Italian knighthood.[2]

In 2005 he married the author Sarah Penny; they have three children.

References:
(1) Vulliamy, Ed (15 February 2004). "The Observer review: Sins of the godfathers". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
(2) King, Carol (18 July 2012). "Interview with John Dickie". Italy Magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2018.

External links:
http://www.johndickie.net
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/selcs/people/ital ... ohn-dickie

I read Cosa Nostra years ago when it first came out and I recently finished Mafia Brotherhoods and will start Mafia Republic soon.

[motorfab]

I have questions about the San Diego Matranga brothers (Frank Isador, Gaspare, Joseph & Liberante) :

- Were they family members of L.A. or Detroit? It seems that Frank I. & Joseph were married to Detroit's John Priziola & Salvatore Vitale's daughters.

-Are they cousins with Jaspere & the other Frank Matranga?

-And finally are they relatives of the black handers Sam & Pietro Matranga who themselves were relatives of the New Orleans Matranga?

[gohnjotti]

Does anybody know whether the Luccheses have had any control over NY's Italian feasts (San Gennaro, Santa Rosalia, etc.) in the past three decades? I know the other four have.

[CTamg65]

Hey Gohn nice job with the site bro your doing a hell of a job

[gohnjotti]

Hey Gohn nice job with the site bro your doing a hell of a job

Cheers man!

[MichaelGiovanni]

Gambling question.

I’ve read that crews made money on card games from raking the pot. Like 5% on every hand dealt. Is this the only way they made money on them...by raking the pot? And what was the most popular game for gamblers in mob run card games?

Another question is how did they make money on street craps games? Not table craps where players are playing against the house. But players betting against each other. How did they get a cut from these type games.

[bert]

Gambling question.

I’ve read that crews made money on card games from raking the pot. Like 5% on every hand dealt. Is this the only way they made money on them...by raking the pot? And what was the most popular game for gamblers in mob run card games?

Another question is how did they make money on street craps games? Not table craps where players are playing against the house. But players betting against each other. How did they get a cut from these type games.

In poker games they take from the ante, which is what players throw in before the cards are dealt. In blackjack or crap games the house just makes money by being the bank, like in a casino, they will always win in the long run.

[Wiseguy]

Gambling question.

I’ve read that crews made money on card games from raking the pot. Like 5% on every hand dealt. Is this the only way they made money on them...by raking the pot? And what was the most popular game for gamblers in mob run card games?

Another question is how did they make money on street craps games? Not table craps where players are playing against the house. But players betting against each other. How did they get a cut from these type games.

If you ever get a chance, read the book Surviving the Mob by former Gambino associate Andrew DiDonato. He devotes a whole chapter to giving a nuts n bolts look at the different types of gambling the mob is involved in.

[MichaelGiovanni]

I just re-read that book that’s what got me thinking about it. In the gambling section that is where I read they take the pot for 5% on every hand in card games.

As far as craps I was assuming he was talking about table craps like in a casino. I guess it could be applied to old fashioned street craps. I’m just used to player vs. player when there is no ‘house’ or ‘bank’. Just your dollar vs. my dollar.

I copied this from the book.

“The house started a $ 300-limit game with a bank of around $ 30,000. When higher limits were in effect, the bank was in the area of $ 100,000. Unless high rollers made arrangements for a special game, they were held to the limits no matter how much money they had in their pockets. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t play higher. To satisfy those who craved more action, players could bet directly with one another without going through the house. This was pure “street craps,” where one player “faded” another’s action. If a shooter wanted to bet $ 500 on a game with a $ 300 limit, he could offer the extra $ 200 to whomever was willing to book the action. Once he had a fader, that portion of the wager was strictly between the players; the house had no financial interest in the outcome of those bets either way.”

So the way that I’m reading this is the shooter is the only one playing against the house? Everyone else betting is just betting against another player that the shooter either passes or not?

[Super]

Agree wiseguy he gives a breakdown on all the games the gambinos was running probably the best bit of the book imo.

[Mason_dixon]

What is the difference in Italians from Calabria and Sicilians? Is it equivalent to north be south in USA or democrats vs Republicans?

[Confederate]

What is the difference in Italians from Calabria and Sicilians? Is it equivalent to north be south in USA or democrats vs Republicans?

IMO the Calabrian & Sicilian Italians would be MUCH closer than the Republicans & the Democrats. lol

[scagghiuni]

What is the difference in Italians from Calabria and Sicilians? Is it equivalent to north be south in USA or democrats vs Republicans?

they are very similar, there is not so much difference