The Prince of Providence: The Rise and Fall of Buddy Cianci, America's Most Notorious Mayor

This reads like a crime novel--only it's all true. It is so Rhode Island. Smallest state in the union but they make up for it with interesting characters and crazy stuff. I'm impressed with the level of political corruption and graft that little Providence and Buddy produced--and I'm from Chicago.

i LIVED IIN RHODE ISLAND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS,HOWEVER I WAS NOT INTO POLITICS ATTHE TIME BUT EVERYONE KNEW OF BUDDY CIANCI!! The book was well written and I commend the authorfor the tremendous amount of work he had to have done to gather all the information. Everyone who has everknown about R.I. needs to read this book! I couldn't put it down ------WELL DONE

I enjoyed reading about this corrupt, scandal ridden man and his administrations. And that he managed to keep getting re-elected even though he did have to wait a while until he got out of jail (in payment for all the money grubbing schemes of his first administration) !It gets four stars versus five because of "sloppy pronoun editing". Sentences could be rather long and involved and the characters in the sentence were just about always men. So, the pronoun "he" shows up a lot. But I was often confused as to which "he" he referred to. I would have to re read a lot of times to untangle the "he's".I would recommend it if : you're from the east cost or Rhode Island; you get a laugh out of all the money grabbing politics at local levels; or if you just want to learn something about the "wise guys".P.S. Buddy was mayor but he still had time to make and market his own marinara sauce. Don't know if it was any good.

I enjoyed the book because we lived in RI at the time Buddy was mayor. I recognized all names of the people in the book. The book also answered some questions I had about some of the stories that were told back then.

The author has accurately focused on one aspect of the cesspool that is political Rhode Island. Sure, there is corruption elsewhere: New York, Louisiana, Massachusetts...but the city-state of Providence and its limelight-hogging former mayor exemplify the saying that "people get the government they deserve," and is more accessible and fun to read about. The author concentrates on Vincent "Buddy" Cianci and his coterie of Providence lowlifes. He barely mentions that the whole state is for sale, not just Providence. He gives a linear biography of the Mayor, then gets lost in details about the lower-level goings on that fed the mayor's purse and extravagant life style. The book reads to me like a collection of chapters that may have been published elsewhere singly, then knitted together, but with the seams showing. He repeats information in separate chapters. He re-explains. He writes paragraphs with no point. He seems wistful that, with Buddy in the jug, the "Providence Renaissance" will lose its heart and falter. He could have won some applause from me if he had told more of the part the Providence Journal plays in providing what little integrity exists in Rhode Island. That old-line Yankee WASP paper (at least until recently) is responsible for every exposure of corruption and drive for clean government in the state. In spite of his authorly flaws, his information is bang on, and he sticks with it relentlessly until the poignant Runyanesque end, when he makes us sorry to see this alleged sociopath go off to receive his slap on the wrist in a Federal prison. I'd still recommend the book. It's worth wading through.

This book is a fantastic read and a thorough description of the corruption that ran at the center of Providence politics under Buddy Cianci. It gives great detail and a flavorful account of the episodes that shaped Rhode Island's reputation and direction.

Buddy Cianci was, despite his published ways, a much loved mayor who in the end was all about his constiuents, despite his personal gain. He loved his people and they loved him. No doubt he'll be back. I got to know him well through his last years as mayor and really do wish him well in his later years, sans incarceration.

"There appear to be two very different Buddy Ciancis. The first Buddy Cianci is a skilled, charismatic political figure, one of the most talented Rhode Island has ever seen. . . . Then there’s the Buddy Cianci who’s been portrayed here. That’s the Buddy Cianci who was mayor of an administration that was corrupt at all levels. That’s the Buddy Cianci who committed an egregious breach of the public trust by . . . operating the city that Buddy Cianci was supposed to serve as a criminal enterprise to line his own pockets. My job is to sentence the second Buddy Cianci. Because the first Buddy Cianci wouldn’t be here.”~Judge Torres, who presided at the " Plunderdome" trialHis quote describes to character that us Buddy Cianci best- A dual personality, Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde.Two things:1- Mike Stanton should write a sequel.2- neither of the Buddy Cianci's should win your vote this November 4th.

A great rollicking ride through the corrupt tenure of "Buddy" Cianci, the mayor of Providence. Featuring wise guys, Dem machine pols, and the obligatory upstanding G-man.

I bought this as a gift for a local politician ,as a warning about the possibility of our having mayors I the devolved shires