Top Hoodlum: Frank Costello, Prime Minister of the Mafia

Frank Costello was that rare gangster that lived to a ripe old age (83) and didn't die violently. He began his "career" with the rise of prohibition in the 1920s and then moved on to slot machines and moved his "business" to New Orleans when New York outlawed them. His political opponent in New York at the time was, the "Little Flower", mayor Fiorelio LaGuardia.The book covers the "contributions" of Costello and Lucky Luciano made during World War II in protecting the piers of New York and explaining the landing points in Sicily. How much of the contribution the mafia made in this regard is open to question. Other mobsters such as Meyer Lansky, Vito Genovese, Vincent Gigante, Ben "Bugsy" Siegel, and Albert Anastasia are included in the book as well.The 1957 attempt on Costello's life at the entrance to his apartment on Manhattan's upper west side is covered quite well. Costello spent time as a guest of the government in various prisons in his later life while many of his other friends had either met a violent death, had been deported, or were in prison. The book contains sixteen pages of photographs.I did find one error in the book. Page 256 lists Idlewild Airport as now being La Guardia Airport. Idlewild Airport is now called John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Frank Costello is so often mentioned in books about the Mafia. He is a core member of the Prohibition, 1930s to 1950s New York organized crime scene. I was happy to read about his life and deeds.Later in life he wanted to be accepted by the great and the good as a wealthy, contributing member of society. They didn't. He ended up seeing a therapist about his frustrations. Sort of a very early and real life version of the Sopranos.For all that, he ended up well off, living a life of leisure. "Living" is the key word. The books makes it clear how he managed to stay alive and enjoy his ill-gotten gains, and die of old age. So many of his cohorts died in jail or from bullets.The book is well researched and flows. It kept my interest throughout. The only thing I wish it had is more about his private life, with his wife, mistress, hobbies, and everyday life. But he died long ago, and it might be impossible to fill that in.The book is a good read for anyone interested in the Mafia, New York history and true crime.

The writing is mediocre, repetitive and marred by cliches. Awkward sentences, erratic punctuation, and grammatical errors should have been corrected by competent editing. But the larger disappointment is that nostalgia overrules clarity.Mr. DeStephano appears to admire the major figures in what he calls the “Golden Age” of organized crime. He also seems to accept the traditional view of them, which is that crime is a form of commerce and its successful practitioners are a species of businessmen. Expanding the metaphor, some have cast Lucky Luciano in the role of CEO and Meyer Lansky as CFO. Typically, the nature of their activity is obscured, as it is here, by reference to the poverty and prejudice of their surroundings and the spectacular failure of Prohibition. The legend has grown that these outcasts were a sincere expression of that durable American value — the triumph of talent over prejudice.Mr. DeStefano’s contribution is to elevate Costello to the realm of literature, to connect him directly with Jay Gatsby in an effort to present Costello as a tragic American figure: Costello, like Gatsby, merely satisfied reasonable public desires during a very unreasonable era; Costello, like Gatsby, thereafter sought legitimacy, a place in the new era of the New World, and spent his life chasing vainly after what he was always to be denied. Mr. DeStephano finds tragedy in that denial and, perhaps, in some measure, seeks to right it by bestowing the legitimacy of biography.People who seek legitimacy behave accordingly. They obey laws. They pay taxes without hiding their income. They do not hide their business interests. They do not corrupt police and politicians. They do not sell goods and services through fear and violence. They compete in the marketplace by working harder, or offering more, or innovating, or finding some other legitimate way to succeed . Many, many American immigrants from impoverished backgrounds have done it. Costello was not one of them. His immutable business model was vice protected by fear, violence, and public corruption.The book reprises the legend about Mafia assistance during WWII on the New York docks and in Sicily. Assuming it is all true, what does it tell us about these men? In one of history’s most clear cut conflicts from a moral perspective, they had to be asked for help from the nation that took them in and, then, as is made plain in the alleged negotiations with Luciano, demanded a price for that assistance. Many, many Italian-Americans, German-Americans, and Japanese-Americans volunteered to fight for this nation, giving life and limb and asking nothing in return.Mr. DeStephano finds merit in Costello participating personally in the effort to secure FDR’s nomination at the 1932 Democrat Party convention, suggesting that his colleagues were less intelligent and forward thinking. Costello and men like him did all they could to undermine the rule of law at every level they could reach. There is no merit in that, and there is nothing tragic in such men.

I read so many books about the outfit The syndicate the mafia and this was one of my most cherished reads Frank Costello has always been an amazing character in real life to me. The Godfather in my opinion is based off of Frank Costello's life. I highly recommend reading this word for word and put yourself in Frank's shoes and see how he lived his life. Paul La Fata

An outstanding book on the storied life and crimes of "Uncle" Frank Costello. Bought the book to give me insight into life of a fictional character in a current book series Christopher's Pawn Romance Series authored by my wife LP Budish.... I got and more of what I was looking for... Well written and documented... It keeps your interest... Highly recommend ....

Another amazing mob book by the great Anthony DeStefano

good story

Excellent book

I bought this book for my friends birthday, he read it and said it wasn't thats good its was practically copy and pasted from two other books he has read. Priminister of the underworld and Uncle frank. So I wouldn't advise you to buy this if you have read the other two books. Not a good read if you have .

Very interesting book it opens up my eyes. Excellent.

Huge fan of his books,The Big Heist was brilliant, can't wait to get stuck into this on,fast delivery awseome

Muy buen libro