Blood and Power: Organized Crime in Twentieth-Century America

This is the best book on the subject of organized crime in America that I have ever read. At 512 pages it was clearly well researched, engaging, and informative. Mr. Fox has written a virtual encyclopedia of 20th century criminal organizations. No malarkey or false Hollywood romanticizing here. Mr. Fox shows just how pernicious the mobsters have been since Prohibition. He details how gangsters came to the USA for profit rather than some grand international conspiracy. It still seems shocking the way J. Edgar Hoover stood by as the mobsters power grew. One flaw in the authors reasoning to me was his speculations about the mobs involvement in JFK's assasination without giving the reader any conclusive evidence. Nonetheless every aspect is covered, the reader will be glad they read it.

This is the definitive academic history of 20th Century organized crime. No frills, no fiction, just hard facts. Some may quibble at the circumstantial evidence presented for Mob involvement in the JFK assassination but even here a sound hypothetical case is made from the available facts. From Black Hand days to Prohibition to Gotti, this is the best overall history of the Mob to date. It covers everything and reliably, with ample documentation, a rarity in a field of study usually neglected by serious historians.

The book supplied a plethora of facts on Organized Crime but if you are looking for a page turning thriller this isn't it. On the other hand if you are looking for a reliable source for information on Organized Crime than you have come to the right place. The book was divided up into about 7 sections such as: Politicians, Labor, and Crime fighters to name a few. Then in those 7 sections it was broken down even further where a couple of pages would be devoted to a certain crime fighter or politician.

The best overview of the mafia I have ever read it gives great details and covers everything that makes the mafia and organized crime what it is. You can tell Stephen Fox knows what he is talking about.

The best-written comprehensive narrative study of organized crime in America from the turn of the century to the present. Want to learn about the Mafia, Cosa Nostra, Lansky, the Black Hand, Costello, Chicago Black Sox scandal, Hoffa, Las Vegas, Gotti, etc.? Start here