Crime Incorporated or Under the Clock: The Inside Story of the Mafia's First Hundred Years

Liked the historical perspective and pov. My own grandfather worked on Petrosino's elite squad of cops in the early part of the century. This book is a faithful re-telling of his own stories to me as a kid. Nary a Brando or De Niro in sight!

the book under the clock is very interesting,and i can't help but wonder if the authors great grand -uncle stayed on as godfather,if one of the crime family of new york wasn't balsamo's.

An amazing story that not only tells of the works of the mafia, but for the person from brooklyn it gives insight into the details of a brooklyn that once existed. To imagine that on the streets of columbia and van brunt were stores, carts and a whole community of Italian imigrants. My family was from these streets and it gave me a warm heart to hear about a neighborhood that no longer exist. Burnt out buildings now exist where the old clock stands.My grandfather had his fish store there, my uncle his fish store, my cousins fruit store,and of course my father Iggy carrying pasta up to his grandfather Ignazio who lived above the fish store.What memories, what a book! Though it is a shame about the crime that existed and I am not proud of that, we must see it in historical perspective of a people oppressed and trying to survive and helping each other the only way they could for the time.

One of the best books ever written about the roots of organized crime in the U.S.!! Fast paced and exciting! Reads like a novel, but it's true!

Out of all of the resources I used for a 30 hour research project on the Mafia, Under the Clock stands alone. It is not only a good resource, but is one of the most informative and interesting books I've ever read as well. Besides telling about the Italian and Irish mobs, it also tells of the famous mobsters, their lives and day to day activites. From the origins of the Mafia in America to the recent past with John Gotti, every bit of this book is accurate and gripping. As for readability, this book is written in the style of The Hot Zone by Richard Preston: it is factual information, but reads like fiction because of the sensationalistic subject matter. For anyone interested in the Mafia or old Irish organized crime, this will be a fast read. You don't have to know anything about the mob, or any Italian; this book will grab your attention and hold it until the chilling conclusion. One final note: the language used by the mobsters is not of the most pleasant kind and is used in this book as a device to underscore the mentality and dealings of the Mafia. It is not overly gratuitous with its profanity, but it is not for the feint of heart either.