Have you ever bought a book really wanting to read it but then somehow it just ends up being a paper weight in a pile of other books? I admit it, I bought this during one of my CFS relapses when I was way to brain-fogged out to read anything and then it just sat…. and sat…. and sat…. But there is redemption here! I stopped neglecting my book pile and here I am – doing a book review after slogging through this one and for me it was a hell of a slog!
This book was written over a course of two years and is a hodgepodge of interviews with a notorious former mobster and weed kingpin. It recounts his life from childhood to the present and it’s a wild story! It details life as the son of immigrants with basically nothing all the way to making millions of dollars and basically being the shit. It’s a story I am sure many Americans, and perhaps others, could appreciate. I don’t know why but this narrative seems to spark the imagination. And I admit there are details in here… that are randomly horrifying. Which I mean, isn’t that what you’d want to read something like this for?
It’s well put together, reads easy, and is a hell of a story. My only problem with it is I felt increasingly contentious over the main character’s bloviating. I noticed so many narcissistic tendencies that I honestly spent most my time wanting to throat punch him but what can you expect of someone in the business? It’s a personal thing. Having been burned by a narcissist I get super punchy when I am forced to deal with anyone with even the tiniest twinges of this disorder but it was all there…. Every three lines contained mention of some item or product with it’s disgustingly high dollar amount. $20,000 watch? No bigs. Imported 17th century couches? Why not? An egregiously well-equipped stable with horses valued for 50K and up? Check. I know a lot of people get off on fantasizing about what it’d be like to own such things but myself… I find it nauseating.
And of course there was the constant mentions of his ex and what a crazy money grubbing bitch she was. Can I say she wasn’t? No, but I find it difficult to see someone who has NOT A SINGLE NICE THING TO SAY about the ex-wife they had their children with all while constantly bragging about how they never cheated on said horrible wife and how he financially took care of their kids. NEWS FLASH, THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DO. This is not something to brag about! I mean Christ, how low is the bar for a “good man” these days?!
And finally what really drove me off the edge was the constant drastic contrast between what he was saying and what he was actually doing in these stories. Total flippant lack of conscience, lack of responsibility, and the constant blaming of others… and the use of money to control others. I noticed all those “forgiven debts” were only forgiven because he was in charge of them – people who didn’t pay up when he wanted them to got ran through the verbal trash compactor. Did I mention this whole book paints a bleak picture of American law enforcement? It makes them look like a gaggle of incompetent ninnies and well….maybe in this case they really fucking are.
I realize all of this is me likely overreacting, but it still made this a very difficult read for me. If you are also the victim of a narcissist I don’t suggest reading it. It’ll be triggering. If you just have an interest in true crime – go for it! It’s actually not a bad book – at all. And you can buy it on Amazon (where I’ll also get a small commission for lighting your interest in it.)