The gangster movie is one of the most popular genres in film. From the Italian, Irish, and Russian "families" in America to similarly sinister groups in Europe, Japan, and beyond, the cinema has never shied away from portraying the evil exploits of these brutal outfits. In this highly entertaining and informative book, two accomplished and apropos authors put the genre in perspective like no other author or documentarian has done before. The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies provides extensive reviews of the Top 100 gangster films of all time, including sidebars like "Reality Check," "Hit and Miss," "I Know That Guy," "Body Count," and other fun and informative features. Also included are over a dozen stand-alone chapters such as Sleeper "Hits," "Fugazi" Flops, Guilty Pleasures, Lost Treasures, Q&A Interviews with top actors and directors (including Chazz Palinteri, Michael Madsen, Joe Mantagna, and more), plus over 50 compelling photographs. Foreword by Joe Pistone, the FBI agent and mob infiltrator who wrote the bestselling book and acclaimed movie, Donnie Brasco.

Journalist Soren Baker’sThe History of Gangster Rap takes a deep dive into this fascinating music subgenre. Foreword by Xzibit Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture. Filled with interviews with key players such as Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, and dozens more, as well as sidebars, breakout bios of notorious characters, lists, charts, and beyond, The History of Gangster Rap is the be-all-end-all book that contextualizes the importance of gangster rap as a cultural phenomenon. “History has so often been written by the victors, that you very rarely ever get the real story behind anything. So it’s really important to hear from the people that were there, which is exactly what Soren Baker shares in this book. He writes about it and he’s honest about it.” —The D.O.C.

"Myron Sugerman's memoir, The last Jewish gangster: from Meyer to Myron, is more than just arivetingg account of the author's nearly sixty-year career as an international outlaw in the field of slot machines and casinos. It's also a fascinating meditation on a variety of themes: aging, respect, adventure, greed, and man's tendency to be his own worst enemy. Although it's chock-full of hilarious anecdotes about Mr. Sugerman's hapless cohorts in what he calls "disorganized crime," the book also contains life lessons for those perceptive enough to look for them -- lessons on how to differentiate calculated risk-taking fromcompulsivee gambling, and on how to maintain one's place in the world as one grows older. The last Jewish gangster follows its author from 1959 to the present day as he travels the globe from Europe to Africa to South America to Asia, rubbing shoulders with dangerous men and legendary mob figures like Longie Zwillman, Meyer Lansky, Joe "Doc" Stacher, Gerry Catena, Tony Bananas Caponigro, Tommy Ryan Eboli, and many others. The story covers everything from his dealing with the fearsome Cali Cartel to his attempt to help famous Nazi hunter Simon Weisenthal track down the angel of death, Josef Mengele in Paraguay. The remarkable book contains something to pique the interest of any reader -- gritty crime stories, harrowing adventure, twentieth century history, and Jewish religious philosophy -- and the perspective of a man who has lived a long life and seen more than most of us have imagined seeing."-- Cover page 4.

Every bodybuilding fan knows about the "Golden Age" of the sport. But, there is a forgotten legend from that fabled time. An OG of street and stage, Craig Monson outweighed Arnold by 40 pounds, dwarfed Lee Haney and had superior aesthetics. A mass-monster with Michelangelo-like symmetry, Monson was that rare mixture of form and functional strength. Now his story AND his workouts can be told, shared, and understood. Born in the Jim Crow South, Craig was taken by his mother on a Greyhound bus exodus to the land of sun-kissed beaches and Hollywood dreams. A world away from the Pacific Ocean, Craig came of age in Los Angeles' inner city. In this urban environment, Monson found street heroes and became one himself by founding the notorious gang "The Avenues" (a forerunner to the infamous Crip gang). Realities of life in South Central Los Angeles eventually landed Craig in some of the most feared penitentiaries. Inside of the system, Monson built his body into a mountain of muscle and, upon his release, set his sights on bodybuilding glory. Training across the Southland and putting on spectacles of strength at the renowned Muscle Beach, Craig became the biggest and strongest bodybuilder of the 1980s. Learn about his mythic journey from urban streets to the bodybuilding stage! Follow the exact training programs utilized by the legendary Craig Monson!

The Poison Of Money book addresses a struggle that virtually anyone can identify with: Our obsession with and awe of the rich and powerful vs. spiritual teachings that warn against the Seven Deadly Sins including Greed and the Pleasures of the Flesh. This book exposes the far-reaching repercussions of money and its deadly venom. Money. Society's barometer for success. Your ticket to a life of luxury, power and the pleasures of the flesh. How could money possibly have a poisonous side? To tell this story, we are transported back in time to a place where few have ever been allowed entry: For the first time ever, a family member takes us behind the scenes and into the personal life of one of the most powerful men of the 20th century, Johnny Torrio. Joseph, a typical teenager living in Montréal, is captivated by the American Dream of riches and power. Yet, he struggles with repeated warnings from his parents and his religion about money's evil side. He inadvertently discovers a newspaper clipping that reveals a dark family secret. To Joseph's astonishment, Johnny Torrio, once Al Capone's boss, was his great uncle. This mind-boggling find ignites an obsession for the truth. Was his great uncle an incredible success story or one of America's worst criminals? Stonewalled by his parents' silence, Joseph's quest leads him to Tina, an elderly aunt. A fact-finding mission becomes an epic family journey that spans decades and crosses continents. He comes of age when faced with disturbing insights into how the Poison of Money has spread throughout the veins of society. The poison is not only in society at large, but has hit closer to home. He also discovers Torrio's lifelong obsession to reunite with his only blood sister, Marietta (Joseph's Grandmother). This story introduces Torrio's sister to the world. Greed blocks this reunion. Unimaginable curses plague the family. Joseph makes the eerie analogy to the curses of the Pharaoh in "The Ten Commandments." Except that there are only nine curses in the Torrio saga. This is where the story should end with a grown-up Joseph reflecting on the relevance between the 9 curses that plagued the Torrios and The Poison of Money. Except there is a 10th curse... Don't be shocked if The Poison of Money takes root in your family tree...

Nicholas Pileggi’s vivid, unvarnished, journalistic chronicle of the life of Henry Hill—the working-class Brooklyn kid who knew from age twelve that “to be a wiseguy was to own the world,” who grew up to live the highs and lows of the mafia gangster’s life—has been hailed as “the best book ever written on organized crime” (Cosmopolitan). This is the true-crime bestseller that was the basis for Martin Scorsese’s film masterpiece GoodFellas, which brought to life the violence, the excess, the families, the wives and girlfriends, the drugs, the payoffs, the paybacks, the jail time, and the Feds…with Henry Hill’s crackling narration drawn straight out of Wiseguy and overseeing all the unforgettable action. “Nonstop...absolutely engrossing” (The New York Times Book Review). Read it and experience the secret life inside the mob—from one who’s lived it.

Their lives. Book jacket.