’Lucky Luciano: Mysterious Tales of a Gangland Legend’ Dispels Rumors, Confirms Others
Author Christian Cipollini has a new book out that Dan Willis of the Pittsburgh City Paper says is “devoted to its objectivity” in telling a story about the Mob, with the primary focus being on Charles “Lucky” Luciano, one of the most notorious mobsters.
Luciano and his fellow mobsters were involved in everything from bootlegging liquor during prohibition to gambling and murder.
Willis contends that “Lucky Luciano: Mysterious Tales of a Gangland Legend” is a “straightforward and rigorously researched biography” of the famed mobster.
"I worked in reverse," Cipollini says. "I tried to acquire very rare photographs and look at the notes on the back, which led me into weird little archives. It was daunting; there were a lot of long nights."
The book dispels as many myths as it confirms while telling stories that have rarely ever been told.
From the Pittsburgh City Paper:
Cipollini even reprises the rosters of gangland conferences, whose names include the likes of Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzic and, of course, Alphonse "Scarface" Capone. The chapter on Luciano's girlfriend Gay Orlova spares no detail all, the way through to her suicide.
Willis notes that the Cipollini book avoids demonizing the Mob as is common with most films, television work and books on the subject.
"People glorify the mob because there is an undoubted humanity in it, but we have so few facts about it," says Cipollini. "I just wanted to compile everything we know is certain about Lucky."
Cipollini is far from the only person who has tapped into the Luciano mystigue.
Below are two documentaries on the man Time Magazine once classified as the “criminal mastermind”.
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- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
