Engaging reflections. Gay Talese would befriend and maybe aid a serial killer if he thought he’d get a book out of it. The emptiness of cool could hardly be more evident than in a criminal gang, and the Mob is just a scaled-up version of a gang.
Tony Taylor
2 months ago
It’s easy to impress people who are easy to impress.
True enough. But the author is taking about himself at 20, and doesn’t sound too proud of his then-self to me. Maybe a little; we don’t get a deep inward dive here.
I sense more blunt edge–with a touch of literary swagger–than plain macho schtick. There was some honesty in it, I think. And maybe a bit of work to do on the self-awareness front.
Right-Wing Hippie
2 months ago
Yes, just about everyone longs to be the tough guy, the guy who bucks up their courage, stands up to the bully and knocks him or her out.
The Mafia aren’t the guys who stand up to the bully and knock him out. They are the bullies.
Maybe it’s a bit of hyperbole by the sub-editor, but this is quite an underwhelming tale. Working in a gangster-owned bar for a few weeks is hardly ‘ending up in the mob’.
I don’t think James English will be interviewing the guy any time soon.
“And no, the Mob didn’t take care of their families, à la Goodfellas, when they were upstate or afterwards”
This reads as if the Mob did care for the families of incarcerated fellow-members. The book “Goodfellas” clearly states otherwise. I can heartily recommend Nicolas Pillegi’s book (originally “Wiseguys”) which of course was the source of the celebrated film. Understandably, the book is s a much more nuanced and detailed account than the film
One major problem with the film is that the actors find it hard to be as unpleasant as their subjects. (The Sopranos is better here)
The gangster life is what no sane person would covet. Boasting, bullying or grovelling, hanging out in second-rate restaurants, flashing money: it is a petty and constricted life, and one that often ends early. I can see why it appeals, though, especially to those born on the wrong side if the tracks – and who enjoy violence.
(Not that I’d say this to their faces, though!)
laurence scaduto
2 months ago
In my distant youth my father, who was a reporter in NYC, repeatedly warned me to stay away from the Mob. He implied that they were insidious about pulling people in to that life.
As I grew up I was impressed with how right he was. Just because of my Sicilian last name all sorts of “opportunities” popped up to get friendly with, drink coffee with, maybe even work for (in their legit businesses) some real characters. I didn’t know much about the Mafia (strictly none of my business), but, luckily, I knew what a table full of Mafiosi looked like.
Sheryl Rhodes
2 months ago
As I unravelled my tale, I laughingly confessed, “I thought they were cool.” Though no fan of the cosa nostra, Talese surprised me with the curt response: “They are cool.” Killers, but cool. }}}
Lots of mobsters here in Philadelphia; well, not so much now but a very heavy presence for years. I personally know a prominent attorney who has defended some of the wise guys over the years, and he had zero admiration for these guys. NOT cool! Tacky, money-grubbing cretins. Like shabby sharks, always cruising around their territory looking to survive on whatever small fry they can find. As this attorney put it, “Here’s what kind of guys they are. They would push their own grandmother down to get to a quarter laying on the sidewalk.”
Engaging reflections. Gay Talese would befriend and maybe aid a serial killer if he thought he’d get a book out of it. The emptiness of cool could hardly be more evident than in a criminal gang, and the Mob is just a scaled-up version of a gang.
It’s easy to impress people who are easy to impress.
Indeed. There are some who find this “macho” schtick impressive. It’s just not; it’s mindless and anti-civilisational.
True enough. But the author is taking about himself at 20, and doesn’t sound too proud of his then-self to me. Maybe a little; we don’t get a deep inward dive here.
I sense more blunt edge–with a touch of literary swagger–than plain macho schtick. There was some honesty in it, I think. And maybe a bit of work to do on the self-awareness front.
Yes, just about everyone longs to be the tough guy, the guy who bucks up their courage, stands up to the bully and knocks him or her out.
The Mafia aren’t the guys who stand up to the bully and knock him out. They are the bullies.
The Sopranos got that right.
Maybe it’s a bit of hyperbole by the sub-editor, but this is quite an underwhelming tale. Working in a gangster-owned bar for a few weeks is hardly ‘ending up in the mob’.
I don’t think James English will be interviewing the guy any time soon.
I was hoping for some Michael Franzese/Henry Hill action, but the last paragraph was in the vicinity of Is that it?!
Agreed. An abrupt and pointless ending.
Thanks for this piece.
“And no, the Mob didn’t take care of their families, à la Goodfellas, when they were upstate or afterwards”
This reads as if the Mob did care for the families of incarcerated fellow-members. The book “Goodfellas” clearly states otherwise. I can heartily recommend Nicolas Pillegi’s book (originally “Wiseguys”) which of course was the source of the celebrated film. Understandably, the book is s a much more nuanced and detailed account than the film
One major problem with the film is that the actors find it hard to be as unpleasant as their subjects. (The Sopranos is better here)
The gangster life is what no sane person would covet. Boasting, bullying or grovelling, hanging out in second-rate restaurants, flashing money: it is a petty and constricted life, and one that often ends early. I can see why it appeals, though, especially to those born on the wrong side if the tracks – and who enjoy violence.
(Not that I’d say this to their faces, though!)
In my distant youth my father, who was a reporter in NYC, repeatedly warned me to stay away from the Mob. He implied that they were insidious about pulling people in to that life.
As I grew up I was impressed with how right he was. Just because of my Sicilian last name all sorts of “opportunities” popped up to get friendly with, drink coffee with, maybe even work for (in their legit businesses) some real characters. I didn’t know much about the Mafia (strictly none of my business), but, luckily, I knew what a table full of Mafiosi looked like.
As I unravelled my tale, I laughingly confessed, “I thought they were cool.” Though no fan of the cosa nostra, Talese surprised me with the curt response: “They are cool.” Killers, but cool. }}}
Lots of mobsters here in Philadelphia; well, not so much now but a very heavy presence for years. I personally know a prominent attorney who has defended some of the wise guys over the years, and he had zero admiration for these guys. NOT cool! Tacky, money-grubbing cretins. Like shabby sharks, always cruising around their territory looking to survive on whatever small fry they can find. As this attorney put it, “Here’s what kind of guys they are. They would push their own grandmother down to get to a quarter laying on the sidewalk.”
Delightful…
Weak