Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America
Bill O'Reilly
O’Reilly and co-author Martin Dugard trace the brutal history of 20th Century organized crime in the United States, and expertly plumb the history of this nation’s most notorious serial robbers, conmen, murderers, and especially, mob family bosses. Covering the period from the 1930s to the 1980s, O’Reilly and Dugard trace the prohibition-busting bank robbers of the Depression Era, such as John Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby-Face Nelson. In addition, the authors highlight the creation of the Mafia Commission, the power struggles within the “Five Families,” the growth of the FBI under J. more
292 pages, Hardcover
First published St. Martin's Press
4.25
Rating
11699
Ratings
885
Reviews
Bill O'Reilly
59 books 2892 followers
Bill O'Reilly's success in broadcasting and publishing is unmatched. The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor led the program to the status of the highest rated cable news broadcast in the nation for sixteen consecutive years. His website BillOReilly.com is followed by millions all over the world.In addition, he has authored an astonishing 12 number one ranked non-fiction books including the historical "Killing" series. Mr. O'Reilly currently has 17 million books in print.
Bill O'Reilly has been a broadcaster for 42 years. He has been awarded three Emmys and a number of other journalism accolades. He was a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News as well as a reporter-anchor for WCBS-TV in New York City, among other high-profile jobs.
Mr. O'Reilly received two other Emmy nominations for the movies "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Jesus."
He holds a history degree from Marist College, a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, and another master’s degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Bill O'Reilly lives on Long Island where he was raised. His philanthropic enterprises have raised tens of millions for people in need and wounded American veterans.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/billor...
Community reviews
I am not scared to say I am NOT a fan of Bill O'Reilly but man do I love his books. This one might be the best so far only because it is SO interesting. I want him to turn his book into shows so I can re-learn everything. I already am going to watch The Godfather this weekend. Do not let your feelings of Bill prevent you from reading his books. more
This is an outstanding book. It not only cover the details of the job but goes behind the scene. It is thoroughly referenced to insure correctness. I highly recommend. more
This is enthralling. Even if you knew much or lived through most of this period of the 20th century- the research. So much information I did not know too. And I have one other book yet to read on Vito and Lucky's competition yet. Do you call it competition. more
Gangster slang is a dialect you will not forget, "Never rat on your friends and always keep your mouth shut. " "Somebody messes with me. I'm gonna mess with him. Better yet I'm going to punch that guy if he doesn't stop grilling me. "-Al Capone. more
Fascinating. So well researched. Can’t tell you how many times I said out loud, “Wow. I didn’t know that. ”Killing Kennedy is definitely next on my list. more
4 stars ⭐️ I’ve read quite a few books from the Killing series and this one is up there now with my other favorites (Killing Jesus, Killing Patton, Killing the Rising Sun)This book is fascinating. Almost everything was new to me. The birth of the mafia in Sicily and how they made their way to America and infiltrated so much here. Corrupt government agents, corrupt labor unions, bribes and blackmail, hits that did and didn’t happen, gross mafia infiltration in Hollywood, government and so much of American life. The birth of Las Vegas,and also Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, J Edgar Hoover, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Kennedy, etc. more
I always preface my reviews of the Killing series by saying that even if Bill o’Reilly is a pompous ass, you can’t fault him for his love of history and his ability to co-author some of the most compelling and interesting non-fiction books out there. And that’s the case with Killing the Mob, the 10th of his and Dugard’s best selling series. We all know about the mob and the Mafia thanks to The Godfather and the conspiracy theories regarding their alleged part in assassinating JFK (which, thankfully neither of the authors believe), but there is a lot more history and politics involved in their creation and rise to power. Dugard and o’Reilly once again did a fantastic job of researching their background and eventual all encompassing power. As usual, I learned a lot and being part Sicilian and jokingly calling my huge extended family “the mob”, this one was a lot of fun to get into, even if that means I may or not be related to some of the most brutal gangsters on the planet. more
Don Vito Corleone: “I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse. ”Don Vito Corleone: "A friend should always underestimate your virtues and an enemy overestimate your faults. "Don Vito Corleone: “Revenge is a dish best served cold. ”Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. more
Pretty crazy stuff, but quite entertaining. Before reading this book most of what I knew about the mafia I probably had learned from movies. Much of it likely wasn’t too far from the truth, but I was still surprised by many of these stories. The influence of the mafia has been even more pervasive and far-reaching than I thought, from politics to labor unions to sports to Hollywood. For instance, I had no idea that Mussolini tried to destroy the mafia of Sicily, so many of the crime families fled to the US as refugees. more
Great book. As title implies, similar to O'Reilly's other Killing books. Think a well-written survey of the topic. The mob is an incredible(size) aspect to our nation's history; this is a great survey of how the mob has impacted our American life and history. There is an unfortunate amount of language and gore. more
His books really make you think. You really see how the mob has their hands in many things. more
This is the first of O'Reilly's killing series books I have read. I am impressed. well written and researched. Good entertaining read throughout. i will checking out more of these. more
So very interesting like all the Killing series. The beginning told the story of multiple bank robbers in the 1930s and the book went chronologically through the rise of organized crime, mob bosses, and mafia. I never made the connection between the Great Depression and the bank crimes that followed. Most people became angry at financial institutions for forcing so many people from their homes. Some famous robbers were looked at as “Robin Hoods” and were harbored in people’s homes. more
Narrator is great and takes you through time from John Dillinger to John Gotti. Highlights just enough of each character through time without delving into an autobiography. You can see the change in organized crime as time, government, and technology has changed our world. more
Ok, so you know Bill O’Reilly books usually find themselves at my door as gifts. You also know that my feelings for Bill’O aside, his books are pretty dang readable (especially when it comes to nonpartisan topics). So Killing the Mob was exactly what I expected. Bills books are the MTV/History Channel/Buzzfeed/Fox version of History, but I suspect the reader should know this. A lot of flash , a lot of buzz, and not a very deep dive. more
This was the tenth Killing Book I’ve read which is the whole series to date. This might be my least favorite. The book covers early mob activity in the 1920s with Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Bonnie and Clyde and the beginning of J. Edgar Hoover in the pre-FBI era. It soon devolves into a story of the Cosa Nostra, Mafia, JFK and RFK, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, Jimmy Hoffa, Mohammed Ali, Sonny Liston, Cuba, assassinations and just about all criminal characters who achieved infamy in the 20th century and others who maybe aren’t. more
Don't Bother to Waste Your Time & Money on ThisA sketchy history of organized crime in the USA. And it ends in 1980 with Donnie Brasco. Did somebody threaten O'Reilly and Dugard if they dare cover the last 40 years. more
Great deal of detail in short chapters that cover the history of the mob and gangsters since the 1930’s to early 2000s. Personally, I would prefer to deep dive a bit more in this topic before taking any conclusions on VIP (famous singers, actors, presidents) presumably linked to organized crime. Final Rating: 4. more
Very interesting. The research, writing and footnotes are excellent. Great book. more
Wow. This book is very hard to put down, it is a real eye opener. I have greatly enjoyed all the Dugard, O'Reilly, "Killing" books that I have read thus far. more
This was a very educational read. Didn't know much about this topic, but really happy I gave this a chance. more
Another great work by the master. Very few authors can capture my attention better than Bill O'Reilly on just about any subject. He begins with organized crime from the earlier part of the 1900's through the prohibition when organized crime established a foothold until the end of the Mafia's golden years. O'Reilly details the secret meetings in Havana, the mob's control over labor unions and their massive influence in NYC, Chicago, Las Vegas, gambling, and other sectors of society across America. Many of the people and topics discussed are as follows, roughly in order of mention:John DillingerBonnie and Clyde Charles "pretty boy" Floyd Lester "Baby Face" Nelson Alvin "Creepy" KarpisITALIAN AND IRISH CRIME FAMILIESThe Italian Mafia "The Family"-Frankie YaleAl Capone The Colosimo Family-"Big Jim" ColosimoJohnny "The Fox" TorrioThe Black Hand Gang The Genna Crime FamilyGeorge "Bugs" MoranErwin Rommel "The Desert Fox"The Sicilian Mafia (Fafiusu)-Charles "Lucky" Luciano and his ties to NY Governor Thomas Dewey. more
DNF. No big new information for me. Additionally, I find the title misleading. First few chapters deal with Bonnie & Clyde, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, Alvin Carpis . I’ve never really considered this cast of characters as members of “organized crime. more
Another of O'Reilly's books about killing something or somebody. Like the others I've read, it's meticulously researched, sourced and easy to read. He guides the reader chronologically beginning in the late 1920's through Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, through Prohibition and the Mafia, Al Capone, J. Edgar Hoover, Papa Joe Kennedy and his boys through Sonny Liston to the end times of the Mob. lots of familiar names and several surprises. more
Ok at the beginning, but eventually had too much language and other inappropriate talk. more
As someone going in with little exposure to criminal history, both fictitious or true, this was an eye opening book. I liked that it took us through the birth of organized crime in America, and had a fun hero vs. villainy plot that followed the formation of the FBI (Bureau of Investigation) — though the lawmen didn't always seem to be the good guys. There were some classic, nostalgic moments with famous bank robbers. The plots through the Second World War, Las Vegas, Cold War politics, and JFK's presidency were particularly interesting as well. more
This is the first of Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series that I have read, but I found it very good. It reads like O'Reilly talks--short, clear sentences, so it's face-paced and easy to read. I enjoyed learning more about the early gangsters in American history and then how things changed in the aftermath of WWII and the introduction of organized crime. Unfortunately, this story has no happy ending, as organized and gang-related crime and violence continues in our country. This book is a good reminder that nothing is new under the sun, but also a tribute to those who doggedly pursued criminals and their prosecution. more
Another excellent addition to the Killing Series. O'Reilly and Dugard continue to do excellent research to weave together a compelling narrative that encompasses over 50 years of American History. I was especially interested in the role the Mafia played in WWII in the conquest of Sicily and the eventual defeat of Mussolini in Italy. This book also serves as a companion book to Killing Kennedy where more details of both JFK's and RFK's lives and connections to the Mob and delved into in detail. Simply another great book for O'Reilly fans as well as people interested in 20th Century American History. more
Another “Killing” book by Bill O’Reilly. I enjoy his writing style. It is easily digested and hits the interesting high points of the story. This story about the Mob took some turns I didn’t expect. I didn’t see Rommel & Muhammad Ali coming up. more
If you’ve never tried one of O’Reilly’s “Killing” books (this is number 10), this one is typical and a good place to start. If the subject matter is of interest, “Killing the Mob” traces the brutal history of twentieth-century organized crime in the United States through the larger-than-life stories of the most notorious outlaws, murderers, and Mob family bosses. Beginning in the 1930s, O’Reilly and Dugard explain the truth behind the mythology of the bank robbers of the Depression era, such as John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson. Then they continue with stories about the FBI and Director J. Edgar Hoover, battles to control Cuba, Las Vegas, and Hollywood, the Kennedys, and Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa (finally answering the question of where he is buried). more