Book Description
It’s an organization that continues to intrigue us, shrouded in secrecy and mythologized in movies and television shows. But few people are actually privy to the highly ritualized and organized set of rules that governs the North American Cosa Nostra as it goes about its daily business of gambling, prostitution, and drug-trafficking.
Pierre de Champlain is one of those few, and what this RCMP intelligence analyst has discovered after 20 years of research and inthe- field work is illuminating, often shocking, and always insightful. Mobsters, Gangsters and Men of Honour methodically deconstructs the rules and regulations of this family-run organization, at the same time bringing them vividly to life—and death— through fascinating snap-shots of members’ past and present behaviors.
De Champlain explains how prospective Cosa Nostra members are expected to participate in a murder before being inducted. But one member was excused when he became part of a rush recruiting wave that saw the number of new recruits far exceed the number of people the Cosa Nostra needed to be murdered. Another important code dictates that respect toward family bosses is essential. One inductee discovered this the hard way when he insulted a senior boss in front of others at a restaurant. The upstart’s body was later discovered encased in the cement floor of a nearby social club.
De Champlain destroys many mafia myths and reveals lesser-known philosophies and codes. He also offers a compelling analysis of the often seemingly contradictory split between an established rule and actual behavior. From the structure of the organization to initiation ceremonies, from codes of conduct and territories of jurisdiction to criminal activities, from the Cosa Nostra judicial system to the complex code of murder, Mobsters, Gangsters and Men of Honour is the ultimate, comprehensive exposÉ for true-crime enthusiasts, law-enforcement agencies, criminology students, and anyone who is intrigued by the inner life of a members-only club.
About the Author
PIERRE DE CHAMPLAIN is a retired intelligence analyst with the RCMP’s Criminal Intelligence Directorate in Ottawa and holds a general certificate in law. He has been studying and writing about Italian organized crime for many years and has previously published three books in French on the history of organized crime in Montreal. He lives in Gatineau, Quebec.
