I have always enjoyed reading about it. Not quite the romanticized Hollywood world many seem to think of it, but I still like the movie Good fellas. Books like Murder Machine paint quite a different light on the subject. The results of Prohibition had such a profound effect on the development of this nation in the first half of the twentieth century. Makes me wonder what might have been if those guys had simply reported the income and paid the taxes... But I imagine you're right and eventually the massive corruption in the government officials would have toppled it anyway. Not unlike certain recent events.
The movie Gomorrah was interesting and not quite what I expected. What books about the Mafia did you find to be the most interesting? On May 25, 2013 11:24 PM, "Raymond Feist/New ATT" <[email protected]> wrote: > > On May 25, 2013, at 10:04 PM, Nick Andrews <[email protected]> wrote: > > Sure, I get that. I was referring simply to the purges of the Dasati, > (which is a great concept by the way) not their whole society. I liked the > way it all fit together with their religion and His Darkness. I guess I > would have to revisit The Lottery to compare it. > > Like the Mafia in the old days, rules, order and honor (twisted though as > some would say). I still say if they had stuck with the core businesses, > the feds might never have gotten to them. But with the drug business...too > much heat. > > Organized crime is a fascinating history. If it hadn't been for > Prohibition, they never would have become more than local street gangs in > New York, Boston, New Jersey, etc. But bootlegging and moonshining made > the rich enough to expand into other areas and start putting money in > legitimate enterprises. > > Several really good books on the subject. Drugs really didn't change it > that much, just set up more arenas for conflict. What really got organized > crime a target painted on their collective backs was the corruption. So > many cops, judges, and politicians being bought that sooner or later they > were going to be hammered. > > Some good models for feudal relationships, too. The boss, and the capos, > are like kinds and dukes. And the attitudes, a sense of entitlement, a > lack of responsibility save to one's boss, and respect for other captains, > but they are also rivals. And the mood changes are quick. That's the > trick to writing good gangsters, how quick they are to heat up and not > listen. > > Best, R.E.F. >
