Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian MafiaThe Italian-American mafia has its roots in a mysterious and powerful criminal network in Sicily. While the mythology of the mafia has been widely celebrated in American culture, the true origins of its rituals, laws, and methods have never actually been revealed. John Dickie uses startling new research to expose the secrets of the Sicilian mafia, providing a fascinating account that is more violent, frightening, and darkly comic than anything conceived in popular movies and novels. How did the Sicilian mafia begin? How did it achieve its powerful grip in Italy and America? How does it operate today? From the mafia's origins in the 1860s to its current tense relationship with the Berlusconi government, "Cosa Nostra" takes us to the inner sanctum where few have dared to go before. This is an important work of history and a revelation for anyone who ever wondered what it means to be "made" in the mob. |
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Cosa Nostra : A History of the Sicilian Mafia
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictJournalist Dickie (Italian studies, University Coll., London) has written a fascinating history of the Mafia in Sicily from the 1860s through the early 21st century. Having emerged in and around ... Read full review
Contents
Prologue | 13 |
Introduction | 21 |
Men of Honour | 27 |
1 The Genesis of the Mafia 18601876 | 35 |
2 The Mafia Enters the Italian System 18761890 | 69 |
3 Corruption in High Places 18901904 | 87 |
4 Socialism Fascism Mafia 18931943 | 131 |
5 The Mafia Establishes Itself in America 19001941 | 161 |
8 The First Mafia War and its Consequences 19621969 | 241 |
9 The Origins of the Second Mafia War 19701982 | 259 |
10 Terra Infidelium 19831992 | 293 |
11 Bombs and Submersion 19922003 | 311 |
Acknowledgements | 339 |
Picture Acknowledgements | 342 |
| 343 | |
Notes on Sources | 355 |
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Common terms and phrases
American Andreotti Angelo La Barbera antimafia Antonino arrested bandits Barbera became began Berlusconi bomb Bontate Borsellino Brusca capo carabinieri Chief of Police Ciaculli Ciancimino Cinisi Commission Corleone Corleonesi corruption Cosa Nostra cosca cosche court death Dell’Utri Don Caḷ Don Raffaele Dr Galati evidence faction Falcone Fasci Fascist father Florio Forza Italia Franchetti gang Gentile Gentile’s Giammona Giovanni Giovanni Falcone Giuliano Giuseppe Greco heroin island Italian Italy Italy’s Joe Bananas kidnapping killed killers landowners later leader Leggio Leopoldo Lima Luciano Luciano Leggio mafiosi maxi-trial Milan Minister Mori Mori’s murder Nostra’s Notarbartolo omertà organized crime Palermo Palizzolo party peasants pentiti Peppino Petrosino Piddu political politicians prison prosecution protection Provenzano province of Palermo Riina Rome Salvatore Salvo Lima Sangiorgi shot Sicilian mafia Sicily Sicily’s Siino state’s story Tommaso Buscetta town trial turned Turrisi Colonna verdict Verro victim Villabate Villalba violence western Sicily
Bibliographic information
| Title | Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia |
| Author | John Dickie |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan, 2004 |
| ISBN | 1403966966, 9781403966964 |
| Length | 370 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Modern / 20th Century True Crime / Organized Crime |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |