The First Family

The First Family traces the rise of the American Mafia through the story of Giuseppe Morello, who became New York's first major crime boss in the early 1900s. The book follows Morello's journey from Sicily to New York City and his establishment of a criminal empire. The narrative encompasses both Morello's organization and the law enforcement efforts to combat it, particularly through Secret Service agent William Flynn. Through documented historical records, Dash reconstructs the complex web of criminal enterprises, violence, and police work that defined this era of organized crime. This extensively researched work puts the origin story of the American Mafia in context with the social conditions of Italian immigrants, corrupt politics, and law enforcement limitations of the time. The book draws from primary sources including police reports, court documents, and newspaper accounts to present the factual basis behind early organized crime myths. The First Family reveals the real foundations of organized crime in America while exploring themes of power, survival, and the immigrant experience in turn-of-the-century New York. The story demonstrates how economic and social forces helped shape the development of criminal enterprises that would influence American society for decades to come.

Readers note the book's detailed research into Giuseppe Morello and early American organized crime, bringing to light previously unknown aspects of Mafia history. Reviews highlight Dash's ability to create a gripping narrative while maintaining historical accuracy. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of complex family relationships and criminal networks - Period photographs and documentation - Focus on lesser-known figures in organized crime history - Integration of Sicily's social and economic conditions Common criticisms: - Too many characters to track - First third of book moves slowly - Some found the level of detail excessive Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Reads like a detective story but backed by extensive sources" - Amazon reviewer "Gets bogged down in minutiae of Sicilian village life" - Goodreads reviewer "First nonfiction account that made the Black Hand operations clear" - LibraryThing reviewer

Five Families by Selwyn Raab This chronicle of New York's Mafia families traces their influence from the 1900s to the present, covering many of the same time periods and characters found in The First Family.

American Mafia by Thomas Reppetto This history tracks the growth of Italian organized crime from its roots in immigrant neighborhoods to its peak power in the mid-twentieth century.

Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia by John Dickie The book examines the origins of the Sicilian Mafia and its evolution into a criminal empire, providing context for the American Mafia's development.

The Good Rat by Jimmy Breslin This account follows mob turncoat Burt Kaplan through Brooklyn's criminal underworld, offering insights into Mafia culture and operations.

Havana Nocturne by T.J. English The book details the Cuban Mob's operations in pre-revolution Havana, showing how organized crime expanded beyond the familiar territory of New York and Chicago.

🌟 Author Mike Dash has a PhD in maritime history from the University of Cambridge and has written extensively about historical true crime and mysteries 🌟 Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello, the main subject of the book, was born with a deformed right hand that had only one finger - hence his nickname 🌟 The Morello crime family, which later became the Genovese family, was the first Mafia organization established in the United States 🌟 Before becoming a crime boss in New York, Morello ran a counterfeiting operation in Sicily, a skill he would later use to finance his American criminal empire 🌟 The investigation of the Barrel Murder case in 1903, detailed in the book, marked the first time American law enforcement officially acknowledged the existence of the Mafia