Rating: 
Summary: Depends what you are looking for
Review: This book can be great or can be terrible depending on what the reader is looking for.If you are a mafia historian and are a fact finder I do not recommend this book. It is told from the perspective of Sam Giancanas brother Chuck. Everything Chuck knows comes from his brothers mouth, very few things are ever actually witnessed by Chuck. Given Sam Giancanas huge ego, much of what he tells Chuck may very well be inflated stories to make himself look more powerful than he really was. But thsi is just the skeptic in me talking. If you are looking for a more "mythical" type mafia book for some entertainment value definitely read this. The mere fact that even some of what Chuck tells could be true is enough to satisfy the curious reader. It was enough for me. Maybe the stories aren't true but maybe they are. Its a great story for the journeying mind. It involves scandal and intrigue at the highest levels especially the Kennedy family involvement in the mafia!
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely worth reading
Review: This book isn't intended to be a biography of Sam Giancana, it isn't intended to be a documentary on the Kennedy assassination or the mob. If one reads the Author's Note at the beginning of the book you can easily get an idea of what this book is about. It was interesting to read some of the review here and quickly realize that TOP reviewer doesn't mean informed. Some reviewers will provide "dis-information" along with their review such as stating that the writer admits not being told anything directly by Sam Giancana. I find it hard to believe that this reviewer actually read the book. I would suggest they try reading it again and this time with their eyes open. From someone who has read more books on the Kennedy assassination than most people could fathom are in print, you won't find much "NEW" information but simply the context in how it is presented is new. I can't imagine what state of mind someone must be in to make the claim that no information or excuse me "evidence" can be found to tie the mob to the assassination of Kennedy. If I read only one book on the subject "Case Closed" which denies everything except that the "lone nut" Oswald was responsible then perhaps this book wouldn't change my mind. Doing just a little research one can find damning EVIDENCE that the CIA and the mob were in bed since the CIA's inception. Quite simply everyone, in a position of power at the time, knew it, especially the Kennedys who were not coincidentally trying to dismantle both at the same time. If you are not too familiar with the whole mob scene then you'll find this book very informative. This book doesn't go into a ton of detail but at least gives you enough information to understand gambling and the role the mob played in making it so widespread. In fact this book covers enough areas to make it clear to the reader just how instrumental the mob was in so many aspects of american life and to a smaller extent can still be seen today. If you aren't too familiar with the Kennedy assassination then information in this book is pretty much all you need to know. The who dunnit is all here in sort of a cliff notes version. I enjoyed the point of view in which this book was written, clearly the memories of Chuck Giancana describing the conflicting love and hatred he had for his brother. I guess the old saying is true, "you write about what you know".
Rating: 
Summary: A poorly written book, about a vastly overestimated gangster
Review: This is yet another in the long line of mob books, that makes the laughable claim that the "Mafia" was responsible for the deaths of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. Every serious historian has long ago concluded that the Mafia NEVER had anywhere near the power it would have taken to assassinate the President of the United States or a powerful senator like Bobby Kennedy. Sam Giancanna was a two bit, cowardly hoodlum, who hated the power of the "Irish" Kennedy brothers, and therefore began telling tall tales about engineering thier deaths. This book, written by Sam Giancanna's brother, is just another biased re-telling of the lies spread by his ego-centric brother. This book is not to be taken seriously, and neither was the idiotic Sam Giancanna.
Rating:
Summary: A poorly written book, about a vastly overestimated gangster
Review: This is yet another in the long line of mob books, that makes the laughable claim that the "Mafia" was responsible for the deaths of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. Every serious historian has long ago concluded that the Mafia NEVER had anywhere near the power it would have taken to assassinate the President of the United States or a powerful senator like Bobby Kennedy. Sam Giancanna was a two bit, cowardly hoodlum, who hated the power of the "Irish" Kennedy brothers, and therefore began telling tall tales about engineering thier deaths. This book, written by Sam Giancanna's brother, is just another biased re-telling of the lies spread by his ego-centric brother. This book is not to be taken seriously, and neither was the idiotic Sam Giancanna.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing New Here
Review: When I bought this book I though I was going to get some good, new information. After all Giancana was one of the bosses, one of the top 5 names in the family business. I have read a number of books about this area so I was coming into the book with some history on my side. After reading the book I am convinced that the Giancana household is running low on funds and this is an attempt to cash in on the name. First off let's let this Mob hit on JFK fantasy die, if someone could come up with any proof maybe this part of the book would not be so laughable. The book does provide the life history, or the parts the author thought would sell, of Sam. It covers some well know events of him coming up the hard way and the major events in his mafia clime to the top. If you are well read on the subject then this is all known info. If you are looking for a casual read about the Chicago mob and this is your first book on it then it provides a good start, and it is fun to read the book by one of the inside (close to it) guys.
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