The Book Lovers Guide

The Colombo Crime Family was no stranger to wars. In fact, the family had gained notoriety amongst the other Mafia families in New York for their power struggles. The Gallo Brothers rebelled against previous family head Joseph Profaci in the early 1960s and the war resumed against Joe Colombo in the 1970s. By war’s end, one of the few winners who emerged relatively unscathed was Carmine Persico. The one-time Gallo loyalist proved his nickname of “The Snake” was apt as he doublecrossed the brothers in the 1960s and played a role in the attempted murder of Larry Gallo. Persico would become the family boss shortly after the shooting of Joe Colombo in 1971. 

The Commission trial decimated the leadership of New York’s five families. Carmine Persico was sentenced to 100 years in prison along with Anthony “Tony Ducks” Corallo of the Lucchese Family, Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno of the Genovese Family and other high echelon Mafia members. Persico planned to rule from behind bars but needed a loyal and reliable man to run things on the street. Persico would eventually turn to Victor “Little Vic” Orena. Vic Orena was a stalwart member of the Colombos who could be counted on to bring in money and get his hands dirty when required. The transition in power seemed harmonious until Carmine Persico’s paranoia kicked in and Orena was viewed as a rival to be eliminated.

The war commenced in the Summer of 1991 with an abandoned hit on Orena carried out by one time friend Carmine Sessa. Orena huddled with his sons who were also members and associates of the Colombos. A battle plan would need to be considered as the Orenas knew that the Persico faction wouldn’t halt their aggression due to one failed attempt. Battle lines were drawn and soon the bullets would fly over the five boroughs and Long Island as the Colombos warred yet again. One of the deadliest actors in this destructive drama was Persico loyalist Gregory Scarpa. Scarpa was a Capo in the family and had collected more than a few notches on his belt during his decades long association with La Cosa Nostra. While Scarpa was prowling the streets of Brooklyn and various other areas, no one knew his secret: Scarpa was a longtime informant for the FBI. 

The Colombo War would end in 1993, but not until after a dozen people were killed, including innocent bystanders. The Orena Faction was on the short end of the war, despite inflicting sporadic wounds on the Persico side. Vic Orena and his sons would be arrested and charged for their roles in the conflict, but they would soon discover the truth about Greg Scarpa and his more than unusual relationship with the FBI. The war was over, but a new battle had begun.

Little Vic & the Great Mafia War thoroughly explores the turbulence that resulted in the last true mob war in the New York Mafia along with the intriguing personalities on both sides of the campaign. While the story’s focus is primarily on Vic Orena and his family, the role of Greg Scarpa and his FBI handler Lin DeVecchio looms large. Scarpa and DeVecchio’s relationship bears a striking resemblance to Whitey Bulger and his handler John Connolly in that both informers’ crimes outstripped the benefits of their cooperation. When DeVecchio was implicated in aiding Scarpa in the Persico-Orena war, prosecutions of various Colombo members became precarious. Author Larry McShane (Chin: The Life and Crimes of Mafia Boss Vincent Gigante) has done a stellar job in chronicling both the war and the dramatic trials that followed. McShane pens a true crime saga for the ages.

The movie begins in the office of one of the world’s most powerful men. A map of his country along with the surrounding Middle East countries dominates the wall behind him. He is sitting for an interview with law enforcement about a corruption investigation but it’s apparent that he sees their questions as a nuisance to him. He is the Prime Minister of Israel and while he seems to be unfazed by this inquiry, the possibility of going to jail terrifies him. 

Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s inquisitors have their questions prepped. The investigation goes back to 2016. Netanyahu is asked about accepting gifts from various friends, people like the late casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his widow Miriam, film producer and spy Arnon Milchan and others. The film cuts between Netanyahu’s interview to the interviews of other witnesses pertinent to the investigation, from the aforementioned Adelsons to Arnon Milchan to Sara Netanyahu. Whereas the Adelsons, Milchans and others are forthcoming, Sara Netanyahu is combative in her responses. She views the investigation as a witchhunt and believes the police would be better off devoting their resources elsewhere.

Netanyahu is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israel’s history, having served over 17 years during multiple terms. He is also no stranger to scrutiny as he has faced scandalous allegations before but always emerged relatively unscathed. His popularity has diminished as his recent legal ordeal has laid bare his venality. His attempts at “judicial reform” are seen as obstructionist and protests broke out in response to Netanyahu’s corruption. His reign as Prime Minister was briefly interrupted from 2021-2022, but he was re-elected in 2022 and doesn’t seem intent on relinquishing power. 

The attacks on October 7, 2023 shocked the world, but may not have completely taken the Israeli Government by surprise. Benjamin Netanyahu had been sending money to Hamas(through Qatar) to keep the terrorist group placated. The images seen in “The Bibi Files” from that day are haunting and graphic, the impact of the scenes is strengthened by the reactions of the film’s interviewees. Netanyahu has assumed the role of wartime leader as Israel indiscriminately targets Gaza with aerial bombardment. The IDF has been unleashed and their brutality is seemingly bottomless. The current death toll for the Palestinians ranges between 40,000(Reuters) and 100,000(Al Jazeera). Despite a stated ceasefire on multiple occasions, the Israeli military continues their bombing undeterred.

The movie reflects both Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu’s obsession with their public image. This also extended to Netanyahu’s son Avner who frequently speaks out against those on the Left who want to tear down his family & support the enemy. The family will threaten news outlets whose intrepid journalists criticize them. 

Whereas certain media outlets call out Netanyahu’s excesses, the United States media obeys the US Government’s wishes in providing fawning coverage of the Prime Minister. News show guests who are critical of the Prime Minister and his list of crimes are usually given short shrift if not labeled as outright Anti-Semites. The equating of Anti-Zionist with Anti-Semite will never cease until enough people call out the nonsense that underlies the labeling. The red carpet treatment of Netanyahu for his addressing a joint session of Congress illustrated the disgraceful kowtowing done by elected officials. While there were some who protested his appearance, the majority were listening to every word and gushed over his calls for “Total Victory”. The ovations given to Netanyahu were solidified by AIPAC donations and voluminous blackmail material. If anyone wants to know how the Israeli Government views their “friendship” with the US, they would benefit by reading about USS Liberty, Unit 8200, Jonathan Pollard, MEGA, Urban Moving Systems, Jeffrey Epstein….etc(The list of espionage goes on and on)

“The Bibi Files” signifies why documentary films are vital to the public discussion. “Speaking truth to power” is necessary when a government is out of control and the Israeli government has been incorrigible for far too long. The concern with Netanyahu’s removal is the assumption of power by someone even more radical(i.e. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich or Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir). However, the hope for real change is there as the current war taxes the patience of many Israelis whose voices begin to grow louder by the day. The impact of this movie will resonate with its spread far & wide. One of the best films I’ve seen in a long time.

Was it 3 shots or were there more? Did the fusillade originate from the Texas Schoolbook Depository or the Grassy Knoll in Dealey Plaza? Did the same bullet hit President John F. Kennedy and then inflict numerous wounds on Texas Governor John Connally? Did a surplus Italian rifle with faulty sighting manage to change the course of this country’s history or was the weapon merely a plant? For 60 years, a litany of researchers and scholars have attempted to find answers to the deep-state events that occurred in Dallas on November 22, 1963. The Government was quick to close the case with a whitewashed investigation headed by Earl Warren in 1964. Subsequent investigations attempted merely served as limited hangouts as the CIA infiltrated and influenced the House Select Committee on Assassinations. Despite the impact of the release of Oliver Stone’s JFK in 1991 and the formation of the Assassination Records Review Board to release related files, the events of Dallas are still opaque. 

Cory Hughes has stepped into the breach and utilized his inquisitive skills to shed light on events before, during, and after the assassination. “A Warning from History” is the result of his lengthy research and investigation. The truth needs to be blunt and the truth seekers often need to be even more so. Cory Hughes dispenses with any formalities in the opening pages and takes a sledgehammer to the mainstream narrative along with some commonly posited alternate theories. Hughes takes the book of Lee Harvey Oswald as written by the media lapdogs and the government and pulverizes it as he explains that the identity of the 24-year-old former US Marine was merely a composite. The inconsistencies in Oswald’s whereabouts after his return from the USSR can be laid at the feet of doppelgangers like William Seymour and Kerry Thornley. However, Hughes’ research doesn’t solely rest on a deep dive into the legend building being done against Lee Harvey Oswald. Hughes names other co-conspirators in the plot and gunmen who were situated in and around Dealey Plaza as the presidential motorcade made its turn onto Elm Street and the crossfire commenced. The significance of “A Warning from History” comes from how the Oswald myth is further deconstructed and in naming credible suspects who managed to escape notice for six decades. Hughes’ work may yet be finished, but his entry into the investigatory free-for-all all is noteworthy.

Henry David Thoreau spoke of men “living lives of quiet desperation.” The men and women who inhabit the borough of Brooklyn in William Boyle’s fine novels would fit this description perfectly. There is an escapism residing in their hearts whether expressed or not. In Saint of the Narrows Street, Risa is married to the loutish Sav Franzone. The couple have an infant named Fabrizio and live in an apartment in Gravesend. Marriage and fatherhood have become anathema to Sav who runs around on Risa when he’s not being abusive to her. His abuse has only ramped up and Risa is concerned for the safety of both Fabrizio and herself.

Risa’s sister Giulia missed her chance to leave the neighborhood when her beau spurned her for his music career. She pines for his love as well as much as the missed opportunity to flee a stifling existence under her parent’s roof. However, Giulia loves Risa and adores her new nephew. When she arrives at Risa’s apartment, she is troubled by her sister’s predicament and advises her to take Fab and leave. As the sisters discuss her situation, the problematic Sav arrives home inebriated and brash as ever. A confrontation between Risa and Sav soon involves Giulia and eventually Sav is knocked unconscious as Risa asserts herself.

Panic grips Giulia and Risa as Sav remains immobile. Risa decides to contact a mutual friend of her and Sav named Chooch. Upon Chooch’s arrival, the situation goes from serious to grave as Sav has died from his injuries. Chooch has secretly harbored a crush on Risa and would do anything to protect her so he helps the sisters in getting rid of the recently deceased. In 1986, Sav Franzone was buried unlamented in a shallow grave in upstate New York. Yet his memory will haunt the residents of Gravesend for the next 18 years.

William Boyle continues to shine as a luminary in the world of noir fiction. Boyle (Shoot the Moonlight Out) creates characters who grab your interest whether they be the dreamers, the lovelorn, or tragically misguided. In his books, the strength resides in the female characters. In key moments the women act decisively and stoically. The ramifications of their decisions unfold in a tragic domino effect which will leave the reader stunned and moved. William Boyle has his finger on the pulse of Brooklyn and his audience reaps the benefits of his insight and dramatic explorations.

A mere week had passed since bullets flew in Dealey Plaza claiming the life of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and wounding Texas Governor John Connally. The initial shock of the assassination was compounded by the nationally televised shooting of the alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald by Dallas nightclub owner and mob associate Jack Ruby. The American People wanted answers as did various law enforcement and government authorities. On November 29, 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the formation of a commission designed to find answers. The commission was to be led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren and would forever be known as the Warren Commission. Warren was named along with Congressmen Gerald Ford, Hale Boggs, Senators John Sherman Cooper, Richard Russell, former World Bank President John McCloy and former CIA Director Allen Dulles. The investigation would consist of mainly closed-door hearings where testimony from pertinent witnesses would be provided. The Warren Commission report would be given to the President in September 1964. This commission was designed to put to rest any lingering doubt about the events in Dealey Plaza. However, the investigation’s shortcomings only led to more scrutiny.

By the late 1970s, trust in the United States Government had reached its nadir. The revelations resulting from the Watergate investigation along with the Rockefeller and Church Committees left the country reeling. CIA & FBI misdeeds were at the heart of many of the scandals. Another look at the JFK assassination (along with a few other political assassinations of the 1960s) was looming. The House Select Committee on Assassinations was established in 1976 and despite some initial turbulence began hearing testimony in 1978. While investigators like Robert Tannenbaum, Gaeton Fonzi, and others chased intriguing leads, the 12-member committee listened to testimony from former Governor John Connally and his wife to researcher Robert Groden and Dr. Cyril Wecht. 

Despite the Committee’s stated intentions, the HSCA seemed designed to function as another whitewashing of events. John Connally’s testimony reiterated the distinct possibility of a second shooter while Nellie Connally highlighted JFK’s reaction after the first shot. Their testimony wavered little from their Warren Commission statements, yet were still significant. The conclusions of Chief Counsel Robert Blakey and various members of the committee seemed preordained as those pointing to inconsistencies and/or anomalies in the evidence were given short shrift while those who reaffirmed the Warren Commission were highlighted. 

Some of the witnesses’ names may be familiar, such as Gerald Ford or Richard Helms while others (i.e. Louis Steven Witt) may draw nary a second thought. Yet, author Tim Smith deftly relates how and why they are relevant into understanding not only 11/22/63 but also the ensuing investigations. 

In “Hidden in Plain Sight”, author Tim Smith discloses the crucial evidence given by witnesses who ran the gamut from politicians to doctors to photographic experts and intelligence officials. Smith provides important insight into each individual’s testimony and where the Committee fell short in its probe. In the 61 years since the assassination in Dallas, there have been scads of books written about the shootings along with the various investigations. However, “Hidden in Plain Sight” provides an invaluable service in appraising the good, the bad, and often pointless testimony given in 1978-79. This is a must-read for assassination researchers but History lovers also.

As wars have been waged over the course of history, the weaponry utilized has evolved. Swords, arrows, rifles, and bombs have all served as instruments of destruction. One of the more insidious weapons deployed comes in the form of biological weapons. The immediate impact is minimal but the long-term consequences can be devastating. In “The Sleeper Agent”, author A.W. Finnegan explores the employment of this heinous practice by Great Britain, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Biowarfare has origins going back to at least the 18th century when the British maliciously gave blankets contaminated with Smallpox to Native American tribes. The potential to overwhelm one’s enemy through stealth biowarfare would progress through the centuries as mad scientists tinkered with diseases such as Foot & Mouth Disease and various types of influenza.

The cultivation of potential epidemics began with the research conducted by men like Erich Traub. Originally from Germany, Traub would spend time in the United States both before and after World War II. Traub worked for the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research where he studied Pseudorabies as well as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus(LCM). Traub and his wife traveled back to Germany before World War II. Traub would explore airborne pathogens and other medical weapons while leading a team of researchers loyally serving the Nazi regime during the war. As the Third Reich crumbled, the beginning of the Cold War was initiated as the Americans and Soviets scrambled to apprehend former Nazis. The United States’ recruitment of various distinguished Nazi scientists all fell under the banner of Project Paperclip. The mind of Erich Traub was needed in a new war. Traub would travel back to the States where he would spend time at the Animal Disease Center at Plum Island. The impact of Traub and others with regard to the spread of debilitating diseases such as Lyme Disease and other maladies is still being felt and studied. 

“The Sleeper Agent” is an eye-opening book that serves as an indictment against countries willing to engage in reprehensible practices that are crimes against humanity. A.W. Finnegan has penned a meticulous and annotated book that proves both illuminating and infuriating. The catastrophic repercussions of a global pandemic seem to be disregarded by the men of war, but they are considered and revealed by intrepid researchers such as A.W. Finnegan.

In a city replete with eclectic characters, Dean Andrews was larger than life. He was the number to call when you were down and out in the Crescent City and needed legal representation. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963, Andrews would appear among the litany of witnesses who testified before the Warren Commission. Andrews had allegedly been contacted by a shadowy figure and asked to represent reputed assassin Lee Harvey Oswald after Oswald’s arrest in Dallas. The identity of the caller would figure in the controversial investigation of the assassination conducted in 1966-1969 by New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison. Garrison and Andrews were old friends, but Garrison believed Andrews knew the true identity of the man who called Andrews and requested his legal services for Oswald. Andrews’ knowledge or perceived knowledge would drag him and his family through a maelstrom of paranoia and despair. Andrews was immortalized on the big screen by the great John Candy in the film “JFK” in 1991.

 In “Pipe the Bimbo in Red”, authors William Matson Law(In the Eye of History, 2004) & Donald Jeffries(Hidden History, 2016) probe deeper into the background of Dean Andrews, the building conspiracy in New Orleans in 1963, and the deadly repercussions that followed the tragedy in Dallas. The book covers the research of pioneer assassination skeptic Harold Weisberg along with the leads he uncovered. The pall cast by Garrison’s investigation and the efforts to stymie his case are explored. The interviews with Andrews’ son Dean Andrews III further elucidate the character of Dean Andrews beyond the flamboyant litigator. The web of death that ensnared conspirators and inconvenient witnesses alike from 1964 onwards reverberates throughout the story. A valuable addition to the continuing research into the Kennedy assassination.

In the early hours of Saturday, June 17th, 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Complex in Washington DC. Despite initial White House dismissals of the crime being nothing more than a “third-rate burglary”, the Nixon Administration would be dismantled in the next two years leading ultimately to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon. The mainstream narrative has held that the heroic journalism of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein led the way in piercing the veil of secrecy surrounding Nixon and his men. However, time has shown that the events surrounding the break-in and the coverup by the White House are murky at best. Author Nick Bryant (The Franklin Scandal, 2009) provides a succinct breakdown of the crime, the key figures in and around the scandal, and the inconvenient truths dug up by researchers from Jim Hougan(Secret Agenda, 1984), Len Colodny and Robert Gettlin(Silent Coup, 1991). 

The role of Richard Nixon in Watergate has never been explicitly stated outside of the obstructions committed after the fact. The five men who were arrested on June 17th consisted of three Anti-Castro Cubans, a former Castro adviser, and one “retired” CIA agent. They were supervised by former CIA agent E. Howard Hunt and former FBI Agent G. Gordon Liddy. Liddy worked for the Committee to Re-Elect the President(CREEP) while Hunt worked for Nixon lawyer/adviser Charles Colson. As the arrests generated headlines, the President’s men began to investigate the matter and discuss it with the President. White House lawyer John Dean would assume a preeminent role in the early aftermath of the bungled crime. However, his role in the conspiracy has always been opaque. After Nixon’s downfall, Dean would be heralded as the flawed hero in the administration. Yet, Bryant highlights how Dean’s actions both before and after Watergate hint at something less than admirable. The botched break-in at the Watergate was just one crime of many in the dirty tricks committed by the men in the Nixon Administration. Nearly 50 years after Nixon’s resignation, the larger role of the CIA in both the before and after is beginning to see the light. The spying on the Nixon Administration by the Joint Chiefs of Staff(Moorer-Radford Affair), the role of a high profile call girl ring operating in proximity to the Watergate(sexual blackmail), and the duplicity of James McCord and Howard Hunt in sabotaging the break-in are all fair game for speculation. The legacy of Woodward and Bernstein is exposed as being mostly mythical as Woodward’s fallacies are scrutinized concerning the true identity of Deep Throat along with Woodward’s intelligence background. Nick Bryant’s pithy but vital history of the conspiracy and crimes surrounding Watergate is an outstanding book and merits being added to the vast library of Watergate books.

Lore Alemeyu is beginning to feel resigned to her dreary lot in life. She and the citizens of Duskmere live as virtual prisoners subject to the often sadistic whims of the fae. The fae look down their noses at humans and their visits to Duskmere are nothing short of intimidation. After a nighttime visit to Lore’s workplace, a violent tremor rocks Duskmere causing widespread damage and frays the nerves of Duskmere’s citizens. Shortly thereafter, Lore is taken captive by a member of the fae who had disguised themselves. To save herself along with friends and loved ones, Lore must access a library that the fae are unable to. Lore’s assignment is to catalogue the books and procure books on Astronomy. Lore is assigned a monitor in her work, a fae named Asher. As Lore’s labor continues, an initial resentment between her and Asher evolves into a friendship and the possibility of something more. However, Lore soon discovers something in the library that may only lead to further complications and must decide if she should reveal her discovery to her captors. 

Lore of the Wilds is an engrossing narrative steeped in vivid fantasy and mystery wherein the young but stubbornly brave Lore is thrown into an unknown and danger-filled world. Author Analeigh Sbrana does a superb job of creating an environment where magic is often as prevalent as menace where the alien becomes less frightening with familiarity. The plot line starts on an even keel and gains more traction with each subsequent chapter. This is a rewarding book that will appeal to both young and older readers. 

The news and entertainment world were stunned by the untimely death of writer and TV quiz show panelist Dorothy Kilgallen at age 52. She was found dead in her Manhattan apartment on November 8, 1965. Her death was attributed to a combination of alcohol and barbiturates. However, those familiar with the pioneer journalist knew that there was something more behind her death, perhaps something sinister.

Dorothy Kilgallen had the nose for news instilled in her DNA as her father James was a veteran reporter for various outlets in his long life. Dorothy was intrigued by her father’s work and struck out on her own and landed a position with the New York Evening-Journal. Dorothy made a name for herself as her “Voice of Broadway” column was syndicated far and wide across the United States. Dorothy covered the glitz and glamour of the entertainment beat along with high society, but she possessed an unparalleled tenacity when it came to covering high profile crime stories such as the Sam Sheppard murder case. This fierce determination would only be furthered with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963.

The murder of the 35th President of the United States was a moment that shocked the country and the world. Dorothy had liked John F. Kennedy and had even visited him with her young son Kerry. As the circumstances of the tragic events were relayed across the airwaves, questions began to mount in Dorothy’s mind. These questions would only be compounded with the televised murder of alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Dorothy travelled down to Dallas for the trial of Oswald assassin Jack Ruby. Dorothy spoke to Ruby’s attorneys and was able to gain access to Ruby himself. Could this access and the information she received from Ruby have led to Dorothy’s mounting skepticism over JFK’s murder? Was Dorothy about to blow the lid off the case and render the Warren Commission moot? 

Sara Jordan-Heintz has written a spellbinding biography and true crime mystery that is rich in investigative research and detail. The characteristics of Dorothy’s life story pre 1963 are fascinating and wonderful to read and digest. Dorothy’s work as a journalist, TV and radio star often had to compete with her marriage and motherhood. Despite the occasional turbulence in professional and personal life, Dorothy possessed a grace and persistence that saw her through any ordeal. The details of the dark day in November are brought forth in depth and the undercurents of conspiracy are not easy to ignore. Once Dorothy begins to pursue leads in the case and calling out inconsistencies, the countdown to her own tragic ending has commenced. There have been countless books written about the Kennedy assassination, some adhering to the lone gunman narrative, others to conspiracy. Sara Jordan-Heintz lays out the facts of Dorothy’s life and death along with the death of JFK in precise detail. She offers her own views on both and makes a convincing argument for why Dorothy’s death was orchestrated. A well-written volume to be added to the library.