THE MOBS AND THE MAFIA The Illustrated History of Organized Crime.

Hardback. The seeds of organised crime in the USA were sown in the early years of this century, with the arrival in North America of a tide of European immigrants. There emerged a breed of first-generation Americans eager to find short cuts to wealth. They became the mobsters and racketeers whose organisations subsequently penetrated every level of American society. The pre-1914 era saw the "white slavery" empire of men like Big Jim Colosimo. Prohibition in the 20s encouraged the growth of mobs like The Purple Gang and The Cleveland Syndicate. Ruthless racketeers came to prominence : Dutch Shcultz, Meyer Lansky, "Legs " Diamond and the man whose name is synonymous with organised crime, Al Capone. The 30s and 40s witnessed the birth of The Syndicate, The Mob and its terrifying enforcement arm Murder Inc. The 50s and 60s saw The Syndicate extend its influence to the Bahamas and drug trafficking. Complete with biographical details of such tsars of crime as Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein, Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano and Albert Anastasia. A penetrating study of the American underworld. Profusely illus., A Partial Chronology, Picture Credits and Index. 214pp. 4to. h/back. F. in G+ pcdw which has old sellotape to corners of fr. cover. A fairly heavy book which will require additional postage if shipped overseas.