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Quick answer: The best books on the American Mafia tell the true story of the families that ran organized crime and the people who brought them down. Start with Five Families by Selwyn Raab, Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Donnie Brasco by Joseph D. Pistone, Honor Thy Father by Gay Talese and the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo.
The American Mafia grew out of Italian immigrant neighborhoods in the early 20th century and became hugely powerful during Prohibition. By the 1930s, New York’s Five Families and a national “Commission” controlled rackets from bootlegging and gambling to labor unions and construction. For decades, the FBI barely acknowledged the Mafia existed. Then informants like Joe Valachi, undercover agents like Joseph Pistone and the RICO law brought it crashing down in the 1980s and 1990s. The books below include the best histories, insider memoirs, investigations and the novels that made the Mafia a legend. Content note: violence throughout.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Families | Selwyn Raab | History | The complete story |
| Wiseguy | Nicholas Pileggi | True crime | Life inside the mob |
| Donnie Brasco | Joseph D. Pistone | Memoir | Undercover adventure |
| Honor Thy Father | Gay Talese | Narrative nonfiction | Literary journalism |
| The Valachi Papers | Peter Maas | True crime | The first big informant |
| Underboss | Peter Maas | True crime | The Gotti era |
| Gotti: Rise and Fall | Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain | True crime | John Gotti’s story |
| Murder Machine | Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci | True crime | A notorious crew |
| Capone: The Man and the Era | Laurence Bergreen | Biography | Prohibition and Chicago |
| Boardwalk Empire | Nelson Johnson | History | Atlantic City |
| Havana Nocturne | T. J. English | History | The mob in Cuba |
| The Sixth Family | Lee Lamothe and Adrian Humphreys | True crime | The Montreal mob |
| I Heard You Paint Houses | Charles Brandt | True crime | The Irishman |
| Casino | Nicholas Pileggi | True crime | The mob in Las Vegas |
| The Godfather | Mario Puzo | Novel | The classic Mafia novel |
1. Five Families by Selwyn Raab
Raab, a New York Times reporter, tells the history of New York’s five Mafia families from their beginnings to the RICO prosecutions. It’s thorough and authoritative.
2. Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi
Pileggi tells the story of Henry Hill, a mob associate who became an informant. It’s funny, chilling and the basis for the film Goodfellas.
3. Donnie Brasco by Joseph D. Pistone
FBI agent Joseph Pistone spent six years undercover inside the Bonanno family. His memoir is tense and fascinating.
4. Honor Thy Father by Gay Talese
Talese spent years with the Bonanno family to write this intimate portrait of mob life and family. It’s a classic of literary journalism.
5. The Valachi Papers by Peter Maas
In 1963, Joe Valachi became the first member to publicly describe the Mafia’s secrets. Maas tells his story in this landmark book.
6. Underboss by Peter Maas
Sammy “the Bull” Gravano, John Gotti’s underboss, tells his story, including how he turned against Gotti. It’s brutal and revealing.
7. Gotti: Rise and Fall by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain
Two veteran crime reporters tell the story of the flashy boss of the Gambino family and his downfall. It’s detailed and fast-paced.
8. Murder Machine by Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci
This book tells the story of Roy DeMeo’s crew, one of the most violent in Mafia history. It’s gripping but very dark.
9. Capone: The Man and the Era by Laurence Bergreen
Bergreen’s biography of Al Capone covers his rise in Prohibition-era Chicago and his fall for tax evasion. It’s vivid and well researched.
10. Boardwalk Empire by Nelson Johnson
Johnson tells the history of Atlantic City and the political bosses who ran it, including Nucky Johnson. It inspired the HBO series.
11. Havana Nocturne by T. J. English
English tells how American mobsters built a casino empire in Havana before the Cuban Revolution. It’s glamorous and seedy.
12. The Sixth Family by Lee Lamothe and Adrian Humphreys
This book tells the story of the Rizzuto family in Montreal and its ties to New York. It’s an unusual and gripping angle.
13. I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt
Frank Sheeran, a mob hitman, claimed involvement in famous crimes including the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. Some claims are disputed, but it inspired Martin Scorsese’s film The Irishman.
14. Casino by Nicholas Pileggi
Pileggi tells the story of the Chicago mob’s control of Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s and 80s. It became a Scorsese film.
15. The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Puzo’s 1969 bestseller about the Corleone family invented much of how we imagine the Mafia. It’s dramatic and addictive. Content note: violence and sexual content.
Tips for Reading About the Mafia
- Start with Five Families. It gives you the big picture.
- Read an insider. Wiseguy and Donnie Brasco are gripping.
- Be skeptical of informants. Memoirs by mobsters are often self-serving.
- Learn about RICO. The 1970 law was key to the Mafia’s decline.
- Pair books with films. Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco and Casino are based on these books.
- Remember the victims. Behind the glamour were real crimes and real people.
Related: best books on Prohibition and best books on the Roaring Twenties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best book about the American Mafia?
Five Families by Selwyn Raab is the best history, and Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi is the most famous insider story.
Is The Godfather based on a true story?
No, but Mario Puzo drew on real Mafia history and figures for his novel.
What book is Goodfellas based on?
Goodfellas is based on Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, about the life of mob associate Henry Hill.