The Quiet Don

The Untold Story of Mafia Kingpin Russell Bufalino

By: Matt Birkbeck

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

To what extent was Rosario “Russell” Bufalino involved in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa in 1975? In the CIA’s recruitment of gangsters to assassinate Fidel Castro? In organizing the historic meeting of crime chieftains in 1957? Even in the production of The Godfather movie.

Secretive - even reclusive - Russell Bufalino quietly built his organized crime empire in the decades between Prohibition and the Carter presidency. His reach extended far beyond the coal country of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and quaint Amish farms near Lancaster. Bufalino had a hand in global, national, and local politics of the largest American cities, many of its major industries, and controlled the powerful Teamsters Union. His influence also reached the highest levels of Pennsylvania government and halls of Congress, and his legacy left a culture of corruption that continues to this day.

A uniquely American saga that spans six decades, The Quiet Don follows Russell Bufalino’s remarkably quiet ascent from Sicilian immigrant to mob soldier to a man described by a United States Senate subcommittee in 1964 as “one of the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States.”

©2013 Matt Birkbeck (P)2014 Tantor

great book

very well written and very well spoken...great book about one of the last old school mafia dons

information

i loved it it kept my attention i learned a bunch of information on Bufalino and his Family that i had never heard before

Less about Bufalino, more about Denaples

This was an incredibly informative piece, but it reads more as a collection of articles than as a biography of Bufalino. I felt like I know more about Louis Denaples and modern corruption in PA than I do about Russell Bufalino.
That's obviously still interesting, but not what the book is billed as.
The fact that the Author has since been sued for making up quotes from a major source of information on Denaples also makes me wonder if that was the real reason for writing this piece.

Totally Unprofessional Quality

Pretty clear that there was absolutely no effort put into the reading of this story. Nearly every name is mispronounced, words are misused, inflection errors, etc. It's a shame because the story is great, and the author truly is an expert in this story, and the area in which Russell had power.

Should have been better

This is the story of an important man and should have been better. The book wanders around through various events, some barely related to the main character. Disappointing.

great book nicely read too.

it was a great book , its not often i find one I would share. super cool stuff to add to stories i have been hearing since i was a kid.

Oh! What a great book!

As a second generation Italian, my family coming over in 1904 from Bari, immensely enjoyed this book. I always wondered growing up how much truth there was to the Mafia in the USA. Well, this book put it all out there. I was very glad to have listened to the great audio interpretation.

Important But Edited By Lawyers?

Micheal Prichard's voice is as flat as a big swath of Matt Birkbeck's writing. Birkbeck's a newspaper reporter, not a writer in the magazine or fiction sense. Moreover, he's challenged here by a big cast of characters and events. Topping it off he imposes some literary devices… flashbacks in particular… that make the story bumpier than the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Anyway, the corruption Birkbeck intimates or alleges here is unnerving. It's an important read for anyone with Pennsylvania roots even if the story arc feels as if the it's had potentially risky chunks hacked away by the publisher's legal staff.

Enjoyed this one..!!

If you could sum up The Quiet Don in three words, what would they be?

Excellent book.

What did you like best about this story?

Well researched, and well written. There is little information on Russell Bufalino, so I am greatful for all of the info I can get.

Which character – as performed by Michael Prichard – was your favorite?

No one in particular.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No.

Any additional comments?

I always enjoy listening to Michael Prichard, as he is very professional and seems to show up on books that I have a great deal of interest in.

Well done

This was enjoyable to listen nice ties to other books I’ve listened to well done