Robert A. Rockaway

A thoroughly compelling book and one of a kind. The apt title was chosen due to a response Rockaway’s mother gave when he was talking about a Jewish gangster – “But he was good to his mother!” What seemed to be common among most Jewish gangsters was the fact that they had strong family ties, and were unwilling for any of their families to get involved in any of their heinous crimes. In some cases what they did was a mystery to their families.

The book is engaging and touches on the lives of the most notorious Jewish American gangsters. With the ‘main’ Jewish gangsters mentioned, Rockaway gives an entertaining background into their upbringing, life of crime, death, and if they survived, life after crime. It gives an insight into the psychology behind these gangsters which is fascinating. The writing style is an easy read and leaves you wanting to know more about them. It certainly whets the appetite.

Although hard to put down, the book does have its flaws. I cannot comment on historical accuracy, although the information is gathered from numerous sources, including FBI files, family members, and hearsay. One flaw with the book is that the pictures of the gangsters are in random places. It would have been more helpful to either have them all in one place, either at the beginning or in the centre of the book. As a result the book can be a bit confusing. Furthermore, Rockaway does have a tendency to jump around with the characters. This however, could also be a positive as they didn’t live their lives in isolation of one another, although it could have possibly been better handled.

On the whole a most enjoyable read.… (mais)