Williamsburg Regional Library

Smalltime, a story of my family and the mob, Russell Shorto

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 253-258)

contains biographical information

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

Smalltime

bibliography

1155074107

Russell Shorto

a story of my family and the mob

"Family secrets emerge as a best-selling author dives into the history of the mob in small-town America. Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a city "in its brawny postwar prime," is where "Little Joe" Regino and Russ Shorto build a local gambling empire on the earnings of factory workers for whom placing a bet--on a horse or pool game, pinball or "tip seal"--is their best shot at the American dream. Decades later, Russell Shorto grew up knowing that his grandfather was a small-town mobster, but never thought to write about him, in keeping with an unspoken family vow of silence. Then a distant cousin prodded him: You gotta write about it. Smalltime, the story of Shorto's search for his namesake, delves into the world of the small-town mob, an intricate web that spanned midcentury America, stitching together cities from Yonkers to Fresno. A riveting immigrant story, Smalltime is also deeply personal, as the author's ailing father, Tony, becomes his partner in piecing together their patriarch's troubled past. Moving, wryly funny, and richly detailed, Smalltime is an irresistible memoir by a masterful writer of historical narrative"--, Provided by publisher

The Setup -- The Victim -- The Comeback -- The Immigrant -- The Cheat -- The Made Man -- The Organization -- The Con -- The Establishment -- The Music -- The Contradiction -- The Haven -- The Murder -- The Fallout -- The Salesman -- The Winner

adult

Small-time, a story of my family and the mob