Mafia Enforcer

Rating:
Summary: Title's a bit deceiving but the action is real upfront!
Review: The story is told in first-person by a BIKER who eventually ends up doing dirty work for the Canadian Calabrian mafia. The first half of the book reminds us what a violent, criminal menace the bikers were in the 70's (I love that decade). From the barroom brawls, arson, robberies, extortion, and yes, murder---Cecil Kirby provides some authentic insight into Canada and its biker gangs. Then he goes on to describe how the mob used him to do some of the aforementioned crimes. You never for a moment doubt the narrator's honesty or viciousness but you do thank him for one hell of a story!

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth a read for crime fans
Review: This is not one of the very best books written by an organized crime soldier, but it's unique and is particularly interesting for its portrayal of the growing interrelationship between Italian organized crime and outlaw bikers. Kirby's knowledge of and insights into biker gangs are much more interesting than his stories of the Italian mafia, because by his own account he seems to have been regarded as a sort of flunkie just because he wasn't Italian, despite doing many complicated jobs for the "family." It's interesting to see that xenophobic world from close-up but not, strictly speaking, from within. Another interesting fact about this book is that it's a bit mistitled -- the "mafia" is in fact the Calabrian organized crime group operating in eastern Canada, not what we usually think of as "The Mafia" -- that is to say, the sicilians. While there are many similarities and the two organizations often interact, it's not quite the same thing. While I can't say this was a drop-dead read like WISEGUY or THE VALACHI PAPERS or UNDERBOSS, it definitely belongs on any organized crime reader's shelf.