Last Don Standing: The Secret Life of Mob Boss Ralph Natale

Description

As the last Don of the Philadelphia mob, Ralph Natale, the first-ever mob boss to turn state's evidence, provides an insider's perspective on the mafia. Natale's reign atop the Philadelphia and New Jersey underworlds brought the region's mafia back to prominence in the 1990s. Smart, savvy, and articulate, Natale came up in the mob and saw first-hand as it hatched its plan to control Atlantic City's casino unions. Later on, after spending 16 years in prison, he reclaimed the family as his own after a bloody mob war that left bodies scattered across South Philly. He forged connections around the country, invigorated the family with more allies than it had in two decades, and achieved a status within the mob never seen before or since until he was betrayed by his men and decided to testify against them in a stunning turn of events. Using dozens of hours of interviews with Natale along with research and interviews with FBI agents, this book delivers revelatory insights into seminal events in American mob history, including: - The truth about Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance - The murder of Jewish mob icon Bugsy Siegel - The identity of the man who created modern-day Las Vegas With the full cooperation of Natale, New York Daily News reporter Larry McShane and producer Dan Pearson uncover the deadly reign of the last great mob boss of Philadelphia, a tale that covers a half-century of mob lore-and gore.

LARRY MCSHANE is a 35-year veteran city reporter, first with The Associated Press and currently with the New York Daily News. The Seton Hall University graduate was a two-time AP New York State Staffer of the Year, and received awards for both feature writing and breaking news coverage during his career. He is the author of Cops Under Fire and the upcoming Chin: The Life and Crimes of Mafia Boss Vincent Gigante. DAN PEARSON is the executive producer of Discovery's I Married a Mobster and has been an entertainment industry veteran for over twenty years.