The Docile Don

Praise for George Anatasia

THE DOCILE DON

“Former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Anastasia delivers a gripping biography of Angelo Bruno, who ruled the Philly crime scene for more than two decades… . With scrupulous reporting and a penchant for dramatic scene setting, this rigorous portrait of a major mafioso reads like a crime novel. Readers will be rapt.” —Publishers Weekly

“George Anastasia is one of my favorite nonfiction authors, and I absolutely devoured his latest book, The Docile Don, a riveting biography of the late Angelo Bruno, who ruled the Philadelphia Mafia. This is the definitive and dramatic story of the mobster, and its compelling details, unforgettable scenes, and even quotes from wiretaps bring Bruno, his friends, and his enemies to vivid life on every page. Nobody knows, or writes about, the Philly Mob better than George Anastasia.” —Lisa Scottoline, #1 bestselling author of The Fall of the LaFleurs

“Angelo Bruno played it quiet for decades while the rest of the Mafia went to war—then his own men put a bullet behind his ear anyway, and George Anastasia rips open every double cross that led to it. This isn’t just a Mob biography, but a murder mystery where everyone in the room is a suspect.” —Louis Ferrante, internationally bestselling author of the Borgata Trilogy

“George Anastasia combines an insider’s knowledge of the streets with a deep dive into the records to produce a compelling portrait of a man who avoided publicity at all costs: Philadelphia Mob boss Angelo Bruno… . One thing that Anastasia does so well in this book, which completes his Philadelphia Saga originally begun in Blood and Honor, is place the Mafia in the context of American history. Like the Mob or not, you cannot discount its significance.” —Meyer Lansky II, grandson of Meyer Lansky and co-author of The Lansky Legacy and Bugsy and Flamingo

“An extremely accurate and well-researched portrayal of the Angelo Bruno Mafia family, revealing details about its corruption and acts of violence that have never been told before in such a penetrating and personalized way. The Bruno family controlled traditional illegal activities as well as legitimate business interests in Philadelphia for decades, until the end came swiftly and ironically with the unexpected assassination of Bruno.” —Frank Storey, retired FBI official who investigated the Bruno crime family and author of The FBI’s War Against the Mafia

“George Anastasia has done it again. With meticulous research and a veteran reporter’s eye for insider detail, he has produced a compelling portrait of Philadelphia Mob boss Angelo Bruno, the Not-So-Docile Don. He captures Bruno’s style and his reach—and the vipers around him who ultimately plotted his downfall. Anastasia knows the characters who populate his book well, and when you finish reading, you will, too.” —S. J. Peddie, author of Sonny and co-author of The Lansky Legacy and Bugsy and Flamingo

BLOOD AND HONOR

“Forget about it! This is the best gangster book ever written.” —Jimmy Breslin, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight

“Journalist Anastasia’s riveting account… . Easily the best of the Scarfo Mob books, it is recommended for organized crime collections.” —Gregor A. Preston, Library Journal

“Up-close and personal perspectives on a consequential Mafia family… . Offers a tellingly detailed rundown on a fiefdom encompassing not only his hometown but also Atlantic City… . Gripping curbside insights into mafiosi at work and play.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The best Mob book ever.” —Penthouse

GOTTI’S RULES

“One of the most respected crime reporters in the country.” —60 Minutes

“Should appeal to true crime and mafia aficionados.” —Library Journal

“A compelling, occasionally frightening, often surprising journey into the world of organized crime… . For anyone fascinated by organized crime, this is a must-read.” —Booklist

“A fast-paced and compelling story that reads like a crime thriller.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Forget about pulp fiction, what Anastasia churns out is pulp-nonfiction.” —Philadelphia Weekly

“There have been a lot of books about the Mob but never one like this.” —William Knoedelseder, author of Stiffed

MOBFATHER

“In this revealing account, Philadelphia Inquirer crime reporter Anastasia … shows what life with a prominent organized crime figure was like… . Anastasia unmasks numerous crime scams and provides an insightful glimpse into the anguish of being the son of a man who was more comfortable with killers than with his own kin.” —Publishers Weekly

“George Anastasia has crafted a gangland masterpiece. You see the murderous Philadelphia Mob through the eyes of a turncoat and relive the daily horror of life in his home from the words of the wife and son whose lives he nearly destroyed.” —Jerry Capeci, bestselling co-author of Murder Machine and creator of GangLandNews.com

“George Anastasia [is] our most important chronicler of the decline and fall of Italian America’s dark glory, La Cosa Nostra.” —Bill Tonelli, former editor of Esquire and Rolling Stone

THE SUMMER WIND

“Provocative, insightful… . More than just a cop story.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Those who buy just one book can’t go wrong with this one.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Riveting… . A breathtaking account of … sex, lies and betrayal.” —Gloucester County Times

George Anastasia is a former reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he covered organized crime and casino gambling. He is the author of a dozen books, including Blood and Honor, which Jimmy Breslin called “the best gangster book ever written.” Other books about the Philadelphia underworld include The Docile Don, The Goodfella Tapes, The Last Gangster, and Mobfather. He is also the author of Gotti’s Rules and The Summer Wind, a New York Times bestseller that chronicled an infamous murder in Wilmington, Delaware.

He retired in 2012 and continues to write about organized crime for various publications, produces a video report called “Mob Talk Sitdown,” is an adjunct professor at Rowan University where he teaches a course on organized crime, and serves on the advisory council of The Mob Museum in Las Vegas.

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