
Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia
Borgata Trilogy, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Louis Ferrante
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By:
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Louis Ferrante
About this listen
The culmination of Louis Ferrante's exhaustive research delving deep into Sicily's socio-economic-political roots, Borgata: Rise of Empire will finally reveal exactly how and why this infamous secret society formed inside Sicilian culture. Ferrante then engages in the art of storytelling by carefully selecting stories about the mafia in Sicily that allow him to follow the main characters to America, where most arrive as fugitives from Italian justice.
Across the Atlantic, the storyline picks up in places like New York and New Orleans, where the clannish Sicilians quickly realize the importance of diversity as they forge new alliances with other recently arrived ethnic groups as the borgata becomes the premier organized criminal network in the country. After planting their flags in cities across America, the adolescent American mafia realizes how to corrupt America's police and political establishment, allowing them to extend their tentacles into every level of American society.
In this first volume, Ferrante traces the mafia's phenomenal "rise of empire" through larger-than-life characters and legendary mobsters as they provide alcohol to the American public during Prohibition, penetrate industrial labor unions, practically take over the island of Cuba and, with extraordinary vision, create the gambling mecca of Las Vegas.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2024 Louis Ferrante (P)2024 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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In The Field of Blood, Joanne B. Freeman recovers the long-lost story of physical violence on the floor of the US Congress. Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources, she shows that the Capitol was rife with conflict in the decades before the Civil War. Legislative sessions were often punctuated by mortal threats, canings, flipped desks, and all-out slugfests. When debate broke down, congressmen drew pistols and waved Bowie knives. One representative even killed another in a duel. Many were beaten and bullied in an attempt to intimidate them into compliance, particularly on the issue of slavery.
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fascinating look at an untold aspect of US.history
- By P. Cardella on 09-27-18
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The Mighty Moo
- The USS Cowpens and Her Epic World War II Journey from Jinx Ship to the Navy's First Carrier into Tokyo Bay
- By: Nathan Canestaro
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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The USS Cowpens and her crew weren’t your typical heroes. She was a flattop that the US Navy initially didn’t want, with a captain nearly scapegoated for the loss of his last command, pilots who self-trained on the planes they would fly into combat, and sailors that had been in uniform barely longer than the ship had been afloat. Despite their humble origins, Cowpens and her band of second-string reservists and citizen sailors served with distinction, fighting in nearly every major carrier operation from 1943 to 1945, including the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf.
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simply outstanding.
- By Wendy B. on 03-25-25
By: Nathan Canestaro
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East West Street
- On the Origins of "Genocide" and "Crimes Against Humanity"
- By: Philippe Sands
- Narrated by: David Rintoul, Philippe Sands
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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When human rights lawyer Philippe Sands received an invitation to deliver a lecture in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, he began to uncover a series of extraordinary historical coincidences. It set him on a quest that would take him halfway around the world in an exploration of the origins of international law and the pursuit of his own secret family history, beginning and ending with the last day of the Nuremberg Trials.
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Outstanding!
- By lori on 05-07-18
By: Philippe Sands
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Hiroshima
- The Last Witnesses (Embers, Book 1)
- By: M. G. Sheftall
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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In this vividly rendered historical narrative, M. G. Sheftall layers the stories of hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors—in harrowing detail, to give a minute-by-minute report of August 6, 1945, in the leadup and aftermath of the world-changing bombing mission of Paul Tibbets, Enola Gay, and Little Boy.
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Completenesss
- By William hartel on 12-08-24
By: M. G. Sheftall
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Film Studies, Second Edition
- An Introduction
- By: Ed Sikov
- Narrated by: Paul Heitsch
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Film Studies is a concise and indispensable introduction to the formal study of cinema. Ed Sikov offers a step-by-step curriculum for the appreciation of all types of narrative cinema, detailing the essential elements of film form and systematically training the spectator to be an active listener and critic. He treats a number of fundamental factors in filmmaking, including editing, composition, lighting, the use of color and sound, and narrative.
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Lovely read.
- By Dewey Gallegos on 08-12-23
By: Ed Sikov
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The Cigar
- Carmine Galante, Mafia Terror
- By: Frank Dimatteo, Michael Benson
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The son of Sicilian immigrants, Camillo Carmine Galante was raised in Manhattan's Little Italy and by all accounts born bad. By fifteen he was terrorizing the streets of New York's Lower East Side, scoring high marks for the "errands" he was running for his La Cosa Nostra elders. When he turned twenty, Galante was already one of the mob's top enforcers-a sadistic thrill killer and clinically diagnosed psychopath with big dreams.
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Lazy Attempt; Awful Narrator
- By Rich on 05-05-23
By: Frank Dimatteo, and others
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Operation Pineapple Express
- By: Scott Mann
- Narrated by: Lt. Col. Scott Mann
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In April 2021, an urgent call was placed from a Special Forces operator serving overseas. The message was clear: Get Nezam out of Afghanistan now. Nezam was part of the Afghan National Army’s first group of American-trained commandos; he passed through Fort Bragg’s legendary Q course and served alongside the US Special Forces for over a decade. But Afghanistan’s government and army were on the edge of collapse, and Nezam was receiving threatening texts from the Taliban.
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amazing, uplifting, heart wrenching
- By Lisa L. Weinley on 09-13-22
By: Scott Mann
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God Save Benedict Arnold
- The True Story of America's Most Hated Man
- By: Jack Kelly
- Narrated by: Jim Seybert
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Benedict Arnold committed treason—for more than two centuries, that's all that most Americans have known about him. Yet Arnold was much more than a turncoat—his achievements during the early years of the Revolutionary War defined him as the most successful soldier of the era. God Save Benedict Arnold tells the gripping story of Arnold's rush of audacious feats—his capture of Fort Ticonderoga, his Maine mountain expedition to attack Quebec, the famous artillery brawl at Valcour Island, the turning-point battle at Saratoga—that laid the groundwork for our independence.
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Missing the Whole Story
- By Derek L. on 08-14-24
By: Jack Kelly
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The Burning Shore
- How Hitler's U-Boats Brought World War II to America
- By: Ed Offley
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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On June 15, 1942, as thousands of vacationers lounged in the sun on Virginia Beach, a massive fireball erupted from a convoy of oil tankers steaming into Chesapeake Bay. By the next day, three ships lay at the bottom of the channel, victims of Lieutenant-Commander Horst Degen and his crew on the German submarine U-701. In The Burning Shore, acclaimed military reporter Ed Offley presents a thrilling account of Degen's rampage along the American coast and of US Lieutenant Harry J. Kane's quest to bring him down.
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Ugh, Perhaps a Second Listen is Required?
- By Matthew on 09-05-15
By: Ed Offley
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Into the Cold Blue
- My World War II Journeys with the Mighty Eighth Air Force
- By: John Homan, Jared Frederick - contributor
- Narrated by: Eric Torres
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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A born daredevil, John Homan joined the Army Air Forces after the Pearl Harbor attack. By 1944, he was co-piloting a B-24 Liberator over Nazi Germany, raining death and destruction on the enemy. This first-person account of his harrowing missions—chronicling deadly flights through skies of red-hot flak bursts and airmen bailing out with parachutes aflame—will leave listeners staggered by the determination and grit of World War II aviators.
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My Father Journey
- By Charlie on 08-24-24
By: John Homan, and others
What listeners say about Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- S Anthony
- 01-15-25
Great insight into the mob
I really enjoyed this book and I’m currently looking for volumes 2 and 3 to read.
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- john romer
- 09-30-24
Enjoying story.
The beginning of the book when the mob is in Italy is a little dragged out. But once the mob gets to America the story gets awesome.
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- Ross
- 04-20-24
I’ve Read and Listened to them All and This is The Best
Louis puts his own touch and put out a classic as one of the most articulate writers and narrators. Perfect mix of factual history with a comical touch. Fantastic read and listen especially in a time packed full of made up unreadable/unlistenable garbage.
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- mflow
- 03-23-25
Same history, slightly different perspective.
I have read or heard sooooo many mob books. This comes from an insight that is different than what I’ve come across. Every story, every leader is well written, engaging, and detailed. It’s also nice that it’s a long book.
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- H.Potter
- 01-08-25
Great Book and Author's Voice Makes it Authentic
I read the hardcover and loved it, so I was about to reread it when I decided to get the audiobook and listen on the way to work each day. The author is from this world so you can only imagine how the story comes to life with his voice. I'm getting his other audiobook now. Highly recommended!
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- Richard P Paczynski
- 04-12-25
Ferrante hits the trifecta
This opening volume of a multi-part work is strongly recommended for nearly anyone, even if they only have a passing or beginners interest in the mafia. Having said that, the book will illuminate the libraries of most people already very familiar with the annals of organized crime. Ferrante has hit the trifecta with Borgata: Rise of Empire. How so? First, this work is exquisitely researched and is organized from the perspective of someone who is both a self-taught scholar and street-wise former mafia associate (but he doesn’t wallow in his former mob connections, and gives what I would consider a fair-handed treatment of the family he worked within). Second, the writing is witty and often humorous but also gritty in the extreme, and above all compelling. With mostly short chapters and a logical flow, it would’ve been a page-turner had I read it. But I didn’t; instead I listened to Borgata, and that leads to the next part of the trifecta. Third, the performance is fantastic. I usually like it when an author reads their own work, and that definitely holds true for Borgata. Mr. Ferrante’s voice and style of execution are just about ideal for this book, and a big part of the fun.
Borgata: Rise of Empire is a scholarly work replete with historical references and in-depth development of the personalities and human relationships at the center of the story. I especially appreciate the more balanced and realistic interpretation of mafia lore compared with what I’ve usually seen in renditions of similar material. As just one example, the authors unravels a more nuanced description of why J Edgar Hoover seemed to treat the mob with kid gloves for several decades. That added depth makes a world of difference for better understanding of this very complex and almost by definition murky material.
Special thanks to the author. I’m looking forward to hearing — or reading — the next two volumes.
Richard Paczynski
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- Grant
- 03-13-25
Fascinating in depth history of the early Mafia
I loved this book. A time or two I was about to lose interest, but that was quickly overtaken by more fascinating stories. I can't believe how much I learned about what I call, the trilogy of Mafias, the Italians, the Jewish, and the Irish.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-05-25
A most excellent history of the mob.
This has to be my most favorite history of mostly Italian organized crime which was written by a mafia associate. If you’re not sure on whether to buy it or not, just listen to the author on the many podcasts he has been on. His narration is what made this book. Highly recommended.
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- Luvthec
- 10-03-24
In depth detail and organization of that information.
This book was amazing in its detail, ability to tell a (complicated) story in such an organized fashion and the way you feel as though you are taking a guided tour through the times.
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