Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra (2002-07-03)

Although Carcaterra's stories are generally unsettling (such as APACHES, where drugs are smuggled in the corpses of dead babies) his characters are fabulous. The same holds true with GANGSTERS. Angelo and Pudge are gangsters in the truest sense, and its fun to root for the "bad guys". We follow their lives from adolescence, when the mob was just getting started in America, to adulthood, with the mob in full swing. Even though the twist at the end does not come as much of a suprise, we're so involved with the characters to care.
I've really enjoyed all of Carcaterra's 3 works of fiction and would recommend them to anyone with a strong stomach. The horror just adds to the alure.

Beginning is fast paced from the birth of Angelo Vestieri to his entry into the criminal world of being a gangster. I really loved the Pudge character. I really didn't like the paragraphs whereby it seemed to be a lecture on what being a gangster entails. Story slows down from the 1960's to 1996. Some very brutal scenes. Still love Carcaterra's Sleepers the best.

This is the first book I've read by Carcaterra... it was fantastic. I loved his writing style, especially in light of some top authors who just seem to write books as fast as they can type, with very little artistry. Aside from being well written, it was a page-turner and I loved the way in which he told the story. I'm a fan - and I plan on reading his other novels.

This book was so vacuous and derivitive I couldn't finish the last 50 pages. What the author knows about the Mafia had to have come from watching movies. But we've all seen all the movies, so this book was just warmed over, imitative drivel.
Operating on the "greater fool" theory, I quickly listed the book for sale and sold it ... I actually feel a little guilty I took money for it.

This book was amazing. I was instantly drawn into the underworld that this book portrays. Lorenzo Carcaterra did a great job telling the real life of the people in this book. I felt like I was one of the mobsters that this book revolves around. This book was exciting right until the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to see what life is like for someone in the underworld.

Always looking for something different than a romance novel. Was recommended by a male co worker. Good story. Shocking beginning. An, I would have never guessed that ending. This book is hard to put down. Read other books by Lorenzo also. This one is my favorite.

I have read everything Mario Puzo ever wrote and would put this with or above any of those novels... I have bought this book in paper back more than 4 times becase I keep lending them out to other friends and want to retain a copy for myself..I even bought the audio book. Totally gripping page turning story. Great character development.. Superb.

LOVED THIS BOOK AND AS A RESULT HAVE JUST ORDERED ALL MR. CARCATERRAS' BOOKS. GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN IN THE 50'S, IN AN ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD, PRIMED ME FOR ''GANSTERS''.....KNEW THESE PEOPLE. CANNOT PUT THIS UP THERE WITH ''THE GODFATHER'' BUT IT'S A CLOSE SECOND.

I have enjoyed this authors last two novels however this is a waste of time. Cliche...Cliche....Cliche. Melodramtic writing. I suspect he really "wrote this as a screenplay first because it is so vapid.
Don't waste your time.

This book was filled will all the typical gangster cliches. And they were poorly written, as well as poorly tied together. I expected more from this author as he wrote "Sleepers", which was a good book, but he missed the mark with this one.

"Gangster" is a success! Rich in detail, interesting characters, and great suprises abound in this book! Angelo is just as untouchable as Michael Corleone! Though attempt come close, he can't be killed by any normal means as far as gangland is concerned. This is definitely one of my "read again" books!

US history starting and before in the 1900s the reader is brought along from the gangsters POV.
An interesting sometimes murderous life of several main gangsters and how they maintained their territory life and personalities. This author writes a very compelling thrilling book. I will defiantly read more as this author is one of the great American story writers.

This book was filled will all the typical gangster cliches. And they were poorly written, as well as poorly tied together. I expected more from this author as he wrote "Sleepers", which was a good book, but he missed the mark with this one.