Mafia Kingpin

by Reparata Mazzola

Mafia Kingpin is a true story documented by confidential records, newspaper articles, and photographs. It is both the shocking , fast-paced autobiography of Sonny Gibson, armed robber, con-artist, and hitman, and an expose of of never-before-revealed inner workings of the Mafia and the United States Prison system. Hardcover, 540pp.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0448119900
• ISBN13: 9780448119908
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
• Length: 540 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Story True or False?

I have many unanswered questions about this story. How much is fact and how much is fiction? The book reads like a novel. But it says: The True Story of Sonny Gibson. Okay, there is a character mentioned when Sonny is in Chicago. His name is Sam, the mob chief of Chicago. Is this Sam Giancana? The last name was changed to Scrozelli, I think. Why would he change the last name of a true story? I can understand changing maybe one or two, but every mafia member? The book talks about Sonny's friend, whose name is Nick. This is someone Sonny knew from Indiana. Nick's grandfather is a New York Mafia don. The name was changed. Which head of the five families was it? We are talking the early 1960's. Carlo Gambino? Joe Bonanno? Vito Genovese? Joe Colombo? or Tommy Lucchese? The book talks about Nick being murdered, and Sonny was asked to find the people who murdered him. Now Nick was the grandson of the New York mafia don, the boss of bosses. Again, all names were changed. Is this fact or fiction? This is supposed to be a true story. This happened in Carlo Gambino's family, when Gambino asked John Gotti to make a hit on someone who murdered a member of his family. The book tells us, Sonny went to prison in 1973. He has a former bodyguard visit him in prison three years later, and told him the New York mafia don was dead. This would be 1976. Carlo Gambino died in 1976. So is the mafia don, Carlo Gambino? If you research the Gambino family or the other families, you can't find any information on Sonny Gibson. You would think, since he was a made man, you could find out which family he worked for. The book mentions he met the boss of bosses of the mafia. Who sent him to Sicily to learn the mafia ways. Is this fact or fiction?If it's fact you can't find information on which crime family he worked for in the beginning. The book also mentions, the mafia was involved in the death of Marilyn Monroe. And, Sonny helped Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. Sonny had the connections to help Elvis work in Las Vegas again. Since Elvis had stopped performing in public. At that time all hotels were controlled by the mafia. Is this fact or fiction? If you read the Elvis books, you can't find where the name Sonny Gibson was mentioned. I'm not saying the book is not a true story. But you can't verify many of the stories. If it's a true story some of the book you could verify.

Whatever became of Sonny Gibson?

I READ "MAFIA KINGPIN" FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1983, DURING MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, FOR A PROJECT I WAS ASSIGNED TO DO ON THE SUBJECT OF ORGANIZED CRIME. I HAVE READ THE BOOK MANY TIMES SINCE THEN, AND I FIND IT NO LESS EXCITING THAN THE FIRST TIME I READ IT. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK. BY FAR AND AWAY IT IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES. TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT! FAST-PACED, EXPLICIT, GRAPHIC, YOU-CAN'T-PUT-IT-DOWN!BUT WHATEVER BECAME OF SONNY GIBSON? I UNDERSTAND THAT HE MADE A MOVIE IN 1988 WITH REPARATA MAZZOLA, HIS CO-AUTHOR ON "MAFIA KINGPIN," BUT ASIDE FROM THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOVIE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE OF HIS LIFE IN CRIME, AND HIS TRANSFORMATION TO CHRISTIANITY? IS HE STILL AN ACTOR? DOES HE HAVE A WEB SITE (IF HE DOES -- I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT), AN EMAIL ADDRESS? WHATEVER BECAME OF SONNY GIBSON? DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW? IF YOU HAVE INFO, FEEL FREE TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT @ my email address: SCHAGHY@ISD.NETTHANKS, TED

MAFIA KINGPIN

It was one the best books i've read. It is graphic but after you get over that it's GREAT!!! I all most cried when he left Angelo. I wasn't able to put it down.

Very Graphic Book

The book was very graphic and accurate. I had the misfortunate to grow in the same type of environment and was exposed to the same lifestyle. The ways of the world and Satan are cruel masters. It's a continuing miracle I didn't have to pay the same price as Sonny Gibson did.

Mafia Kingpin is a very good book

I really enjoyed MAFIA KINGIN! It's one of the best mafia books that i have read that have been based on a true story. I passed it along to several friends who felt the same way after reading!