Lord High Executioner
The Legendary Mafia Boss Albert Anastasia
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Lord High Executioner
Buy Now for $27.83
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Eric Jason Martin
-
Written by:
-
Frank Dimatteo
-
Michael Benson
About this listen
Umberto "Albert" Anastasia was born in Italy at the turn of the century. Five decades later, he would be gunned down in a barber shop in New York City. What happened in the years in between - and why every crime family had reason to want him dead - is one of the most brutal and fascinating stories in the history of American organized crime.
This in-depth account of the man who became one of the most powerful and homicidal crime bosses of the 20th century from Mafia insider Frank Dimatteo is the first full-length book to chronicle Anastasia's bloody rise from immigrant to founder of the notorious killer's club Murder, Inc.
They called him "The One Man Army." "Mad Hatter." "Lord High Executioner." But Albert Anastasia was a man who defied description. He was Albert the gentleman thief: a polished stick-up artist who would apologize to his victims - and kiss their ladies' hands - as he robbed them at gunpoint. He was Albert the killer: whose merciless assassination of Mafia godfather Vincent Mangano is recounted here in chilling firsthand detail. He was Albert the record breaker: the first man in the history of American justice to be charged with four separate murders - and walk free after each one.
But in the end, he was last obstacle in rival Mafia hoodlum Vito Genovese's dream of becoming the boss of bosses - and paid the ultimate price.
©2020 Frank Dimatteo and Michael Benson (P)2020 TantorWhat listeners say about Lord High Executioner
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Langer MD
- 2024-06-30
Subpar 'Murder Inc.' Documentary(?)
Mafia insider Frank Dimatteo brings his street-level sentiments to what is ostensibly an in-depth profile of Umberto "Albert" Anastasia.. most famously the Italian headman of a stable of hitmen-for-hire largely composed of Jewish mobsters. Contradicting the book's biographical mandate, I learned of Anastasia's acts as an influential non-Five Family Crime Boss but didn't get a sense of his motivations at all. The chilling murders (of mob rivals, witnesses, etc.) conducted by himself & his henchmen are described with flair.. but who, exactly, was this legendary figure? I have no idea.
Co-writer Michael Benson ensures grammatical correctness and readability, too - but some of the straight-up immature observations/interpretations/interjections from Dimatteo make it quite clear that this book is asserting a Scorsese-styled narrative. The whole thing feels exaggerated for entertainment effect.
As to presentation: Reader Eric Jason Martin performs with crisp, professional diction - and commendable voice-acting when called upon - but reads too slowly and with a sibilant and oddly breathless delivery. Tantor Audio sound engineers also inexplicably allow the sound of turning pages to persist in the recording.
Altogether, this audiobook version of 'Lord High Executioner' is a 5/10-star Mafia exposé. It wasn't a complete waste of time as a 'Plus' selection, I guess (particularly if you enjoy romanticized Wise Guy depictions).. but even for free it wasn't great. Should Audible ask for a Credit, spend it elsewhere.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!