Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The mob as we imagine it—shaped by Hollywood giants like The Godfather and The Sopranos—often obscures its earliest roots in the labor unions of America’s coal towns. With major figures such as Jimmy Hoffa and Carlo Gambino tied to the Teamsters and other unions, the generational connections become clearer the deeper you look. That’s exactly what Charles Bufalino, descendant of another well‑known mob family, sets out to do in Bufalino: Revelations of a Mafia Family, the Teamsters, and the Final Resting Place of Jimmy Hoffa. Part memoir and part behind‑the‑scenes account of some of America’s most notorious crime families, the book reads like a blend of genealogy study and local history of Northeastern Pennsylvania. From his family’s immigration to America to their alleged ties to Hoffa’s disappearance, Bufalino lays bare many of his family’s darkest secrets.
I’m giving Bufalino 3 out of 5 stars. While the subject matter is undeniably compelling, the narrative was difficult to follow. Events are repeated across multiple chapters as timelines are revisited from different angles, making it challenging to distinguish new information from retellings. The confusion is compounded by the number of individuals who share the same Sicilian names—several with identical first and last names—which made keeping track of the cast a struggle. I was also surprised by how much of the book focuses on early labor organizing and the family’s pre‑1930s history. With Hoffa’s disappearance in 1975 and so many pivotal events occurring in the 1950s and 60s, I expected more emphasis on the more recent decades rather than the period before the author was born.
Readers from the Pittston, Pennsylvania area—or those already familiar with the Bufalino or Genovese families—may find the historical detail particularly engaging. My lack of prior familiarity likely contributed to my difficulty following the narrative. This book may also appeal to readers interested in the coal industry or the early days of labor organizing. While I’ve read several books recently that touch on these topics, this one offers a distinct perspective.
Bufalino will release on April 28th. You can preorder your copy today on our Bookshop.org page!
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