Shadow of My Father Paperback – February 27, 2015

I bought this book via my Kindle and this was a book I really had a hard time putting down. John A Gotti Jr did a incredible job writing his book I was fascinated with the detail accounting of his experiences. I came away with applauding his efforts while he was inside prison for doing something productive becoming a paralegal working hard to prove all the government was throwing at him hoping they would stick whatever they wanted to no matter that they had no proof other than convicts that murdered people lying by giving them a big name like Gotti to reduce their own sentences no matter that they were caught up in nothing but lie after lie. This man has a family and a wife that needed him and there's no doubt of the love he has for his family. I found myself getting more and more annoyed at the FBI the prosecutors that went after him 4 times with the same non creditable evidence from people he never associated with. He plead guilty to what he did do and that should have been the end of it but wasn't. It was heartbreaking to me because he is a family man he's not in the life anymore clearly. To me, they looked at him as they did his father and that's beyond unfair. I recommend this book you will not be disappointed. There's alot wrong with our justice system read this book and you will look at it differently. To put him on trial again and again with nothing for evidence other than criminals he barely knew was shameful. In the end all 4 juries knew it too. But he did a lot of suffering to get there. I hope that he has moved on with his family his children he loves so much and the wife that stood beside him through out his journey. If they read this review I wish them all the happiness in the world they deserve it.

This cautionary tale of the life of John Gotti Jr. is highly informative and well written. I believe he has paid the price for his mistakes and has redeemed himself. My favorite gangster story ever!

Book is very interesting ,I read it within a week that's how fascinated I am by John Gotti sr,I read other books about John gotti by Bruce cutler and gene mustain even Sammy gravanos book,and it was up there with mob star,I understood from the get go that he couldn't talk to much about the juicy stuff but it was still interesting ,I definitely recommend it and I truly do believe that junior is out of the mob.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I lived in NYC during the 70s and 80s. I know and visited many of the places where scenes took place. I have also been interested in the Mafia for 40 years. Its stories always draw me. For that reason, I found the book an interesting read. John A. Gotti (aka Junior) tells many stories, which are fascinating. How true? No idea; but, a good read.What I found somewhat ridiculous are the book's attempts to depict John J. Gotti (the father and Don) as somehow noble by characterizing him as a figure of intense loyalty, courage, wisdom and generosity. While there may have been occasional evidence of these positive qualities in Senior, they pale when compared to his commitment to the "Life". It is incontrovertible that this man was a bad actor. A thief, a thug, a vicious killer. He was, in the classic sense, a Mafioso. Please. To make him out as anything else is ludicrous. I sure hope Junior has left the Life for good as heclaims.On the other hand, Junior's recounts of how he and his father were treated by the federal legal, law enforcement and prison systems is, indeed, disturbing. Their treatment, in terms of hygiene, food, medical care and physical treatment, can only be described as inhumane, based on the book's allegations. To my mind, when someone commits a crime, is tried, found guilty and sentenced, that sentence should be the restitution expected. To make serving that sentence an inhumane ordeal is not what is expected in this country. If a criminal deserves to receive inedible food, sleep deprivation, physical abuse and subhuman medical care, then the sentence should decree such. It should not be up to prison officials to conduct their own personal vendetta, regardless of whom the criminal is.Finally there is the matter of Machiavellian treatment. On numerous occasions, the book unambiguously accuses law enforcement and legal authorities of grossly distorting testimony and evidence to achieve convictions. In all cases involving persons clearly guilty of countless crimes. First, I have no doubt that the federal government is oft times guilty of distorting truth to get what it wants. If one ever doubted this, the last 8 years have proved there is no room for doubt. That said, the question is do the means justify the end, if the end is appropriate? Gonna have to think on that one.In closing...Now that the Mafia, as I knew it in the 1950-80 period, is pretty well finito, this might be one of the last good reads on that chapter.

Very well and intellectually written book by Mr. Gotti that once you start reading you literally can not stop. This is not a book about "the life" or any other catch phrase people like to use but rather a book detailing the bond between father and son and the difficult choices one must make in order to protect his family.There are many people who come out of the trash pales they live in to tell "stories" using the Gotti name in order to make a quick buck. But those books are just that - stories (with no credibility) and written specifically to make money off the fools who believe them.For the first time the public gets a rare glimpse into the Gotti family from the man who lived it. Like them or hate them you have to respect a child who wants to follow in his fathers footsteps and a man who has the courage to do whatever it takes to protect his family.If you want to read the truth about Mr. Gotti then pick up this book and don't expect to leave your couch for a few days. If you want to read a book that is written specifically to glorify, shock and awe the public in order to make money then pick up the dozens of fairy tale books that are out there and become a little less smarter of a person who got hood winked by an un-credible author.Great read - Great Book

The Feds are really something else. I worked in that cesspool called Washington D.C., awful place to live if you are from the South.

Great book! Very Well written and an intimate look at a life with John Gotti. Highly recommend!

I chose a five star rating of this book, for me as a UK citizen I had only ever knew the John Gotti snr the press portrayed . So to then read factual information from his be!over son John Gotti jnr was a breath of fresh air. It was extremely heartfelt and with great sadness as told of the Governments wrong doing towards them as a family, when they are the ones seeking "justice" they I felt we're far worse than any of the criminals mentioned apart from alite , I hope he gets his just desserts and Ted Otto. To you John Gotti jnr much love to you and yours for the rest of your lives, thank you for allowing us to read the Truth.

Can't Put It Down . . . .Mr Gotti has done an outstanding job writing this book, the story flows, everything is explained in detail which makes excellent reading for this not familiar with the US authorities.I'm an australian women and I can honestly say I am appalled at how this gentleman was treated, the fact that the authorities are able to get away with treating people like this is an outrage.Please don't get me wrong I understand both men may have broke the law at one time, especially John Senior but people still deserve to be treated for illness! All I can say is what goes around comes around and hopefully karma catches up with those involved in this treatment!Apart from that I very much enjoyed Mr Gottis style of writing, it was excellent to read through his life and see how he changed - he should hold his head high!Buy this book you won't regret it!

Interesting story. Well written.

I really enjoyed this book, and the good guy won, brilliant read best of luck to John and his family