Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra (Fawcett, $8). This 2001 novel is even better than The Godfather. A story of growing up gangster in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, it’s told like a punch to the gut—in visceral, dramatic terms that pack a wallop all their own. Vividly real to its tiniest NYC detail, and equally authentic in its explorations of the human soul.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
A glorious Greek island without the 'swank'The Week Recommends Lesbos doesn't welcome 'hoards' of tourists, but is 'magnificent' and worth exploring
-
Norman Tebbit: fearsome politician who served as Thatcher's enforcerIn the Spotlight Former Conservative Party chair has died aged 94
-
Elon Musk's America Party: a billionaire's folly?Talking Point One-time Trump ally has acquired a taste for political power and clearly wants more of it
-
Laura Lippman's 6 favorite books for those who crave a high-stakes adventureFeature The Grand Master recommends works by E.L. Konigsburg, Charles Portis, and more
-
Thomas Mallon's 6 favorite books from the 80's and early 90'sFeature The author recommends works by James Merrill, Calvin Trillin, and more
-
Anne Hillerman's 6 favorite books with Native charactersFeature The author recommends works by Ramona Emerson, Craig Johnson, and more
-
John Kenney's 6 favorite books that will break your heart softlyFeature The novelist recommends works by John le Carré, John Kennedy Toole, and more
-
Andrea Long Chu's 6 favorite books for people who crave new ideasFeature The book critic recommends works by Rachel Cusk, Sigmund Freud, and more
-
Bryan Burrough's 6 favorite books about Old West gunfightersFeature The Texas-raised author recommends works by T.J. Stiles, John Boessenecker, and more
-
Tash Aw's 6 favorite books about forbidden loveFeature The Malaysian novelist recommends works by James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and more
-
Richard Bausch's 6 favorite books that are worth rereadingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and more
