Mafia Heir Has Own Mafia Novel

PW Rights Alert Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 5/11/2001

There's never been a shortage of them, but to have a first novel about the
Mafia written by one born and bred to the Family, and with a name everyone
knows, has to be a first.

The first-time author is Michael Gambino, the grandson of Carlo (on whom
Mario Puzo based "The Godfather"), and his book is to be called "The
Honored Society." Pocket Books senior editor George Lucas bought world
rights to the book from agents Joel Gotler and recently joined Noah Lukeman
at AMG.

Gambino, who became a "made man" at 18 and a crime boss in his own right,
spent a lot of the next decade in jail. He is now free, with no
restrictions on what he can write, and without threat from his former
associates--on whom he never ratted. He plans to tell, through the story of
a fictional mob figure, exactly how the organization works, deep from the
inside. He is said to be the highest-ranking Cosa Nostra member ever to
describe its workings--certainly in fictional form.

Lucas got a slightly earlier look at the manuscript than other editors--by
about two hours--and was therefore able to take an early "powerful
position," he said.

Pocket plans to publish in November.