Untold Story of Scarface

Game Review

Game Review

For “Young Al Capone: The Untold Story of Scarface in New York, 1899-1925” (Skyhorse Publishing), William and John Balsamo spoke to people associated with Capone — including the man responsible for giving him the famous moniker — in what they believe is the first book of its type. The Balsamos — William, 71, and John, 73 — also grew up in Brooklyn around members of the Mafia and made friends during their days working at the Brooklyn waterfront.

Their talks about Capone originally started as a hobby, conversations with “old-timers” at weddings and family events, and once they realized how much information had accumulated, decided to turn it into a book. William Balsamo, who now lives in Midland Beach, recalls meeting with Frank Galluccio, the man who scarred Scarface. “The fight with Galluccio was over his younger sister, who Capone had insulted,” William Balsamo said of the encounter in a Coney Island bar.

John Balsamo also recalled his interviews with a 97-year-old woman who lived across the street from Capone when he was a boy. He also knew Capone’s childhood friend, Gido Bianco, who told stories about the gangster’s early life. The book reads more like a work of fiction than a biography with flowing prose that includes Capone’s conversations. “Capone is the most infamous gangster, the most celebrated gangster in the world,” William Balsamo commented. “Everyone has heard of Alphonse Capone.”
By. Game Review