The Chris Voss Show - The Chris Voss Show Podcast – The Life We Chose: William “Big Billy” D’Elia and the Last Secrets of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Family by Matt Birkbeck

The Chris Voss Show Podcast – The Life We Chose: William “Big Billy” D’Elia and the Last Secrets of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Family by Matt Birkbeck

07/18/23 • 28 min

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The Life We Chose: William “Big Billy” D'Elia and the Last Secrets of America's Most Powerful Mafia Family by Matt Birkbeck https://amzn.to/3O0DCV4 “The Life We Chose—an unforgettable story. A really great read.” —Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy and Casino and screenwriter of Goodfellas From Matt Birkbeck—investigative journalist and executive producer of Netflix’s #1 movie Girl in the Picture—a revelatory father/surrogate son story that takes readers deep inside the inner workings of the mob through the eyes of William “Big Billy” D’Elia, the right-hand man to legendary mafia kingpin Russell Bufalino, who ran organized crime in the US for more than fifty years. William “Big Billy” D’Elia is Mafia royalty. The “adopted” son of legendary organized crime boss Russell Bufalino, for decades D’Elia had unequaled access to the man the FBI and US Justice Department considered one of the leading organized crime figures in the United States. But the government had no real idea as to the breadth of Bufalino’s power and influence—or that it was Bufalino, from his bucolic home base in Pittston, Pennsylvania, who reigned over the five families in New York and other organized crime families throughout the country. For nearly thirty years, D’Elia was at Bufalino’s side, and “Russ’s son” was a witness and participant to major historical events that have stymied law enforcement, perplexed journalists, and produced false and wild narratives in books and movies—not the least of which being the infamous disappearance of union boss Jimmy Hoffa. In addition, their reach was illustrated by their relationships with Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Michael Jackson, Suge Knight, and many other celebrities and personalities. D’Elia became the de facto leader of the Bufalino family upon Russell Bufalino’s imprisonment in 1979, and he officially took control upon Bufalino’s death in 1994 until his arrest in 2006, when he was charged with money laundering and the attempted murder of a witness. He pled guilty to money laundering and witness tampering and was released from federal prison in 2012. Candid and unapologetic, D’Elia is finally ready to reveal the real story behind the myths and in so doing paints a complicated, compelling, and stunning portrait of crime, power, money, and finally, family.

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The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Doom Guy: Life in First Person by John Romero

Doom Guy: Life in First Person by John Romero https://amzn.to/44PgnUL The inspiring, long-awaited autobiography of video game designer and DOOM cocreator John Romero John Romero, gaming’s original rock star, is the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3-D, some of the biggest video games of all time. Considered the godfather of the first- person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he holds a unique place in gaming history. In DOOM Guy: Life in First Person, Romero chronicles, for the first time, his difficult childhood and storied career, beginning with his early days submitting Apple II game code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out the back door of his day job to write code at night. Industry-redefining breakthroughs in design and tech during Romero’s time at id Software made DOOM and Quake cultural phenomena, and this thrilling story recounts every step of the process, from collaborative, heavy metal–fueled days spent crafting the industry’s most revolutionary and cutting-edge games to a high-profile falling-out with id cofounder John Carmack. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—the whole story—shedding new light on the development of his games and his business partnerships, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, sharing insights about design, code, the industry, and his career right up to today. Sharing gratitude for a lifetime in games, Romero reveals the twists and turns that led him, ultimately, to be called DOOM Guy. ABOUT JOHN ROMERO Computer and video game legend John Romero has designed and published more than 130 games since his first sale at the age of 16. A teenage programming prodigy, his major achievements include co-inventing a series of revolutionary computer games—DOOM, Quake, Wolfenstein 3-D, and Commander Keen—that launched the industry’s most popular genre, the first-person shooter.

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The Chris Voss Show Podcast – Yesteryear by Stephen G. Eoannou

Yesteryear by Stephen G. Eoannou https://amzn.to/3YgSHqA It’s 1930s Buffalo, and the Great Depression rages. Playwright Fran Striker needs to write the pilot for a new radio show but, to do so, he must overcome writer's block, defeat a Gypsy curse, foil a plot to assassinate FDR, and recover stolen diamond rings belonging to an alcoholic boxing champion. Who was that masked man? Based on the controversial true-life story of Lone Ranger creator Fran Striker, Yesteryear takes us on a magical journey leading to an icon’s debut, a show that provided hope to Americans during the country’s darkest days. About the Author I’m a 5am writer. At that dark hour you can find me either writing in bed or writing up in the cupola of my 1865 Second Empire Victorian I’m restoring. No coffee. No tea. No candles or incense burning. Just me typing away with my one-eyed dog close by. I love stories and novels with strong characters and a strong sense of place. The turf I carved out for myself is my hometown of Buffalo, New York, the setting and inspiration for much of my work. I’m trying to do for Buffalo what William Kennedy did for Albany and what Richard Russo did for Upstate New York. I think the three of us should discuss this over drinks. I’ll buy the first round. Some of the books I’ve read recently are Secret Identity by Alex Segura and Fortune Favors The Dead by Stephen Spotswood. I also re-read It’s Superman! by Tom De Haven. Currently on my nightstand is Don’t You Know There’s A War On?: The American Homefront 1941-1945 by Richard R. Lingeman. I like reading fiction and non-fiction set during The Great Depression and World War Two. My mother, who grew up during this period, always told me that I romanticized that time. She was right. When I'm not writing, you can find me working on the house or hunting for antiques and books to put in the house. I’ve been restoring the front staircase for over two years now. Evidently, I write and scrape paint slowly.