The Animal in Hollywood Reviews

• Interesting stories, Fiato's credibility questionable

  
  By on 1999-06-07
  Fiato has many interesting stories, but most relate to his dealings with low-level "wanna-bes". His encounters with "made guys" are mentioned, but little detail is given. This leads me to believe he had very few meaningful encounters/business dealings with these guys. His claim that he was being groomed to become a "boss" in LA is absurd considering he was never even formally inducted into LCN. The worst part of the book is when Fiato claims his brother was responsible for him turning "rat" - its as if he feels that by using his brother as a scapegoat, he can reclaim any respect he once had. It is clear to the reader, however, that Fiato cooperated to save his own skin, period. The book is a fun read, but I came away thinking there was a little fiction tossed in to make Fiato appear more important than he was.
  
  

• TOO MUCH NAME DROPPING,NOT ENOUGH SUBSTANCE.

  
  By on 1999-11-19
  I LIKE MOB STORIES.IN PARTICULAR,ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES THE MOB IN LOS ANGELES.THIS ONE WASNT THE WORST I HAVE READ,BUT IT WAS FAR FROM THE BEST.ALTHOUGH FIATO GAVE A GOOD INSIGHT TO STREET LEVEL MOB ACTIVITIES,TO ME HE SPENDS MORE TIME NAME DROPPING EVERY STAR HE HAPPENED TO BRUSH UP AGAINST.HE COULDNT HAVE BEEN REAL SMART IF HE WAS TALKING OPENLY ON HIS HOME PHONE.ANY WISE GUY WITH HALF A BRAIN KNOWS YOU DONT SAY ANYTHING ON YOUR OWN PHONE,WHICH IS WHAT EVENTUALLY DID HIM IN.THE AUTHOR DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB,DESPITE THE LACK OF SUBSTANCE IN MANY OF THE STORIES.I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST FIATO,I JUST GOT THE FEELING HE WASNT BEING TOTALLY TRUTHFULL.HUEVOS YES,BUT BRAINS?GOOD LUCK ON THE RUN ANTHONY.
  
  

• YAWN!!!

  
  By A1JMYKM73LBMMK on 2000-10-06
  This book was not a good read. I wasn't sure if Tony's life was not all that interesting or if the author did a poor job telling the story, but I did not get alot from this read. My main complaint is that their is no real continuity to the story. One minute he's a 17 yeart old kid scaring Mob-Hit men and doing jobs with movie stars (Yeah right). The next he is in Boston. Then it's ten years later and he's back in LA for some underdeveloped reason. The best story telling happens after he turns rat, but by that time "Fuhget about it". The book leads off saying he was did work with Tony Spilotro and many other well known mobsters, but by the accounts of the book he only met briefly with most of these guys. He seemed to be well connceted to Mike Rizzatello and essentially ran a street crew under him, but the rest seemed like one long name drop. "I knew a guy whom I knew was assocaited with Neil Delacruca or Ray Patriachia..yadda...yadda." The part towrds the end with Denise Brown was better done, but if i wanted insight to the OJ trial...I'd buy a different book. All and all...if you are a mob diehard and you want to find some info on the LA or Boston mob, then read it for that, but for a story about the life a mafia soldier..re-reading Nicholas Pillegi's Wiseguy is more enjoyabe!

  pickledjoe
  
  

• AVERAGE AT BEST

  
  By on 2000-03-26
  THIS BOOK IS NOT WHAT I HAD HOPED IT TO BE. THERE ARE MANY MORE INTERESTING MAFIA BOOKS OUT THERE LIKE JIMMY FRATTIANOS BOOK OR THE JOE DOGS BOOK. THIS BOOK HAS NO CONTINUITY AND RAMBLES ON AND ON. VERY AVERAGE.
  
  

• This is the most authentic view into the life of the mob

  
  By on 1998-11-27
  This is the most authentic, and exciting view of organized crime I have ever read. Not only is it full of the true life day to day events of one of the most feared Mob emforcers, but it also shows the true unseen sides of the glamour of Los Angeles. Anthony Fiato took control of the West Coast Mob with sheer viciousness, and chilling brut force within the glitz of Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, and the surrounding areas. I never thought this could happen in beautiful California. This book is like no other Mob book I have seen or read. If you want the real deal on the life in the Mob, and if you read one book this year, make it this one. you will not be sorry. The Animal in Hollywood is truely a compelling, and exciting book.
  
  
• diamond in the rough
  By A1BPDQZWIAT3CS on 2000-01-31
  real and not misleading anthony fiato is a tough guy with brains he was the mob boss in Hollywood in early eighties
  
  
• honest and revealing
  By on 1999-11-03
  the mafia in LA was a joke before fiato came along he and his crew were more violent than any mobsters LA has ever seen.anybody who throws somone down a flight of stairs and give them a beating in Beverly Hills Fiars Club and gets away with it speaks volums of how much he was feared before Fiato the mob there was called the Mickey Mouse Mafia.
  
  
• Anthony Fiato is really scary, and this book is really good.
  By on 1998-11-12
  This book followed the experiences of Anthony fiato, mobster-turned-informant. Sometimes it's funny; sometimes it's incredibly violent. A good read, and all the more interesting because it includes celebrities like Denise Brown, James Caan and Robert Mitchum.
  
  
• a mobster with class
  By on 2000-12-05
  a funny and violent and honest read. tony tells it like it is.he makes it clear that tough guys only listen to tougher guys.and he was the boss. how tough does that make him. this man is facinating.
  
  
• What a phony
  By A14TVRL94FBL4G on 2002-01-07
  Don't waste your money on this fiction. Most of the stories in the book are bogus. Fiato is making himself out to be something he never was - enforcer? Pullleeeze! Fiato couldn't beat up his own mother. Ask any outfit guy - Fiato is a Hollywood fabrication.

  Feed the rat some government cheese!
  
  

• hardcore enforcer
  By A130ST3RWSVVX3 on 2002-04-04
  the mob in LA was weak EXCEPT FOR Fiato what a life this guy had, money, broads, Armani, Porshe Beverly hills he was walking around in front of all the mob toughs in LA, WITH DENISE BROWN, even AFTER he ratted most of them out. That proves he was fearless. Mafia enforcer Fiato, and Puggy Z, a mob groupie, made lots of money in loansharking
  
  
• A Rat is a Rat
  By on 2004-02-17
  Fiato is like most informants they always find ways to rationalize their treachery. There is a saying on the street " If you cant do the time dont do the crime" Fiato and people like him enjoy the life until it comes time to pay, then they turn on people that trusted them. Fiato is just one of many Rats that turned and will continue to turn when faced with paying the price of their actions.
  
  
• the real deal
  By A3MFL2PCNG71G5 on 2000-02-09
  I haved lived in LA all my life and was well aware of Anthony Fiato and Mike Rizzitello by reputation this book realy tells it like they are. this book even understates Rizzitello and Fiato
  
  
• real mob life
  By on 2000-02-16
  Iliked the book.I heard the animal on the radio he was spectacular.he should have been the author I have never heard the mafia articulated in such great depth.
  
  
• great
  By on 1999-01-28
  this is one of the most down to earth books i've read in a wile.i loved this book.
  
  
• Spectacular radio interview
  By on 1999-03-13
  Ordering the book now ..Interviewed the author on my Hartford based radio show ..Listeners raved and I was mesmerized while entertained simultaneously..Straight out of "Goodfellas"..You'll love Fiato!! Sebastian WZMX radio.....
  
  
• facinating and very honest the animal is impressive
  By on 1999-03-17
  A fast and easy read FIATO doesnt.make himself superman like most of these mobsters turned stool pidgions do
  
  
• This book should be in the Fiction section, Save your money
  By on 1999-01-25
  Anthony Fiato's book is definitley in the wrong category. It should be in the Fiction Section. His only claim to fame is Denise Brown!! and he makes up stories like OJ Simpson. Everyone in Boston is laughing at him, his great imagination and story telling. I'm sorry I wasted my money on this book, maybe I'll bill Anthony Fiato for the money. He should buy Dr. Seuss books for himself, because that's who he should write for! Don't waste your money! I know a lot of these people he writes about, most of them are dead so its easy for him to make up stories! A definite Thumbs Down!!!
  
  
• A real mobster
  By A12Z4VCNM9UCJC on 2002-04-04
  I have to say this was a very real depiction of the mob in Hollywood. Having lived most of my life in LA,I heard of Anthony for years. He was the only mobster that made it in LA. He was a bold and violent criminal no other name comes to me when I
  think or a real leg buster. THE OTHER MOB GUYS WERE MICKEY MOUSE NEXT TO HIM
  
  
• A real tough guy
  By A6NMOAXGG989W on 2002-04-09
  Anthony was on the radio, and he is facinating. his story was unbelievable, in the sense that he accomplished so much, in a town that is so easy to get caught. He is no dummy like most Mafia guys What guts he has to wear a wire on over sixty
  Mafia members sworn to kill like himself
  
  
• Delusional fiction...
  By AKUURPDPR1FWT on 2006-06-03
  A careful constructed string of public appearances has somewhat cleaned Anthony Fiato of the smudge which is apparent in reading "The Animal in Hollywood." The scariest thing about Fiato is his inability to bridge the vast divide between the carefully crafted Animal personna and the real Anthony Fiato. The Animal surfaces spewing threats and issuing "I would have if, and I could haves" every few pages in this book. How lame is it for a man to relive past events while interjecting thoughts of what he should have done or wanted to do to readers who are thinking 'yeah but you didn't.'
  
  As for the book, it pales in comparison to Jimmy Fratianno's the Last Mafioso falling short in the truth and interest categories. Apparently unaware that the man had been dead for years, Fiato places himself on a collection run in south central Los Angeles. His target the long dead figure of Black Dot McGhee. I guess Fiato didn't figure on someone knowing of whom he spoke. He also claims a lofty stature in the Rizzitello family but fails to note why he never met Los Angeles mob power Jimmy Fratianno. For those not familiar with Fiato and his true stature and criminal dealings then this is sure to arouse interest and awe, but for everyone else. It is little more than a sad and sorry attempt to elevate and promote the Animal to a gullible audience enraptured audience This book is much like Fiato's testimony in the infamous Simpson case, is weak and without substance.
  
  
• A fairy tale
  By A312ABWE0B61V4 on 2006-06-22
  The book is supposily a true story, but I can tell you that several things in the book are basically Fiato's imagination or twisted reality of what really happened, He shows what kind of low-life he really is, more worried about everyone knowing he is sleeping with Nichole Simpson sister, which in truth is probibly the highlight of a lowlifes world.
  It is entertaining though because it seemed so new to me like I wasn't even there,but after reading it and comparing the realalities to the fantasy I could tell they just mislabeled it.
  
  
• tough guy
  By A3RAIF6IFTCJAL on 2000-07-24
  TONY COMES ACROSS AS A REAL DEAL TOUGH GUY.HOLLYWOOD BACKGROUND MAKES THE MOB EVEN TOUGHER. THE BOOK IS AN EASY READ.THE LIFE THIS GUY HAS LEAD IS FANTASTIC.
  
  
• It was a very insightful book
  By on 1999-09-15
  I thought it was very good and it got even to the heart of Anthony Fiato, someone known as the Animal of Hollywood. Very good book.
  
  
• Great inside information on all Mafia aspects
  By A126TVIWMZELIB on 1999-10-07
  The book covered many details of the "family" life. From the old days until the present, the book relayed much information on things that were never very publicized. From Fiato knowing Dean Martin, to dating Denise Brown's sister during the O.J. trial. Very entertaining! Non-stop reading.
  
  

• The Last Mouthpiece: The Man Who Dared to Defend the Mob
• The Battle for Las Vegas: The Law Vs. the Mob
• Mob Nemesis: How the FBI Crippled Organized Crime
• Cullotta: The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster and Government Witness
• The Sixth Family: The Collapse of the New York Mafia and the Rise of Vito Rizzuto