BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Life We Chose’

OPINION:

I thought Matt Birkbeck’s book about mobsters William “Big Billy” D’Elia and Russell Bufalino (who was portrayed by Joe Pesci in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman”) was interesting, especially the sections on South Philadelphia, where I grew up, currently live, and where I’ve covered organized crime as a reporter for many years.

I was skeptical, however, of some of the book’s claims, such as the subtitle that the Bufalino crime family in Pennsylvania was the most powerful Mafia family in America. Some of Mr. D’Elia’s claims also did not ring true to me.

I contacted Mr. Birkbeck and asked him about the Russell Bufalino crime family.

“Russell’s enormous power and influence came in large part from the Teamsters and via his connection to Jimmy Hoffa as well as his cousin William Bufalino, the general counsel paired by Russell with Hoffa in the 1940s,” Mr. Birkbeck replied.

Did you come across other evidence to support the assertions of William D’Elia?

“Yes. I had a research assistant, who happens to be a very good reporter, work with me, and we were able to confirm some of what Billy told me,” Mr. Birkbeck said. “During the two years I interviewed him, I never found he had lied or embellished his life and career.”

Why did you write the book?

“I knew who Billy was and that he had never spoken to anyone before, not law enforcement, not the media. No one. So, I thought it would be a great opportunity to add to the history of the Mafia in America as well as the secretive, unknown world of the Bufalino Family. He didn’t disappoint.”

How would you describe William D’Elia?

“Smart, resourceful, someone who would have been successful in any line of business.

“But make no mistake that he was a hard-core gangster and a very powerful one. And if he William D’Elia was anything, he was a fixer, a negotiator, which is what Russell had trained him for.”

How would you describe Russell Bufalino?

“Al Ruddy, the producer of “The Godfather,” said in a recent podcast that Russell wasn’t just some gangster, he was the guy who told you what territory you had. And that’s so true. Russell was very, very smart. Violent and amoral, but very smart.

“For example, getting into business with Jimmy Hoffa in the 1940s was so forward-thinking, which was a rarity for his line of work. But he also understood the benefit of anonymity, of remaining behind the scenes.

“Even though he spent half his time in New York City, his home address was in northeastern Pennsylvania, a region that rarely drew any national attention from law enforcement.

“Russell wasn’t known as ‘The Quiet Don’ for nothing.”

What was the main source of Bufalino/D’Elia’s power and influence locally and nationwide?

“The heyday of the Bufalino family was when Russell was active, from the late 1950s through the early 1980s. The sources of his power were the Teamsters, the garment industry, and his close connections with bosses in other cities.

“When Russell died in 1994, the power of the Bufalino family had waned, but Billy remained a very powerful figure, as evidenced by other mob bosses relying on him to deal with sticky situations.”

Was Joe Pesci’s portrayal of Bufalino accurate in “The Irishman,” although the film’s portrayal of Philadelphia criminal Frank Sheeran was not?

“I’m a big Joe Pesci fan and I thought he captured Bufalino’s quiet way, as least as it was described to me.”

What did D’Elia think of Joe Pesci’s portrayal and the Scorsese Netflix film?

“D’Elia hated the film. He was there for much of it and said it was fiction. It was one of the reasons why he reached out to me, to correct the record. He had been with Russell through much of the time, so he would know.

“But he also thought Pesci’s performance fell short in a lot of ways, particularly failing to show the sudden rage Russell would often display when he was unhappy with something.”

Is the old Bufalino crime family still active?

“It’s hard to gauge if what’s left has anything to do with the Bufalinos. Billy was in prison for six years and is now retired. His old street boss died a few years ago.

“There are some remnants, but the Justice Department declared the Bufalino family as we knew it dead in 2008, and I have to agree with them.”

Has Hollywood beckoned?

“Yes! ‘The Life We Chose’ is a bit more than a mob story. It’s a very unusual father-son story, so that’s gotten a lot of attention. Stay tuned.

• Paul Davis’ On Crime column covers true crime, crime fiction and thrillers.

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The Life We Chose
By Matt Birkbeck
William Morrow, 272 pages, $28.99