 | |
| Author | Russell Shorto |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | family memoir |
| Publisher | W. W. Norton & Company |
Publication date | February 1, 2021 (paperback) February 2, 2021 (hardcover) |
| Pages | 272 |
| ISBN | 978-0-393-24558-5 |
Smalltime: A Story of My Family and the Mob is a 2021 memoir by Russell Shorto that examines his family's involvement in organized crime. The book centers on Shorto's grandfather, Russ, son of an Italian immigrant to the United States who once served as second in command for the mob in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Shorto stated his mother's cousin, who worked as a numbers runner for his grandfather, asked him to write the book. During prohibition, Russ ran alcohol and built a "small city empire" around Johnstown, with money going to the Mafia in New York City and some to the mob in Pittsburgh. The book follows Russ after the World War II years as he organized gambling operations in the city. Smalltime concludes with Shorto examining his relationship with his father, Tony.
The book received mostly positive reviews upon release, with one mixed review, five positive reviews, and two rave reviews according to review aggregator Book Marks. Multiple reviewers noted Shorto wrote a book mainly on family dynamics, which also happened to deal with the mob.