The Lansky Legacy - by Meyer Lansky & S J Peddie (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Written by Meyer Lansky's grandson, this definitive portrait of the legendary "Mob's Accountant" chronicles the singular life of the business entrepreneur who built a gambling empire, perfected money laundering, established a more efficient Mafia, and changed the course of organized crime forever--featuring never-before-seen personal letters, photographs, and firsthand stories.

Meyer Lansky was more than a co-founder of the Mafia. He was a truly transformative figure, a key player who balanced criminal enterprise and legitimate business, ushering in a "Golden Age" of the Mafia that lasted half of the 20th century. His impact lives on today--in the lavish casinos of Las Vegas, the offshore banking strategies of major global industries, and the countless Hollywood films like The Godfather Part II and Bugsy, with Lansky portrayed by actors Lee Strasberg, Ben Kingsley, Harvey Keitel, and others. He remains a legend in the annals of American crime. But even now, after decades of fictionalized accounts, historical conjectures, and larger-than-life mythmaking, the question remains:

Who was the real Meyer Lansky?

In this eye-opening account--featuring personal letters, rare and exclusive photographs, and stunning new details never before revealed--the grandson of Meyer Lansky dares to answer the most intriguing questions that have fascinated the public to this day: Why and how did a serious Jewish boy from Poland get involved with mobsters like Lucky Luciano and Bugsy Siegel? What was his role in the growth and consolidation of the Mafia, and why couldn't the Feds pin any crime on him besides illegal gambling? How many millions had Lansky amassed by the time of his death in 1983--and what happened to the money? But most shocking of all: Who really killed Bugsy Siegel, and can the truth finally be told?

Packed with surprising insights from the grandson and his family, The Lansky Legacy is a must-read for crime buffs, Mafia enthusiasts, and anyone invested in the American Dream.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Lansky Legacy

"Meyer Lansky pioneered an international gambling empire that continues to this day. His grandson captures his legacy from a perspective only he can share, and no stone is left unturned." --Louis Ferrante, internationally bestselling author of the Borgata Trilogy

"Recently while at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, I was asked which mobster I would like to have lunch with, and my answer was Meyer Lansky--because of his organizational skills and mathematical genius in establishing casinos, but most of all his ability to work with the Italian Mafia to establish the National Crime Syndicate. This stellar book confirms my reasoning as to why I would choose to have lunch with Lansky above all others." --Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco, former undercover FBI agent and author of Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia and The Bonannos: A Century of Murder

"A riveting account of the birth, ascendancy, and decline of the Mob as revealed through the life and letters of Meyer Lansky and recounted by S. J. Peddie and Lansky's grandson, Meyer Lansky II, who has established himself as one of the premier historians of organized crime in the first half of the 20th century. Both a fascinating story and an invaluable resource for anyone interested in America's criminal underworld, The Lansky Legacy is a must-read." --Ed Falco, New York Times bestselling author of The Family Corleone

"The authors have penned a standout work wrought from meticulous research and Meyer's revealing inside information inclusive of the Lansky family dynamics, which make for a rich and captivating narrative. . . . This is more than the biography of a mobster. It's a chronicle of a bygone era that left an indelible impact on the ever-evolving American landscape." --Phil Genovese, grandson of Vito Genovese and author of the award-winning novel The Grandfather Clause

"A must-read for anyone interested in organized crime and the behind-the-scenes moves of those who control it. With new insights and shocking details, The Lansky Legacy is a riveting tale of how a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe launched an empire through a mix of criminality and sheer guile--a classic story of the best and the worst of the American Dream." --Thomas Maier, author of Mafia Spies: The Inside Story of the CIA, Gangsters, JFK, and Castro

"Through a collection of deeply revealing letters, The Lansky Legacy presents a rare and intimate portrait of the legendary Mob financier Meyer Lansky, illuminating the contradictions of an American family bound by love and fractured by reputation, while offering insights into his humanity that history books and Hollywood portrayals have largely ignored. For readers fascinated by organized crime, 20th-century American history, or family legacies shaped by controversy, this book is a poignant and essential read." --Chris Enss, New York Times bestselling author of Meet the Kellys: The True Story of Machine Gun Kelly and His Moll Kathryn Thorne

"The Lansky Legacy is the first book I've read where Meyer Lansky is a real person. Through one-of-a-kind family letters and oral accounts that simply cannot be found anywhere else, Lansky is brought to life as much as a stranger you might sit down next to and have a heartfelt conversation with. This intimate portrait is a must-read for both fans of crime and anyone who wants to have a better understanding of the 20th century." --Jonathan Lang, author of the graphic novel Meyer

"Meyer Lansky never left a paper trail. Fortunately, this book does. The Lansky Legacy deserves five stars and an offshore account. The writing is well-researched and engaging, and even the endnotes feel like they're hiding something. Highly recommended." --Malcolm Kushner, author of The Official Book of Mob Humor

"Forget what you think you know about Meyer Lansky. In The Lansky Legacy, Meyer Lansky II and S. J. Peddie peel back decades of mythmaking to reveal the man behind the headlines, supported by letters, records, and firsthand family insight and documentation to prove it. It's as engaging as a thriller--but unmistakably true." --Everett De Morier, co-author of In the Ghost Shadows: The Untold Story of Chinatown's Most Powerful Crime Boss

"A brilliant and unique insight into one of modern history's most enigmatic characters. With previously unseen detail, The Lansky Legacy is a must-read about a fascinating era." --Francine White, arts journalist

About the Author

Meyer Lansky II is the grandson and namesake of Meyer Lansky. He previously worked in the gaming and hospitality industries, and partners with Caesars Entertainment promoting Bugsy & Meyer's Steakhouse and officiating weddings at the Flamingo Las Vegas, the resort established by his grandfather and Bugsy Siegel. He has spent years watching his grandfather's legacy mature to legendary, and formed Meyer Lansky II, LLC to support it. He has appeared on A&E's Biography, AMC, and HuffPost Live, among others, and has been interviewed by more than two dozen publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the Toronto Star. He is in demand as a speaker and has appeared at the Las Vegas Film Festival, CrimeCon, and the Las Vegas Book Festival. Visit him online at RealMeyerLansky.com.

S. J. Peddie is an investigative reporter at Newsday Media Group and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for a series of stories on police misconduct. She has won more than 75 awards for her work, including two New York Emmys for documentaries. She has been a featured speaker at national conferences and has taught journalism. She is the author of Sonny: The Last of the Old Time Mafia Bosses, John "Sonny" Franzese and co-author with Meyer Lansky II of The Lansky Legacy: The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky and Bugsy and Flamingo: The Tumultuous Life and Times of Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Virginia Hill.