Del Greco Lobner (Sicilian literature, U. of Tulsa, Oklahoma) went to Sicily to speak with members of the Mafia about the link between native writers and themes of organized crime, and now offers this text for literature students and scholars that separates the "fairy tales" from historical events. The author found the mafioso to be very cooperative and was able to explore "sentire mafioso," the emotions and belief systems behind this lifestyle, and link it to the writings of Pirandello, Verga, De Roberto and Sciascia. A concluding chapter describes the role of the Mafia in Sicily today. Annotation 2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
