“Gomorrah” by Roberto Saviano

Saviano has been accused of fictionalizing history. His prose does read more like a story than a history and his books are not footnoted or sourced, with “Gomorrah” not even including a basic index for reference. However, in the underworld societies that he details sometimes fact and fiction do blend into one overarching narrative. Where does the truth end and myth begin? The fact that after publishing “Gomorrah” he was forced into hiding by the Camorra testifies to the fact that he must have gotten some things right. The fact that Italian mobsters deal in drugs, prostitution, gambling, and protection rackets is no revelation. Where Saviano excels is both in revealing the depth of this corruption, but also in the details that can only be exposed by going undercover, working within the Camorra’s world to see how individual lives are shaped and destroyed by an empire that seemingly feeds itself and outlasts any one individual. The Italian mafia clans, in fact, refer to themselves as part of the “System”. As one Chinese business partner involved in the illegal smuggling of textiles destined to be falsely labeled “Made in Italy” puts it, “Euro, dollar, yuan. Here’s my triad.” Indeed, Saviano exposes just how international the Naples mob’s reach actually has become: a modern day illicit multinational corporation that preys on the world famous fashion houses of Armani and Valentino as much as the corner drug pusher or pimp. Perhaps the most chilling account of the Camorra’s exploits are how deeply woven they have become in the legal rackets of clothing, cement, and waste disposal.