Federico Varese Book order

The book explores post-Soviet Russia's transformation through the lives of four criminals, each representing different social strata and decades. From a traditional mobster to a computer virus mastermind, these narratives illuminate the country's shift from the late Soviet era through Boris Yeltsin's presidency to Vladimir Putin's authoritarian rule. Federico Varese examines how corruption and law enforcement abuses shaped this violent transition to democracy, highlighting the West's complicity in overlooking these issues until it was too late.

The Japanese Yakuza. The Chinese Triads. The Sicilian Cosa Nostra. The Calabrian N'Drangheta. The New York Mafia. The Russian Vory -v -Vakone. Today, mafias operate across the globe, with hundreds of thousands of members and billions of pounds in revenue. From Hong Kong to New York, these vast organisations spread their tentacles into politics, finance and everyday life. But what is it like to belong to the Mafia? How do you join? What does it do to your loved ones? How do you make it to the top? And what happens if you break the rules? Criminologist Federico Varese draws on a lifetime's research to give us access to some of the world's most secretive societies. Mixing reportage with case studies and historical insights, this is the story of mafia as it really is: filled with boredom and drama, death and disaster, ambition and betrayal.Infiltrating initiation ceremonies from Russia to England, visiting exclusive gambling clubs in Macau and Mafia summits in Dubai luxury hotels, Varese builds up a unique picture of life in the mafia from the inside.

Federico Varese combines the skills of an investigative journalist and a meticulous academic, pursuing the intricacies of the globalized criminal underworld. His fearless approach to fact-finding is matched by a profound analysis of contemporary history's influence on crime. This dual perspective offers readers both an engaging narrative and a valuable reference work, making it an insightful exploration of crime in a modern context.

What is the Russian Mafia? Drawing on reports from undercover police operations, documents from the Gulag archives, and in-depth interviews conducted over several years with vicitms of the mafia, criminals, and officials, this unique book provides compelling answers to the question, and challenges many widely-held views.