I learned early that if you don't want to go to school for a career . . . then this was the life. And there were rules. You better not drink, you b...
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reviews
Jun 06, 2008
Gwendolyn
rated it: 
Finding the title of the book a bit sensationalized, I expected this book to be the same. I was pleasently surprised to read a very honest, straightforward account of Mario Facione’s conversion. Living a life of theft, bribery, murder, etc, Mario is an unlikely convert to Christianity of any form. It was interesting to read how he initially never saw a conflict between his new religion and his illegal activities. I applaud his Bishop for telling him it was one or the other, and I am humbled
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Feb 09, 2008
Gwen
rated it: 
This was an interesting story. I liked the fact that it was so up-front about what happened (although Faccione admits that some things were left out or names were changed) in his past. Although coming from an Italian family myself, I don't think that it would be told any other way. Very fast read as I finised it in about two hours. The hardest part was understanding what he wanted to tell about his spiritual conversion. The story of leaving behind the worldly possesions is compelling and interst
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Feb 28, 2008
Laura
rated it: 
I thought this was an incredible story. It's told in first person, and the grammer isn't great, and he sometimes repeats himself, but I like how his voice comes through in his story. I think this is a good story for youth -- he'd be a great fireside speaker. It's not deep or introspective or anything like that, but it's a great story. It shows how much the Lord cares about each one of us, and what He will do for you if you're ready to make a commitment. I liked it.
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Aug 03, 2008
Ann
rated it: 
Just read this on our camping trip. My Mom read it, her husband read it, Shaun read it and then Ammon read it!! I finally got to read it on the drive back home! It is a short book but a very interesting conversion story of a guy who was in the mob and then was converted. Wow. Great story. It was kind of like reading someone's journal in parts but he had some fantastic experiences. I actually have the book in my possession if anyone would like to borrow it!
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Dec 25, 2011
Don
rated it:
Hummmm.......How do I rate this book? It reads like a story you would hear from Tony Soprano.
The author, Facione, wrights, as he describes himself, as an uneducated hack. I believe it. No editor would want to polish this.... um...story. Compared and contrasted to say, "The Lord of the Flies"; "The "Lord of the Files" would be a Pulitzer winner. Based on that solely, I could not give any stars, but would give it Black Holes, which I am sorry to say do not appear as More...
The author, Facione, wrights, as he describes himself, as an uneducated hack. I believe it. No editor would want to polish this.... um...story. Compared and contrasted to say, "The Lord of the Flies"; "The "Lord of the Files" would be a Pulitzer winner. Based on that solely, I could not give any stars, but would give it Black Holes, which I am sorry to say do not appear as More...
Apr 25, 2008
Tiffany
rated it:
This was a very interesting book. It's not written very well, until you realize that he was basically illiterate until after was baptized, and reading the Book of Mormon helped him become more literate. It's written just like you would picture him talking though, like a tough mobster. It's a great story and a fast read, you could read it in one Sunday afternoon.
Sep 01, 2011
Mackenzie
rated it:
This is a fascinating story, John Bytheway suggested it at EFY and so I just had to pick it up and read. Now the story is amazing,the writing is fair, and I probley would of gave it three stars, that is until i read the last portion of it. It was a really interesting story and I like how he just told the truth in it.
Mario Facione is a Mafia member, and when one day two young missionaries come knocking on his door he stranagley listens and it changes his life forever. He decides to chan More...
Mario Facione is a Mafia member, and when one day two young missionaries come knocking on his door he stranagley listens and it changes his life forever. He decides to chan More...
Apr 22, 2009
Doree
rated it:
Well, I hope by admitting this I'm not destined for damnation, but most of the books at Deseret Book store give me the heebie-jeebies. I find most Mormon fiction about as original and imaginative as dirt and the non-fiction so sappy, contrived, and manipulative that for my sanity and in order to think nice thoughts, I just have to stay away.
But my mom gave my son, Joey, this book a few years ago and he really liked it. So, I gave it a try. While it's not a literary masterpiece it is wonder More...
But my mom gave my son, Joey, this book a few years ago and he really liked it. So, I gave it a try. While it's not a literary masterpiece it is wonder More...
Aug 24, 2008
Janel
rated it:
True story written by a man who was in the mafia and has converted to The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is a great example of how we can change our lives and the consequences of our decisions.
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Oct 11, 2007
Roxann
rated it:
This book was awesome. I couldn't put it down. It is short. So it was just a great read. It amazes me how committed he was and makes me want to be that much more committed.
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Nov 15, 2007
Suzanne
rated it:
This was a very quick read. An interesting look into the underworld. Also a great testimony that no matter who or what you are, you can change.
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Feb 12, 2009
Jana (That Artsy Reader Girl)
rated it:
I cried, I laughed, I smiled, and I sat in awe as I read this story. Mario Facione, an evil man involved in a very dangerous mafia was touched by 2 young missionaries one day and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. To do so, he flirted with death, lost everything he owned, went through a divorce, and was shunned by his family for years. He pressed on, though, and now he is a temple worker at the Detroit temple and has 3 children and an amazing wife. The Spirit confirmed to me
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Oct 07, 2010
Leslie
rated it:
John Bytheway mentioned this in his talk to the youth a few weeks agao and I was very intrigued. The first thing I did when I got the book was see if there was a picture of the author...there was...and yes, he looks like a mafia man! His story is impressive and no-nonsense. He was illiterate before reading the Book of Mormon and his writing doesn't always use correct grammer but he is relentless in his persuit of finding the truth. He tells the story of his life, how he got into the mafia an
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Sep 28, 2008
Abby
rated it:
DANG IT!!!
Does anyone want to buy/borrow a slightly damaged copy of this book from me? I left my house to run errands, but neglected to take my stack of library books off the top of the car. By the time I realized they were missing and what I had done (all of two minutes later) I found this one on the road, and someone had driven over it. My other books were undamaged. I think the library will make me buy it. Or who knows, maybe they won't notice the tires tracks and gravel imprints, More...
Does anyone want to buy/borrow a slightly damaged copy of this book from me? I left my house to run errands, but neglected to take my stack of library books off the top of the car. By the time I realized they were missing and what I had done (all of two minutes later) I found this one on the road, and someone had driven over it. My other books were undamaged. I think the library will make me buy it. Or who knows, maybe they won't notice the tires tracks and gravel imprints, More...
Jul 15, 2008
Cortney
rated it:
Five stars for the story. One to two stars for the writing.
I understand why the writing was rough- Mr Facione had a limited formal education. Keeping the writing rough was keeping the book honest. But, even so, there were some errors that even the worst editor should have caught.
Back to the five-star story... Mafia man meets Mormon missionaries, becomes converted, changes his life and tries to leave the Mafia. That is some major courage.
Toward the end of the book, t More...
I understand why the writing was rough- Mr Facione had a limited formal education. Keeping the writing rough was keeping the book honest. But, even so, there were some errors that even the worst editor should have caught.
Back to the five-star story... Mafia man meets Mormon missionaries, becomes converted, changes his life and tries to leave the Mafia. That is some major courage.
Toward the end of the book, t More...
Jul 30, 2011
Ruth
rated it:
Very easy, fast reading. Simply written. I love conversion stories but Mario's conversion is so drastically different than most I have heard. He changed his whole life and literally gave up everything just to have his own life. He gave enough detail to know he wasnt joking about the scams he was part of in the past. This is a faith promoting story. Mario is a man with faith that blows me away. I felt of his testimony and his love for our Savior. He brought tears to my eyes.
Mar 18, 2010
Marilyn
rated it:
The writing is good, not great, but the story is five stars. If it weren't true, it would be an unbelievable conversion story. The author was living a totally ungodly life, making tons of money illegally. It was total theft--he would work for a company (including the U.S. government) and then steal from them. When the missionaries came, he felt the Spirit. He read the story of Abinidi, and he was so impressed that he eventually did the same thing--stood up to the Mafia.
Dec 02, 2009
Nicole
rated it:
hough this book isn't written very well, I found it quite good and very interesting. The author repeats himself a bit in the beginning, but his story of conversion is fascinating. While reading it, I realized that there are many things I take for granted now that I have been a member for a while. He was truly converted and whole heartily believes everything he was taught. I still find it amazing that he was able to join the church and not lose his life. A must read!
Apr 11, 2010
LDS. Rated 5 stars by Markham Bennett. Quote from a reader: I cried, I laughed, I smiled, and I sat in awe as I read this story. Mario Facione, an evil man involved in a very dangerous mafia was touched by 2 young missionaries one day and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. To do so, he flirted with death, lost everything he owned, went through a divorce, and was shunned by his family for years. He pressed on, though, and now he is a temple worker at the Detroit temple and ha
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Jan 05, 2010
Joseph
rated it:
This is a very cool story. I have to say it isn't written really well, but in all honesty, I think that's part of the charm. This guy was really in the mafia, he didn't really learn to read until he starting reading the Book of Mormon sometime in his 30s, and he wrote a book. The double negatives and the improper conjugations make him sound real genuine. It's like you can almost hear him telling the story. Worth picking up.
Jun 28, 2010
Etta
rated it:
When most converts join the Church, they do not have to fear for their lives. It seemed significant to me that the author felt a link to Abinadi, who died because of his testimony. Bro. Facione is in the same position when he leaves the Mafia, knowing that the Mafia may kill him. Even though the writing isn't that great, I was touched by his sincere testimony and the difficult changes he made in his life.
Aug 13, 2009
Jenny
rated it:
A first hand account of conversion to the LDS faith, from a very unlikely convert.
Though the writing is rough and filled with grammatical errors and repetition, the story was compelling and very touching. This book is well worth reading!
"Just like with everything else, living the gospel is work. You got to work on it every day with all you have." ~ Mario Facione
Though the writing is rough and filled with grammatical errors and repetition, the story was compelling and very touching. This book is well worth reading!
"Just like with everything else, living the gospel is work. You got to work on it every day with all you have." ~ Mario Facione
Mar 14, 2010
Rosemary
rated it:
When I was 21, I worked for a summer in Chicago and happened to work for someone who I am quite sure was involved in the Mafia. So I found it interesting to see how the Mafia works from the other side. This is short and easy to read--an hour and a half. Makes you realize that God is in control and if the spirit can convert this man, it can convert anyone.
Oct 01, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
I knew I had to read this book after my huge crush on Mario Puzo after reading The Godfather several years ago. This was recommended by goodreads, a friend brought it to me at church (thanks Amy), and I read it all in a week. It was equally fun for me to read the Mafia scenes as it was the conversion scene. The writing was just okay, but the material was interesting enough to keep me wanting more. It is worth the couple of hours it will take you to read this one.
Nov 11, 2008
Bethany
rated it:
Mario Facione spoke at a staff conference that I attended at BYU to share his conversion story. I was completely captivated and deeply moved the entire hour- I didn't want it to end. His story strengthened my own testimony one hundredfold in that short hour. He was such a sweet, humble man with a powerful story (and a cool accent). :) I shook his hand afterward and could barely muster a "thank you" since my eyes were filled with tears. I went straight to the bookstore to buy his book s
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Mar 10, 2011
Tamra
rated it:
I don't know why I own this book, but someone returned it to me saying it was mine. So I decided I should read it.
It's a light read. Serious but interesting. And it only took me an afternoon. It's straight-forward and honest and uplifting. Win, win, win.
Thank you for telling your story, Mario Facione. I was inspired.
It's a light read. Serious but interesting. And it only took me an afternoon. It's straight-forward and honest and uplifting. Win, win, win.
Thank you for telling your story, Mario Facione. I was inspired.
Oct 06, 2009
Nikki
rated it:
Fascinating conversion story... I listened to it on CD from the library and can't imagine it being better any other way... he narrates it himself and the way he speaks and his accent all help to paint a very vivid picture of what his life was like and how dangerous his conversion really was. Exciting, funny, and beautiful testimony.
Apr 19, 2009
Becky
rated it:
This book was not especially well-written, but the story is interesting. It left me with a lot of questions that I would like to ask the author about his path to repentance for the things he did and about his obligation (or lack thereof) to turn in those around him who he knew were breaking the law. But maybe it's none of my business!
Feb 21, 2009
Jeanette
rated it:
Although this was an amazing conversion story, there really wasn't enough to make a book out of it. It was quite repetitive and some sentences I had to read a few times to get what the author was trying to say. Like some others, I really don't think was was book club material. But at least it only wasted an hour and a half of my time.
Mar 04, 2009
Christian
rated it: 
I thought he had a great conversion story but it would have been more enjoyable to read had it been grammatically correct. It felt like Mario just sat down and started writting his thoughts. I think if someone would have written this for him it would have been easier to read. The first 30 pages i think i reread every other sentence because their were so many errors.
