The Niputi ...the Nephew

Emblazoned across the cover of "Time" magazine on May 16, 1977, was the title, "The Mafia: Big, Bad and Booming." For most readers, this simply heralded a dramatic expose on the intriguing world of organized crime; but for Joseph "Joe" Bonpensiero, this signaled a family story weighed down with way too much personal baggage.

As the nephew, or "niputi," of the infamous Frank Bompensiero, Joe grew up under the shadow of the Mafia. And even though Joe's father, Sammy, had steered clear of his brother Frank's underhand dealings and violent inclinations, the whole family was considered tainted by association.

Discover the true story behind the shadowy figure as you watch a killer take shape through the eyes of his nephew. Detached from the blinding brotherly loyalty his father feels, Joe can smell the aroma of evil when his uncle enters a room. But, within the Sicilian value system, how can he love and respect his father when he spurns his father's brother?

A complex and candid memoir, "Niputi" offers a riveting glimpse into the conflicted life of an entire family who suffered because of the actions of one."