AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE MOB’S ACCOUNTANT, MEYER LANSKY— THE MOST FAMOUS JEWISH MOBSTER OF ALL TIME, WHO BUILT A CRIMINAL EMPIRE “BIGGER THAN U.S. STEEL.” From Meyer Lansky II, the grandson of the most powerful mobster of the 20th century, comes a revealing look at an empire builder—on sale July 28, 2026.
Praise for the Lansky Legacy
“Meyer Lansky pioneered an international gambling empire that continues to this day. His grandson captures his legacy from a perspective only he can share, and no stone is left unturned.” —Louis Ferrante, bestselling author of The Borgata Trilogy “Recently, I was asked which mobster I would like to have lunch with, and my answer was Meyer Lansky—because of his organizational skills and mathematical genius in establishing casinos, but most of all his ability to work with the Italian Mafia to establish the National Crime Syndicate.” —Joe Pistone, former undercover FBI agent and author of “Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia” and “The Bonannos: A Century of Murder” “Riveting. . . Meyer Lansky II has established himself as one of the premier historians of organized crime in the first half of the 20th century.”
I was invited to the media party last Thursday premiering the book and the now famous Bugsy and Meyer’s restaurant in the Flamingo hotel, of course, which Siegel built. I’ve known Meyer and his wife Dani for close to 20 years, since the Mob Experience was at the Tropicana. A beautiful place where we have dined with them before. There was an amazing assembly of 60 people reminded about the historical facts of the hotel.
Years ago, I was employed by the Dunes hotel. A couple times while in the Miami Dunes office, the REAL Meyer Lansky would drop by at an early morning time for a cup of coffee and a doughnut. So I have actually met Meyer’s famous grandfather.
“Both a fascinating story and an invaluable resource for anyone interested in America’s criminal underworld, ‘The Lansky Legacy’ is a must-read.” —Ed Falco, New York Times bestselling author of The Family Corleone. For generations, Meyer Lansky has been an enigmatic figure in organized crime, nearly synonymous with the formation of modern America. There have been a few movies and made-for-tv movies in the past few years about Lansky; one is a biographical crime drama circa 2021 titled Lansky. This is a fascinating, intimate look at one of the most controversial and continually debated figures in contemporary history, a compelling and unique biography of the personal life of the most powerful mobster of the 20th century.
Lansky was the inspiration for the character of Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II, who frequently conducted his affairs more like a CEO than a dynamo mobster. Lansky’s is a story of guile, wits, and fearlessness. As his star rose in organized crime, his family faced disability, mental illness, estrangement, and periodic financial setbacks. Alongside the family drama was ever-pervasive violence, surveillance, hit jobs, and business deals. Many letters are quoted in the book, along with numerous pictures. It is both historical and fascinating to read.
Meyer and his wife will be in Chicago this coming week to promote their book. He has appeared on A&E’s Biography, AMC, and HuffPost Live, among others, and has been interviewed by more than two dozen publications, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and the Toronto Star. He can appear as a speaker and has appeared at the Las Vegas Film Festival, CrimeCon, and the Las Vegas Book Festival. Visit him online at RealMeyerLansky.com.
S. J. Peddie is an investigative reporter at Newsday Media Group and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for a series of stories on police misconduct. She has won more than 75 awards for her work, including two New York Emmys for documentaries—The Lansky Legacy and Bugsy and Flamingo.
THE LANSKY LEGACY Meyer Lansky II and S. J. Peddie: On sale: July 28, 2026 ISBN: 978-0-8065-4497-7 Hardcover: $30.00 ($41.00 CAN)
