In France the word “mafia” connotes a type of culture delivered by Hollywood movies and the French cannot but sneer at such term, thinking of Robert De Niro or Marlon Brando. Big mistake.

In Italy the sneer freezes and becomes a cold look. Organised crime in Italy has long become a crucial and illicit economic player that slows down and pollutes the country's development. On television, crime news do not display as many dead as years ago because crime syndicates prefer to keep a lower profile – blood attracts media and this is no good news for mafia. Today, they rather invest their capitals into the clean market and fire their guns only when strictly necessary.

Fabrice Rizzoli contributes greatly to unmask the “esotic” look of the mafia given by many stereotypes, now more than ever way far from the real and far more dangerous suits worn by today's criminals, capables to count on the support of top officials and politicians and to move majestic amounts of money.

To read this book is also a way to forge intellectual weapons to fight the “mafiosi” subculture that has been eating our contemporary society piece by piece way further than Italian borders. France included.

You can purchase "Petit dictionnaire énervé de la mafia" on Amazon.