Into the heart of the Mafia : a journey through the Italian south

The hold of the Mafia on southern Italy, from Naples, home of Mafia-controlled mozzarella and toxic waste, through no less rotten Calabria to Sicily, cradle of Cosa Nostra, is as strong as ever.

In this memorable journey round the cities and villages of the Italian South, David Lane gives us out of his unrivaled knowledge of Italy a telling expose of the operations of the Mafia today.

Lane shows how globalisation has transformed the Mafia into more than simply a local phenomenon.

It describes in painful detail the daily accommodation to Mafia pressure endured by priests, politicians and prosecutors, businessmen, trade unionists and ordinary citizens.

At the same time he incorporates a portrait of the South's long and tumultuous history and powerful flavors to provide a richly colored portrait of a European region under siege. 'Over decades of living in Italy and traveling in the South, I have built up a huge network of contacts from all walks of life which gives me a unique advantage and special strength in tackling the subject. I'll show the risks undertaken by magistrates, police and members of civil society whose commitment to their cause weakens but has not destroyed the Mafia's influence.

My portrait of Italy has to be at variance with the commonplaces of food, the Tuscan sun and the beauties of heritage and culture.'