The Italian-American mafia has its roots in a mysterious and powerful criminal network in Sicily. While the mythology of the mafia has been widely celebrated in American culture, the true origins of its rituals, laws, and methods have never actually been revealed. John Dickie uses startling new research to expose the secrets of the Sicilian mafia, providing a fascinating account that is more violent, frightening, and darkly comic than anything conceived in popular movies and novels. How did the Sicilian mafia begin? How did it achieve its powerful grip in Italy and America? How does it operate today? From the mafia's origins in the 1860s to its current tense relationship with the Berlusconi government, Cosa Nostra takes us to the inner sanctum where few have dared to go before. This is an important work of history and a revelation for anyone who ever wondered what it means to be "made" in the mob.

约翰·迪基( John Dickie)

1963年出生于英国的邓迪市。1986年6月毕业于牛津大学彭布洛克学院的现代语言专业，随后在萨塞克斯大学先后获得文科硕士学位和哲学博士学位。

自1993年以来，约翰·迪基一直在伦敦大学任教，获得教授职称，专攻意大利历史研究。其著作《意大利黑手党的历史》获得2004年英国犯罪作家协会( Crime Writers' Association)授予的非小说类金匕首奖( Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction)；该书自2004年首次出版以来，已经售出七十五万多册，被翻译成21种语言，成为一本名副其实的国际畅销书。由于在意大利历史研究方面的突出贡献，约翰·迪基于2005年获得意大利共和国总统颁发的意大利仁惠之星司令勋章。目前，约翰‘迪基和妻子萨拉·佩妮以及他们的两个孩子居住在伦敦。约翰·迪基建立了自己的个人网站www.johndickie.net，欢迎读者登陆浏览并与他进行沟通和交流。