"Cosa Nostra" is the compelling story of the Sicilian mafia, the world's most famous, most secretive and most misunderstood criminal fraternity. The mafia has been given many names since it was founded one hundred and forty years ago: the Sect, the Brotherhood, the Honoured Society, and now Cosa Nostra. Yet as times have changed, the mafia's subtle and bloody methods have remained the same. Now, for the first time, "Cosa Nostra" reconstructs the complete history of the Sicilian mafia from its origins to the present day, from the lemon groves and sulphur mines of Sicily, to the streets of Manhattan. "Cosa Nostra" is a definitive history, rich in atmosphere, and with the narrative pace of the best detective fiction, and has been updated to make it the most vital contemporary account of the mafia ever published. The mob genre has finally grown up.

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。