The key to success lies in getting to the top, right? Wrong. Not everyone can be in charge but, more importantly, not everyone should want to be. Richard Hytner, Deputy Chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, thinks it's time to celebrate the second-in-commands, the consiglieri: from Merlin, to Al Gore, Rasputin to Machiavelli. These are the deputies, the Vice Presidents, the C-suite, the department heads - lieutenants, advisers, and counselors - whose influence determines the fate of boardrooms, corporations, and nations. While supremacy comes with drawbacks and influence, authority and power can be found in much more interesting places than the CEO's chair. Consiglieri: Leading from The Shadows brings together historical examples from Harry Hopkins to William Seward, conversations with contemporary second-in-commands like Tony Blair and Sir Alex Ferguson, and unique insights into Stalin, JFK, and Winnie the Pooh. A mirror for contemporary 'No. 2's' and a theoretical map for future consiglieri, the book traverses an array of powerful advisers from the White House to the Vatican, across international business, sports, and entertainment, as well as citing provocative research from psychology and academia.

In a most personal and riveting work, Novelist, Donna Masotto presents, "The Consigliere". A middle-aged mafia lawyer, Declan Quinn, realizes his life is meaningless after the tragic drowning of his eight-year-old daughter. At a crossroad between misery and the longing for peace, he shuns his duties as the Consigliere and embarks on a search to find the sister he abandoned when he joined the mob thirty years ago. But first, he must confront his mafia Don and face the truth of his past. Setting off to reclaim his destiny, Declan never expects his grandfather and son to assist him on this journey, but they become key figures when scheming against the mafia Don. At different stops, Declan reunites with friends he knew before joining the mob, beginning at the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. He treks through uncharted lands to unveil a mystery hidden for twenty years. Declan uses the tools of love, forgiveness, and courage, as he tries to overcome life’s inevitable challenges and the past that haunts him—or hunts him down. This work is inspired by the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather and provides the complete backstory of "The Consigliere". This work is so much more than just another book about the mafia, it's a story of boyhood decisions and the effect they have on the man for his entire life. Ms. Masotto's themes show that change is possible even when life's battles pull you down.

The black hand of La Cosa Nostra meets the sinister underworld of an equally Machiavellian, Mexican drug cartel. Where Faustino, an up and coming Wall Street stockbroker, is living his dream of wealth, status and power. A man who long ago swore himself to a single end: to escape like a pursued criminal the poison barbed tentacles of the poverty from which he arose. His success, is perpetually shadowed by Paul Banelli, best known as don Banelli, who reigns as the capo di tutti capi-boss of all bosses-of the ever notorious La Cosa Nostra. His relationship with the Don turns precarious when Michelle Banelli-the precocious, pressing, and alluring only daughter of the mob boss-sets her sights on more than just fashion, high society, and, of course, being the apple of her father's eye. She decides that for long enough her and Faustino have toyed with the faux indifference and lie that nothing more than a platonic, sibling-like affection exists between them. Her carelessness leads Faustino into a quagmire of blackmail, kidnapping and murder, where to survive he must forfeit the life and position he has worked so hard to attain. He now flees, not only poverty, but a vendetta, that will stop at nothing to devour him. Faustino heads for the border, hoping to lose himself among his native roots: Mexico. In doing so he turns his back on everything, that up until now, has defined him; all to submerge and disguise himself in the very poverty he vowed never to return to. Where he soon finds himself tangled and quartered in between a friendship more akin to a brotherhood; an unspoken but ever-present debt of gratitude and fealty for don Banelli; a Mexican drug lord, Enrico Mezon, who despite being a sociopath, possesses the keys to his aegis; and finally, the mesmerizing niece of Enrico, who will stop at nothing to possess his affection, control his mind, and own his heart-a heart that little does she know belongs to another. Calling to task years of the Don's tutelage, bringing to fruition a kind of iron-willed mental acuity of purpose and determination to overcome the jockeying oppositions threatening from every side. Learning first hand, that true greatness is never achieved outside of adversity. With one hand he dips into the truth of his past, discovering a secret that up until now the Don has guarded with unflinching resolve; with the other he seizes the tainted opportunity from the blackened hand of the Mezon cartel: taking it upon himself to bridge a chasm of distrust, greed, and mutual animosity between two crime families. An endeavor that will demand his acquired acumen and finesse in finance along side the wicked statesmanship of Machiavelli himself, so as to appease two masters with one life. Suddenly he's stuck in a tug-a-war between his own desires and a duty to a way of life not entirely his own. A way of life bound by Omerta, a code of silence and honor, where the only vindication from betrayal...is death.

In a most personal and riveting work, Novelist, Donna Masotto presents, "The Consigliere".A middle-aged mafia lawyer, Declan Quinn, realizes his life is meaningless after the tragic drowning of his eight-year-old daughter. At a crossroad between misery and the longing for peace, he shuns his duties as the Consigliere and embarks on a search to find the sister he abandoned when he joined the mob thirty years ago. But first, he must confront his mafia Don and face the truth of his past.Setting off to reclaim his destiny, Declan never expects his grandfather and son to assist him on this journey, but they become key figures when scheming against the mafia Don. At different stops, Declan reunites with friends he knew before joining the mob, beginning at the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. He treks through uncharted lands to unveil a mystery hidden for twenty years. Declan uses the tools of love, forgiveness, and courage, as he tries to overcome life's inevitable challenges and the past that haunts him--or hunts him down. This work is inspired by the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather and provides the complete backstory of "The Consigliere".This work is so much more than just another book about the mafia, it's a story of boyhood decisions and the effect they have on the man for his entire life. Ms. Masotto's themes show that change is possible even when life's battles pull you down.

Continue with the Venturi Mafia family in Enzo's story! *Can be read as a STANDALONE* Enzo Running a billion-dollar company, acting as consigliere to the Venturi crime family, and running for office means I don't have time for relationships. I pride myself on self-discipline and control, but I'm still a man with needs. So I allow myself a weekly indulgence at the top escort agency in Northern Italy. They all know what I expect, except this new girl who seems to go against all the rules. She's chatty, a little awkward, and obviously not a pro but when I need a fake girlfriend to impress my political backer, I make her an offer too good to turn down. Aurora No money, no job, and eviction is right around the corner. I added the escort job to my list of prospects as a joke, but when every other job falls through, I don't have another choice. My very first client is supposed to be easy. His rigid routine means no surprises until he offers me the chance at more. The job is simple, pretend to be his long-term girlfriend for a week and make a ton of money in the process. But things are never that simple. One week turns into two months. Long-term girlfriend becomes fiancée. And a dangerous enemy decides to use me as leverage to get Enzo to back out of the political race. But that enemy is banking on Enzo's affection for me. He doesn't know that our feelings are fake but then again, after the way things have been going, neither do I. WARNING: May contain criminal activities, harsh language, and adult situations intended only for readers 18+

Attorney Siobhan Collins’s life has been shrouded in mystery from the moment she was born, but she is certain of one thing—she owes her life and everything she has achieved to the Mancuso family, and she has pledged to protect their interests at any cost. Her loyalty will be put to the test when she learns the woman who has stolen her heart is determined to destroy the only world she has ever known. FBI agent Royal Scott is ready to ditch working undercover and figure out how to live in the real world, but her boss convinces her to take one more assignment pretending to be someone she’s not. Her one goal—infiltrate the Mancuso family’s illegal empire and find a way to bring them down. But when she becomes captivated by Siobhan Collins, the elusive counselor to Don Mancuso, she may be the one taking the fall. Advance praise from Publishers Weekly: "With this sexy lesbian romance take on the mobster genre, Taite brings savvy, confidence, and glamour to the forefront without leaning into violence...Taite’s protagonists ooze competence and boldness, with strong female secondary characters...This is sure to please."—Publishers Weekly, 4/29/2021

From the world’s foremost expert on power and strategy, the New York Times bestselling daily devotional designed to help you seize your destiny. Robert Greene, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, has been the consigliere to millions for more than two decades. Now, with entries that are drawn from his five books, plus never-before-published works, The Daily Laws offers a page of refined and concise wisdom for each day of the year, in an easy-to-digest lesson that will only take a few minutes to absorb. Each day features a Daily Law as well—a prescription that readers cannot afford to ignore in the battle of life. Each month centers around a major theme: power, seduction, persuasion, strategy, human nature, toxic people, self-control, mastery, psychology, leadership, adversity, or creativity. Who doesn’t want to be more powerful? More in control? The best at what they do? The secret: Read this book every day. “Daily study,” Leo Tolstoy wrote in 1884, is “necessary for all people.” More than just an introduction for new fans, this book is a Rosetta stone for internalizing the many lessons that fill Greene’s books and will reward a lifetime of reading and rereading.

An exhilarating and profound novel of tradition and violence and of loyalty and betrayal, The Family Corleone will appeal to the legions of fans who can never get enough of The Godfather. New York, 1933: The city and the nation are in the depths of the Great Depression. The crime families of New York have prospered in this time, but with the coming end of Prohibition, a battle is looming that will determine which organizations will rise and which will face a violent end. For Vito Corleone, nothing is more important that his family's future. While his youngest children, Michael, Fredo, and Connie, are in school, unaware of their father's true occupation, and his adopted son Tom Hagen is a college student, he worries most about Sonny, his eldest child. Vito pushes Sonny to be a businessman, but Sonny-17 years-old, impatient and reckless-wants something else: To follow in his father's footsteps and become a part of the real family business.

Don Corleone is the Godfather, head of one of the richest families in New York and a gangster. His favourite son Michael is a lawyer who wants to lead a quiet life, but when Don Corleone is nearly killed by a rival Mafia family, Michael is soon drawn into the family business.

At the outset of the 1870s, the British aristocracy could rightly consider themselves the most fortunate people on earth: they held the lion's share of land, wealth and power in the world's greatest empire. By the end of the 1930s they had lost not only a generation of sons in the First World War, but also much of their prosperity, prestige and political significance.David Cannadine shows how this shift came about and how it was reinforced in the aftermath of the Second World War. Lucidly written and sparkling with wit, The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy is a landmark study that dramatically changes our understanding of British social history