Download or read book From Wiseguys to Wise Men written by Fred Gardaphe and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-01-22 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The gangster, in the hands of the Italian American artist, becomes a telling figure in the tale of American race, gender, and ethnicity - a figure that reflects the autobiography of an immigrant group just as it reflects the fantasy of a native population. From Wiseguys to Wise Men studies the figure of the gangster and explores its social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. By looking at the cultural icon of the gangster through the lens of gender, this book presents new insights into material that has been part of American culture for close to 100 years.