Author Jimmy Breslin is a New Yorker through and through. In 1969, the tough-as-nails journalist ran for New York City Council president on the platform that the city should secceed from the rest of the state.

From this 2009 session of BAM's Eat, Drink & Be Literary series, Breslin talked about his book, The Good Rat, a collection of anecdotes about the mob that range from humorous to horrifying. He spoke in depth with author and former editor-in-chief of Random House Daniel Menaker.

Stream and download their entire discussion here for free.

(Audio presentation courtesy of the National Book Foundation)

Bon Mots

On Organized Crime: "I'd prefer to write about them than hedge-fund operators."

On Warren Buffett (and other similar characters): "He knows nothing in the end...and the worst sin and crime of all — they're boring."

On the Current Mafia: "The Russians: They're bad people."