Graduate Student Becomes Mafia Scribe

By Maria T. Abramowicz
The Drew Acorn
October 8, 2004

Photo: Ron Felber with students at a book-signing at the Drew Bookstore. Author and Drew graduate school student Ron Felber hosted a book signing on Wednesday for his recently published novel Il Dottore: The Double Life of a Mafia Doctor. Everyone who attended had an opportunity to meet Felber as he signed copies of his work.

He has a B.A. from Georgetown University , an M.A. from Loyola University and is currently enrolled in the Arts and Letters Graduate Program at Drew, which he finds “both extraordinary and exceptional.”

Felber, who was once a U.S. Marshall, has already published seven books: three spy novels, three nonfictions and one science fiction. His short story entitled “The Runaway” won him the United Press International Award for Fiction, which was later produced as a play at Rutgers University.

Felber has already had a successfully long writing career due in part to receiving inspiration as a young child. “My sixth grade teacher looked over my summer vacation essay [and] thought it…unusual,” Felber said.

Later on, Felber received even more encouragement. “In 1973, while an undergraduate at Georgetown, I met and became friends with Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist, who encouraged me and helped me with my writing,” he said.

Initially Felber was reluctant to write Il Dottore.

“At first, I was cool toward the notion of writing another Mafia book,” Felber said. “Certainly anything that needed to be said on the subject had been committed to paper by more capable authors than myself.”

However, Bill Bonanno, godfather of the Bonanno crime family, eventually introduced Felber the Elliot Litner, “Il Dottore,” a top doctor who was connected to the Mafia. “To my delight, I found Elliot to be brilliant, likeable and remarkably ‘human,'” Felber said. Felber is currently the CEO of Chemetall Oakite, a global chemical corporation, a husband to wife Laurie, and a father of three children -- Elise, Greg and Chris.

The book signing, which took place in the University Center, ran smoothly and was well-accepted by students and faculty.

Sophomore Ciana Meyers was one of the many who took the opportunity to meet with Felber, “[Felber] was very nice, relaxed and friendly. He wasn't pushy. If you hadn't read the book, it was okay,” Meyers said.

Though Felber is just starting to promote Il Dottore, he already has an idea for book number nine. “I recently returned from Burma, Thailand and Hong Kong where I researched a new book on Chinatown and the U.S.-Burma heroin connection.

“The book is tentatively titled Tiger Trap, the U.S.-Burma Connection with movie rights represented by Creative Arts Agency,” Felber said. For the many aspiring writers, Felber's advice is short and simple: “Don't give up.”

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