5 comments about Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob.

1. This story of a cop who risked his life as an undercover member of the mob reads like fiction, but it's all true. In his own voice Bob Delaney tells how he played the role of Bobby Covert, doing business with ruthless "wise guys," recording on tape their words and actions, and feeding the damning data to his handlers in crime enforcement. We see his skill as an actor, his quick wit in dangerous moments, and his deep respect for the policeman's profession.
   
   The book, by Bob Delaney and Dave Scheiber, moves at a riveting pace, revealing the interplay of rival cultures through sharp descriptions of the methods of the mafia and the methods of the law. The bad guys are finally put away after almost three years of fear and self-denial on Delaney's part. He pays a price in guilt and confusion in returning to his real nature but finds salvation in a new life as one of the top referees in the National Basketball Association. Here is an absorbing read, and I recommend it highly for anyone with a taste for adventure and an interest in human development.



2. While this is not necessarily the best biography I've ever read, it certainly is one of the most fascinating. The background and subsequent assignment of Bob Delaney to become an undercover agent for the FBI made for a riveting read into the murky world of mobsters and petty criminals. It was revealing too how Mr. Delaney was forced to deal with the unfortunate side effects from having successful portrayed a mob-like mentality for an extended period of time and the subsequent problems with duality that he suffered from his service to his country. I rejoiced with him when he was able to find new hope and joy in life by becoming a referee in the NBA even though it again put him in the spotlight. I've already recommended this book to some friends. Sporting fans, those interested in the mob and real-life crime drama as well as the general public would all enjoy this work.



3. Dave Scheiber proves once again that he is one of the most underrated journalists at The St. Petersburg Times. His writing craft combined with DeLaney's story, and penchant for giving the "wiseguys" their real voice, make for one of the best reads you will have this year. The book could easily translate into a Hollywood psychological thriller that studios couldn't make up as hard as they might try. The book really gets into DeLaney's thought processes, and he is brave enough to admit that at some point his own ethics became skewed, as he became more like "Bobby Covert," and less like Bob DeLaney.
   
   Oh, and kudos to DeLaney for having the stones to name himself "Covert" and wear a wire in his underwear (this was the 70's - no digital anything!) to snag these knuckleheads. DeLaney and Scheiber catch the psychological profiles of how ant-social and borderline sociopathic the mob really was. Not to mention it displays how much The Godfather really affected mob life. Some of these schmucks really thought they were Don or Michael Corleone! Life imitating art.
   
   But these were bad dudes, no doubt, and you should read about just how DeLaney in his undercover role was paired with a real crime boss, who was given the choice from the FBI of doing this undercover gig, or getting his butt tossed in prison for a long time. The tension between the two is palpable, as their faux trucking crime ring expands, but the story of their friendship and genuine concern for each other is almost - gulp - heartwarming. Yes, a true crime book with a humanistic bent, how refreshing!
   
   DeLaney's covert role and the drudgery of police duty eventually lead him to become an NBA official. This second half of the book shines and allows Scheiber's sports writing talents to stand out. I will not give any more away. There is great comic relief in this book as well and the ending has a wonderful twist. Hopefully we will hear more from Mr. Scheiber in the near future and he will find other characters like DeLaney with amazing stories to bring to us readers.



4. This is really a unique book--detailing life as an undercover agent going after the jersey mob and then as a ref in the NBA.
   The only fine-tuning that I could say about this is--that maybe there should have been more basketball stories and possibly the author could have 'thanked' people a little less here. there are 2 chapters of thank you's in this book which, to me, the reader, probably could care less about.



5. "Covert" is one of the most amazing stories that I've ever read. I simply could not put the book down. The true story was so descript that at many times I felt like I was right there at a "sit down" with all of the Wiseguys that Bob Delaney dealt with as Bobby Covert. I constantly had to remind myself that this was a true life biography an not a TV crime drama.

5 comments about Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam.

1. I purchased this book on a colleagues recommendation and read it on a trip t o Brazil. I could hardly put it down. The author writes in an extrememly amusing way of a little known chapter in the history of the US in the early part of the 20th century. It is hard to believe that such recent history has so little to do with modern medicine.



2. This book is a fantasticly written story about a part of American history that is a common thread to us all, yet few know about it. Brock's mastry of the written word and clever phrase makes this book a delightful read!



3. This is the most enjoyable book I have read in a long while. It reads like a page turning novel and yet it is history and includes the beginnings of the modern AMA, why Viagra is advertized during the dinner hour on TV, talk-radio and politics, hearing it on the "X" and so much more. Why alternative medicine can be so "true" to to so many, why rational arguments about medicine, health, and polictics may never be really made.
   
   I ordered two as gifts for a couple of doctor friends and have led my copy to a few others.



4. Truly fascinating. Pope Brock's in-depth detail of the extraordinary life of "Doctor" John R. Brinkley turned what might have been a milquetoast tale of pseudoscience into a page-turning biography of a character so absurd, it could only be a factual account. Fiction could not conceive of such audacity. Written in an eloquent, sometimes clinical, mostly conversational tone, Brock adeptly portrays Brinkley as a medical hack of Machiavellian proportions. This novel follows the twists and turns in the 20+ years that Brinkley practiced medicine - tracking him from Chicago to Kansas, California to Texas, leaving a glut of patients impotent, infertile, mutilated, and often dead. Brock is adept at utilizing the massive amounts of research he compiled from primary and secondary sources and presenting them in a manner that is engaging and engrossing.
   As a member of Generation X, I had never heard of this larger-than-life character JR Brinkley, so I immediately consulted my elders - chiefly my grandmother and my endocrinologist - both of whom had heard of this infamous charlatan. This biography is nothing like my usual paperbacked fare (I lean more towards thrillers and detective novels), but I am exceedingly pleased that I picked it up. I blew through it in a weekend; I really couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.



5. This is a very interesting book. Prior to reading the book, I had no idea who Dr. Brinkley was, nor the atrocities that he inflicted upon people. If he were alive today, I am sure that he would have been a pioneer in marketing his goat gland rejuvenation treatments via the Internet.
   
   Dr. Brinkley was eventually stopped. Unfortunately, he has been replaced by today's charlatans, who prosper as spammers, as they push their miracle drugs and treatments to desperate people who are willing to try anything!

5 comments about Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw.

1. Once I begin a book I usually finish it, even if it's not that good.
   But I couldn't finish this book. I read about one third and then quit. It was so boring. It was more about politics than drugs. I guess I was expecting something along the lines of Doctor Dealer (a great read!).



2. Book was very informative. It did a very good job detailing the time period of Pablo Escobar's rise and fall. Written very neutral and represented both sides of the hunters and huntee very well. A very complex operation during a time that was much different then today. If only we had the capabilities to apply the pressure the columbians used then we could probably capture or kill Bin Laden today. Similar paralles although Pablo's vice was drug trade and money, Bin Laden appears to be religion and hate. Wished the book had a few more pictures that expandeed on the charcters and groups that represented Pablo and those that represented the government. Good book that I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about Pablo Escobar.



3. The full story of the life and times of Pablo Escobar: from his early life of crime as a headstone thief to his brutal rise to the pinnacle of the Medellin drug cartel. Most of the story however, is about how the joint military and intelligence Task Force eventually cornered and killed the drug Kingpin. That Task Force, was led by Ambassador Morris (Buzz) Busby, Navy Seal and ex-DCM for the Conference on Disarmament under Ambassador Louis (Lou) Fields (while I served as part of the US delegation with him.)
   
   The US "Delta Force," in conjunction with the Colombian security forces in an operation called "Centra Spike" had to pull out all of the stops to finally locate and kill the elusive fugitive.
   
   Not since "Black Hawk Down" has Mark Bowden written such a gripping thriller. Anyone who liked Black Hawk Down will love this one too.
   
   Five Stars



4. A must read if you want to really know Pablo Escobar - the history, stats, numbers and some key people. Its so easy to read you wouldn't want to put the book down. Def. check it out!



5. Killing Pablo is the story of the life of Pablo Escabar, the leader of the Columbian Drug Cartel. The time that he spent in power and the time when he lost it all, when all sorts of law enforcement and mercenaries were after him.
   Pablo Escabar was the Columbian Drug boss. He had alot of pride in his family, they were the most important part of his life, and the most important part in his drug filled world. Pablo was so rich that when ever he got into trouble with the drug enforcement agency or any type of the law he could bribe his way out of trouble by paying off the officials.
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding out more about the columbian drug cartel and the Escabar family.

5 comments about The Wolf of Wall Street.

1. Poor Chandler and Carter. Not only are their parents divorced, and their father is a drug addict and a convicted felon. One of them saw daddy push mommy down the stairs. And regardless of what he says (Jordan Belfort has the self-awareness of a bug), their father came out of jail being the same pathetic jerk he was going in.
   
   He devotes zero pages of the book to the effect his actions had on others, and he seems to consider breaking the law wrong simply because he got caught. And he now lurks on Amazon.com, attacking the many reviewers who didn't like his book, calling them "morons" and even, in one case suggesting the reviewer resign his job - simply because he hated the book. Let me repeat: this is a guy who thinks someone who doesn't like his book should give up his day job. That's how much of a jerk Jordan Belfort is, and it shows in every page of his tedious book.
   
   I feel sorry for his children. I bet they'll be in rehab or jail before they turn twenty-one.



2. It's hard to believe this is Belfort's first book. It is exceptionally well written and grips you from the first page. The book details Belfort's rise and fall as a financial tycoon. He was a self made multi-millionare who managed to risk it all thru risky trading schemes. But what's more astounding is what he put his body through along the way, abusing every drug imaginable and engaging in wreckless behavior. It's a candid story of his rise, fall, and recovery. In the end, you're left astounded that he managed to survive and tell the tale.



3. I couldn't finish this book, even when I decided to flip a few pages whenever the mention of "The Duchess" came up.
   
   As interesting as his story is, he didn't tell him. Instead, this book is wrapped up in too much fluff. I gave up on this book and haven't picked it back up once since I bought it.



4. Whether or not you will enjoy this book, as evidenced by the many polarized reviews, is if you truly need to like the main character.
   
   Jordan Belfort is the epitome of the stereotypical fraternity boy. Not only did he party like a rock star, through his sex and drug addictions, but he was also (according to him) the best thing since sliced bread. He tries to wow you with how much money he made (and spent), how people looked up to him and worshipped the ground he walked on, the wild drug-induced adventures, and screwing over anyone who stood in his way. You won't like him. His constant bragging over hundreds of pages, along with a writing style that will grate on you after a while, may test your patience (although some of the childish comments will elicit some laughs).
   
   You won't like Jordan until the last part of the book, where he has a life-changing event that forces him to sober up and realize the pain he inflicted on his wife and kids. You start to feel sorry for him despite how bad he's acted in the earlier parts of his life.
   
   Given the above comments, it's no wonder why people have such love/hate reviews. Some people will utterly despise Jordan because of his actions and lack of remorse. Others will think he's 'cool' and be amazed at his power over others, and the corruption.
   
   Which best describes you? Your answer will go a long way in telling whether you'll like this book.



5. I guess from other reviewer's words, you will either love or hate this book. Me? I ~LOVED~ it. I can't wait for Belfort's next book: I'll buy a copy for all my friends.
   
   This book is becoming a cult read in my circle. I can already name the other friends of mine who will die laughing and find this book impossible to put down.
   
   Too bad Scorcese is doing the movie and too bad Brad Pitt isn't playing the lead role: he'ld be 100 times better than that little weasel DeCaprio

5 comments about Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes, and the Man Who Makes War Possible.

1. I picked up this book thinking that I would enjoy it, but was disappointed in less than 20 pages. I pressed on past 100 pages only to find myself going crazy from the disjoined timeline.
   
   Long story short: They think blaming a single man (no matter how vile he is) for the woes of an entire continent is easier than blaming disjointed societies for tribal conflicts that are thousands of years old. The dilution that this one person is somehow changing the world for the worse lends itself to the dilution that a government can control people's blood-letting-hatred for each other. And thinking that all the killing in Africa is going to miraculously stop when Victor Bout is behind bars (now matter how much he deserves it) is insane. I see this book as a chronicle of how pie-in-the-sky liberal ideas are ineffective at solving the world's problems or even putting one man in jail. It gets an extra star for being hilarious albeit for the wrong reasons.



2. Interesting book, however very repetitive. Also jumps back and forth along the time line. Book is nothing more then testimonials from people who were employed or had contact with Victor Bout the arms dealer. However his rise to power is truly amazing.



3. This is a good read, but it could have been better. It's an interesting and thought provoking subject that is presented a little to matter of factly.



4. I thought that I would love this book. As it turns out, I only made it through about 100 pages. The information contained in the book is interesting to say the least, but it seems like it was less about Victor Bout and more about the coutries he was supplying with weapons. Every once in a while Bout's actions would be mentioned, then a long history of the civil war in some African nation would follow. The timeline is also somewhat confusing. On one page its 1993 then 3 pages later, its back in 1985. Then the next chapter its 2001, then to 1998.
   
   I didnt hate the book, I just found it difficult to read. I think a more linear timeline, and less info about war torn nations would have made for a better book. Just my opinion tho.



5. If you're buying this book to get a novelized version of the "Lord of War" film, look elsewhere. This book is a very, very non-fiction account of a wealth of data that has been assembled.
   
   Don't get me wrong, this was a fascinating and interesting read. The mountain of data the authors have collected is amazing. The story this data weaves is engaging and scary all at once.
   
   For a dry, VERY non-fiction book, it's still a very easy read.

5 comments about The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.

1. Philip Carlo's bio of mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski played in my mind like a Martin Scorsese crime movie thanks to Carlo's excellent narrative style. I honestly couldn't put the book down for wanting to know what was going to happen next. I'm actually shocked that Hollywood hasn't bought the rights to this bio, because Kuklinski's life is more fascinating than any episode of the Sopranos or any mafia movie I've ever seen. With that said, is everything in the book true? Well, the claims of being in on Hoffa's murder raised eyebrows as to how truthful Kuklinski is, and no proof of ever feeding live people to rats was ever found (even when these horrible incidents were claimed to be filmed and passed around the mob) , but on it's own, the book is one entertaining read. Besides, what bio has ever been written (or made into a movie) that wasn't 100% accurate? So don't let that stop you from picking up this book.
   
   Like a lot of people, I first heard about Richard Kuklinski from the interviews he did for HBO: The Iceman Interviews. Richard's stories, and the way he told them with no feeling for his victims, scared me more than any horror film or book since. Later, when this book was released, I had to pick it up to hear more, and author Carlo goes into great detail to present Richard's dark and horrific life, from the abuse he suffered as a child, to his gruesome exploits as an unfeeling contract killer for the mob. All of these stories are presented in vivid detail and will definitely stay with you. Carlo recalls many little stories about Richard that takes you into the mind of this killing machine. For example, Richard wanted to see if a single shot from his small crossbow could kill a man, so he pulled over in NY and asked a stranger for directions, when the man leaned in to talk to Richard, Richard raised the crossbow and shot him in the forehead... the experiment was a success. This is the kind of mind you'll be introduced to in this book, and it's just as frightening as it is thrilling to read about.
   
   If you love mafia and crime stories, pick up this book! It reads more like an entertaining story than a class book bio, and I guarantee that you wont want to put it down.



2. I believe from the evidence that Richard K. was a killer, but how much of one is still debateable. In this book, the author wants us to believe that Richard K. has killed hundreds of people over a 30 year period, using a variety of methods. He killed people in Europe, South America, and North America and was never caught. He placed bodies in metal cans with holes in them so crabs could eat the bodies. He tied up people in a cave so that rats could eat them. He participated in the murders of Gallente and Big Paul. He did away with drug dealers. In a dog eat dog world, why wasn't Richard knocked off. Why didn't police catch him sooner? There are too many ifs in here to completely believe everything in this book. I do think that Richard K. was a killer. The other question is the self serving nature of the tale of killings. The author wants us to believe that Richard killed only low life males who really did deserve what they got. Come on, did all these people really deserve what Richard gave them.
   
   This is an interesting story and one that kept me enthralled for close to four hours. Readers need more evidence to know if all these crimes actually happened. If they did, Richard K. could go down as one of the top serial killers.



3. A Book that is superbly written. Each page engrosses you more which has you not only trying to comprehend each stage of this man's life, but looking for where each 'story' ends up. You quickly find out that it always ends in murder, but the comprehension this man had for life was not only nil, but stalking out his victims where which was once a game for him, became a profession for him & one he was extremely proficient at. I would like to think that Richard Kuklinski is a one off & books like this be not be seen again. This book is absolutely gripping.



4. This is a letter I recently wrote to Mr. Carlo about his book:
   
   Dear Mr. Carlo,
   My name is Jeff Heimbuch. I'm a 24 year old guy currently working as a video editor for Meridian Health Systems and a part time film maker.For years, I have had a love of true crime, specifically serial killers and murderers, and have read tons of books on the subject. It has always fascinated me. I've read damn near every book on Jack The Ripper to Zodiac to Manson.
   Last Christmas, my parents bought me your book The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. I had an interest in the case when I first heard rumblings about him back when I was younger, and then again, when he passed away a few years ago. I was never able to find the book in stores, and I'm too stubborn to buy it online, so I planned on waiting for it. Thankfully, my parents knew what a stubborn bastard I was, and went ahead and found it for me.
   Being the avid reader that I am, I had a few other books lined up to go before I was able to get to yours...However, when I DID get to your book, I must say, I devoured it. I spent the last two days reading every word.
   I am writing to you to say thank you...Thank you for writing such an in-depth and personal book. I have read so many books on people like Richard Kuklinski. Most of these books, though still good, are just a presentation of the cold hard facts. However, you managed to infuse your book with personality and wit. Richard wasn't just some killer that you were writing on...he was someone you actually took the time to know, and get everything just right. You made him an actual person in your book, not just another killing machine.
   This is probably the best damn true crime book I have ever read. So good, in fact, that I felt the need to write to you and tell you how much I've enjoyed it. I've never written to an author like this before, so this is a first for me.
   Really, you did an excellent job. Thank you for writing a fantastic and extremely interesting read (that caused me to cancel plans with my girlfriend tonight so I could finish reading it!).
   I will admit, I've never read any of your other books before, but I can tell you that you just earned yourself a faithful reader!
   Keep up the good work, and I look forward to reading your other works!



5. There are seemingly countless articles, reviews, and websites that tell of Richard Kuklinski's ability to kill and maime with no more thought of conscience than any of us would have tossing a fast food sack into the trash. While it is indeed true that Richard was vicious and thorough beyond imagination, he was not born a sociopath, he was made one through years of horrific systematic abuse as a child at the hands of his mother and father. Violence, hate, and an overpowering absence of love and attention are all he knew during his formative years. Growing up impoverished in a crime-ridden area of town only made things worse. In the final analysis, Richards' actions are merely incidental to his conditioning. Herein lies the true heart of his story.
   
   Philip Carlo's book is fascinating and very hard to put down. His non-judgemental style of writing does an excellent job of introducing the reader to Richard's actions throughout his life. Better still, the book provides a solid foundation to help one understand the evil Richard was forced to endure as child. It's no wonder he was the way he was. Richards' tale is beyond sad. Hopefully the book will offer Richard in death the peace he sought but could never find in life.

5 comments about Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A..

1. I had no choice when it came to reading this book. It was after all, required in my college english class in order to survive the masses of quizzes and essays. But I will say that although I did not want to read this book at first, once I read the first couple pages I was hooked. I no longer wanted to read it just because it was required, now I was reading it for pleasure. Although the book is strongly graphic especially on the sex parts, it is done in a most tasteful manner. As a young latina born and raised in America, I was very touched by what my people had gone through in the past, and it is knowledge I had ignored taking the liberty I have now for granted. I really recommend this book if you're up to take a good dose of eye opener.



2. I heard this book was good, but didn't know how good it actually was until I read it. There isn't a dull page.
   
   What's most alarming about the book is not necessarily the events that take place, as many movies about this lifestyle have been made since the book's first publishing, sort of numbing the harsh realities of gang life to even outsiders who grew up in secluded suburbs, but the age that Luis Rodriguez actually is when the events are taking place. Some of the day to day drama described in the book is so adult like that you can only picture the subjects of these tales being 18 to 25 years old, yet the reader is often reminded that the author was as young as 14 when some of them took place.
   
   What may also separate the stories told in this book from the stories told in typical 1990s west coast gang folklore, from hip hop to film to books like 'Monster', is the sexual situations Mr. Rodriguez describes that he took part in and witnesses, again, in some cases as young as 14. Some are romantic, and almost remind the reader of a time when romance was first discovered in their lives, yet there are some that are so disturbing that the reader is quickly brought down to earth, reminded that love and romance in a violent, drug infested environment is far different from the kind most Americans have grown to know, that is dictated by Hollywood fairy tales.
   
   Luis Rodriguez finding his outlet from the gang life through art and writing could give hope to any current gang member who happens upon this book. It's one thing for a suburban high school teacher to tell a 'homeboy' that he can express his views through art, it's another for an older 'homeboy' himself to tell him.
   
   A must read for everyone, from suburbanites with little knowledge of the gang life who would like another version than that given by media outlets and law enforcement agencies, where the knowledge tends to be limited to crime reporting and identification of territories and monikers, to kids and adults wrapped up in the gang life, and just looking for any story that can inspire them or give them some kind of direction to a better life.



3. What more is needed to say about this memoir? This is singlehandedly one of the most powerful memoirs I have ever read and that goes without saying. I was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, the same one that Rodriguez builds and describes and I can honestly say he is completely spot on. About? Everything. The racial, identity, and sexual struggle that Rodriguez weaves in this story is compelling and really grabbed me and immersed me into his life. This memoir says what there is to be said, and it says a lot.



4. this os the best book i have ever read next to tommyland very different but bolth very good books



5. I suppose one of the editorial reviews summed it up nicely.
   
   "...Mexican funerals, rapes and arrests, but his writing style renders much of that rich material forgettable."
   Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
   
   I was very much interested in the topic, yet the rambling, writing style of Luis Rodriguez
   made for a disappointing experience.

5 comments about Wiseguy.

1. If you've seen the movie, then you've read the book. And that's a testiment to the movie producers because this book is awesome.



2. GREAT book. It's great to read about Henry Hill, of whom the movie Goodfellas was made. A must for any fan of Goodfellas!



3. If you've seen the movie GOODFELLAS and remain curious about the book...then definitely check out Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy."
   
   This is the whole story of "Henry Hill," the lower level mobster who could never be made (he was not a full-blood Italian) but was such a great earner that he made his own place in the Mob.
   
   I'm a huge fan of GOODFELLAS and it's great to see how Scorsese & Company bring the book to life. You'll often run across lines of dialogue straight from the narrative that ended up in the movie. And the book is fascinating and chilling reminder that this stuff really happened.
   
   But the book also fills in the story that the movie could only touch on. Henry's military service was completely left out of the film but is discussed here, a funny chapter about how he applied his mob money-making methods while serving his country. The book also discusses their biggest heist in detail, something not shown in the film (Henry hears of the heist while taking a shower and we never see or hear about how they pulled it off). Pileggi does a great job of weaving in New York and Mafia history as Henry tell his story.
   
   All in all, "Wiseguy" is definitely a book for anyone interested in the Mafia, a lean, fast-moving biography that sheds much more light on the GOODFELLAS phenomenon.



4. If your a mob freak like me any mob book is a great buy. This is a classic among mob books. One of the best rats tells a great book. This doesn't dissapoint. buy it, you won't be sorry.



5. If you like the movie this fills in some of the spots! Interestingly, the movie is a little more entertaining but this wasnt bad for some light reading.

5 comments about Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake.

1. 'Catch me if you can' is a fairly entertaining, badly written fiction book that served as a base for a very entertaining, well directed fiction movie. It's not an amazing true story as the blurbs proclaim.
   
   Don't reach for this book if you want to read a true-to-fact autobiography. 'Catch me if you can' is a ghostwritten, highly embellished in style and content, largely implausible narrative that diverts from what probably really happened as much as the Spielberg movie diverts from the book. In words of Abagnale himself:
   
   'I was interviewed by the co-writer only about four times. I believe he did a great job of telling the story, but he also over dramatized and exaggerated some of the story. That was his style and what the editor wanted. He always reminded me that he was just telling a story and not writing my biography. This is one of the reasons that from the very beginning, I insisted the publisher put a disclaimer in the book and tapes.'
   
   I have yet to find this disclaimer in my copy. I like fiction and don't mind reading it as long as the author (or the publisher) doesn't try to sell it as a true story. Reading 'Catch me if you can' I had an increasing feeling that I was being conned. I swallowed all the tall tales of his forgeries, swindles and impersonations hook line and sinker, but the devil, as usual, is in details.
   
   Funnily my suspicions were aroused only when I found out he was fluent in French despite the fact that a few pages earlier he used an interpreter to communicate in that language.
   
   The description of his incarceration in a French hellhole of a prison is unbelievable to the point of ridiculous, but still the time is extended from 6 months he purportedly served to about one year.
   Then he's rescued by a Swedish policewoman Jan Lundström. Fine. I understand that all names in the book have been changed but Jan is a male name in Sweden. At this point I couldn't suspend my disbelief any longer and I put the book down unfinished.
   
   A few words about the style of writing. It's about as overdone as the facts it's supposed to desribe and nearly unreadable.



2. I gave it 4 stars only because I reserve 5-star ratings for books I could not have lived without reading, so to speak. But it is a fascinating account, and if you like knowing that it's a big world out there with people doing interesting things, you'll probably enjoy this book. Abagnale is obviously intelligent and likes to have fun -- an infectious combination. I'm interested now in reading his follow-up, The Art of the Steal: How to Protect Yourself and Your Business from Fraud, America's #1 Crime. I suspect his advice will be more helpful than the dispirited, obfuscating "instructions" of the credit reporting agencies!



3. I read this book right after seeing the movie in theaters because of how much I liked the movie. The book is a great addition to the movie because you will get to read a lot of the stories that didn't make it into the movie and read the non-hollywood version of the actual events.



4. "The parental drive Frank wants from Carl feels less evident, missing the sensitive looks and words as played in the movie by Hanks and DiCaprio."
   
   don't you realize how silly it is to complain that stuff happens in the movie(fictional) and not in the book (factual).



5. This is a fun book. Abagnale's intelligence and wit come through, though the writing is a bit stilted and the material quite dated. But Abagnale's ability to exploit appearances and to exploit the level of trust necessary for society to work is fascinating and very funny. Perhaps his most interesting con is his relationship with women. This is the ultimate con game, I'm afraid, and the book would have been far better had he explained his con in this regard and had he come to terms with it. Also, the book ends quite abruptly and is unsatisfying in explaining how Abagnale ultimately came to terms with himself.

5 comments about The Pimp.

1. a fascinating read, the ultimate anti hero. a copmelling insigth into a real life character that is both praised and vilified. the best feature is the sincerity of the storytelling and the portrayal of the life of the pimp as neither a positive nor necesarily a negative.



2. "Pimp" is a dark, ugly book. It's author Robert Beck, aka Iceberg Slim spent much of his life as a pimp. It's written to leave a bad taste in your mouth. That is the intent of the author. This is a chronicle of how he wasted twenty-five years of his life.
   
   Maya Angelou's brother told her a pimp is one of two kinds of men. Either he hates women or he fears women. The process of encouraging, enforcing a woman to sell her body is neither sexy or romantic. The life of a hooker, especially one working the streets is harsh and degrading. A `good' pimp only cares about using his women until they have no more left to give. Only someone who hates or feels the need to control women would make a `good' pimp.
   
   Iceberg Slim hated women.
   
   His father deserted them while he was a baby. Bobby and his mother lead a hand-to-mouth existence for his early years. Early on he is sexually abused by his babysitter. Stability came into his life when his mother marries an older man who was a successful businessman. Young Bobby loved his stepfather. They lead a comfortable upper middle-class existence until his mother runs off with another man.
   
   The image of his stepfather crying in the street begging his mother to stay is repeated throughout the book. He took his hatred of his mother out on women - as a pimp.
   
   Of course things go down hill for his mother. Eventually she gets her act together. But even though stability is restored in his life, Robert wants to be a pimp. Possessing a superior I.Q. (175), he was a straight-A student. In a time of blatant racial discrimination (the 1920s, 30s, 40s) he is given a college scholarship. But his path is set, the seeds of hatred planted years before take root and flourish.
   
   For more details about his descent into depravity and his redemption - read the book.
   
   His writing style is not polished. His language is not refined. But his imagery is stunning. He induces mood and feeling brilliantly. Mood and feeling are enhanced by his lack of polish.
   
   The reader may have trouble with his slang. It's been out of style for 80 years. For example, "vines" means clothes. A woman "georgias" a man when she uses him for sexual gratification without paying. A "square" is a cigarette, etc.
   
   I have noticed a disturbing trend. The black pimp is a role-model for some segments of society. Performers such as Ice-T extol the pimp lifestyle. Iceberg Slim is 'the man'. Whenever this book is discussed as a movie project, the gangsta rappers start lobbying for the part. These guys want to be like him. But not the man he became but the man he was - a depraved parasite. Some of them talk about this book as though it's the Bible.
   
   While this is an excellent book, it is ugly. Richard Beck wanted it that way. He wanted to send a message against pimping and it's lifestyle.
   
   Sometimes I wonder if these pimp wannbes can read.



3. I just finished reading this book for the second time, cover to cover in 2 days this time, it is possibly one of the best books I have ever read and keeps you enthralled throughout the whole read.Everyone should read this book because it really gives an insight into a world that most will never see.I have read all of the man's books and this is by far his best work although Mama Black Widow and Trick Baby are up there as well they just don't equal this masterpiece.They only have a 5 star rating but if I could this book would rate 10 stars.



4. Wanted to like this book better than I did. I was hoping for something great but instead found the tale merely lurid.
   
   Iceberg Slim's tale of pimping in and around Chicago in the 40s is raw and vivid. His life is twisted and he revels in showing us its brutality.
   
   If there is moral clarity anywhere here it must be at the end. I ground to a halt after 75 pages of beatings, betrayals, kinky sex and drug use. The 40s ghetto slang is almost impenetrable at places, a fact acknowledged by the publisher's placement of an (inadequate) dictionary at the end of the book.



5. Isn't it funny how pimps and pimping are totally mainstream pop culture terms and attitudes among young people these days? From multitudes of 18 year old white boy "pimps" on Myspace, to several HBO documentaries about pimps, to grown white men saying things like "keep your pimp hand strong" and dressing up as parody pimps trying to be funny (this has to be the most tired joke on the planet at this point) to Uncle Toms like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent doing their modern day minstrel show on Mtv, to those who have "game", the con artists, deceivers, and criminals being the heroes to a good portion of the black community. Those enlightened social engineers and producers of our pop culture sure do enrich our society don't they!?!?
   
   I also notice there are multiple books about pimps and "how to be a pimp" type books on Amazon which at casual look seem so ridiculous that they almost seem to be comedic parodies reminding me of those books written for losers that tell you how to bed beautiful women. If you want a good laugh just read some of the Amazon reviews of the pimp books.
   
   Excluding Magic Don Juans book which is somewhat entertaining Iceberg Slims book is probably the only one worth reading and is head and shoulders above any other books by or about pimps. He doesn't try to glorify himself or being a pimp and while he does give glimpses in the life of being a pimp, drug addict, criminal and eventual prison inmate this book is just as much a self analysis for him as a look into that lifestyle. He states most of the stuff that he experienced and did matter of factly but you get a feeling that writing this book served as therapeutic introspective for Robert "Iceberg Slim" Beck. He does a good job of showing what a scumbag he was but he doesn't get preachy or come off as an attention seeker. Its like he took a step back and made an appraisal of what he once was and put it down on paper. He does a good job of painting a picture of the times in which all this occured and situations he was in. I have to be fair and give the guy credit he really was a good writer.