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spaceforcewife21's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting true story, but boring writing. This is one of those frustrating books where the story is so interesting that the book should be good, but the writing makes it so dull. The book took me much longer than normal to read because in the beginning I couldn't read over 20 some pages at at time before I started falling asleep. On the bright side, it was a really good sleep aid for a while. It did get easier to stick with it longer once Atilla was actively robbing banks.
I've heard that this book is much better as an audio book, which doesn't really surprise me; a good narrator would make the writing more interesting.
I've heard that this book is much better as an audio book, which doesn't really surprise me; a good narrator would make the writing more interesting.
suvata's review against another edition
3.0
From Amazon:
During the 1990s, while playing for the biggest hockey team in Budapest, Ambrus took up bank robbery to make ends meet. Arrayed against him was perhaps the most incompetent team of crime investigators the Eastern Bloc had ever seen: a robbery chief who had learned how to be a detective by watching dubbed Columbo episodes; a forensics man who wore top hat and tails on the job; and a driver so inept he was known only by a Hungarian word that translates to Mound of Ass-Head.
During the 1990s, while playing for the biggest hockey team in Budapest, Ambrus took up bank robbery to make ends meet. Arrayed against him was perhaps the most incompetent team of crime investigators the Eastern Bloc had ever seen: a robbery chief who had learned how to be a detective by watching dubbed Columbo episodes; a forensics man who wore top hat and tails on the job; and a driver so inept he was known only by a Hungarian word that translates to Mound of Ass-Head.
bhsmith's review against another edition
4.0
This book started a little rough... I wasn't sure I'd be able to get through it. The opening pages feature a list of Hungarian names. These are the key characters in the story that is about to unfold. There was no way I was going to remember a few dozen Hungarian names! I thought for sure I'd be lost.
Then, the first few chapters are really heavy with Hungarian, Romanian and Transylvanian cultural, economic and sociological histories. It was important to the story... but so, so dry.
But, eventually, the story of Attila Ambrus starts to unfold, and the story really takes off. The subtitle for this book seems wordy and awkward, but really is a perfect description of what is about to unfold over a few hundred pages: "The True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts." Sure enough... all of that oddity was packed in there, plus lots more!
This is far from some sort of biography, though. It was written much more like a novel, with internal dialogues, elaborate conversations, detailed descriptions and much more. Far more detail and information than you'd expect from a typical historical biography. (There is probably a name for this style, but I'll call it the novel-ization of a biography) This approach was perfect! It made the book easy to read and kept my turning pages.
Then, the first few chapters are really heavy with Hungarian, Romanian and Transylvanian cultural, economic and sociological histories. It was important to the story... but so, so dry.
But, eventually, the story of Attila Ambrus starts to unfold, and the story really takes off. The subtitle for this book seems wordy and awkward, but really is a perfect description of what is about to unfold over a few hundred pages: "The True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts." Sure enough... all of that oddity was packed in there, plus lots more!
This is far from some sort of biography, though. It was written much more like a novel, with internal dialogues, elaborate conversations, detailed descriptions and much more. Far more detail and information than you'd expect from a typical historical biography. (There is probably a name for this style, but I'll call it the novel-ization of a biography) This approach was perfect! It made the book easy to read and kept my turning pages.
panohchoc's review against another edition
2.0
An interesting read, especially in regards to Hungary's struggle to function as a new democracy. The government is trying to enforce laws despite its own obvious corruption. When the ones in government are criminals, why should the citizens be law abiding? Leads a robber who is considered a hero. However, I got a little bored reading through the descriptions of so many similar robberies.
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
4.0
Unbelievably entertaining true crime story of a Hungarian bank robber in the 1990s.
It's the true story of Attila Ambrus, whose life could represent the struggles of a post-communist Hungary. There's abysmally terrible ice hockey, poorly trained police force that barely have enough guns or cars to go around, let alone forensic evidence equipment, excessive casino gambling and the titular whiskey drinking, and a multitude of absurd wigs. Rubinstein includes enough background information to understand the unique social, political circumstances, but without overpowering the narrative. It's non-fiction that reads like a bittersweet fiction, a comic tragedy of a specific moment in central European history.
I could quote nearly the whole book as an example of Rubinstein's dry humor, but if I flip to a random page I could pull out such a nugget as, "To make up for the absence of a door watcher, he had bought a sheet of cardboard and meticulously drawn in large shadowed block lettering CLOSED FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, and below in smaller print, PLEASE EXCUSE THE INCONVENIENCE. ...Preparation was everything." (pg 109).
Recommend to
First off, immediately getting a copy to mail to my dad.
Give it to readers of crime stories and mysteries, especially those who like a bit of history and would cheer on the (clearly inebriated) underdog.
It's the true story of Attila Ambrus, whose life could represent the struggles of a post-communist Hungary. There's abysmally terrible ice hockey, poorly trained police force that barely have enough guns or cars to go around, let alone forensic evidence equipment, excessive casino gambling and the titular whiskey drinking, and a multitude of absurd wigs. Rubinstein includes enough background information to understand the unique social, political circumstances, but without overpowering the narrative. It's non-fiction that reads like a bittersweet fiction, a comic tragedy of a specific moment in central European history.
I could quote nearly the whole book as an example of Rubinstein's dry humor, but if I flip to a random page I could pull out such a nugget as, "To make up for the absence of a door watcher, he had bought a sheet of cardboard and meticulously drawn in large shadowed block lettering CLOSED FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, and below in smaller print, PLEASE EXCUSE THE INCONVENIENCE. ...Preparation was everything." (pg 109).
Recommend to
First off, immediately getting a copy to mail to my dad.
Give it to readers of crime stories and mysteries, especially those who like a bit of history and would cheer on the (clearly inebriated) underdog.
bjensen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Well written and excellent narration (this American life vintage vibes). Really neat story but certainly long winded. Could have done with less middle and more end. But that’s just me.
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
5.0
Our hero is Attila Ambrus, the Whiskey Robber, and he takes us on a hell of a ride. Tough times as a Hungarian living in Romania, tough times in Hungary during the waning of communism, tough times in the Wild West atmosphere of a newborn democracy. One thing that surprised me was how when our Whiskey Robber hero made his choice, he settled down into an intensely focused state of planning and research. To paraphrase him, this wasn't just walking in with a gun and taking some money, this was WORK! He was thinking about, and recording data on, factors that would never even have occurred to me. The book had me completely hooked.
One more thing: I read an article about the audio version of this book and how it has multiple celebrities giving voice to the story, instead of a single person simply reading the book. Might be a good fit if you like audiobooks, give it a try!
One more thing: I read an article about the audio version of this book and how it has multiple celebrities giving voice to the story, instead of a single person simply reading the book. Might be a good fit if you like audiobooks, give it a try!
xishimmerix's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.25