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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
Probably when I first picked up this book and put it in my "to-read" pile, I read the back cover that clearly says that this is the story of Henry Hill. However, somewhere between then and now, I thought this book was going to be the story of an undercover cop in the mob. Yes, I believe I got the show and the book mixed up. I was quite surprised to find out I was reading the book Goodfellas was based on. (The edition I had was printed before the movie so there was no advertising to the fact on the cover.) Overall, a good look into the inter workings of a low level thug in an organization. I didn't really like Goodfellas, so this didn't capture my attention as much. I prefer the Valachi Papers for organized crime expose. Most of the best (and memorable) parts of the book are in the movie. Much like the movie, my favorite parts were when the point of view switch to Henry's wife. That dynamic and relationship is the best part of the whole book.
adventurous
dark
informative
fast-paced
The book that spawned Goodfellas. A lot of bragging by Henry Hill but it's essentially the same story you see onscreen.
♥ Book 18 of 2020
★ Final Rating: 5 Stars
➢ This book is by no means, a work of fiction, yet it feels as though it is. One may find it hard to believe that a man like Henry Hill existed. The way he lived his life, jumping from one crime to another, it was fascinating to read about the life of Henry Hill all the way from admiring the Wiseguys to actually becoming one.
✦ If you've watched the movie, you've got to read the book. If you've read the book first, you will undoubtedly enjoy the movie.
★ Final Rating: 5 Stars
➢ This book is by no means, a work of fiction, yet it feels as though it is. One may find it hard to believe that a man like Henry Hill existed. The way he lived his life, jumping from one crime to another, it was fascinating to read about the life of Henry Hill all the way from admiring the Wiseguys to actually becoming one.
✦ If you've watched the movie, you've got to read the book. If you've read the book first, you will undoubtedly enjoy the movie.
Wiseguy was a little too short and skimpy on the details, but clearly the film Goodfellas was a very faithful adaptation of the source material. The one striking thing about this book is the nonchalance that crimes are discussed. The author jumps right in to these talks with no buildup. I would have liked more detail on Henry Hill's life.
If you liked Goodfellas, you'll like this book on which it was based. I listened to the excellent audio read by the author and with voice actors for p.o.v. sections reinacting the interviews.
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
I think that while it was a good book, I don't think that it was all that different from the movie. Hats off to those who made the movie, by the way, because it followed so closely. A few things are changed, but overall it's the exact same experience, even word for word in some instances.
It was an enjoyable read and was as enjoyable as the movie. Unless you really want to know the minute changes that were made from the adaptation to a movie, this might be one to pass.
It was an enjoyable read and was as enjoyable as the movie. Unless you really want to know the minute changes that were made from the adaptation to a movie, this might be one to pass.
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
"For Henry and his wiseguy friends the world was golden. Everything was covered. They lived in an environment awash in crime, and those who did not partake were simply viewed as prey. To live otherwise was foolish."
Podcasts are usually my go-to for any mafia-related content, but I saw that one of my friends here read and liked Wiseguy, so I decided to give it a go. And I'm so glad I did because this was such a good book. I expected it to maybe be slow at times, being a nonfiction, but the story was told so well, I couldn't put the book down from 30% on. I'd say this book had just the right amount of information without being too detailed to the point of getting boring, but enough to just understand the connections between places, characters, events. There was such a good flow from one event to the other and also from Pileggi's narration to Henry and Karen's points of view. It was also high action at times, it succeeded in making me anxious, especially towards the end, and it was an overall quick and enjoyable read.
I have to admit, despite the topic covered, Wiseguy even managed to be fun at times, but mostly it was just baffling and quite morbid. It just seems crazy, though not at all surprising, to learn about the way these guys operate and think, how little regard they have for everyone around them, including family and friends, what kind of motivations they have and how far they'd go in their schemes. I'd say out of all the people introduced, the stories around Jimmy Burke and Tommy DeSimone were definitely the most shocking.
"I think if you ever offered Jimmy a billion dollars not to steal, he’d turn you down and then try to figure out how to steal it from you. It was the only thing he enjoyed. It kept him alive."
It was also shocking to learn how protected they were. It is well-known that they had people in power, congressman, policemen, lawyers, etc. on their payroll, but it was hard for me to grasp before just how connected they were, the types of networks they were part of and how much of a joke was for them to get arrested or have to deal with the cops.
Wiseguy definitely made me curious to follow-up the topic by finding some good stories about some of the members Hill mentioned and I'd also like to give a try to [b:On the Run: A Mafia Childhood|1576332|On the Run A Mafia Childhood|Gregg Hill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441893124l/1576332._SX50_.jpg|1569071] and see a different side of him from his children's perspective. Nonetheless, for people interested in Mafia and The Five Families, I'd say this book provides great insight into that, the Lucchese family in particular.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Violence
I was hoping this book would add some depth to the movie Goodfellas which was based off of this work, but instead I came to see that the film was almost completely faithful to the book as an adaptation. The story itself is good enough for a four but I would have liked to have had some more to it to honestly feel like it earned.