Among the Thugs

Book Description

They have names like Barmy Bernie, Daft Donald, and Steamin' Sammy. They like lager (in huge quantities), the Queen, football clubs (especially Manchester United), and themselves. Their dislike encompasses the rest of the known universe, and England's soccer thugs express it in ways that range from mere vandalism to riots that terrorize entire cities. Now Bill Buford, editor of the prestigious journal Granta, enters this alternate society and records both its savageries and its sinister allure with the social imagination of a George Orwell and the raw personal engagement of a Hunter Thompson.

Customer Reviews:

Among The Thugs.......2007-05-17

"Among The Thugs" provides an inside view of the inner workings of an English football hooligan firm, and it's members. Told from the outsider's point of view, it is an unblinking and sometimes chilling account of football gang violence and those who purpotrate it. Bufford takes his readers places where most of them would dare not go. The narrative-like accounts are gripping and often disturbing, but always intersting. At some points book slows down just a bit to explain the philosophy of a gang, and that could get a little boring at times, but it is necessary to understanding of the subject. "Among the Thugs" is a great read and I recommend it to those interested in the subject of football violence, and just to football fans in general.

Very thorough research of a topic that ultimately means little.......2007-05-16

This was a very interesting read. Buford seems to have "embedded" himself in the thugs, nearly becoming one of them himself and certainly being mistaken for one of the thugs (to his detriment). There are harrowing tales of drunken violence, racist chanting and mob scenes in just about every chapter of the book. After a while, the chapters seem to bleed together a little bit. Each new mob scene fairly resembles the last mob scene with only the setting and opponents being variable. Buford even acknowledges that it started becoming monotonous running with these professional soccer hooligans and I think that was part of his point. These thugs have nothing else in their lives that make them truly happy except their congregational violence. It bonds them and makes them closer than they would be without it. I only give it three stars because I can't really make sense of the point of this book other than, "mob violence is bad" which is something I already knew before I picked up the book.

A Sports Investigation .......2007-04-12

This piece of investigative journalism will open your eyes to the British football (or American soccer) scene. The author takes this harrowing tale and takes time to find the humor in it.

Even non-sports fans will be blown away by this tale!.......2007-01-27

My Scottish football-loving friend insisted tht I read this several years ago. I am not into sports of any type, but took his word tht it was good read. WOW! More like a great read! An LA writer decides to investigate the so-called soccer thugs in Britain and mingles among them and follows a group of them around Europe as they follow their teams and wreak havoc on the locals and rival fans. Such an amazing story has to be read to be believed. The writer decided that he's finally got enough material when riot police drag out from under a car (one that's NOT burning) during a street riot in Sicily or someplace, and club the bejabbers out him! And yes,the book's quite funny.

Good read........2006-06-14

Interesting read. I grew up watching the games in England in the 80's and was unaware of quite the extent of violence that went on. This would be an ideal book for someone studying about crowd violence or football thugs. I did however find that the book was difficult to read in parts and did it not seem to flow. I thought some of the detailed analysis of crowds was un-necessary and would have preferred more detail on the thugs and violence.

Average customer rating:

Another piece from the mind of Goines
Yep
Somewhat Of A Repeat!
Fair
Inner city hoodlum

Inner City Hoodlum
Donald Goines
Manufacturer: Holloway House Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0870679996

Book Description

Johnny Washington, a black teenager in Los Angeles, knows the freight yard like the back of his hand. He and his pals, Josh and Buddy, hit them often, stealing for a fence. They have to. They're the soul support of their families. But when Josh is killed by a security guard (who gets his brains scattered by Buddy with nunchaku sticks), they are forced to look for other work. They find it with the underworld kings in Elliot Davis. But when Davis recruits Johnny's sister for his stabke and later OD's her, Johnny and Buddy come on with a vengeance.

Customer Reviews:

Another piece from the mind of Goines.......2004-11-25

This book followed the same formula, but there are some moments in it that separate it from the other books he has written. The ending of this book pissed me off, but besides that, I loved it. Two friends kill a guard in self-defense, and turn to a neighborhood numbers man with a known reputation. Things hit close to home with one of the young cats, and he, along with his friend, seek revenge for the overdose of his younger sister, by the Duke, the numbers man. There are the vivid scenes, the gruesome descriptions, and everything else which makes Donald Goines work stand out. Don't expect a happy ending, because that is not what Donald Goines was all about. He was about presenting reality.

Yep.......2004-09-14

I have mixed emotions about the book. Finally, I met some colorful characters that didn't totally resemble the characters from the other six books I read. I enjoyed every minute of Johnny and Buddy's story, I was intrigued by Leslie's tale of prostitution, and wondered what in the hell Duke had in his pants to make these girls so stupid.
But I don't understand why Spence is so eztra angry (would've enjoyed his back story), why Johnny never used what he taught Buddy as protection, and how submissive Gloria became.
Either way, this book gave an intersting spin on how hood life is for young kids who have no other means to make it.
P.S. I love the toilet mishap.

Somewhat Of A Repeat!.......2003-08-13

I love Donald Goines books but this book was not what I expected. The book was like a repeat of 1 of his other books. After reading it I felt like that was my 2nd time reading the book. I liked it because it still was real and spoke the truth. It didn't hold anything back.

Fair.......2002-10-08

This was a short read. It was okay. I am getting used to books with an incredible amount of detail and this one really didn't have it. I believe that the story was based upon factual accounts of Mr. Goines life. It was tragic because the character could not liberate themselves. I have read one other of his books in the past and perhaps I will start with his first book and read all of them. This one was okay.

Inner city hoodlum.......2000-05-04

The book was tight ya dig. The book keeps calling you back for more you can't put it down. Once you read it you keep going back for a different book. Donald Goines is the best writer there is and ever will be don't sleep on him.

Average customer rating:

One of the sweetest love stories I've ever read!!!
Very Enjoyable
A sweet romance that starts off with one hot kiss
A brilliant read fraught wth peril, suspense and sweet redemption
Just couldn't get into it...

Sweet Liar
Deveraux
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0671689738

Book Description

It was her father's dying wish that Samantha Elliot search for her grandmother, who'd disappeared from Louisville when she was a baby. So here she was, in big, dirty New York City...her parents were dead, her divorce was final, and she was all alone....

Michael Taggert was Samantha's landlord, and he was easily the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He was charming, too -- his zest for life was so contagious that in his presence Sam bloomed like a flower after the rain. Yet Mike could only get so far with her -- when he tried to get closer, it was like running into a brick wall.

But Mike wouldn't give up. As they probed her grandmother's past, he was slowly uncovering the joy and affection Samantha had buried long ago -- and leading them closer to the dangerous truth about a bloody spring night in 1928, and a seductive blues singer named Maxie....

Download Description

"It was her father's dying wish that Samantha Elliot search for her grandmother, who'd disappeared from Louisville when she was a baby. So here she was, in big, dirty New York City...her parents were dead, her divorce was final, and she was all alone.... Michael Taggert was Samantha's landlord, and he was easily the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He was charming, too -- his zest for life was so contagious that in his presence Sam bloomed like a flower after the rain. Yet Mike could only get so far with her -- when he tried to get closer, it was like running into a brick wall. But Mike wouldn't give up. As they probed her grandmother's past, he was slowly uncovering the joy and affection Samantha had buried long ago -- and leading them closer to the dangerous truth about a bloody spring night in 1928, and a seductive blues singer named Maxie.... "

Customer Reviews:

One of the sweetest love stories I've ever read!!!.......2007-04-02

This was my first book by Jude Deveraux and she has left me absolutely speechless with this beautiful love story. Infact, this is not just another love story, it is a journey in which Sam discovers life and it's simple joys. The heroine has experienced so much sadness in her life from the time she lost her mother till her father died that by the time she meets the hero, she's like a crab in her shell and not ready to come out at all. This is where the hero, Mike comes in and he is by far, one of the best heroes of all times. He is tender, loving, protective and not to forget patient and the journey of their love story makes this an unforgettable read! I can't wait to read more by this author and I would highly recommend this gem of a book!

Very Enjoyable.......2007-01-18

I had read this book before, but I reread it the other day and decided that I really did like it. Mike was a wonderful character and makes you wonder about this impressive family of his. Samantha was an interesting and complex character who seemed to have a few self-esteem issues that in turn caused Mike to work a lot harder at winning her.

I like that aspect of the novel because when the hero and heroine just jump into bed together, first off it doesn't seem all that realisic that a mature relationship can follow something like that and secondly it showed a higher level of respect for the characters. They acted and responded to the situations that they found themselves in with a great deal of realism and while Mike was suppossedly alarmingly good looking, he had a little competition for Samantha with his cousin. Also the fact that Samantha in herself wasn't an amazing beauty, but had an amazing personality and character made me enjoy this book so much more than if they had both been perfect and blessed by the hand of God when they were born.

The fact that Mike was rich was a little ho hum for me. I'm a little sick of rich guys, however he wore it well and was better for it. I completely forgot he was wealthy in certain parts of the story.

In short, this was an amazing story and for anyone that has not read one of her books it is a good one to start with and for those of you that have read her and are looking for another great read, this is a wonderful story.

A sweet romance that starts off with one hot kiss.......2006-08-01

SWEET LIAR is a novel about a woman's quest to uncover the past, and the passion that she finds in a real knight in shining armor.

Loneliness, it seems, is a permanent fixture in Samantha Elliot's life. Still coming to terms with her recent divorce, she was dealt a huge blow when she heard of her father's battle with cancer. Now with his passing, she finds out that her inheritance comes with a condition - that she must search for her grandmother who abandoned them when she was still a baby. So she finds herself in New York City at the doorstep of her new landlord, an old friend of her father's.

Michael Taggert is probably the most charming and gorgeous man that Sam has ever met. She cannot deny the physical attraction they share, but she will fight it for fear of being hurt once again. This is the problem that Michael needs to overcome. Unbeknown to Sam, he knows more about her than she would care to admit. His friendship with her late father has given him an understanding of Sam's character and vulnerabilities, and he will do anything to break down that wall that she has surrounded herself with no matter how many times she tries to shut him out.

This was a pretty fabulous read. Sam's first meeting with Michael captivated me. Oh my, that has got to be the hottest first meeting that I have read in a long time! If Michael and Samantha thought that was the most exciting kiss they have ever had, I thought it was the most exciting first kiss I have read in a while. The chemistry was instantaneous and I might as well have been there since it was almost tangible. It was set out so perfectly and was hot, yet sweet, in my opinion. Michael is simply adorable, kind and generous, and he perfectly complements Sam's vulnerabilities and stubbornness. I loved how he never gave up on Sam and how, when their search to unravel her grandmother's past puts Sam's life in danger, he did everything to protect her, even involving his very large family. And what a great family he has got! They were just delightful and I absolutely had fun reading the "family picnic" at Central Park (more like a congregation, I say!).

While the plot is rather convoluted at times and the unraveling of the truth was rushed, the delightful characters and sweet romance makes SWEET LIAR a sweet read that you just can't resist.

A brilliant read fraught wth peril, suspense and sweet redemption.......2006-07-29

Samantha is a damaged soul. Everyone she's ever loved has been taken from her and she has learned to put all the pain into an isolated part of her heart and move on. When Samantha was twelve, her mother, while in a mad rush to get through her schedule so she can take Samantha to a friend's party, was hit by a car and killed. Her father, blaming Samantha for the accident, plummeted into a clinical depression and ignored her throughout most of her teen years. In a desperate bid for her father's forgiveness, Samantha sacrificed everything in her life to take care of him including marrying the man he chose for her. Years later, on the day Samantha buried her father, she received divorced papers from her adulterous husband. To compound her unhappiness, she discovers that, in order to inherit all the money her father left her, he made a final demand: Samantha would have to move to New York, to an apartment he's already rented for her, to find her long lost grandmother. She has a year to complete this task or lose her inheritance.

Samantha's saving grace comes into her life in the form of her landlord, Michael Taggert, a larger-than-life, math genius and millionaire, with a devil-may-care attitude. To Samantha's dismay, she finds out that Mike is Samantha's guardian and her father's will stipulates that Mike has to be satisfied with Samantha's research before the money is released to her. Mike joins Samantha in unraveling her grandmother's past, but their investigation draws unwanted and dangerous attention from a mysterious villain who has already resorted to murder to discover the secret that Samantha's grandmother has risked her life to preserve.

This was such a great read. It's fast-paced, hard to put down, fraught with dangerous plots and twists that you won't be disappointed. I love Jude Deveraux's writing. Her talent at weaving such wonderfully complex storylines is sheer magic.

Just couldn't get into it..........2006-02-28

I tried but just could not connect with the main character Samantha. She just seemed flakey and had no self worth throughout most of the story. She would literally run and hide every time Mike even glanced in her direction. And then even when they started to get close she acted like he was going to rape her every time he touched her. And that seemed okay because you think maybe she has a good reason to be afraid. But then her reason turns out to be really lame and childish. She also seemed very naive at times. She reminded me of a 12 year old. But I did love Mike and the other Taggerts. And the story plot with the gangsters was kind of interesting. But in the end I found myself skipping entire pages just to finish it. Definatly not her best.

Average customer rating:

k'wan on time
Hoodlum
Better than going to the movies
BOREDOM & CONFUSION
best in a long time

Hoodlum
K'wan
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312333080
Release Date: 2005-07-14

Book Description

From Essence bestselling author K'wan comes an urban tale about a young man who inherits an underworld empire and ruthlessly puts the streets on lock Born to one of the city's most notorious crime families, Shai Clark has always managed to be a good kid. A college hoops star, Shai, shuns the world that his father has created and focuses on his dreams of going pro. While Tommy, Shai's trigger happy older brother, is next in line for the throne, Poppa has bigger plans for Shai. He will be the good son. Soon the situation turns ugly when Poppa is murdered and Tommy is removed from the equa-tion. Suddenly Shai finds himself at the head of his father's empire and the streets are thrown into chaos. It is then he must decide whether to pursue his own dreams or put his father's affairs in order. Unable to sit idly by while the Clark empire is pillaged, Shai takes up his father's mantle and brings his game to the streets. Shai quickly learns that there are two sides to every coin, and the streets hold no mercy for the weak.

Customer Reviews:

k'wan on time.......2007-08-16

very good read i just wish there was a 2nd book to follow but it will be read again believe that

Hoodlum.......2007-03-17

I just love K'wans books. He keeps it real and puts you into the book which some writers do not have the gift of doing.

Better than going to the movies.......2007-02-20

it was a great story, i didnt expect it to end how it did and thats what made it great. i feel like i could identify with the main character Shai who was always around drug dealers but never got pulled into the life until..... but yeah i'm hoping there's a sequel coming out

BOREDOM & CONFUSION.......2007-01-09

K'Wan was one of my favorite authors until I started reading this book about 4 or 5 months ago (I still haven't finished it). This book was all over the place. It did not grab (let alone hold) my attention. One paragraph was about one character in one place and the very next paragraph K'Wan had brought another character, scene and time into play. It was as if he was writing a rough draft and just submitted it as it was. He did not finish a thought before going into another one. I was honestly disappointed with this book.

best in a long time.......2006-11-04

I read Criminal minded by this Author and enjoyed it very much. This lead me to purchase Hoodlum, which was even better. K'won Foye is a great writer of urban fiction, and he will go a long way. Some writers books are written so immaturely, in the urban genre. With K'wons books I actually feel as though I am reading something on an adult level. I look forward to purchasing more of his work. Hopefully he will write a part II to Hoodlum and let us know the cards that Shai has dealt for himself and the Clark legacy.

Goombata: The Improbable Rise and Fall of John Gotti and His Gang

Average customer rating:

Published Too Soon
A Dying Breed in More Ways than One
Crap
Goombata book review
goombata

Goombata: The Improbable Rise and Fall of John Gotti and His Gang
John Cummings , and Ernest Volkman
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316163910

Book Description

The Dapper Don

A cocky kid from the streets of East New York, he rose to become one of the most feared men in the nation.

Establishing a power base through brilliant politicking and blood-chilling ruthlessness, at 45 he took control of America's richest, most powerful crime family following the gangland-style execution of his predecessor.

Though the target of almost contionous FBI and police surveillance, he has spent little time in prison . . . and has never been convicted of racketeering, drug-trafficking or murder.

Prize-winning journalists John Cummings and Ernest Volkman's shocking true account of the brutal and meteoric rise of John "Johhny Boy" Gotti from Brooklyn "bone-breaker" to lord of the Gambino Family -- a riveting exploration into the the bloody machinery of La Cosa Nostra operating on the dark side of the American dream.

Customer Reviews:

Published Too Soon.......2006-07-04

In GOOMBATA, authors John Cummings and Ernest Volkman mention Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano on exactly three pages.

That's not much, considering that Gravano was the insider who turned informer, put Gotti in prison for the rest of his life, and essentially brought down what was left of New York's Gambino crime family. But it is hardly surprising: published in 1990, GOOMBATA was written before Gravano ever hit the witness stand in a trial the authors failed to anticipate.

The book reads quickly, and although I occasionally wondered about the authors' sources I found it reasonably entertaining--until I realized that it fell short in terms of time line. At that point I was very annoyed indeed. Simply put, Cummings and Volkman would have done better to wait and see how everything was going to turn out. They didn't do that, so if you really want to know what happened... well, you're going to have read another book.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

A Dying Breed in More Ways than One.......2006-05-24

This book was originally published in 1990, and therefore, as other reviewers have pointed out, the ending just drops off the edge of the cliff, leaving the "hero" in jail awaiting trial.

Messrs. Cummings and Volkman, the co-authors, are described as "prize-winning journalists."

The book rolls along pretty well, although in the paperback version the typeface is small and paragraphs are large, and there is very little conversation, except what the authors apparently pulled from court transcripts. These, in turn, were often pulled from "bugs" planted by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies inside the "social clubs" used by Gotti and his goombata (like the Spanish compadres or compas).

So, this book is not much like a novel at all. To its credit, it is still absorbing reading, if, that is, you are one of those Mafioso groupies, like me. My grandfather was of Italian descent, so in my fantasies I'm "Skinny Al" Pedrone, riding shotgun with these very folks, my heroes.

In reality, of course, I'm a frightened little "punk," the kind these folks would have for lunch (were I edible, which I doubt).

Another reviewer wrote that too much of the book was devoted to Gotti's childhood. I felt just the opposite: I would like to have learned more about his early life. For example, very little is said about how he met and courted his wife.

I know: This type of personal information is difficult to obtain, unless you are talking to the subject himself. That's why I had the impression that the co-authors more or less rushed this book into print, to capitalize on Gotti's notoriety in 1990. They did not actually want to wait and write a thorough biography, because the reading public might lose interest fifteen years later.

They were right.

Diximus.

Crap.......2004-05-20

This is awful stuff - it goes way too fast, and the amount of facts that are wrong is unbelievable from two so-called mob experts. Among the wrong facts - the circumstances surrounding the Frank Costello shooting, the McBratney murder, the Westies alliance, and much much more. For the real Gotti story, try Gotti: The rise and fall.

Goombata book review.......2003-04-08

John Gotti( Dapper Don), I feel is the cause for the downfall of the Gambino crime family. In "Goombata", it shows how Gotti loved the attention from the Press and Media. He alone made the FBI and RICO chase after him. John Gotti wanted a flamboyant life-style, which is why he was number one target among organized crime leaders. John Gotti broke the number one rule in La Cosa Nostra, the secret life.
I like the tone the author set. Chapter after chapter I wanted to know what John Gotti was going to do to become a known man within the Gambino family. "Goombata" is a fast and terse biography. This novel would've been the perfect biography but the author, John Cummings, did'nt make the novel long enough. He could've coverd more about his coming up among the ranks years. Also, there was no clear resolution because when this book was published, John Gotti was on trial for racketereering charges that he later was found guilty for. Overall rating, three stars.

goombata.......2001-01-24

not the best book i have read but not the worst.despite the book being flawed because it finishes before the final prossecution. it does offer a few good chapters and also throws down some opinions that s contradicted by other sources.like who did whack his body gaurd near the end of the book.some good photos but not exactly a work of art. if only he good have waited to find out what happened at the final prossecution then he could have definately called the rise and fall of john gottis crew .there are definatelly better mob books on the market but if you do want a different veiw then it may be worth checking out.

Boss of Bosses: The FBI and Paul Castellano

Average customer rating:

It was ok.
Great book and hard lessons.
Pretty good
Well written
The great narrative

Boss of Bosses: The FBI and Paul Castellano
Joseph F. O'Brien , and Andris Kurins
Manufacturer: Island Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440212294
Release Date: 1992-05-01

Book Description

Paul Castellano headed New York's immensely powerful Gambino crime family for more than ten years. On December 16, 1985, he was gunned down in a spectacular shooting on Manhattan's fashionable East Side.

At the time of his death, Paul Castellano was under indictment. So were most of the major Mafia figures in New York. Why? Because in 1983 the FBI had hidden a microphone in the kitchen of Castellano's Staten Island mansion. The 600 hours of recorndings led to eight criminal trials. And this book.

Agents Joe O'Brien and Andris Kurins planted that mike. They listened to the voices. Now they bring you the most revealing look inside the Mafia ever ... in the Mafia's own words.

Customer Reviews:

It was ok........2007-08-21

I would've liked more behind the scenes mob information. The book focused too much from an FBI perspective. Also, I got a little tired of the agents giving the mob boss, Paul Castellano, so much respect and sympathy! At times it was like they felt sorry for the guy because they have to do their job and arrest him. Hello! The guy is a leader of the mob! These people lie, cheat, steal and kill for a living!!!

Great book and hard lessons........2007-08-10

First off, I'd like to say that I appreciate the way the authors were to Paul Castellano. They weren't necessarily sympathetic, but they were respectful. Some people ask why respect a killer, many people kill for many different reasons, currently, many people are killing other people under the guise of war. They respected him as a human being, a flawed person like the rest of us and saw no need in treating him poorly which is bad tact for anyone of any stature. With all that aside, this is a great book into the inner workings of Cosa Nostra, it aptly shows the older members of the old ways and the ways in which they dealt with the world around them. It is very true that those ways are essentially gone. The book overall shows a human being that had risen to power and slowly loses his grasp on all that he obtained. It also shows the death of the old ways and a birth to a newer and less successful new age of Cosa Nostra. Salud, to the agents that showed genuine respect to another human being, regardless of his standing in life.

Pretty good.......2007-05-07

A pretty good book. The FBI had a big head and ego but the book is still good.

Well written.......2007-04-03

The authors are the ones who actually got past the Dobermans, snuck into Paul Castellano's mansion, planted the bug, and then listened to it for all those months! Gloria, Paul's maid and mistress who lived with him for his final ten years, also provided the authors with many insights. It just doesn't get any more authoritative than this.

The authors also *very* briefly summarize points of Mafia history (such as Donnie Brasco) along the way. Most of the chapters are only a few pages, which makes it convenient to stop and resume.

The great narrative.......2007-01-10

This is a great story about an alternative way to power and fame.

Average customer rating:

Mafia Cop
Lou Eppolito , and Bob Drury
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416517014

Book Description

He was one of the most decorated cops in the history of NYPD. From his "wiseguy" relatives, he learned the meaning of honor and loyalty. From his fellow cops, he learned the meaning of betrayal.

MAFIA COP

His father, Ralph "Fat the Gangster" Eppolito, was stone-cold Mafia hit-man. Lou Eppolito, however, chose to live by different code; he chose the uniform of NYPD. And he was one of the best -- a good, tough, honest cop down the line. Butu even his sterling record, his headline-making heroism, couldn't protect him when the police brass decided to take him down. Although completely exonerated of charges that he had passed secrets to the mob, Lou didn't stand a chance. They had taken something from him they couldn't give back: his dignity and his pride.

Customer Reviews:

Time for a Post Script!.......2006-06-06

Well, the hero was sentenced to life behind bars, 1 million dollar fine, and forfeiture of all his assets. Why?

He was a murderer. He was not a hero. He killed killers.

Now, his book is fiction. "Compassionate" guy? Cold-blooded killer for hire; sociopath, narcissist, and now...just another thug behind bars. Praise for this fiction? No, thanks.

"Nobody never gets killed for no reason!".......2005-06-20

Just found this book a few days ago.I was about one-fourth the way through and was finding it a fantastic read.I stopped there and decided to check out the Customer Reviews.WoW! what an eye opener.I was really taken by the insight the book gave into both life in a Mafia family and life as a NYPD cop.I hadn't even connected this book with the movie Goodfellows.Then, in the Reviews,lo and behold! Eppolito and his friend were arrested just this March in Las Vegas for a bunch of crimes;16 years after leaving the Force.I couldn't believe it!I went back to the book and couldn't put it down till I finished it.
Next, I went to the Web to see what I could find.There it was.Sure enough,they were arrested and in fact,Indicted!What surprises me ,I don't seem to remember a thing mentioned about this in our Toronto Newspapers or TV or other News.
There is a lot about this on the net; I searched...'Lou Eppolito Arrest and Trial 2005' and an excellent site 'AmericanMafia.com'.It is all spelled out there,the background,the arrests and the Endictment.However; I am still trying to find out when and if the trial is to start.
Boy what a trial this will make ,compared to the Circus we've been enduring about Michael Jackson.
Does anyone know more about the Trial?

This book reflects an extraordinary man.......2005-03-16

His book reflects who he is. He's compassionate and witty but most of all he is not phony. Lou has a heart of gold. He is a rough & tumble kind of guy; street smart like most of us raised in Brooklyn. Lou is not the criminal portrayed in the media.His book Mafia Cop is boldly honest. Some might consider his book abrasive and to those of you who do, you have the right to lay the book aside and not continue to read it.

Hey Robert C. Preston.......2005-03-12

You friend ended up being a hitman for the mob all along. Which means the book is complete bs and you've been duped.

Watdayasaybout dat?

Mafia 1st, cop 2nd? Or innocent 1st, proven guilty 2nd?.......2005-03-11

I see several people beat me to the punch in posting that Det. Lou Eppolito (Ret.) and Det. Stephen Caracella (Ret.) were arrested by the Feds yesterday on eight counts each of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and sundry countys of obstruction, drug distribution and money laundering (CNN).

Eppilito's book "Mafia Cop" made him semi-famous for awhile. He got hired as consultants to various mob movies and appears in "Goodfellas" in the scene where you also meet the notorious Jimmy Two Times ("I'm gonna go get the papers, get the papers"), and in "State of Grace" he is murdered by Gary Oldman. He also did "Oprah" (yes, "Oprah") to promote the book.

At the time the book was released Eppilito was "Eleven" (the 11th most decorated cop in the history of the NYPD, with two Medals of Valor) but had retired under a cloud of suspicion for having ties with the mob. Though he was cleared by the interdepartmental Trials Commissioner, Hugh Mo (a legendary hanging judge who once stated "I have taken down hundreds of cops and feel little, if any, remorse") the FBI always believed he was dirty as did many inside the NYPD.

"Mafia Cop" is a very entertaining read about a man with huge muscles, big cojones, a bad temper, and a gigantic ego. No doubt he was a hero and had the bucketfull of medals to prove it, but he a;sp comes across as a braggart, a bully and a misogynist (and I don't mean that he chased a lot of women, I mean he was using battered women for sex, sleeping with other men's wives, etc. which he states in the book he isn't "proud of" now but also that it meant "nothing to him then") and flaunted his Mafia connections at every turn, which can get you in very hot water if you carry a badge. The truth is, Eppolito emerges from the book looking like a pretty dangerous dude, not one you'd want on your bad side, but also not one you'd want investigating a mob murder. It was not so much a case of conflicting loyalty as the fact that Eppolito clearly idolized mobsters and their lifestyle. In my own law enforcement career I met more than a few people who fell into that pattern, but in Eppolito's case it was literally a family tradition (some have disputed the high ranks he says his father and uncle held in the Gambino family, saying they were only minor players, but there is no dispute about their mob status).

Having said all this, I want to remind everybody that Eppolito and Caracappa are INNOCENT until (if!) the G. proves them guilty. Eppolito's ego and big mouth make him an easy target for schadenfreude (known today as "player hate") but there are also people walking around breathing today who would have been dead if he hadn't been there to put his butt on the line for them. Let the justice system have its say before you start gloating. Sometimes it even works.

Average customer rating:

ANOTHER LIFE TURNED AROUND WOW GOD!!
Transforming, Humorous, An Amazing Testimony
God loves you no matter what
Wonderful book
Revelations

The Hoodlum Preacher
Jr., Burton Barr
Manufacturer: KOBALT BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Deadly Reigns II (Deadly Reigns)

ASIN: 097691171X

Book Description

From prison to the pulpit, this con artist-turned church preacher, went from standing in a police lineup to standing alongside Rev. Jesse Jackson. The Hoodlum Preacher details a life of crime and redemption, as a former drug addict now helps troubled youth and young prisoners avert a wasted life and to turn things around as he finally did.

Customer Reviews:

ANOTHER LIFE TURNED AROUND WOW GOD!!.......2007-08-29

This book was awesome and inspiring. It is 100% real and through it all your just like whoa how many times can one person get locked up!! A wonderful story of how God has to break up down to build us up in his image!

Transforming, Humorous, An Amazing Testimony.......2007-04-03

In this no holds barred narrative Burton Barr bares his soul in hopes that the reader will be spared some of the heart ache he experienced and caused others. He writes in an intimate conversational style that draws the reader into his life as he shares his testimony. For over twenty years Burton struggled with the results of his bad choices.

Like the prodigal son of the scriptures Burton remembered his (heavenly) father's love and the call of God on his life. He again responded to that call. His life has turned around. Instead of pursuing a life of drug abuse and drug dealing he is now heading up a ministry to prisoners.

Hoodlum preacher is the story of Burton Barr's full circle from the call to preach as a child, a period of rebellion, restitution, and reunion. This is a book for the person in the street or in the pew. It warns of the danger of Satan's snares in contrast with the message of God's love, His grace, sufficiency, and peace.

God loves you no matter what.......2007-02-10

Burton Barr, Jr. felt he had been called to preach at the tender age of nine. He preached to a captive audience, his little brother, Ralph. His mother told him he'd have to wait for God's calling but he continued to practice his sermons. As a teenager, he joined the church and actually begins to preach. Then things took a strange turn and he began to drink, smoke marijuana and cigarettes. Not too much later, he began trying cocaine, heroin, PCP, crack and whatever else he could get his hands on. He stole from his employers, wrote bad checks and conned his relatives which resulted in numerous arrests. In an attempt to turn his life around, he joined the Marines but continued his behavior of stealing, conning and drugging. The Marines sent him to the brig and eventually to Leavenworth. On many occasions, he attempted to get clean, get his marriage back on tract and keep a good job but each time he met with failure. At last, on one of his stints in prison, he met a preacher who had that certain "something" that he couldn't put his finger on and as a result Burton Barr, Jr. began to see the light.

THE HOODLUM PREACHER is the amazing story of one man's descent into the hell of the drug world and his ultimate redemption at the hands of God. The lessons he learned are good for all of us. Even if we aren't guilty of Burton's vices, we have all done something that is not right. Barr lets us know God can see good in us and we can be saved from ourselves. Barr does all this without being preachy or overbearing. It is a very good book and so very uplifting. I enjoyed every word, even as I cringed when Barr sank back into his abyss. It is well worth picking up.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Wonderful book.......2006-11-03

For fellow readers who love a little bit of action and intrigue combined with a spiritual uplifting at the end, this book is for you.
Full of pain and anguish, The Hoodlum Preacher, is a story of a journey of a young man who was able to change his life, his way of thinking, and eventually, his salvation. Rev. Burton essentially became a real-life "Prodigal Son".
I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with anything and who wants to find a better way of life. This book is also good for anyone who just wants to read a good book. :)

Revelations.......2006-06-29

Burton Barr Jr. unveils demons that he's battled consistently in his life span. As a son, husband, father, con artist, thief, inmate and junkie Burton has fallen many times. Disbelieving that God would actually be there if he called on Him, Burton decided that the only way to make a way was if it was his way. Each and every single time Burton was proven that he absolutely could not go it alone. Yet he never stopped trying and God never once left him.

I was immediately drawn to the title, THE HOODLUM PREACHER. It just confirmed for me that we've all fallen and it's by the grace of God that we can get up. While reading as he ran the streets of Chicago, St. Louis and San Diego I wondered what would be the deciding factor for him to decide that God has already got a plan for him. See he'd already fallen, gotten back up, dusted himself off and attempted to do right, YET every single time there was always an obstacle just waiting for the chance to present itself. Isn't that life?

THE HOODLUM PRECHER painfully explores Burton Barr Jr. before he allowed God to use him. This eye opening testimony should be read by everyone.

"No matter what you have done or who you have become, God still loves you."

Reviewed by: Crystal

Average customer rating:

Hoodlum

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739455680

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