'At the age of twelve my ambition was to be a gangster. To me being a wiseguy was better than being president of the United States. To be a wiseguy was to own the world.' "GoodFellas" is Henry Hill's own story, telling the fascinating and sometimes brutal details of the day-to-day life of a working New York mobster - the violence, wild spending sprees, his wife, his mistress, his code of honour. From the small-time scamming of his early years, his first arrest at the age of sixteen and initiation into the dealings of his wiseguy friends and bosses, Henry Hill tells of the good times, dodgy dealings, indulgences, and the insularity of the mob-controlled neighbourhoods. But things start to go too far. To save his own life, Hill turns into a Federal witness, and the mob is to this day still hunting him down for revealing their involvement in hundreds of crimes including arson, extortion, hijacking, the six-million dollar Lufthansa heist (the most successful cash robbery in US history), and murder.
GoodFellas (Bloomsbury Film Classics)
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Amazon Review
Welcome to the world of New York organised crime; of heists, extortion, family, gambling, molls and casual violence. This is the book that inspired the film, written by Nicholas Pileggi in 1985 and originally entitled Wiseguy. Martin Scorsese read it, contacted Pileggi who apparently "had been waiting for this phone call all my life", and between them they wrote the screenplay for the hugely popular 1990 movie. The resulting blend of snappy dialogue, snappier editing and superb ensemble acting tended to overshadow Scorsese's dubious ambivalence towards violence, but the audience was blown away more spectacularly than one of Tommy De Vito's victims.
Pileggi's book was written with Henry Hill, whose life it describes. The narrative switches between Pileggi, Hill, and Hill's wife Karen, all delivered with the smooth action of a well-polished Magnum. It proves utterly compelling, breathlessly serving up an action-fuelled life of criminal excess with Henry starting as an aspirant 12-year-old errand runner ("To be a wiseguy was better than being president of the United States. To be a wiseguy was to own the world"), and progressing to such a status within the Mob that when he is finally nailed he turns Federal witness to implicate his former cronies, a move that represents his only chance to save his family's necks. The irony for Hill is that his fictionalised life story has been seen by millions, but he cannot tell anyone without jeopardising his new identity, which means he gets "to live the rest of my life as a shnook". As a source the book runs very close to the film, and someone who know the film will find it hard not to picture Scorseses's stylised realisation as they read, while those who don't will discover a grittily related, authentically grim amorality tale of a life shot through with brutality and survivalist scheming that stands on its own without the Big Screen treatment. Surprisingly bleak. --David Vincent --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Absolutely engrossing' New York Times 'The best book ever written on organised crime' Cosmopolitan 'A riveting account of organised crime as a way of life ... extraordinary' Publishers Weekly 'This book chronicles Hill's criminal successes ... smuggling, hijacking, union racketeering, credit card fraud, robbery, bribery, drug dealing, prison, marriage, and assorted girlfriends ... faithfully portrayed' Library Journal
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Getting into the fictional side of the Mafia is well and good, but this book is something else. After stumbling upon it by chance and not realising that goodfellas was about it, what unfolded was a feat not often acheived by biographical stories a book that was a hundred times better than a multi award winning motion picture, the indepth analysis of prison life, of the basket spread betting. You will enjoy this book if you are truly interested in how the whole machine of smalltime mafia units ran, rather than the top of the families as the godfather, an absolute must!
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Equally as good as Wiseguys is Nicholas Pileggi's 'Casino' (the book that came before the film) Also, try Bruce Porter's 'Blow - How a small town boy made $100 million with the Medellin Cartel and lost it all' (another book that has recently been made into a film starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz)
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Being a huge fan of the film, I was very excited when I eventually found the book on Amazon. Its a fantastically written book and fills in most of the holes the film leaves out. Right from page one, I couldn't put it down, even though I new most of the events that happen in the book, from watching the film many times. I think in this case it definitely helps if you have seen the film, as I found it easier to imagine the places, faces and situations whilst reading the book, particlarly Jimmy (Robert De Niro) and Tommy (Joe Pesci) and of course Henry ( Ray Liotta). The book, in places is written as if Henry is narrating ( just like the film), and its not long before you find yourself reading just like he talks in the film. Like a real wiseguy !! A definite must have for any fan of the film.
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By "dammo"
Format:Paperback
Since reading Goodfellas, I decided to read several other true 'wiseguys' stories, finding some equally great books. The best of which are Casino, by Nicholas Pileggi (which as you all know was made into the film starring Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone). That Nicholas Pileggi must have met some real charcters during his book writing career ! The other is Blow - How a small-town boy made $100 million with the Medellin Cartel and lost it all, by Bruce Porter (also made into a film starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz) If you liked Goodfellas, you'll love these 2 books. But I have to say Goodfellas remains the best.
By Shirrine
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved this book , well written could not put it down wish there was a part 2
seen the film several times but the book is a must have
The author wrote this well , looking to read more of this author
seen the film several times but the book is a must have
The author wrote this well , looking to read more of this author
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The best gangster book I've ever read! Absolutely excellent, gripping, brutal and witty. A true gangsters lifestyle. Is a must read everyone!!
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have always been hooked by mafia books that are written in that clever way where the author is not outright judgemental whilst playing on the contrasts o family, belonging, loyalty versus calculated indifference and business being business. No wonder the film was great as it came from a great book. Loved it and will read it again
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent!!
A classic novel, and as you know a brilliant film, as usual with a novel you get a tad more info which is nice. recommended :-)
Published 4 months ago by Gaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
outstanding book
could not beleive how these wiseguys lived drink one minute whacked the next mind blowing excellent read considering its a true story
Published 4 months ago by spike potter
5.0 out of 5 stars
A mafia classic
Possible Twenty, a Gangster Tale (Tommy Gallagher)
A classic book in the lexicon of American Mafia Literature and the inspiration for the movie Goodfellows. Read more
A classic book in the lexicon of American Mafia Literature and the inspiration for the movie Goodfellows. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Justin Callahan
3.0 out of 5 stars
waste of a life waste of other peoples lives
Not as good as I thought it would be
Bought it on the pretext of a film being made from the book
Most of the stories are a tad shallow
Undoubtedly the guy was a hard... Read more
Bought it on the pretext of a film being made from the book
Most of the stories are a tad shallow
Undoubtedly the guy was a hard... Read more
Published 11 months ago by masspecguy
5.0 out of 5 stars
True Crime
Having watched the film, I was pleased to find this book given out free in one of the film magazines I read. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2011 by Glosblue
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not brilliant
I bought this book on the strength of some of the other reviewers. However, I wasn't all that impressed. I do like the American gangster genre but I have read many better. Read more
Published on 21 April 2010 by W. R. Robinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning crime read
This is a great book, completely riveting and will be finished in very quick time. The narrative flows so well it's like having a major criminal sit down and tell you his life... Read more
Published on 11 April 2010 by Dave's Magic Codpiece
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top notch real life crime writing
This is one of the best real life crime books I've ever read. It's exhilarating, powerful stuff - not at all hard to see why it made such a good film. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2008 by CJ
3.0 out of 5 stars
This is the script of the film goodfellas not the book wiseguy by...
Will everyone stop going on about how good Wiseguy is by Pileggi when this book is the script and screenplay of the film goodfellas
Published on 25 Feb 2008 by L. M. STOCKLEY
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