Five finger discount with deadpan humor and obvious affection, helene stapinski recounts the story of her growing up in a family as thoroughly corrupt as the hudson county political machine that whirs behind the scenes the village voice. Italianamerican author stapinski five finger discount. A love affair, with music, which chronicles her years. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 2001, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. People by turns hilarious and alarming, uproarious and depressing, stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. A crooked family history, which is about her life growing up in jersey city. New jersey my thoughts about this book traveling the us through books.
In an earlier memoir, fivefinger discount, stapinski recreated the terrifying world of swindlers, embezzlers, burglars and mobster wannabes who made up her. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski penguin random. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. On a summer night when she was five years old, helene stapinski watched out her kitchen window as her grandpa beansie was carted off to jail for the last, isbn 9780679463061. May 20, 2002 the night my grandfather tried to kill us, i was five years old, the age i stopped believing in santa claus helene stapinski had been playing in the familys apartment above the majestic tavern in jersey city when, in the bar downstairs, grandpa an excon and armed robber pointed his loaded gun and bragged he had a bullet for each of them. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 255 pages published by random house in 2002 this book counts for the following reading challenges.
Stapinski uses her familybased narrative to portray an urban political culture that encouraged theft, election. Based on the bestselling memoir by helene stapinski. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski books on tape. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart peoplewith deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. As stapinski writes, jersey city was a tough place to grow up, except i didnt know any better. A crooked family history by helene stapinski, the author details her life growing up in tough jersey city, new jersey. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. Michiko kakutani, the new york times it s a brilliant book, a darling book. The headline in the local newspaper the next day read man seized on way to kill 5 children. Soon to be a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city. This acclaimed book by helene stapinski is available at in several formats for your ereader.
In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously. All these stories are part of helenes unbelievable heritage and of five finger discount, a raucous and heartbreaking tale. Helene stapinski grew up in jersey city, nj, captured in her best selling memoir, fivefinger discount. Now a documentary, read the national bestselling book. A crooked family history mines her immigrant familys roots to write a part memoir, part murder mystery that is entertaining in its plot. Mar 12, 2002 praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. Michiko kakutani, the new york times its a brilliant book, a darling book. Stapinski received her ba in journalism from new york university in 1987 and her mfa from columbia in 1995. A crooked family history mines her immigrant familys roots to write a part memoir, part murder mystery that is entertaining in its plot if not elevating in its prose ma would tell me about vita as we sat in our bright yellow kitchen in jersey city, new jersey, circa 1969.
Helene grew up in a family that was, shall we say, dysfunctional. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the. Search results for helene stapinski sorted by relevance. A humorous yet unsettling look back at a minorleague grifter family in a majorleague crooked townprereform jersey city. Click download or read online button to get five finger discount book now. A writer goes deep into the heart of italy to unravel a centuryold family mystery in this spellbinding memoir that blends the suspenseful twists of making a murderer and the emotional insight of elena ferrantes neapolitan novels. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book.
Stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and. Behind the myriad tales of criminals, petty and not so petty, in helene stapinski s book, five finger discount, is a precocious girl who grows up with a keen awareness of family and of place. Listen to thousands of best sellers and new releases on your iphone, ipad, or android. Fans of mary karrs groundbreaking memoir the liars club will relish the similarly funny, toughminded. The night my grandfather tried to kill us, i was five years old, the age i stopped believing in santa claus helene stapinski had been playing in the familys apartment above the majestic tavern in. In an earlier memoir, fivefinger discount, stapinski recreated the terrifying world of swindlers, embezzlers, burglars and mobster wannabes who made up. On a summer night when she was five years old, helene stapinski watched out her kitchen window as her grandpa beansie was carted off to jail for the last time. May 31, 2002 fivefinger discount by helene stapinski bloomsbury. Helene stapinski grew up in jersey city, nj, captured in her best selling memoir, five finger discount. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discoun.
Helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the checkered history of her hometown of jersey city a place known for its political corruption and industrial blight with the. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski overdrive rakuten. A crooked family history mines her immigrant familys roots to write a part memoir, part murder mystery that is. A crooked family history, which recounts her familys criminal history, and baby plays around. Italianamerican author stapinski fivefinger discount. Mar 06, 2017 fivefinger discount, tale of jersey city, hits tv. Helene stapinski is the author of fivefinger discount. Mar 12, 2002 now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart peoplewith deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes.
A crooked family history and millions of other books are. Stapinskis debut invokes sensitive questions about class, domesticity, and the tolerance of corruption essential to machine politics. Helene stapinski is the author of murder in matera 3. Stapinskis grandfather steals books from the public library where he works as a security guard and terrifying details of lives out of. Fans of mary karrs groundbreaking memoir the liars club will relish the similarly funny, toughminded tone of helene stapinskis recollections centering on her. Jun 15, 2017 a journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir fivefinger discount. Helene stapinski began her career at her hometown newspaper, the jersey journal, and since then has written for the new york times, new york magazine, and people, among other publications. Victoria gotti, the new york observer what frank mccourt did for limerick, ireland, helene stapinski does for jersey city. Jun 05, 2018 praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. A love affair, with music, which chronicles her years playing drums in a rock band in manhattan. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart peoplewith deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger. Five finger discount download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. Click on highlighted areas of the map to hear excerpts from helenes audio book of murder in matera. People by turns hilarious and alarming, uproarious and depressing, stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. Praise for five finger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion.
Helene stapinski audio books, best sellers, author bio. A love affair with music traces her time playing drums in a rock band on the lower east side. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book for. Even on its surface, the book has much to offer it is rich in interesting jersey city lore, filled with eyepopping accounts of political corruption that ensnares even ordinary citizens. This is a cleverlywritten account of the authors extended and extensive family of origin. A journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir fivefinger discount.
A crooked family history, about growing up in a family of grifters and other notsopetty criminals, stapinski. A crooked family history by helene stapinski random house 2001 biography. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. Soon to be a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir. Fivefinger discount with deadpan humor and obvious affection, helene stapinski recounts the story of her growing up in a family as thoroughly corrupt as the hudson county political machine that whirs. A writer goes deep into the heart of italy to unravel a centuryold family mystery in this spellbinding memoir that blends the suspenseful twists of making a murderer and the emotional insight of elena.
Fivefinger discount isbn 9780679463061 pdf epub helene. A crooked family history, which was made into a documentary. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount. A crooked family history audiobook by helene stapinski. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. By turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the. Stapinski is an exciting writer, unabashedly candid, and at the same time unashamedly selfcontained. Five finger discount 9780747558316 by stapinski, helene and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. This is long before jersey citys recent revitalization efforts. A trip to southern italy to shed light on a family scandal. When she was five, her grandfather tried to kill her whole family. Check out the website for the five finger discount documentary. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart people.