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. Five finger discount download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Italianamerican author stapinski fivefinger discount. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the. Helene stapinski is the author of murder in matera 3. A crooked family history mines her immigrant familys roots to write a part memoir, part murder mystery that is. 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. Stapinski uses her familybased narrative to portray an urban political culture that encouraged theft, election. Michiko kakutani, the new york times it s a brilliant book, a darling book. Check out the website for the five finger discount documentary. A crooked family history, which recounts her familys criminal history, and baby plays around. A love affair, with music, which chronicles her years. 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.
Fivefinger discount isbn 9780679463061 pdf epub helene. Helene stapinski audio books, best sellers, author bio. 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 crooked family history mines her immigrant familys roots to write a part memoir, part murder mystery that is entertaining in its plot. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book for. Listen to thousands of best sellers and new releases on your iphone, ipad, or android. A crooked family history audiobook by helene stapinski. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 2001, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Michiko kakutani, the new york times its a brilliant book, a darling book.
When she was five, her grandfather tried to kill her whole family. May 31, 2002 fivefinger discount by helene stapinski bloomsbury. 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. Helene stapinski grew up in jersey city, nj, captured in her best selling memoir, five finger discount. 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. By turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the. Victoria gotti, the new york observer what frank mccourt did for limerick, ireland, helene stapinski does for jersey city. In an earlier memoir, fivefinger discount, stapinski recreated the terrifying world of swindlers, embezzlers, burglars and mobster wannabes who made up her. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book. Italianamerican author stapinski five finger discount.
Soon to be a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city. 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. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discoun. A trip to southern italy to shed light on a family scandal. Helene stapinski grew up in jersey city, nj, captured in her best selling memoir, 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. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously. A crooked family history by helene stapinski, the author details her life growing up in tough jersey city, new jersey.
Five finger discount 9780747558316 by stapinski, helene and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. A crooked family history, about growing up in a family of grifters and other notsopetty criminals, stapinski. 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. Click download or read online button to get five finger discount book now. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the. 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. This is long before jersey citys recent revitalization efforts.
Stapinski received her ba in journalism from new york university in 1987 and her mfa from columbia in 1995. Fans of mary karrs groundbreaking memoir the liars club will relish the similarly funny, toughminded. Stapinskis debut invokes sensitive questions about class, domesticity, and the tolerance of corruption essential to machine politics. 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. Search results for helene stapinski sorted by relevance. 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.
This acclaimed book by helene stapinski is available at in several formats for your ereader. A crooked family history and millions of other books are. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski overdrive rakuten. 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. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. 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. 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. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 255 pages published by random house in 2002 this book counts for the following reading challenges. Based on the bestselling memoir by helene stapinski.
With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. A humorous yet unsettling look back at a minorleague grifter family in a majorleague crooked townprereform jersey city. A crooked family history by helene stapinski random house 2001 biography. All these stories are part of helenes unbelievable heritage and of five finger discount, a raucous and heartbreaking tale.
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. 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. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. A journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir fivefinger discount. The headline in the local newspaper the next day read man seized on way to kill 5 children. 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.
Stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and. Now a documentary, read the national bestselling book. Click on highlighted areas of the map to hear excerpts from helenes audio book of murder in matera. 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. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart people. A crooked family history, which was made into a documentary. 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. 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.
Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski penguin random. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski books on tape. As stapinski writes, jersey city was a tough place to grow up, except i didnt know any better. 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. Soon to be a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir. This is a cleverlywritten account of the authors extended and extensive family of origin. Helene grew up in a family that was, shall we say, dysfunctional.
With deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. 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. 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 love affair, with music, which chronicles her years playing drums in a rock band in manhattan. Five finger discount a crooked family history powells books. Jun 15, 2017 a journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir fivefinger discount.
Stapinski is an exciting writer, unabashedly candid, and at the same time unashamedly selfcontained. Helene stapinski is the author of fivefinger discount. 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. People by turns hilarious and alarming, uproarious and depressing, stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore.
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