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33rd out of 176 books
—
95 voters
Serpico
The 1960s was a time of social and generational upheaval felt with particular intensity in the melting pot of New York City. A culture of corruption pervaded the New York Police Department, where payoffs, protection, and shakedowns of gambling rackets and drug dealers were common practice. The so-called blue code of silence protected the minority of crooked cops from the s...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
January 4th 2005
by William Morrow Paperbacks
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I have always been fascinated with police undercover work. This is the book to read! The Genesis of the undercover testament. The book is by far better than the movie. Although the movie was great in its own right it could not provide the insight that the book does. I highly recommend reading the book and then rent the movie. It really puts the highly dangerous, but effective undercover police work into perspective.
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I'm sure this book massively influenced, or at least helped create the market for the epic, dark cop movies and television shows I love. I don't care. I would rather watch the French Connection or the entirety of The Sweeney overdubbed poorly into Belarusan six or seven times straight.
The narration switches tense three times during the book without enough change in pace for the reader to realize it, fails pathetically in its attempts to make a cop into a counterculture, worldly playboy (he has a...more
The narration switches tense three times during the book without enough change in pace for the reader to realize it, fails pathetically in its attempts to make a cop into a counterculture, worldly playboy (he has a...more
True story of a New York policeman who fights against the corruption he finds amongst his fellow plainclothesmen in the 1960's. The New York policeman were being paid off by gambling rings to keep their operations in business. The police were taking orders from the criminals. Disgusted by this Frank Serpico tried for two years to get people further up the chain to do something to bring respectability back to the uniform. I am not too surprised by this type of story having grown up with listening...more
Dec 05, 2012
74brandon
added it
Serpico
Peter Maas
True crime
police corruption
This book is more suited to more maturer reader
In the book Serpico we read about Frank Serpico a dedicated New York City
Policeman . When frank discover that a large percentage of New York City policeman have been corrupted by the mob. Frank makes it his personal responsibility to end the deep rooted corruption of new Yorkshire finest. Read to find out if Frank lives to see an end to corruption in his beloved police force .
At 10:42 on the night of...more
Peter Maas
True crime
police corruption
This book is more suited to more maturer reader
In the book Serpico we read about Frank Serpico a dedicated New York City
Policeman . When frank discover that a large percentage of New York City policeman have been corrupted by the mob. Frank makes it his personal responsibility to end the deep rooted corruption of new Yorkshire finest. Read to find out if Frank lives to see an end to corruption in his beloved police force .
At 10:42 on the night of...more
Serpico by Peter Maas was a recommended and required reading by my professor in College. It is based on a true story which shaped the way police department policy is handled to this day. Internal Affairs was born from Serpico's experiences. This novel shows the historical making of an honest police department. I never even new what "graft" was until I read this book. Serpico had many struggles that developed with many twists and turns and a shocking ending. If you want to know about some real hi...more
This was an eye-opening book for me. Before I read "Serpico" my idea of non-fiction was that it was a dry accounting of the facts in the order they happened. Such was not the case with this book. In fact, Maas chose to start the book at the end of Frank Serpico's career (as the movie did later) and explain how he got to that point. Forget "dry accounting of the facts" as well. The book reads far more like a narrative fiction, with vivid detail, well-explained characters, and a compelling storyli...more
I read this one as part of my prep for going to New York. I wanted to get in the mood and one of my Goodreads friends had just read and reviewed it so I picked it up. It sure made me look at cops differently while I was in New York. I know the story takes place in the 70s, but so many of the books I read about New York recently reference graft and corruption that it's not likely that things have changed completely.
One of the things I enjoyed about the book was examining Maas style of writing. I...more
One of the things I enjoyed about the book was examining Maas style of writing. I...more
I picked up a few books from the '70's that my parents were getting rid of and Serpico was the standout of the pick. I remember the Al Pacino movie from my childhood and though it might be an interesting read. I never realized how bad the corruption was in the NYPD, hadn't remembered that much from the movie but this story was a real eye-opener. I really feel for the officers that go into law enforcement wanting to do a good and decent job only to get dragged down into this type of corruption. I...more
I find that reading on planes and in airports can be difficult due to distractions. I have to have a book with me that thoroughly captures my attention. Serpico did that admirably. Frank Serpico himself is quite the interesting character. He's hardly the one-dimensional hero he's made out to be. Rather, he seems irritable and self-centered at all times. Still, his dogged persistence was clearly necessary to confront the uniform wall of corruption around him. Pretty fascinating reading.
I think I was a New Yorker in another lifetime because I love most things New York. This is another example, although it does show the seamier side of the New York Police Dept. Serpico is a one of a kind person and I hope he has finally found happiness after living through such a terrible time while trying to make a difference and live his life with honor and dignity. Highly recommended.
this is a decent account of a cop who is glorified beyond what he is worth. he tackles corruption, but leaves behind racism and sexism. he transcends these problems within america's police departments, but what he goes after is petty theft that could be solved through better legislative mandate. and on top of that, this is a pretty non-innovative exploration into the field of journalism.
In tracing one man’s career in NYPD, Peter Maas is able to construct an impressive diagram of a large police department’s workings. Or, more specifically, its failings.
The research involved and the effort in organizing that research into a coherent book are staggering. If, along the way, Maas occasionally sees things too simply, it’s forgivable.
Frank Serpico was a rarity: an honest policeman who realized his loyalty should lie with the public he was paid to protect, not with cops who profited fr...more
The research involved and the effort in organizing that research into a coherent book are staggering. If, along the way, Maas occasionally sees things too simply, it’s forgivable.
Frank Serpico was a rarity: an honest policeman who realized his loyalty should lie with the public he was paid to protect, not with cops who profited fr...more
The book, which quickly becomes addictive, is a great look at a seedy criminal enterprise flourishing within a stagnant bureaucracy. As with any large institution, people at the top seem unwilling to even examine problems it may be difficult to solve, preferring instead to bury them and stifle those who want to raise the issue. The look at New York City in the late 60s and early 70s as crime spiraled out of control while the underpaid, ineffective police department is consumed by corruption, sat...more
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a cop AND retain my hippie look. Then came Al Pacino as Serpico and I had a new role model. I remember liking the book and coming away from it as an admirer of the real Frank Serpico. Inspiring story of one good cop's fight against corruption.
I was too young to have read the book before seeing the movie and I was rather intrigued with his story and how much more story there was in the book. Talk about a helluva time to be a cop, enemies on all fronts.
I'm not really into the action packed, mystery novels but this one was an interesting read for me. It was a little hard for me to follow but it turned out to be a decent read for my taste.
I feel like there's an interesting story in here that got buried under a rather boring narrative style. I mean, Serpico's the only honest cop in New York, who stands up to corruption despite lack of support and threats against him, and ends up getting shot -- not a bad plot, especially for a true story, but reading this book was pretty ho-hum -- kind of like a passionless magazine article, but 20 times longer -- and I was relieved to finally reach the end of it. It took me over two months to get...more
Phenomenal story of sticking to your guns in the face of adversity. Serpico had guts. The funny thing, is that you can hear Al Pacino as Serpico in the dialogue...maybe they speak in the same way in real life, who knows.
The author does a good job of showing the obstackles that a regular cop had to face in his battle to overcome indifference to corruption on the NY police force.
Serpico was an heroic police officer. Peter Maas captured his moral outrage perfectly in this book. Excellent!
I read this book many years ago. I remember it was tough to put down. I should try to find a copy to re-read it.
Fantastic biography and an accurate look into the day to day life of a New York Police Officer.
runs a little long...read this when I was into my NYC crime kick
Great view of 70's New York City as it related to the cop scene.
excelent man who stood for something
Jan 18, 2009
Pabarrett
added it
Serpico by Peter Maas (1973)
The Afterword was amazing!
Intense and captivating!
Great book, great film.
363.2(92) Ser
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Peter Maas was an American crime journalist and biographer.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
More about Peter Maas...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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