Carlito's Way

by Edwin Torres

In this classic New York street novel, Carlito Brigante, Puerto Rican hustler and drug dealer, recounts with intoxicating bravado and humor his journey through Spanish Harlem's no-exit world of gangs, drugs, pimping, and the Mob. Carlito's Way, and its sequel After Hours, were adapted for film by Brian de Palma, with Al Pacino as Carlito. Edwin Torres is a Criminal Court judge in New York City.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Collections

173 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 1982

Reviews

[Jon Zelazny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatest first-person crime saga I've ever read. Always wondered why Pacino wanted to play another Latino gangster after Tony Montana, and I'm guessing it was this novel that sold him. It reads like a 167-page monologue any actor would kill to sink his teeth into.

[Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe it or not. The Al Pacino movie, "Carlito's Way" is based on this book and it's sequel "After Hours".

I really loved this book. It's entirely written in the street patois of a Puerto Rican hoodlum in New York. There's a humorous poetry to it.

"She had curves on her like a guitar. A few years later she was more like a Cello. Still, it was might good strummin' while it lasted."

Interestingly, this book was written by a New York appellate judge. I would have loved to have clerked for him.

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of years ago, I like a lot of people watched the straight to video film "Carlito's Way: Rise to power" and thought- What a POS! But then one day I was fortunate enough to find the source novel and discover that in fact, it is this novel which serves the general plot of that low budget film. It's a pretty good little story, not exactly a novel at under 150 pages. (Stephen King would have designated it a "novella") But a good fast paced story all the same. With quick edge of your seat action and great personal writing, Edwin Torres wrote a magnificent piece of pulp and while the b-movie has it's valor it can't do justice to this under-rated book.

Torres who is by no means a street punk himself. He is a New York State Superior Court Judge, felt the need to out do his performance in this novel with the epic sequel "After Hours" (aka Carlito's Way starring Al Pacino) really kinda failed to create a superior story there. See review.

[Ricky Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read!

Loved this! 'Carlito's Way' is my favourite film, and I read this with Pacino's voice in my head. Hard to get to grips with at first, but after a while it all flows and the story is fantastic, with realism spewing from every page. I'm already looking forward to the re-read!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best crime novels ever to be written by a judge are Carlito's Way and its sequel, After Hours. The language and dialogue soar in this novel, and the evocation of '70's New York City is tone and picture perfect. This book is laugh out loud funny and a true delight to read. Puerto Rican New York City soars on these pages.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the best street novels ever written. Amounts to a fictional Puerto Rican version of Goodfellas, the criminal autobiography of uptown dope dealer Carlito Brigante.

[Anton Rodmar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough, though it suffered from the Swedish translation. There is a limit on how serious I can take a crime story which prominently features the word “gosse”.

[Daniel Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best crime dramas I've ever read. Edwin Torres masterfully lays out an authentic depiction of the gritty underworld of 1970s New York City. The characters are alive and full of vitality. The book was and is a source of inspiration for me as an author. I loved it!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hip. "Like that." Even has a glossary.

"Mr.Wesley Scott, the government prosecutor. What a pain in the ass! An anglo with a last name for a first name is automatically a prick."

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlito carlito, mad style and renegade retro crime. I loved the way this was almost a stream of consciousness type vibe but also a story being told by the protagonist. I almost forgot a few times that this was a fictional story.

I don't think I've read a Latin crime fiction novel really, closest was probably Piri Thomas' autobiography Down These Mean Streets. I'm curious to watch these movies, although the one based on this novel is said to be bad.

[Paul Dunning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived this book. The dialogue used really takes you alongside the characters and places. As shitty as that sounds, it really does. The movie doesn't compare. I think there are many reasons for this but one of them being that the book goes into the main character growing up. This really gives you a great connection with him. I read this book in 1993 and can still vividly remember certain parts of the book.

[Neil Reive · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favourite film of all time, so I have been reluctant to read the novels that it is based on. Decades later, I finally decided to check them out. It is good to see these characters again in different situations, but things don’t quite feel right. The book is laid out like snippets from someone's memoirs rather than a cohesive novel. What is here is great, with some excellent and punchy dialogue, but things stop and start with no real momentum, suspense or tension that the film offers...

[Documenting Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introducing the story of Carlito Brigante: a Puerto Rican hustler, drug dealer and survivor. The story of Carlito’s journey through the streets of El Barrio, the Spanish Harlem. Here you will find a story of Puerto Rican mafia hits, bravado, streetwise and gangs.

Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg8RU...

Tik Tok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@documentingbo...

[Ismael AbduSalaam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a brisk read highlighted by Edwin Torres bringing Carlito's personality to life with the ethnic slang of the day. Historical references also help set the mood. But towards the second half, Carlito's capers began to come off a bit sitcom-ish. But overall, an entertaining book and I'll be checking out the sequel.

[Sofian El-Alfy · Rating 4 out of 5]

رواية قصيرة لكن رائعة تصور الجريمة في نيويورك في السبعينات
مؤلف الرواية قاضي ويحكي في روايته حياة أحد المجرمين الذي استطاع صديقة المحامي اخراجه من السجن بعد عدة سنوات فينوي الابتعاد عن الجريمة والاستقامة لكن حياة الجريمة تلاحقة
انها قصة كارليتو

[Milagros Nunez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast read

This was a good book. It portrayed the prejudice that exists between different nationalities. This book was entertaining and a fast read.

[Art the Turtle of Amazing Girth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant, almost diary like

The language is wicked, and I just could not put it down

I'd wager better than the film, but I've got to watch it again now

[scorpionwoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book. a little long winded in some parts. you can’t help but to root for carlito.

[Paulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fast paced. Read in one sitting. Very street. Five stars!

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty and poetic and fresh. The NYC dialogue and locales are the real deal, and the story, dense with author Torres' insights about lawyer-criminal client relationships, is fascinating. Lots of crazy ghetto color and characters. Perfectly paints a portrait of Spanish Harlem in the 1970s.

[Rhasaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a cool ass book. I'm a huge fan of the movie,but the book is ten times better. Being someone who grew up in New York in the seventies,I was pleasantly surprised by many of the nuances Edwin Torres was able to capture. He does a great job of illustrating a raw ,exciting,dangerous time in New York's history. Not to mention that Carlito Brigante himself, is one of the most likable characters you'll ever meet. Reading this book is like listening to an old Puerto Rican hustler tell you war stories about the "old days",out on the stoop of your building. Mira. Read that shit "Papa".

[Kevin]

Apparently, the movie isn't even based on this book primarily. It's based on the sequel. I think this is source material for the horrible direct to video prequel. Anyway, watched the movie again tonight, for the first time in almost ten years. Fucking unreal, the movie is so good and holds up better than any I can remember, way better and more artfully crafted than I remember, so suspenseful even if you know what's coming. Tonight, three adults in a room, trying to hide the fact that we were crying at the end. Best De Palma movie. I watched all the extras, and now I'm kinda hell bent on reading it now. Goddamn.

[Eric Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly quick read since it is a short book of just 152 pages. Told in the first person, there is a good deal of humor and interesting insight into the character of Carlito Brigante.

The film Carlito's Way is mostly adapted from Torres' follow up novel After Hours, but the film uses first-person narration in the same vein as this first book.

[Carolina Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent movie from my Mob Box. Al Pacino stunning as always and Penelope Ann Miller as an 'exotic dancer' ballerine. Sean Penn as heroine addicted attorney is worth watching closely too. I recommend to all those searching for an excellent plot and inspired dramatic interpretations.

[Saman]

در صورت تمایل، جهت مشخصات فیلمی که بر اساس این کتاب ساخته شده‌ است؛ می‌توانید از لینک زیر استفاده بفرمایید
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106519

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know if I'd call it the Puerto Rican Godfather, but I enjoyed Carlito Brigante's NY crime saga. The movie is based more on the sequel, After Hours, and I'll read that at some point.