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Gangster Redemption: How America's Most Notorious Jewel Robber Got Rich, Got Caught, and Got His Life Back on Track
Written in collaboration with New York Times bestselling author Peter Golenbock, Larry Lawton's true-life story is a Hollywood producer's dream. Larry and Peter show the world a life of a straightforward, no excuses man who refused to let a broken system keep him down. Think Goodfellas , only better. Gangster Redemption tracks Larry's life growing up in the Bronx, his connection to organized crime, and how he went on to steal over 15 million dollars in jewels, ultimately landing himself in one of America's most brutal maximum-security prisons where he was exposed to unbelievable torture. Through reading this book, readers will Lawton's Reality Check Program is nationally recognized and used by judges, law enforcement, government officials, attorneys, and parents all over the country. It has kept thousands of teens and young adults from going to prison. His success rate is incredible and well documented. So is Larry Lawton's story.
- GenresNonfiction
367 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2012
121 people are currently reading
777 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 16, 2020
I stumbled across Larry Lawton's YouTube channel via the almighty algorithm, and after only one video I proceeded to binge-watch everything he has there. I was lucky enough to receive copy one thousand and eleven of the three thousand copies he personally signed.
I grew up in New Orleans, and I've done a lot of stupid stuff in my twenty-two years. I've already closed a lot of doors, and damaged myself and people I love(d) by my own decisions. No program that was administered to me as a youth made any difference to me. As Mr. Lawton said, these programs were always run by members of the Law Enforcement community at various levels. They would swagger into my numerous classrooms, (in school, in jail and in mental institutions), and talk all their bullshit about how they really cared about me. I was a drug and weapons courier, and damn good at my job. I come from a military family that tends to be heartless and analytical by nature. Even as a child, I too could spot bullshit a mile away, and these people were the cream of the crop in that department.
As I read Gangster Redemption, I thought back on my multiple run-ins with Law Enforcement. As a juvenile, and unfortunately as an adult too. My experiences have made me hardened towards youth and children. I am well aware that I'm very unforgiving of them, and I have a hard time relating to them.
There were a few times that people, some well meaning, and some not, would try and intervene while I was a youth. None of them had the experiences of someone like Mr. Lawton. So I never heeded any advice they gave me. All of their speeches and hours spent with me can be summed up by saying, "if you keep going where you're going, you won't end up like me." The problem in my adolescent mind was that I didn't, (and still don't), look at the lives they lead as successful. What they had wasn't necessarily what I wanted. Some elements, yes, but we had different views on the bigger picture of my future.
My record has made my life much more difficult than it had to be. My actions were my choice alone, and I will pay for those decisions for the rest of my life. I will always wonder, though, after reading this book and studying Mr. Lawton's story: If a guy that went to prison, with his muscle and his tattoos and his hardness sat down with me and told me that I'm just as important a human being as he is, and that he understood some of the mindset I was in, would I have changed my own course before it was too late?
That question is the difference stories and men like this guy can make in the lives of our youth. I'm grateful I found this story, and can share it with others. His approach of looking at youth as intelligent and capable human beings, instead of simply trouble-makers that will do their "kid stuff that we adults don't need to deal with," And whom the older generations than mine, even to this day, tell me just need to, "someday stop being a child." If we continue with this narrow mindset, we will make more young-adults like me. That is not a path I want anyone to go on.
I grew up in New Orleans, and I've done a lot of stupid stuff in my twenty-two years. I've already closed a lot of doors, and damaged myself and people I love(d) by my own decisions. No program that was administered to me as a youth made any difference to me. As Mr. Lawton said, these programs were always run by members of the Law Enforcement community at various levels. They would swagger into my numerous classrooms, (in school, in jail and in mental institutions), and talk all their bullshit about how they really cared about me. I was a drug and weapons courier, and damn good at my job. I come from a military family that tends to be heartless and analytical by nature. Even as a child, I too could spot bullshit a mile away, and these people were the cream of the crop in that department.
As I read Gangster Redemption, I thought back on my multiple run-ins with Law Enforcement. As a juvenile, and unfortunately as an adult too. My experiences have made me hardened towards youth and children. I am well aware that I'm very unforgiving of them, and I have a hard time relating to them.
There were a few times that people, some well meaning, and some not, would try and intervene while I was a youth. None of them had the experiences of someone like Mr. Lawton. So I never heeded any advice they gave me. All of their speeches and hours spent with me can be summed up by saying, "if you keep going where you're going, you won't end up like me." The problem in my adolescent mind was that I didn't, (and still don't), look at the lives they lead as successful. What they had wasn't necessarily what I wanted. Some elements, yes, but we had different views on the bigger picture of my future.
My record has made my life much more difficult than it had to be. My actions were my choice alone, and I will pay for those decisions for the rest of my life. I will always wonder, though, after reading this book and studying Mr. Lawton's story: If a guy that went to prison, with his muscle and his tattoos and his hardness sat down with me and told me that I'm just as important a human being as he is, and that he understood some of the mindset I was in, would I have changed my own course before it was too late?
That question is the difference stories and men like this guy can make in the lives of our youth. I'm grateful I found this story, and can share it with others. His approach of looking at youth as intelligent and capable human beings, instead of simply trouble-makers that will do their "kid stuff that we adults don't need to deal with," And whom the older generations than mine, even to this day, tell me just need to, "someday stop being a child." If we continue with this narrow mindset, we will make more young-adults like me. That is not a path I want anyone to go on.
April 29, 2020
This was very informative about what life is like in US prisons.
Very good read.
Very good read.
June 1, 2020
An amazing tale of redemption, i listened to the auto book and YouTube videos to check this off my list it was truly wholesome
May 29, 2013
Larry Lawton has an important story to tell and apparently enlisted a best-selling author Peter Golenbock to help him turn his story into this book. Unfortunately, there are so many typos in the edition I read that I was constantly distracted from the narrative. This is a shame because the Lawton's life story is riveting. His work with at-risk teens and young adults deserves a wide audience, if the Reality Check program is half as successful as he says it is. So this book deserves an editor who can help deliver the audience Lawton needs: Judges and law enforcement, lawmakers, social service counselors, school administrators, parents who are at their wits' end, and – most importantly – young people whose lives need not be ruined if they learn the truth about what lies at the end of a criminal path.
Having said all that, I'd still recommend this book because Larry Lawton is an authentic voice. You absolutely believe that he made all of this happen, the successful crook and the successful youth counselor, by sheer force of his outsized personality. You won't be bored.
Having said all that, I'd still recommend this book because Larry Lawton is an authentic voice. You absolutely believe that he made all of this happen, the successful crook and the successful youth counselor, by sheer force of his outsized personality. You won't be bored.
June 8, 2015
Quite an amazing story, by quite an amazing guy. Truly proves that there are such things as second chances and redemption. There is no condoning who Larry was and what he did - even he knows that. But, what he is doing now is what counts. He is literally saving young lives. Good for you Larry. Keep doing what you are doing.
February 28, 2021
Loved reading the crazy prison stories. Highly suggest the videos that go along with each chapter on Youtube. Larry is a wonderful storyteller, and I would love a sequel!
May 25, 2020
Larry Lawton’s story is a real eye-opener. This is the kind of book that should be mandatory reading in high school. It’s as far as you can get from “literature”, but there is just so much to unpack in here. This is a book about the reality of American prison system, undeniably more valuable (and interesting) than 18th century poetry.
First, there’s his story, and you see what’s the process that leads someone to a life of crime. You get this blend of personal wrong decisions and bad circumstances that merge together to create a career gangster. It brings you to one of the big questions: personal responsibility. How much can you blame society? Where can you intervene to set people on the right path? What kind of policies would have helped Larry, and which made things worse?
Then there’s the absolute horror that is the American prison system and we have an obligation to society to know how f*cked up it is. Having American teens know what goes on in prison will have the dual benefit of dissuading them from a life of crime, and help everyone understand what human rights really means, and make sure that our prison system is in line with that. Asking teens how they would want to fix such a system is going to have an extremely valuable impact on their formation, their ability to solve problems, and their desire to do so.
On a moral/philosophical level, you can have a frank discussion about whether a prison system that bad should exist. On the one hand, the threat of such horrors seems to have an impact on kids and young adults enough to dissuade them from crime, at least once they really learn about it. On the other hand, can we really let such horror happen?
Lastly, there’s the part about how to make a difference. Lawton is dedicating himself to setting kids straight before they enter the system, and he seems really effective. Seeing that is incredibly inspiring, and we need more inspiration in our lives.
If given the chance though, the authors should find a better editor...
First, there’s his story, and you see what’s the process that leads someone to a life of crime. You get this blend of personal wrong decisions and bad circumstances that merge together to create a career gangster. It brings you to one of the big questions: personal responsibility. How much can you blame society? Where can you intervene to set people on the right path? What kind of policies would have helped Larry, and which made things worse?
Then there’s the absolute horror that is the American prison system and we have an obligation to society to know how f*cked up it is. Having American teens know what goes on in prison will have the dual benefit of dissuading them from a life of crime, and help everyone understand what human rights really means, and make sure that our prison system is in line with that. Asking teens how they would want to fix such a system is going to have an extremely valuable impact on their formation, their ability to solve problems, and their desire to do so.
On a moral/philosophical level, you can have a frank discussion about whether a prison system that bad should exist. On the one hand, the threat of such horrors seems to have an impact on kids and young adults enough to dissuade them from crime, at least once they really learn about it. On the other hand, can we really let such horror happen?
Lastly, there’s the part about how to make a difference. Lawton is dedicating himself to setting kids straight before they enter the system, and he seems really effective. Seeing that is incredibly inspiring, and we need more inspiration in our lives.
If given the chance though, the authors should find a better editor...
May 5, 2020
Great read and insight into the apparently shocking scenario around American prisons, their inmates and guards. It's also a great insight into one ex-gangster's redemption and his genuine, successful efforts to encourage youth not to follow his race-to-the-bottom path which inevitably leads to incarceration.
October 27, 2020
This is a book about the life of a criminal, and what prison is like. It describes how he got rich, caught, and his life back on track. The story takes you through paths in life you may never have known were really like. Living large as a criminal, but also living horribly as an inmate in prison. This is a good book, and I would recommend it to people who can handle the hard truth.
May 4, 2020
Really Fascinating Book that talks very explicitly about crime and prison reform.
June 30, 2021
Love the Book
July 6, 2022
Banger.
The only bad thing about it is that it's my edition considered correct spelling to be a contraband.
The only bad thing about it is that it's my edition considered correct spelling to be a contraband.
July 14, 2022
Every single section is like a slap in the face. Insane read!
August 21, 2022
I'll never forget this book
This should be taught in schools
It have some funny stories, harsh realities and more important show's how the system is corrupted.
This should be taught in schools
It have some funny stories, harsh realities and more important show's how the system is corrupted.
May 20, 2025
(5 ⭐️)
November 24, 2020
Great insight !
This covers the nitty gritty of what goes on behind bars.
This s/b taught in junior high schools and more.
This covers the nitty gritty of what goes on behind bars.
This s/b taught in junior high schools and more.
June 8, 2020
Gotta love Larry! His story is a must listen to, as well as his Youtube channel is a must-watch. The details about Larry's life, before and during prison is fascinating and definitely worthy of a Hollywood production.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews