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Original Gangster: The Real Life Story of One of America’s Most Notorious Drug Lords Audiobook
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(3.04) - 75 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In his own words, real-life American gangster Frank Lucas recounts his life as the former heroin dealer and organized crime boss who ran Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Determined to break the Italian Mafia's monopoly over drug smuggling in New York, Frank cut out middlemen and began smuggling heroin into the United States directly from his source in Vietnam using the coffins of dead American soldiers. Making a million dollars per day from his "Blue Magic," the purest heroin on the street, Frank Lucas became one of the most powerful crime lords of his time, while rubbing shoulders with the elite in entertainment, politics, and crime. This powerful memoir reveals what really happened to the man whose rise and fall was dramatized in the 2007 feature filmAmerican Gangster, exposing a startling look at the world of organized crime.
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"This book kept me entertained from start to finish.Frank Lucas was a bad mother,shut your mouth,druglord.If you want to read an exciting true crime story,read this book. "
— Paul (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“From a sharecropper’s shack in North Carolinato the top of Harlem’s drug trade, Lucas recounts his eventful life in vivid detail…With journalist King’s aid, Lucas is a straightforward yet compelling narrator, never making excuses for his life of crime, though he has come to regret it.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“[A] spellbinding memoir by one of Harlem’s most famous heroin smugglers…[Lucas] expresses remorse for the lives that were ruined by the product he sold, but the overall tone is a fond remembrance of a life lived in the fast lane…With the connection to American Gangster, this should be a hit with movie buffs as well as true-crime fans.”
— Library Journal -
“His may not be a novel story, but with King’s help, [Lucas] tells it bluntly and with integrity. He doesn’t try to exonerate himself but seems to recount his deeds with ruthful honesty. Great gangsta stuff.”
— Booklist -
“Lucas spins a yarn that gives a new view of black history that’s good enough to be paired with an outdoor porch, a few lazy hours and a cold beer on a warm Saturday night.”
— Ebony
Awards
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A BookRiot Pick of Top Books about Gangsters
Original Gangster Listener Reviews
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" The movie is better... "
— Ryan, 12/11/2013 -
" This was a fast read. There were some typos but other than that a very good bio. "
— Shandra, 5/20/2013 -
" This book is addicting! A true story about the life of a gangster starting at the beginning of his life.Could not put down. A must read. "
— Meaghan, 11/8/2012 -
" This book was definitely a good read but some of the celebrity anecdotes were kind of unnecessary. In many ways his tale is typical of former kingpin drug dealer feeling remorse for his past actions. "
— Vee, 4/20/2012 -
" Started this as a book-on-CD for a roadie, but finished the trip before I finished the story and I just can't bring myself to finish it in print: crappy writing and WAY too much self-justification and humble-bragging, which is fine, so long as it's not paired with regret and mock humiliation. "
— Kurt, 12/19/2011 -
" This was a fast read. There were some typos but other than that a very good bio. "
— Shandra, 7/23/2010 -
" This book was definitely a good read but some of the celebrity anecdotes were kind of unnecessary. In many ways his tale is typical of former kingpin drug dealer feeling remorse for his past actions. <br/> "
— Vee, 7/6/2010
About Frank Lucas
Frank Lucas’ organized crime career was the focus of the 2007 film American Gangster.
About Cary Hite
Cary Hite has performed in several theaters across the country as a cast member in the longest-running African American play in history, The Diary of Black Men. He also appeared in Edward II, Fences, Macbeth, Good Boys, Side Effects May Vary, and the indie feature The City Is Mine. He has voiced several projects for AudibleKids, including Souls Look Back in Wonder, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, and Papa, Do You Love Me?