"How ya doin?"
With these four syllables, delivered in an unmistakably authentic New York accent, Steve Osborne has riveted thousands of people through the legendary storytelling outfit The Moth (and over a million times on their website) with his hilarious, profane, and touching tales from his twenty years served as an NYPD street cop. Steve Osborne is the real deal, people, the tough streetwise New York cop of your dreams, one with a big big heart. Kojak? NYPD Blue? Law & Order? Fuggedaboutem! The Job blows them out of the water with this unputdownable book.
Steve Osborne has seen a thing or two in his twenty years in the NYPD—some harmless things, some definitely not. In "Stakeout," Steve and his partner mistake a Manhattan dentist for an armed robbery suspect and reduce the man down to a puddle of snot and tears when questioning him. In "Mug Shot," the mother of a suspected criminal makes a strange request and provides a sobering reminder of the humanity at stake in his profession. And in "Home," the image of his family provides the adrenaline he needs to fight for his life when assaulted by two armed and violent crackheads. From his days as a rookie cop to the time spent patrolling in the Anti-Crime Unit—and his visceral, harrowing recollections of working during 9/11—Steve Osborne's stories capture both the absurdity of police work and the bravery of those who do it. His stories will speak to those nostalgic for the New York City of the 1980s and '90s, a bygone era of when the city was a crazier, more dangerous (and possibly more interesting) place.
Includes two live stories from The Moth—Hot Dogs and Dentist
Stories from The Moth courtesy of The Moth.
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“With a gritty voice and varied New York City accents, Steve Osborne delivers his stories about his life as a cop…Listeners learn all about the crime, drugs, and danger of New York from the 1970s through the 1990s. While it’s much safer now for residents and tourists alike, in the 1970s Gotham was dirtier, noisier, smellier, and more dangerous. Osborne delivers his anecdotes without pauses or hesitation. His tales are full of street language that brings the city to life. Those who hear them will be further convinced of the day-to-day bravery of the thin blue line.”
— AudioFile
“[Osborne has] turned his tales of ‘the job’ into a second act…collecting them in this gruff charmer of a memoir. They range from the hilarious to the hair-raising…Osborne has the macabre sense of humor people in adrenaline-jacked jobs often develop, as well as the yarn spinner’s gift for building to the big reveal.”
— New York Times Book Review“Cops are innately good storytellers, and Osborne must be one of the best.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Not only was Osborne an excellent policeman (he retired as a lieutenant and the commanding officer of the Manhattan Gang Squad), he’s a fabulous storyteller, crafting his memories into well-honed tales filled with drama, humor, and heart.”
— BookPage“Tonally, he comes off as an avuncular, world-weary tough guy, embodying the ‘cops know best’ attitude that many find alienating. Yet he elevates his perspective by displaying empathy for the civilians, victims, and even criminals he has encountered, drawing complex lines between the ‘lost souls’ and ‘evil mo—————-' of the underworld… [T]hese punchy policing tales seem provocatively true to life.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!