Gangsters and Goodfellas: Wiseguys, Witness Protection, and Life on the Run

By Gus Russo and Henry Hill

Book Overview

"At the age of twelve, my ambition was to become a gangster. To be a wiseguy was better than being President of the United States. To be a wiseguy was to own the world." -- Henry Hill

When Henry Hill entered the Witness Protection Program, he was certain that his criminal days had finally come to an end. He was wrong.
For over twenty years, Henry Hill lived the high life as a powerful member of the Lucchese crime family, a life immortalized in Martin Scorsese's classic film GoodFellas. After his arrest in 1980, he disappeared into the Witness Protection Program With this book, Henry comes clean about his last twenty years, filling in the gaps about his recent past as well as setting the record straight on his days as a wiseguy. At once hilarious, unpredictable, scandalous, and arresting, Henry Hill's tale will destroy everything you thought you knew about the Witness Protection Program.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159077129X
• ISBN13: 9781590771297
• Release Date: December 2007
• Publisher: M. Evans and Company
• Length: 273 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

What a life!

I was surprised that the book was so close to the movie, although "Gangsters and Goodfellas" continues Henry Hill's story where the movie ended and left us all hanging, the debriefings were the stories from the movie. It's an interesting update on Hill's life after the mob. I think that it's a well-written book. I mean we aren't seeking a novel or literature when we choose to purchase it and it is all about the story. I have no respect for informants and would not normally purchase a book written by one, however, Henry Hill knew that they intended to whack him and he was left with no choice. He wasn't willing to die for the cause! Hill's activities while in the Federal Witness Protection Program make the point that government informants are often no better than those that they inform on or set-up, and are sometimes worse. I'd recommend this book as I view Hill as a straight shooter that tells it like it was. What a life!

True Crime

A fun sequal to GOODFELLAS, this book trips you merrily through the underworld but makes you glad not to be a part of it! Nice "members eye view".

FUN BOOK -- the Post-Mafia dream --

I liked this book a lot. If you're a big goodfellas buff, and most people are, you're in for some entertainment here. Plenty of good anecdotes about the gangsters, their wives, their kids, Gotti -- the whole nine yards. The thing to keep in mind is that it's written by Henry Hill -- a guy who has no real formal training in grammar (it's explained early on in the book). If you've heard him on Howard Stern, then you know he never really answers the question you ask him, and that voice comes through here. His life has been a wild ride to read about.

I had to know...

Even though the events of "Goodfellas/Wiseguy" are re-told, new interesting facts are brought up. I'm biased because I'm a big fan of the previous book done with Nicholas Pileggi. Henry did some bad things but he is very gregarious and even charming. If you enjoyed the previous writing and film done about Henry and his involvement w/ OC. This book is a long awaited dream come true. Thanks a lot to Henry and Gus, and next time don't wait 18 years!