Lincoln high school, jersey city,nj 19122012, 100 years of lincoln pride duration. Stapinski previously wrote the works in progress column for the new york times and currently is a regular contributor across all sections of the newspaper. Based on the bestselling memoir by helene stapinski. A crooked family history, which is about her life growing up in jersey city.
One might be tempted to deem the old adage not applicable. In an earlier memoir, fivefinger discount, stapinski recreated the terrifying world of swindlers, embezzlers, burglars and mobster wannabes who made up. A crooked family history, helene stapinski who wrote the book of the same name that the film is based on recalls a conversation she had with. The headline in the local newspaper the next day read man seized on way to kill 5 children. A crooked family history by helene stapinski, the author details her life growing up in tough jersey city, new jersey. A crooked family history by helene stapinski ajersey city native and former reporter staff writer, its a lovehate. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 2001, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Before starting, i probably should admit that im from the city. Fivefinger discount ramapo catskill library system. Cast of colorful crooks in bittersweet family saga observer. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart peoplewith deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. A true story of passion, family, and forgiveness in southern italy. Five finger discount documentary wins raves hudson. Stapinski, who has written for the new york times and new york magazine, can be funnyas in her descriptions of attending new york university, where she meets jews, punks and lesbians, and reads.
As stapinski writes, jersey city was a tough place to grow up, except i didnt know any better. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. Helene stapinski instructor the school of the new york. Stapinski is an exciting writer, unabashedly candid, and at the same time unashamedly selfcontained. Jersey city familys unvarnished history headed to film di. Mar 06, 2017 fivefinger discount, tale of jersey city, hits tv. Fivefinger discount book vancouver island regional. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously. May 23, 2017 stapinski englishfordham univ baby plays around. Helene stapinski s jersey city story begins, the night my grandfather tried to kill us, i. Behind the myriad tales of criminals, petty and not so petty, in helene stapinski s book, five finger discount, is a precocious girl who grows up with a keen awareness of family and of place. You always think those things are going to happen to someone else, said stapinsky, who will do a signing at word bookstore on. Mar 12, 2002 praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinskis book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion. On a summer night when she was five years old, helene stapinski watched out her kitchen window as her grandpa beansie was carted off to jail for the last time.
Documentary about jersey city, warts and all, to premiere on. Michiko kakutani, the new york times its a brilliant book, a darling book. Stapinski received her ba in journalism from new york university in 1987 and her mfa from columbia in 1995. Documentary about jersey city, warts and all, to premiere. Since the age of four, helene stapinski heard lurid yet. Helene stapinski is the author of fivefinger discount. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the checkered history of her hometown of jersey citya place known for its. Jersey city familys unvarnished history headed to film. Five finger discount download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. A crooked family history by helene stapinski, a jersey city native and former reporter staff writer, its a. Based on the book five finger discount by helene stapinski.
In this unforgettable memoir, stapinski tells the heartbreaking yet often hilarious story of growing up among swindlers, bookies, and crooks. The documentary is based on the bestselling memoir by helene stapinski, five finger discount. A crooked family history by helene stapinski 2001, hardcover at the best online prices at. Michiko kakutani, the new york times it s a brilliant book, a darling book. Stapinski uses her familybased narrative to portray an urban political culture that encouraged theft, election fraud, industrial pollution, and a looting of the tax base, while pacifying underclass residents with citypayroll jobs and mobmentality hedonism.
The success of five finger discount surprised stapinski. Mar 12, 2002 now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart peoplewith deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. A crooked family history, helene stapinski discusses her memoir and her decision to develop the truelife story into a film with the help. Helene stapinski began her career at her hometown newspaper, the jersey journal. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski overdrive rakuten. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book. View helene stapinskis profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, fivefinger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. Fivefinger discount ramapo catskill library system overdrive. A crooked family history, about growing up in a family of grifters and other notsopetty criminals, stapinski. The atlantic highlands historical society is pleased to.
Apr 21, 2011 author of the national best seller, five finger discount. Victoria gotti, the new york observer what frank mccourt did for limerick, ireland, helene stapinski does for jersey city. When five finger discount, helene stapinski s memoir about growing up among criminals in jersey city, was published in 2001, it was not greeted warmly by everyone in stapinski s hometown. Praise for fivefinger discount by turns hilarious and alarming, helene stapinski s book reads on the surface like something by damon runyon and elmore leonard, with a dark undertow of reallife pain and disillusion.
In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the. Author helene stapinski shares stories about growing up in jersey city, navigating toxic waste while growing up with a family of swindlers and mobsterwannabes. Five finger discount by helene stapinski paperback book for. A writer goes deep into the heart of italy to unravel a centuryold family mystery in this spellbinding memoir that blends the suspenseful twists of making a murderer and the emotional insight of elena ferrantes neapolitan novels. The atlantic highlands historical society is pleased to host. Click download or read online button to get five finger discount book now. The narrative begins as an enticing pageturner, an investigative jewel sending readers racing to the next clue, as the author strikes out to find the truth about her greatgreatgrandmother vita, a murderess. She has taught journalism and creative writing at fordham university and new york university and has lectured at columbia university. View helene stapinski s profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. The atlantic highlands historical society is pleased to host noted memoirist, nyt writer and five finger discount author helene stapinski. But the new pbs documentary based on the memoir five finger discount. Find out why close five finger discount sample pacfilm. Five finger discount a crooked family history book. Fivefinger discount, helene stapinskis crooked family history is slated to be a long form documentary airing on wnetwliw and njptv, we are encouraged by the interest and support weve already received from sponsors and friends, but we desperately need your help to make this film a reality.
The success of fivefinger discount surprised stapinski. Stapinskis debut invokes sensitive questions about class, domesticity, and the tolerance of corruption essential to machine politics. Helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the checkered history of her hometown of jersey city a place known for its political corruption and industrial blight with the tales that have swirled around her relatives for. Choking victim live 5 finger discount 10302916 warsaw. When she was five, her grandfather tried to kill her whole family. Helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the checkered history of her hometown of jersey city a place known for its political corruption and industrial blight with the. Five finger discount 9780747558316 by stapinski, helene and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. A humorous yet unsettling look back at a minorleague grifter family in a majorleague crooked townprereform jersey city. Even on its surface, the book has much to offer it is rich in interesting jersey city lore, filled with eyepopping accounts of political corruption that ensnares even ordinary citizens. Five finger discount 9780747558316 by stapinski, helen and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. In the memoir mary karr calls a pageturner, helene stapinski ingeniously weaves the checkered history of her hometown of jersey citya place known for its political corruption and industrial blightwith the. A crooked family history, which recounts her familys criminal history, and baby plays around. A trip to southern italy to shed light on a family scandal. Fivefinger discount by helene stapinski penguin random.
Helene stapinski is the author of five finger discount. Helene grew up in a family that was, shall we say, dysfunctional. Now a pbs documentary, this astonishing memoir of growing up in roughandtumble jersey city will steal your heart people with deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. In her fascinating if somewhat lumpily written new memoir, five finger discount, helene stapinski recounts what it was like to grow up in jersey city during the 1970s and 80s with a family. With deadpan humor and obvious affection, five finger discount recounts the story of an unforgettable new jersey family of swindlers, bookies, embezzlers, and mobsterwannabes. Helene stapinski is the author of three memoirs, including the national best seller, fivefinger discount. Jun 15, 2017 a journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir fivefinger discount. This is long before jersey citys recent revitalization efforts. May 31, 2002 fivefinger discount by helene stapinski bloomsbury. Helene stapinski discusses fivefinger discount documentary. A love affair, with music, which chronicles her years playing drums in a rock band in manhattan. Author helene stapinski shares tales of jersey city and. A journalist and the author of the engaging 2002 memoir five finger discount.
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