Serpico

Rating:
Summary: It puts you in the heart pounding chest of Frank Serpico
Review: So you want to be a New York City cop? Read this book and make your decision. Even if your aspirations are not towards law enforcement in the big city, read it anyway. This true story takes the reader from the idealistic beginings to the hopeless conclusion of Frank Serpico's police career that spanned eleven years. From the fitting of his first police uniform, heart pounding rides in Brooklyn radio cars, plainclothes assignments, repeatedly explaining to fellow cops that he is not on the take, feeling his frustration and sometimes elation at every small battle he encounters and one brick wall after another in the way of trying to make things right in a city that sometimes doesn't know it's left, from it's right. Anyone who has taken on a unpopular cause will relate to the desparity and loneliness that was felt by Frank Serpico during a great deal of his career. This book was well researched and well written and is still fresh twenty five years after it was first published. It is very detailed and a true depictation of the everyday life of a cop in New York City.

Rating:
Summary: Great Man - Disappointing Story
Review: The book was suggested by a bookshop owner from NY. She said that it was a 'Cool' book by Peter Maas and a 'must-read' before seeing the Pacino movie. Seeing the reviews by others, I'm wondering if i missed something... Everybody else has given it 5 stars.

It's a story about an ordinary NY cop who had the resolve and strength to fight corruption. True, I salute Serpico and admire his character. People like Serpico are definitely historic figures when it comes down to changes in administration and policies. I don't know the current situation in NY - Is corruption stemmed now? I would assume that definitely Frank Serpico should have made a change.

Without taking away any credit from the man who is the theme of the story, I would say the man who told the story (Maas) did not do justice. Given the opportunites for dramatization and emotional story telling, I think Maas let me down. Others may disagree.. But, I think it could have been a better story.