NYPD: Stories of Survival from the World's Toughest Beat [Paperback]

Clint Willis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Adrenaline | Publication Date: October 28, 2002

New York has always inspired larger-than-life tales and great writing—but on the topic of cops and crime it provides more raw material than almost anywhere else. A long history of classic films, television hits, and of course, books, have turned the New York City Police Department into a symbol for the dark drama of urban police work. And the rich and colorful vein of literature which has grown up around this culture makes NYPD not only a gripping read but a literary tour de force. Adrenaline Books takes you inside this gritty, tough life of being a cop in New York City. In addition to works by best-selling authors such as Peter Maas and Tom Wolfe, the book will include selections that offer a broad and deep look at the department's many faces: Carsten Stroud tells what it's like to track down a killer; Richard Rosenthal offers a sense of the pressures and risks of going undercover; and Bill McCarthy and Mike Mallowe offer a guided tour of the city's dregs and the pressures of working with its hardest cases. Philip Gourevitch's account of a cop's dedicated efforts to resurrect a cold case; Marcus Laffey's already near-classic articles on life as a patrolman; and Peter Hellman's best-seller Chief, written with an NYPD chief of detectives help round out this fascinating view of the NYPD and the forces that have made it such a compelling subject for so many good writers. " ... Try Adrenaline Books.... In three years, this 20-volume anthology series has earned a cult following."—ESPN the Magazine

Editorial Reviews

Review

" 'NYPD' portrays a profession that is not all that different from the people it works to protect." -- Daniel Pulliam, Indianapolis Star, January 4, 2003

"An admirable selection of works . . . Meaty tales for the law-abiding, armchair adventurer." -- Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2002

"Provides an astute, gripping overview of what it means to work within the largest police force in the United States." -- Eleanor J. Bader, New York Law Journal, December 11, 2002

"Some of the best work done by New York's finest . . . These selections paint a vivid portrait of the NYPD." -- Police & Security News, December 2002

"This work will be a welcome chance to discover several well-told stories that are worth reading in full." -- Errol Louis, The New York Sun, January 15, 2003

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (October 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560254122
• ISBN-13: 978-1560254126
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #200,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You won't be able to put it down, but you should know this -, November 17, 2002

By 

Andrew Entwistle (Schodack, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NYPD: Stories of Survival from the World's Toughest Beat (Paperback)

it's a terrific book, with no weak stories, but they are NOT the ones listed above in the editorial review. Enlarge the cover photo - those are the writers you'll see. There's nothing by Maas, Wolfe, Stroud, Hellman, etc. I don't know where that other list came from. The stories included, though, are gritty and compelling. I liked the one by Joe Poss so much that I have already ordered a copy of his out-of-print book. I consider myself to have read a lot of NYPD stories and I had seen none of these before. The variety has always been the greatest thing about the Adrenaline series - my shelves now have many books I first "met" through this series. Anyway - no weak sisters here; it's all strong stuff, from the late 1800's to very current events (no WTC). There are 12 entries - three authors each wrote two, but you won't care - when the cops themselves write you feel like you're sitting next to them in the car. A great gift, one of the series' best volumes.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read About NYPD, April 28, 2006

By 

Michael L. Slavin "HardBopper" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: NYPD: Stories of Survival from the World's Toughest Beat (Paperback)

This is a compilation of stories from eleven authors. The time frame is from the 1800's up to the case of Abner Louima in 1997. Along the way the reader learns about the Civil War riots, corrupt and hero cops as well as visits to the tough precincts on the Bronx and Brooklyn. Good collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Covers a wide spectrum........, January 22, 2003

By 

Navyvet "navyvet" (Griswold, Connecticut United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: NYPD: Stories of Survival from the World's Toughest Beat (Paperback)

I've just started reading this book about 3 days ago and it's already given me much pleasure. As a police sergeant and a former NYC resident, I have to smile at the dry no bull section on ghetto policing and I'm in awe when I read the story about the draft riot in New York. It is hard to believe that the city was the stage of what amounted to an all out war within it's boundries!

If you like police stories and you love New York, then I know you'll enjoy this one!