Review by mrodriguez414 -- Executive Hoodlum

[mrodriguez414]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Executive Hoodlum" by John Costello.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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John Costello and Larry Elder paint a story straight out of Hollywood's The Godfather. Executive Hoodlum: Negotiating on the Corner of Main and Mean takes you on the roller coaster ride that is the life of John Costello. From a young age, John develops a hatred for his abusive father. Witnessing a traumatic event that transpired between his father and his mother shapes Costello's entire outlook on life. Fueled by rage, he gets into many a hostile situation. From bar fights to Chicago mob sit-downs, Costello keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overcoming his brutal upbringing, Costello graduates college and lands a high paying job at a Microsemi Corporation. He also marries his love and has two sets of twins.

Costello is an excellent storyteller. He paints each scene to take you right into the thick of what was happening at that point in his life. I enjoyed the flow of his writing and the no-nonsense way he told his story. His story is also inspiring and encourages people to persevere through anything.

This book is very well edited. I think the sentence structure and vocabulary is that of what you'd find in a classic. I love the story of Costello's life. My favorite was reading about the many faces he bashed in. I wasn't able to lock onto many of the other characters and often times I found myself forgetting who they were. If he had spent a fraction more time on them, it would have helped. There were many though, so I'm not sure I can really blame him for that.

I would rate this book a 4 out of 4. It was a joy to read and experience. Executive Hoodlum hooked me from the first page and I enjoyed every step of the way. Most of the time, my mouth was hanging open at the things that transpired in Costello's life. It left me thinking that no one could surpass such a life and then inspired because John Costello did.

People who would like this book would be adults who enjoy crime novels and true stories. Adults beware, there is very strong language in the book making it very unsuitable for children. Anyone that is offended by strong language or violence, I recommend steering clear.

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Executive Hoodlum
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