Review by amandathebibliophile -- Executive Hoodlum
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amandathebibliophile
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Review by amandathebibliophile -- Executive Hoodlum
[Following is a volunteer review of "Executive Hoodlum" by John Costello.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Executive Hoodlum: Negotiating on the Corner of Main and Mean by John Costello is one of those awesome page-turners that is super hard to put down. A memoir, John Costello tells the fantastical story of his life...and trust me, some of this guy’s experiences were often too crazy to believe! On the one hand, as the Vice President in a billion-dollar semiconductor company with a picture perfect family, it could easily be said Mr. Costello “has it all.” Yet, the reader will quickly discover that the proverb, “don’t judge a book by its cover” was basically written for a guy like him.
Born in Chicago, Costello’s childhood was filled with violence and mafia activity. He quickly learned to be a street-wise kid who fought well— partially because of the dangerous environment, but mostly due to his father’s incredulous behavior. From a very young age, John was on the receiving end of countless beatings, witnessed terrible abuse towards his mother, and watched his father con his way through unbelievable scams and schemes. The way he described it, his father was grossly selfish and violent. School was never a priority, and if John hadn’t had the wherewithal, it’s unlikely he would’ve graduated high school — let alone been an athletic superstar and graduated college with honors.
Still, Costello’s father’s schemes had a seemingly endless way of negatively affecting John’s life. These cons often threatened his reputation and sometimes even put him in harm’s way. That being said, the street-wise world that Costello’s father exposed him to could at least partially be credited for some of the success that John eventually found. For example, his ability to “straight talk” with the blue-collar guys in his semiconductor business, helped him to gain respect and credibility...which definitely gave him a business edge! Moreover, it’s arguable that his success in sales could easily have stemmed from the quick wits he developed on the streets.
Ultimately, I loved this book. I thought he did a great job of expressing the dichotomy in which he lived: straddling the high-stakes corporate world and the ball-busting mafia underground. The first-person narrative flowed really nicely. The language was easy to follow (as I mentioned, I was glued to the book!) and yet not overly simplistic. He came across just as he described himself: relatable, with a complicated story, smart, funny, and yet having a short fuse that he had to learn to control.
Beyond just being entertaining, this story exuded authenticity. It gave off an energy that made it feel compelling and truthful and engaging all at once. Even though I am not personally a V.P. for a semiconductor business, nor affiliated with the mafia, these disparate worlds were described with a clarity that made them feel relatable somehow.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the Foreword was written by Scott Baio and the Afterword was by Larry Elder. These two iconic men (not to mention many other powerful and famous men and women) were close friends with Costello. Their statements were a testimony to the respect and admiration they both had for a truly remarkable person. Indeed, Larry Elder seemed to sum it all up when he said of Costello that, “[his] life is a walking Goodfellas movie, only far more interesting.”
I’m sure it’s clear from my glowing remarks that I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I only noted a handful of minor errors (such as a handful of missing commas and other typos like “Columbia” instead of “Colombia”), but these did nothing to detract from the quality of the story for me. I highly recommend Executive Hoodlum to readers who enjoy entertaining memoirs written in a relatable and fascinating style. There is a bit of profanity, as well as depictions of violence, so sensitive readers need be aware. That being said, I normally struggle greatly with violence in both movies and books, and this story was very manageable for me.
******
Executive Hoodlum
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Executive Hoodlum: Negotiating on the Corner of Main and Mean by John Costello is one of those awesome page-turners that is super hard to put down. A memoir, John Costello tells the fantastical story of his life...and trust me, some of this guy’s experiences were often too crazy to believe! On the one hand, as the Vice President in a billion-dollar semiconductor company with a picture perfect family, it could easily be said Mr. Costello “has it all.” Yet, the reader will quickly discover that the proverb, “don’t judge a book by its cover” was basically written for a guy like him.
Born in Chicago, Costello’s childhood was filled with violence and mafia activity. He quickly learned to be a street-wise kid who fought well— partially because of the dangerous environment, but mostly due to his father’s incredulous behavior. From a very young age, John was on the receiving end of countless beatings, witnessed terrible abuse towards his mother, and watched his father con his way through unbelievable scams and schemes. The way he described it, his father was grossly selfish and violent. School was never a priority, and if John hadn’t had the wherewithal, it’s unlikely he would’ve graduated high school — let alone been an athletic superstar and graduated college with honors.
Still, Costello’s father’s schemes had a seemingly endless way of negatively affecting John’s life. These cons often threatened his reputation and sometimes even put him in harm’s way. That being said, the street-wise world that Costello’s father exposed him to could at least partially be credited for some of the success that John eventually found. For example, his ability to “straight talk” with the blue-collar guys in his semiconductor business, helped him to gain respect and credibility...which definitely gave him a business edge! Moreover, it’s arguable that his success in sales could easily have stemmed from the quick wits he developed on the streets.
Ultimately, I loved this book. I thought he did a great job of expressing the dichotomy in which he lived: straddling the high-stakes corporate world and the ball-busting mafia underground. The first-person narrative flowed really nicely. The language was easy to follow (as I mentioned, I was glued to the book!) and yet not overly simplistic. He came across just as he described himself: relatable, with a complicated story, smart, funny, and yet having a short fuse that he had to learn to control.
Beyond just being entertaining, this story exuded authenticity. It gave off an energy that made it feel compelling and truthful and engaging all at once. Even though I am not personally a V.P. for a semiconductor business, nor affiliated with the mafia, these disparate worlds were described with a clarity that made them feel relatable somehow.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the Foreword was written by Scott Baio and the Afterword was by Larry Elder. These two iconic men (not to mention many other powerful and famous men and women) were close friends with Costello. Their statements were a testimony to the respect and admiration they both had for a truly remarkable person. Indeed, Larry Elder seemed to sum it all up when he said of Costello that, “[his] life is a walking Goodfellas movie, only far more interesting.”
I’m sure it’s clear from my glowing remarks that I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I only noted a handful of minor errors (such as a handful of missing commas and other typos like “Columbia” instead of “Colombia”), but these did nothing to detract from the quality of the story for me. I highly recommend Executive Hoodlum to readers who enjoy entertaining memoirs written in a relatable and fascinating style. There is a bit of profanity, as well as depictions of violence, so sensitive readers need be aware. That being said, I normally struggle greatly with violence in both movies and books, and this story was very manageable for me.
******
Executive Hoodlum
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Short of Love by Martin Knox
