Trick Baby: The Story of a White Negro Audio CD – Unabridged, August 1, 2014

I find it stunning that a black pimp (the author, Iceberg Slim)can take you inside the mind of a racially-mixed con man (protagonist, White Folks) in a time period where race where was a central issue of daily life. There is such an authentic feel to this book that it's hard to believe it's fiction. If you've never read Iceberg Slim before, prepare yourself for an up-close look at a world that most people don't even know exists. Urban culture as popularized by music and movies today has never been as glamorous as Snoop Dogg would have you to believe it is.The fact that Iceberg Slim never enters popular lists of great American authors like Twain and Hemmingway is a shame. He's truly extraordinary. This book, as well as other Iceberg Slim novels, takes a look at the true feelings and struggles of the urban underworld. I would NOT recommend this book to readers under fourteen years of age.-alan

Talk about nostalgia. You can hear the juke box playing "Jim Dandy to the Rescue" throughout this piece.

pimpin aint easy.great storyteller. Wonderful verbal imaging.

magnificent purchase

A great fictional book of the street life.

Book had something on it that won't come off

"Trick Baby" is the story of Johnny O'Brien (street-named White Folks), a black con man born of a married black mother and white father. He is light-skinned: "He could have been Errol Flynn's twin." (pg. 9) Johnny O'Brien's coloration allows him to con white persons easily. Darker-skinned blacks shun Johnny O'Brien. Johnny resents white people for their prosperity and attitude towards black people, and fears many black people for the way they treat him.In "PIMP: The Story of My Life", Robert Beck (street-named Iceberg Slim) combined excellent dialogue with vivid descriptions. Mr. Beck did not duplicate this achievement in "Trick Baby". Here, his dialogues and descriptions are contrived. "Trick Baby" describes "the short con" -- a confidence game designed to cheat the victim out of small amounts of money. The short con is based primarily upon smooth and convincing dialogue, not upon elaborate sets. Mr. Beck's dialogues are so stiff that it is hard to believe the cons are successful.I do not recommend this book.

This book, I think, is doomed to end more of a period piece than any kind of real classic; although it provides insight into one particular kind of situation (the place of the white-appearing African-American con artist), beyond that, it's not well-written, heart-wrenching, or even coherent enough to really warrant all of the attention that it gets-- even if it is just a monior bit of attention.....I like the dialogue and the spin that the book gives to it's time period (late fifties-early sixties.... I'm not sure.... very contra-Ozzie and Harriet). I love the author's voice-- it's definately one-of-a-kind an interesting.... at a base level, though, I've had more trouble focusing and reading this book than one person ever should have; for a book that was intended to read like pulp fiction, that spoils it's while value.....It might be worth reading if you've read other books by Iceberg Slim and really like them or if you've read out whatever genre this falls into. Own it's own merits, though, this book is better left unread. And I'm a reviewer who rarely says things like that....

Iceberg Slim has been described as one of the most influential writers of our age... a sentiment, I certainly wouldn't disagree with. Sharper, more honest and realistic story-telling, you will struggle to find. Trick Baby tells the story of 'White Folks' - a mixed-race grifter who has such a light complexion that he can pass for white. When White Folks' mother is gang raped and institutionalised, he falls into the company of 'Blue' - a con man who looks after him, treats him like a son... and teaches him the art of 'Con'. (White Folks' appearance being beneficial to the con). As you get to know White Folks and watch him suffer racism from 'both sides', I defy you not to fall in love with this character!

Not as good as pimp but worth following up after of read pimp.

Partner loved, brought whole series for him. V interesting read on manipulation

Brilliant book - read Pimp first & then this, onto the next Iceberg Slim book.

Amazing book! Well written and enthralling