Pimp by Iceberg Slim (2005-08-01)

Finally picked this one up after hearing a piece about urban fiction on NPR. Wow. One of the most visceral pieces of literature that I have ever read, at times you are subjected to such scenes of brutality and cynicism that you can barely believe that it is non-fiction. Iceberg definitively captures the life of a pimp and the trappings that come with it.

I read this after seeing a documentary on the store and as others have said Dave Chappell has referenced it in a standup routine.
The writing is simple and can be entertaining in some areas (the jail break in particular) however some people will find the brutality off putting.
I didn't really see any "cold capitalist concepts" that Chappell referenced, maybe if you call beating women and enlisting them in your 'stable' as a capitalist concept. There is a bit of con artist gaming/trickery details which might have surprised people in the 60's when this was published but it's fairly tame by 2018, count yourself jaded.

All in all it's just a tale of dirty street life and being about 200 pages it's worth a read just so you can be in the know about the subject.

Although this is not an educational book to teach some guy how to be a pimp, it sure is educational to learn about the life of one. Hard to read, as it has lots of women hating/beating and abusing. It does show you how he got his "Iceberg" name. Chilling!

This book gives a courageous insight into the life of a pimp. Throughout the book we go along for the, at times,glamorous ride into the world of pimping. A cautionary tale and guide wrapped into one. One of my fastest and most exciting reads.

Great book. I recently saw the documentary about Iceberg Slim on Showtime. I found it so intriguing I looked it up on the store and bought it. I'm glad I did. He was a fascinating man and a very good author.

This book is a timeless classic about the oldest profession from a pimps perspective. It gives the common man an opportunity to see behind the veil of the underworld and understand the futility of chasing fast money.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this book. I have often wondered what it takes for a man to view women as a commodity and an object instead of a human. While I realize this story does not provide the rubric for all men who have chosen to become pimps, it does lay out what I believe to be common denominators that are universal to all.

This should be required reading for any youngster with foolish pimp dreams in his head. It doesn't glamorize the lifestyle (too much). Instead it shows a life filled with loneliness, fear, betrayal, drug addiction and prison stays. Nearly all of the pimps in the story met a bad end.

Icebergs shocking recount of his life as a pimp and addict allowed me to see the ugly dirty struggles of life in the underworld of. crime, hustling,,the sex trade and exploitation of women, and willing, consensual voluntarily choosing to become a slave in an effort to survive , belong and feel loved ,and valued as a successful whore/ pimp/ thief/ con... I walked the seedy, dangerous streets of crime in the inner_cities and d experienced serving a prison sentence in a filthy dangerous prison safely in the comfort of my home because Iceberg had the audacity and skill to transport me there. This is an enlarged thriller told excellently that captivates the reader to desire to keep turning the pages desiring to finish the transporting story in one sitting. Loved it!

Please understand, I am a middle aged white guy, in fact I have been a Police Officer for almost 20 years. Reading this is incredible, the story , although written about a age that ends before I was born still rings 100% true and accurate. I should know, I am a vice Detective, I am surprised at how little has changed.

Iceberg Slim (Mr. Beck). Is a brilliant writer and has an incredible command of the common English and tells true crime stories like few others.

Authentically written, interesting slice of history in the pimping world. Iceberg Slim was very intelligent and chose one of the few ways a black man could make a living, and learned the right lessons.

Surprisingly I enjoyed this book. I have often wondered what it takes for a man to view women as a commodity and an object instead of a human. While I realize this story does not provide the rubric for all men who have chosen to become pimps, it does lay out what I believe to be common denominators that are universal to all.

This should be required reading for any youngster with foolish pimp dreams in his head. It doesn't glamorize the lifestyle (too much). Instead it shows a life filled with loneliness, fear, betrayal, drug addiction and prison stays. Nearly all of the pimps in the story met a bad end.

Icebergs shocking recount of his life as a pimp and addict allowed me to see the ugly dirty struggles of life in the underworld of. crime, hustling,,the sex trade and exploitation of women, and willing, consensual voluntarily choosing to become a slave in an effort to survive , belong and feel loved ,and valued as a successful whore/ pimp/ thief/ con... I walked the seedy, dangerous streets of crime in the inner_cities and d experienced serving a prison sentence in a filthy dangerous prison safely in the comfort of my home because Iceberg had the audacity and skill to transport me there. This is an enlarged thriller told excellently that captivates the reader to desire to keep turning the pages desiring to finish the transporting story in one sitting. Loved it!

Please understand, I am a middle aged white guy, in fact I have been a Police Officer for almost 20 years. Reading this is incredible, the story , although written about a age that ends before I was born still rings 100% true and accurate. I should know, I am a vice Detective, I am surprised at how little has changed.

Iceberg Slim (Mr. Beck). Is a brilliant writer and has an incredible command of the common English and tells true crime stories like few others.

Authentically written, interesting slice of history in the pimping world. Iceberg Slim was very intelligent and chose one of the few ways a black man could make a living, and learned the right lessons.