Apparently, slim made himself two promises in writing his memoirs not to glamourize the life he left behind and not to snitch. This book states first printing, 1969 and has the correct holloway house number, and is thus a first edition. Dec 25, 2012 the first chapter of iceberg slims book pimp part 1 of chapter 1. Iceberg slim made his debut as an author with the book pimp. Iceberg slim, also known as robert beck, was born as robert lee maupin. Novelist streetpoisoned at an early age pimp of all pimps began new life. Iceberg slim, also known as robert beck, was born in chicago in 1918 and was initiated into the life of the pimp at age eighteen. He spent much of his childhood in milwaukee and rockford, illinoisbefore returning to chicago as a teenager his father having abandoned them, slims mother supported the family by working as a domestic and operating a beauty shop. Aug 25, 2015 but in the 1960s, he left that life and wrote his first book, his autobiography, coming up with the iceberg slim name. African american crime literature and the untold story of black pulp publishing, in 20. Its the reason his third album is called the iceberg. Theres another copy of this same book that has a shorter waitlist. Pimp covers the life of iceberg slim, from his early childhood to his first stint in prison to his rise and fall as a pimp. As i was reading i noticed all the songs iceberg slim name drops thruout the book.
The first and finest of his books was a memoir, pimp. Irvine welsh on being inspired by iceberg slims book pimp. I taught robert icebergs slim becks compact gold and purple book, pimp. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. The biography of iceberg slim, by justin gifford, is an exercise in demystification. Order of iceberg slim books iceberg slim was the pseudonym of robert beck 19181992, who wrote crime fiction and nonfiction books. More than three decades after first discovering the book, when mulling over possible film projects, icet decided with hinojosa to investigate iceberg slims complex life in a documentary.
The thing that was best about this book was he never tried to glamorize his past and his profession. A cold, hard look at the work of robert iceberg slim. Never read the book, but i remember ice t saying iceberg slim was basically what inspired him to rap about crime in the first place. One of my favorite books due to it being a moment in black history that is still somewhat taboo, i decided to read it for the umpteenth time which took about 2 days to complete. Many of the current musical references to pimp culture, for example in the work of snoop dogg and too short, can be traced back to iceberg slim.
Icet produces a documentary about iceberg slim the new. Street poison, a biography of iceberg slim, writer. Portrait of a pimp, which shows his transformation from pimp to the author of seven classic books. His adventurous journey of life was reflected in his novels. Mar 20, 2018 by derrick march 20, 2018 march 20, 2018 7 comments on pimp. Anyone that reads my stuff on the regular would know by now that i love cheap red wine. The ultimate antihero, iceberg slim, takes you into the secret inner world of the pimp, and the smells, the sounds, the fears and petty triumphs of his world. This is iceberg, in california, broken down into a million pieces of anger, wisdom, but ready for a shift in his own consciousness.
But in the 1960s, he left that life and wrote his first book, his autobiography, coming up with the iceberg slim name. In this new book iceberg slim gives unprecedented insight into his incredible life as. Groundbreaking for its authentic and oftbrutal account of the sex trade, the book offers readers an unforgettable look at the mores of chicagos street life during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Street poison, a biography of iceberg slim, writer and pimp. He also changed the names of his friend as most of them was alive at that time. The life as art 2003, a critical study of the fiction of iceberg slim. Novelist and poet whose most famous novel, pimp, is semiautobiographical.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. His name is robert beck better known by his ghetto name, iceberg slim. Iceberg slim quotes from the book lost interviews with the pimp. Iceberg slim books seen as building block of rap culture. This is back before the phrase gangsta rap even existed. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Robert iceberg slim beck wrote dozens of cheap paperback novels, which sold millions of copies. Long white con marks the second appearance of iceberg slims possibly real acquaintance, johnny obrien aka white folks. Robert iceberg slim becks first book is told without bitterness and with no pretense at moralizing. This time around, he puts the emphasis on reality with his collection of personal essays.
This contains an excerpt by slim from the naked soul of iceberg slim, as well as dozens of other incarcerated authors. Writing grim, noirish tales about black street life when he wasnt hustling or pimping women, iceberg slim has become a legend of the lowdown since his death in 1992. These songs were the soundtracks of his pimping days of the late 30s, 40s and 50s. It is the smells, the sounds, the fears and the petty triumphs in. He briefly attended the tuskegee institute but dropped out to return to the streets of the south side, where he remained, pimping until he was fortytwo. May 10, 2011 iceberg slim, also known as robert beck, was born in chicago in 1918 and was initiated into the life of the pimp at age eighteen. Aug 05, 2015 iceberg slim would go on to write several novels, a story collection and an intense book of essays, the naked soul of iceberg slim 1971. I youtube searched all the songs iceberg slim name drops. The biography of iceberg slim by justin gifford doubleday. They were honest bookssensitive portraits of ghetto life and people. A fantastic source book on the entire blaxploitation film genre, including one of the last interviews with iceberg slim 1990 and information on trick baby aka double con, a 1973 film. From a career as a, yes, ruthless pimp in the 40s and 50s, iceberg slim refashioned himself as the first and still the greatest of the street lit masters, whose vivid books have made him an icon to such rappers as icet, jayz, and snoop dogg and a presiding spirit of blaxploitation culture.
I was disappointed by this book, though the second half makes up for a bit of the disappointment. Robert beck born robert lee maupin or robert moppins jr august 4, 1918 april 30, 1992, better known as iceberg slim, was an american pimp who subsequently became an influential author among a primarily africanamerican readership. He makes the reader understand the glamour and appeal of the pimp lifestyle, whilst also detailing its brutality and danger. When beck first decided to write his story, he was working as an. Two copies available for download if you want to skip the queue. Doom fox by iceberg slim and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Slim was a pimp who took his reallife experiences and parlayed them into a writing career. Mar, 2009 iceberg slim s first book, about his life as a pimp in the chicago of the 50s and 60s, gave a voice to the ghettos prostitutes and grifters and showed the young irvine welsh that he could be a. He briefly attended the tuskegee institute but dropped out to return to the streets of the south side, where he remained, p. His first book pimp was published in the year 1967.
Robert beck, better known as iceberg slim, sold more than six million books before he died in 1992. Robert beck better known as iceberg slim, was an american pimp who subsequently became. Iceberg slims autobiographical novel sent shockwaves throughout the literary world when it published in 1969. Iceberg slim, who is also known as robert beck was born in the year 1918, on 4th august. Sep, 2015 robert iceberg slim beck wrote dozens of cheap paperback novels, which sold millions of copies. Iceberg slim took the public into the raw, unseen, predatory reality of america with pimp. May 10, 2011 pimp covers the life of iceberg slim, from his early childhood to his first stint in prison to his rise and fall as a pimp. Jul 22, 20 i youtube searched all the songs iceberg slim name drops in his book pimp and my mind was blown in 2012, i found myself digging thru the my closet and saw in the mix of my many random books, iceberg slims pimp which i had stole from the library in the mid 90s.
The first chapter of iceberg slims book pimp part 1 of chapter 1. Iceberg slims first book, about his life as a pimp in the chicago of the 50s and 60s, gave a voice to the ghettos prostitutes and grifters and showed the young irvine welsh that he could be a. Iceberg slim died on april 28, 1992, just as holloway house was issuing a silverbound twentyfifthanniversary edition of pimp. The story of my life, in my first college class 14 years ago.
Pimp, the story of my life, trick baby, and mama black widow, a tragic, bitter family portrait. Iceberg slims autobiographical novel offered readers a neverbeforeseen account of the sex trade, and an unforgettable look at the mores of chicagos street life during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. May 10, 2011 90s gangsta rappers owe a lot to iceberg slim, who published this first hand account of pimping way back in 1967. It is a masterpiece written by robert beck, former pimp writing about his experiences growing up in chicagos southside. But this book, the naked soul of iceberg slim, is his most disturbing. Through various events in his life, he ultimately becomes a pimp in between jail stints. Offering brutal, difficulttoswallow tales from the underground, this book exposes the authors inner workings in a way none of his others have, resulting in a straight. The story of my life by iceberg slim audiobooks on.
Iceberg slims last book, doom fox written in 1978 but not published until 1998, contains an. Groundbreaking for its authentic and oftbrutal account of the sex trade, the book offers readers an unforgettable look at the mores of. Over the coming years, he wrote nearly a dozen books before his death in 1992. Folks is an extremely lightskinned black man with blue eyes, the son of a mix. A cold, hard look at the work of robert iceberg slim beck. Aug, 2015 i taught robert iceberg s slim becks compact gold and purple book, pimp. I youtube searched all the songs iceberg slim name drops in. The story of my life, iceberg slim recounts his personal autobiography as a intellectuallygifted teenager growing up in the world before desegregation. The biography of iceberg slim by justin gifford an assistant professor of english at the university of nevada, reno, justin gifford published his first book, an edgar allan poe award finalist titled pimping fictions. Iceberg slim books list of books by author iceberg slim. Iceberg slim would go on to write several novels, a story collection and an intense book of essays, the naked soul of iceberg slim 1971. Simp opens the door and a window to the seedy side of town. Iceberg slims first book, about his life as a pimp in the chicago of the 50s and 60s, gave a voice to the ghettos prostitutes and grifters and. Trick baby, but he chose to stay in the black ghetto of southside chicago because thats where he could turn the tables and exact his revenge.
In the preface, slim says it best, in this book, i will take you, the reader, with me into the secret inner world of the pimp. His was the first insider look into the world of black pimps, to be followed by a halfdozen pimp memoirs by other writers. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. The book is lurid and lyrical, a confession wrapped in an account of. It is the smells, the sounds, the fears and the petty triumphs in the world of the street pimp. Iceberg slim, also known as robert beck, was born in chicago in 1918 and was initiated into the life of the pimp at age 18. Feb 05, 2009 90s gangsta rappers owe a lot to iceberg slim, who published this first hand account of pimping way back in 1967. Pimp book by iceberg slim official publisher page simon. Long white con marks the second appearance of iceberg slim s possibly real acquaintance, johnny obrien aka white folks. We learn that becks oftquoted claim of having an i. Sep 19, 2012 more than three decades after first discovering the book, when mulling over possible film projects, icet decided with hinojosa to investigate iceberg slims complex life in a documentary. Iceberg slims story is now depicted in a major motion picture, iceberg slim. Iceberg slim, also known as robert beck,was born as robert lee maupinin chicago, illinois on august 4th, 1918.
During the last year of his life sales of his books increased as interest in all forms of black literature continued to grow. They are still able to connect with his stories and that is what made iceberg slim, a youth icon. After reading the biography, i went back to look at robert becks aka iceberg slim first book, pimp. Slim folded his life into the pages of seven books based on his life. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Iceberg slim s autobiographical novel sent shockwaves throughout the literary world when it published in 1969. May 10, 2011 iceberg slims autobiographical novel offered readers a neverbeforeseen account of the sex trade, and an unforgettable look at the mores of chicagos street life during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. His first attempt at the age of 43 was enough to be a renowned name in the world of writers.