I Am Not A Gangster

by Bobby Cummines

"I am not a gangster," I spat. "I'm a businessman trying to make a hard-earned crust. Understood?" I didn't give him time to reply. I took the barrel out of his mouth and smashed him in the face with the butt. His lip split, but he wasn't a dead man. He seemed to appreciate that his life had been spared. He spluttered his "Ok, you’re not a gangster. You are not a gangster." This is the gripping true story of how one man ruled his north London manor with an iron fist—and a sawn-off shotgun called Kennedy. It’s a shocking insight into a society where the rules are made by gangland leaders, and if anybody dare break them, they have to deal with the consequences. Bobby was sent to prison for the first time in 1967, aged 16, and over the next decade he established himself as a hardened criminal running protection rackets and robberies against a backdrop of all-out gang warfare, where doorstep slayings and bloody shoot-outs were common. Eventually Bobby was sentenced to 12 years in Britain’s most notorious prisons, along with the Krays, Charlie Richardson, and the Yorkshire Ripper. Inside, he was introduced to the Open University, and on his release he soon got down to business again. Only this time his efforts saw him go from custody of Her Majesty’s Prison Service to meeting with the Queen herself. . . This is an explosive account of life in the criminal underworld by one of Britain’s most dangerous men, but above all it’s a remarkable tale of redemption with the biggest turnaround in gangland history.

Genres: Crime, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2014

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

How did this UK crime lord end up being feted by the rich and famous and be awarded an honour from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II? As well as sharing in detail his criminal hey days he also spends more than a third of the book on his incarceration and how reading and learning led him to campaign and eventually set up charities to look at ways for the Criminal Justice system to stop focusing on punishment and try to focus on giving the prisoners the ways and means to live more productive non-criminal lives on their release. The book comes across as a memoir interview, but it does seem to lack any sort of real passion, but that might just be reflective of times Bobby grew up in. A 5 out of 12, Two Star read.

2023 read

[Borntolose73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining and honest read from a main player in London’s underworld and his subsequent redemption to help steer others away from a life of crime. A very interesting and intelligent man.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very honest and interesting read

[Dave Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. I'd give it an honest 3.5

[Gareth Pemberton · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyable read

I would highly recommend . The book was more than passable way to pass a few hours . I liked it simply straight forward

[Dave B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very average book about a remarkable turnaround of a life, but the self congratulation gets a bit tedious.

[Kitty McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting read, from the prospective of an once time gangster

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book
Was laughing out loud

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read 30 pages but I find some of the book is fictional so I just quit reading it instead of wasting my time.

[Stuart Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad read. Not sure how much is true as the stories seem the same as other books of this type.

[JonnyThumper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good slice of life - view into the mind of a reformed member of the crime scene in London. Cool usage of cockney, as well!

[Jack Cox]

A very colourful, eye opening book. Highly recommended.