Hoffa: The Real Story

by James R. Hoffa, Oscar Fraley (Editor)

"I made two disastrous mistakes in my life," says Jimmy Hoffa in the opening pages of this book. "The first was coming to grips with Robert F. Kennedy to the point where we became involved in a blood feud.... My second mistake was naming Frank Fitzsimmons as my successor."

Hoffa's third mistake was the meeting he went to on July 30, 1975, when he disappeared.

Before that happened, Jimmy Hoffa told in person, on tape, and by phone to Oscar Fraley, a writer he trusted, his own story: what went right, what went wrong, and why, with no holds barred. He names names. He tells who did what to whom, who got what and why, as he sees it.

Listen to Hoffa: "Hell, I'm not saying I'm an angel, but when it came to dirty tricks I couldn't hold a candle to the Irish Mafia." Hoffa got his start as a labor organizer when the goons all worked for the employers. He fought fire with fire.

The reader will learn about Hoffa's personal life, but he will learn even more about how Hoffa saw the largest and most powerful labor union in the country; what he thought about organized crime and organized frame-ups; and of what they did to him in prison. The stories recounted in this book make the mind reel and the blood boil.

If history seems most alive when we hear it in the words of the central participants, this book is history with a difference: it says as much about tomorrow as yesterday, by pointing a finger at where and how the bodies are buried, in Detroit, Washington, and wherever power and billions of dollars work fist in glove.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Memoir

242 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1975

Reviews

[LaTonya Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this audiobook! It felt as if Hoffa was sitting in front of me telling me his story! it was gritty. compelling and had me wanting to hear more. I always wanted to know more about Hoffa and what happened. I would definitely recommend, especially if you are curious about Jimmy Hoffa like I was.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Hoffa by Hoffa. It's a bit of an odd biography from a man that received an 8th grade education who went on to become one of the most powerful men in the country who will live on precisely because he is not dead. No body, no crime.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure what the truth is with feud between Hoffa and Robert Kennedy. In this book the BAD guy is Robert Kennedy.

[Susan Montelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would be hard pressed to endorse everything in this book as truthful - to be taken verbatim. This is mainly because much of the events in this book took place before I was old enough to pay attention to such things. It is an occasion like this that I wish my father were still living so that we could discuss it - having been a truck driver at one point in his life, he may know more about this than I could pretend to know. I will say that any time someone writes a book - a memoir, an autobiography, etc. - it is based on "their" perception of the truth. There are two sides to every story and somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Based on Mr. Hoffa's perception - it would very much appear that he was set up and/or framed for numerous account-abilities levied by the government. If there is anything I do feel is truthful beyond doubt is his dedication to his family. It is for their sake, I would hope that one day - Mr. Hoffa be located and given his final resting place. To the business world, Mr. Hoffa may have indeed been looked upon as many things but to his family, he was looked upon as a father and a husband. In that vein, I would hope that his family one day find him so that they may all finally have peace.

[David Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

About as explosive and no holds barred as you'd expect. Within the first twenty pages he makes serious claims against his successor and various mafia connections. It really takes a bit of the mystery away as to his disappearance. Written like a fiery tornado against those who fought against him, he must've had great belief in his ability to win ANY fight, no matter who the foe. Unfortunately the power he wielded was probably the reason he couldn't be let back into the teamster's presidency. Fitzsimmons was willing to roll over where Hoffa wouldnt and that is probably why he couldn't be allowed to live. Its testament to his importance to the labour struggle that unions have declined ever since and working folk are far worse off now. Like him or loathe him, the working class need people like Hoffa to fight the dirty upper class at their own game.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an uncomfortable position to sympathize with someone unlikable, but every story has multiple perspectives and Hoffa presents facts that, if true, will make you... very uncomfortable.

It was a very good read, and very interesting to get a backstory on the life of Hoffa from the man himself. The book was in progress prior to his disappearance, and authorized to proceed to publication by Hoffa's family.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Jimmy Hoffa other than he disappeared and was from Michigan. This is an interesting autobiography that sheds light on unions, big buisness, political corruption, and more. Another piece of the puzzle fits into place with a big warning bell clanging for all of us.

[Ash Cicalo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where is Hoffa??!! This book is really good and I highly recommend it for people who want to know more about Hoffa. I actually ended up liking Hoffa by the time this book was over. Now I find myself asking, WHERE IS HE?!

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book by Hoffa, mainly focuses on Kennedy harassment and prison.

[Brandon Mclaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

He just disappeared…

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the last several months I have read Vendetta: Bobby Kennedy Versus Jimmy Hoffa and The Hoffa wars: Teamsters, rebels, politicians, and the mob, so it feels good and right to complete this trifecta with Hoffa's own words. Also, one could say, final words as this book was complete just before his disappearance and released after that by his family with an afterword by transcriber Oscar Fraley and an affidavit from the family attesting to the veracity of this opus as Hoffa's own views. Hoffa's bias is not very confessional, but he certainly declaims that Robert F. Kennedy had it out for him and that the real rat in the Teamsters was his replacement Frank Fitzsimmons. During the book he lauds his ersatz foster son Chuck O'Brien was involved in the disappearance. Investigators and Hoffa's relatives have long suspected that Charles "Chuckie" O'Brien was involved in the disappearance. Here the aftermatter takes care to take O'Brien a few notches from Hoffa's esteem.

[❓Epitaph❓ · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching The Irishman, I started reading I Heard You Paint Houses which was the source material for the film. I was then drawn to Hoffa: The Real Story. I was lucky to find a copy from 1975 that was in decent condition. It is interesting to hear Hoffa's story because he skipped a lot of school and went straight to work at a very young age. He was highly intelligent and managed unions for people who were a lot older than himself. He rose from the bottom to President of the Teamsters. He had to avoid political enemies like Bobby Kennedy, who he rightly labelled a "spoiled brat".

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice book.