I chose this book because I was interested in the history of Chinese Gangs in America and because Mike Moy's life experience is so different from mine. I was completely absorbed in this book and I did nothing but listen to it from start to finish. I wanted to go back in time and protect that tiny child from bullying. I wanted to help his friends too. I loved learning about the "gang codes", like how they did not harm women and other things.
When I told my son about this book he was like "yeah Mike Moy. All cops know about him." So I guess as an educator, I missed out, but at least I go to read this inspiring and fascinating novel. Thanks for being an inspiration to my son as he pursues a law enforcement career.
The narration was absolutely perfect.
I have already reached out to my friends I think might enjoy this book.

Note: This is a review for the audiobook version.

This memoir was fascinating. The author, through the help of the narrator, brings us into Mike Moy’s world and mindset, showing us how he saw his life unfold. Moy sets the scene with his humble beginnings: growing up in Chinatown with his family, especially his beloved grandmother, who endured the horrors of the Japanese invasion of China, and later, his family’s move to Brooklyn at age 5.

As the years fly by, we find Moy bullied in school. As the saying goes, "Hurt people hurt people." Being hunted and victimized, Moy soon sought to do the same to others weaker than himself. As he entered his teens, he joined a gang for protection. With this, his confidence, demeanor, and even his clothing began to transform. He was one of the original "dialo" members, and thus, he didn't have a nickname like those who came after him. This was a good thing because people tend to remember nicknames when reporting perpetrators to the police. Without one, you blended in more easily. "Tall, Asian guy, spiky hair..." That was a dime a dozen in Chinatown back in the 1970s and 80s.

Moy was, however, more of an entrepreneur than the average person, thanks to his family's influence, particularly his father's. He owned a pool hall, a car shop, and even a baseball card shop. A turning point came when he read an article about Officer Stephen McDonald, who was shot by a 16-year-old and paralyzed. Officer McDonald forgave the shooter, citing "product of his environment," which profoundly affected Moy. While Moy was no saint, he owned up to his past mistakes and felt a strong desire to do right, secretly applying to the NYPD. This was especially true as he began to crave an escape from the gangster lifestyle. Sure, there was fast money, but seeing his friends and mentors shot, killed, imprisoned, deported, or worse, becoming informants and turning on the very gang they'd formed; he wanted out. Between that and the RICO Act, it was a clear wake-up call and the perfect exit strategy.

This was a fascinating listen, though Moy admittedly voids much emotion. He owns his past mistakes but confesses he always maintained a cool demeanor because he suppressed his feelings. This emotional detachment extended to his love story with Irene. At times, I felt it was simply a recount of his life, and I would have enjoyed it more with greater emotional insight. Still, it's a compelling read, especially for those intrigued by the underbelly of Chinese gangster life.

I enjoyed the recounts of his life and the narrator did a good job. I listened to the audio at the speed of 1.5x.

I really enjoyed this honest memoir because he didn't gloss over his crimes. The one thing I'd say was he didn't emphasize enough of his emotional turmoil. He spent way more time describing his crimes, than mentioning any guilt or turmoil he felt after committing them. Culturally, he admits they're not good about expressing feelings, so I guess that might have played into it. But essentially, I felt like he gave us all these crimes he got away with and never felt remorse--just relief for not getting caught. He mentions the cop that was his hero, but it was stated more as fact. Because he never discussed any internal battles between right and wrong, it appears to the reader that the day he accepted the NYPD academy, he just quit this life of criminality cold-turkey. Honestly, with how little remorse was expressed, it left me doubting how he could be a cop that wasn't corrupt. However, I do believe he truly wasn't a corrupt cop. I just think it would have been more helpful to have shared the feelings of guilt or remorse after committing a crime, while thinking in the back of his mind he'd accept an invitation if one came. He just didn't sell me on the fact that he wanted to be a cop more than a criminal. Thus, it was difficult to believe he just gave up his life a criminality the day he was accepted. Nevertheless, I liked the book and did recommend it.