Sonny Boy
A Memoir
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Sonny Boy
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Narrated by:
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Al Pacino
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By:
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Al Pacino
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
From one of the most iconic actors in the history of film, an astonishingly revelatory account of a creative life in full
To the wider world, Al Pacino exploded onto the scene like a supernova. He landed his first leading role, in The Panic in Needle Park, in 1971, and by 1975, he had starred in four movies—The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon—that were not just successes but landmarks in the history of film. Those performances became legendary and changed his life forever. Not since Marlon Brando and James Dean in the late 1950s had an actor landed in the culture with such force.
But Pacino was in his midthirties by then, and had already lived several lives. A fixture of avant-garde theater in New York, he had led a bohemian existence, working odd jobs to support his craft. He was raised by a fiercely loving but mentally unwell mother and her parents after his father left them when he was young, but in a real sense he was raised by the streets of the South Bronx, and by the troop of buccaneering young friends he ran with, whose spirits never left him. After a teacher recognized his acting promise and pushed him toward New York’s fabled High School of Performing Arts, the die was cast. In good times and bad, in poverty and in wealth and in poverty again, through pain and joy, acting was his lifeline, its community his tribe.
Sonny Boy is the memoir of a man who has nothing left to fear and nothing left to hide. All the great roles, the essential collaborations, and the important relationships are given their full due, as is the vexed marriage between creativity and commerce at the highest levels. The book’s golden thread, however, is the spirit of love and purpose. Love can fail you, and you can be defeated in your ambitions—the same lights that shine bright can also dim. But Al Pacino was lucky enough to fall deeply in love with a craft before he had the foggiest idea of any of its earthly rewards, and he never fell out of love. That has made all the difference.
‘A 5 ft 7in Hollywood giant … Al Pacino’s eccentric memoir really preserves his Bronx-reared turn of phrase’ The Times
'Surprising, introspective … His youth was grim, his money troubles serious, his fame unlikely. Al Pacino’s friends all died in poverty. How did he survive?’ Telegraph
‘This book is a beautiful trip … (from) one of the world’s greatest, most influential actors for more than 50 years. He’s audacious. He’s outrageous. He’s Al Pacino’ The New York Times
Editorial Review
What listeners say about Sonny Boy
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jade
- 26-11-2024
Straight from the heart
Beautifully raw and honest. I’m glad you wrote this Al.
Your words, your work, your life. Thank you. I loved it !!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Derek Ironside-Hughes
- 18-10-2024
What a Life
I loved this book, Al Pacino one the great actors of all time brings his life to the pages of this wonderful book, what a life. I will never forget his performances in Godfather 1 & 2, My favorite scene is when he is walking in Sicily and he sees the beautiful Italian girl he gets hit by her beauty, hit by a thunderbolt, his bodyguard says to him. He had so many great parts, he his old now and he mentions growing old and it's almost like he is saying goodbye. He mentions his Mum often which is very moving, he loved his Mum so much.This book actually touched my heart and moved me to tears. The last 2 chapters are very moving, I highly recommend this outstanding autobiography.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 08-11-2024
Al Pacino
Thank you dear Al! For your work and also opening your heart so much and sharing with us!
It was magical!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- busby
- 17-11-2024
Hoo-ahhhh!!!
A great memoir from one of the three greatest living screen actors (together with Daniel Day Lewis and Robert Downey, Jnr.) Pacino is unfailingly generous as an actor and author and this is a beautiful testament to a great life and an immortal talent. Bravo!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-12-2024
His voice makes everything.
Just amazing. What a life ! I absolutely loved it! He’s one of my heroes. A true legend !!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-11-2024
Listening to Mr Pacino
Remember recite recall great honest insight to a screen and theatre legend
Could have been 6 stars especially the last monologue
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ELIZABETH
- 21-11-2024
A Delight
It's like listening to Coleridge's ancient mariner. This guy in a bar is recounting his life story to you. You want to get away at first but he glues you to your seat. How does he do it? You forget he is reading from a book. It sounds as if he is just making it up as he goes along. He obviously hasn't been told that real authors use the present tense! Talking about the past in the past tense? Who would have thought it? He doesn't even start in the middle of his life and wander backwards and forwards but talks about it chronologically. This should be deadly boring but he holds you rapt for twelve hours. He gets a little sentimental and reflective in the end but give the guy a break. He's in his eighties. Bless you, Sonny.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anton Garcia
- 15-11-2024
Really good to hear about his life
Loved it , very interesting to hear from the actor himself, the personal story of his life
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