Introduction Summary and Analysis

Many readers may be familiar with the storyline of Wiseguy as told in the hit motion picture, GoodFellas (Scorsese, M. 1990). On May 22, 1980, Henry Hill enters the Federal Witness Protection Program along with his wife, Karen, and their two daughters, fifteen-year-old Judy and twelve-year-old Ruth. Hill's decision to cooperate with law enforcement is a coup for the police and a major blow to his long time mafia friends and partners. His two oldest friends, mob chief Paul Vario and James "Jimmy the Gent" Burke are planning to kill Henry to prevent him from talking to the police, plus Henry faces a myriad of state and federal charges, so his decision to cooperate with law enforcement is the only logical choice.

Organized-crime writer Nicholas Pileggi is approached by Henry's attorney to write Henry's story. Pileggi is "bored with the egomaniacal ravings of illiterate...