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
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Editorial Review
What listeners say about Sonny Boy
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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
- Drew Morrice
- 06-12-24
Al Pacino legend
Al's honesty and world wise aged voice had me hooked straight away,loved his New York Times
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- tilly
- 13-12-24
What a wonderful, witty, funny kind man Al Pacino is
Al Pacino, I hope you read this review, I loved your book, your voice, you're stories, your thoughts feelings, and your deep happy chuckles. I loved that you narrated Sonny Boy yourself, what an experience to listen to you. You are a joy, thank you!
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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
- Jodie
- 07-01-25
Great listen
I could listen to ‘sonny’ talk allll day.. such an interesting life.. highly recommend to anyone
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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
- bkilma
- 31-12-24
So Enjoyable!
I really enjoyed the honest, thoughtful and poignant story of Al Pacino’s life - I wasn’t a fan starting but am leaving as one.
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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
- Tom Gurden
- 05-02-25
Amazing. Funny, insightful, personal, poignant.
Wow, what a book. Definitely my favourite ever memoir and absolutely my favourite ever audiobook.
Al’s performance in this book is so natural. It’s like he’s reading and having a conversation directly with you.
When he first started reading I thought he was a little awkward, a few odd pauses here and there. This soon either becomes smoother or just so natural in his delivery that it seems a normal part of the way he talks.
Highly recommend to anyone who is a fan or anyone who loves movies or just simply wants to hear from one of the all time great actors.
Thank you Al Pacino. Now, I’m going to go home and watch a few of my favourite Pacino films, and revisit some others, starting with (what else) The Godfather!
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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
- 13-03-25
Sonny Boy was sat with me
What a fantastic insight into a man who will live forever in cinema. It was so interesting and refreshing to hear his side of the story and there's absolutely no pity etc. Having it read by Al Pacino too... it was like having him sat in the car with me. Fantastic book by an all time great. Love you Al.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Terry
- 30-01-25
First class
Great listening from Sonny, enjoyed this immensely. Would love to have a long chat with him.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rachael May Hunter
- 02-04-25
Not a natural writer, but he still does a good job. Very much enjoyed!
Slightly arrogant at times, which you would expect. Story jumps around quite a bit, and he seems to miss things out.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-10-24
The authenticity and voice of the narrator.
Authentic and engaging narrative. Love that Al Pacino himself is the narrator. He describes his childhood and youth so vividly that it feels as if you are a spectator standing on the corner.
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3 people 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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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dane
- 30-11-24
From the Bronx to Hollywood
It was a real pleasure to hear Al Pacino's life story. From the heartbreak of losing his mother and childhood friends to drugs at a young age, to working odd jobs to scrape a living and then to becoming one of the most famous and renowned actors in the world is truly inspiring. The ending to the audiobook had me in tears. God bless you Mr Pacino.
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