The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man by David W. MaurerMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
David Maurer's The Big Con is a bona fide masterpiece of pre-WWII American criminal culture. A fascinating insider survey of the confidence game, its discreet folkways and inimitable characters, as written by a streetwise linguist with deep access and an appreciably wry wit. Originally published in 1940, it should be essential reading to anyone with a sincere interest in historical lowlifes or the grift. This is right up there with You Can't Win, Education of a Felon, David Simon's Homicide, or anything by Joseph Mitchell, or even Luc Sante. And now, I need to go re-watch The Sting.
4 comments:
If you haven't done so already, you may want to check out Melville's classic final novel "Confidence-Man" for a deeply cynical (and thereby deeply amusing) treatment of the subject.
thanks for all of the reading suggestions... even farther back than Melville, I recommend the Decameron of Boccaccio, from 1300's Italy. It is a veritable catalog (told in a sequence of short tales) of the 100 oldest, sneakiest, most effective and most widespread cons, capers, scams, schemes, etc. Highly recommended. In fact, you won't find one trick that he missed, and its an absolute classic for a reason. The book had to have some merit and utility for every last copy not to have been burned or forgotten sometime during the past 700+ years...
I'm glad you like such good music and David Mauer. Love that book. AK Press recently reprinted Yellow Kid Weil's autobiography, which is great. Also loved Henry Tuft's Autobiography of a Criminal, which is revolutionary war era.
huge thanks everybody for your expert recommendations. that melville's been on my shelf for quite a while now. its time is nigh. and same with the rest, just as soon as i manage to round them up!
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