The Mark Inside
A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, and A Small History of the Big Con
Book - 2012
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Add a SummaryMarch 24, 2012
Americans have always been fascinated by con men. Why else would we have so many movies about legendary swindlers? Most real-life cons are probably less entertaining than the ones on the silver screen, but in her new book, Amy Reading unearths a historical swindle that rivals anything ever imagined by Hollywood.
She tells the story of a Texas rancher named J. Frank Norfleet who lost his fortune in a con, then spent the next four years crossing the country, donning disguises and posing as a fool and a dupe — in the hope of meeting and avenging himself upon the men who stole his fortune.
The link below takes you to NPR Weekend Edition's Scott Simon where he talked to Reading about her book, The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con.
http://www.npr.org/2012/03/24/149148112/the-big-con-if-you-cant-avoid-it-avenge-it
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Add a CommentThis was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Great fun for history lovers as well as those who just love a good yarn. There's a lot of terrific American history wrapped up in the history of the confidence game and the swindle.
Who knew Denver started out as a swindlers' paradise?!