Description
The Con Man's Formula: Hope + Fear = Desperation
From the Gilded Age, through WWII, America was rife with ne'er-do-wells with their never-ending search for the next Big Score. Between 1850, and 1950 lawlessness melded with ingenuity, fueled by optimism and ruthlessness: America was dangerous, and buzzing, and where opportunity came to take flight. At anyone's expense.
The gall and gumption of these hustles strain credulity. Fake diamond fields? War with Canada? Sir Francis Drake's unclaimed fortune? All was fair in the quest for something-for-nothing.
The scammers in this volume range from Soapy Smith, the King of the Frontier Con Men, to the eponymous Ponzi; from the undeniably unscrupulous, to the ill and ill-advised. Fans of clever schemes and schadenfreude alike will be entertained by these tales of the rise and fall of some of America's greatest hucksters.
About the Author
Railey Jane Savage is an editor and artist. She has an expensive English degree from Smith College, which has proven 100% worth the time, money, and agony that comes with a liberal arts degree. Savage loves her family and lives happily with two ill-behaved cats in Ithaca, New York.
Book Information
ISBN 9781493053681
Author Railey Jane Savage
Format Paperback
Page Count 258
Imprint The Lyons Press
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 372g
Dimensions(mm) 230mm * 155mm * 16mm
