{"product_id":"9781781598887","title":"Crafty Crooks and Conmen","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom Clifford Irving and his Howard Hughes hoax to the great imposter Frank “Catch Me if You Can” Abagnale—a fascinating history of the art of the con.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e They’re shrewd, cunning, devious—and charmingly trustworthy. While the criminal exploits of these tricksters, frauds, and swindlers can’t be condoned, it’s near-impossible not to be awed by their audacity and ingenuity.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Take Victor Lustig, the “Bouncing Czech” who sold the Eiffel Tower—twice; John Stonehouse, a philandering politician who faked his own death to escape his sins; the impotence cure of the bizarre Dr. John Brinkley who transplanted goat testicles on gullible men; embarrassingly successful Goldman Sachs embezzler Joyti De-Laurey; or Robert Hendy-Freegard, a car salesman and serial seducer who convinced scores of women he was an MI5 agent. Here, too, are the exploits of a “friend of the stars” who infiltrated a royal castle; a fake Scots “laird” who operated from the heart of Scotland Yard; evangelists who fell from grace; and other pilferers, parasites, artful dodgers, charming bastards, femme fatales, big fat liars, and grand masters of dishonorable mention.","brand":"Pen and Sword","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47139986964720,"sku":"9781781598887","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781781598887_p0.jpg?v=1769891614","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781781598887","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}