Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, And A Small History Of The Big Con (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
Wow, this book reads like a dime store novel. It features a wronged Texas rancher in hot pursuit of a gang of “confidence men” swindlers. It’s rapt with unbelievable turns of events, amateur Capote gangsters and gunslinger sheriffs even molls straight out of the Cotton Club.And, what makes it so fascinating is that it’s a true story.Frank Norfleet’s tale is somewhat fantastical and Amy Reading acknowledges as much and in a tongue in cheek manner, dares you to challenge the facts, despite how implausible some of them can be.She holds your attention with Norfleet’s dogged pursuit of the swindlers. But, she bogs you down in the minutia that is the “confidence game”. I found the back story of such hucksters as P.T. Barnum curiously amusing, but somewhat distracting.It’s a fun read.TD A digressive account of J. Frank Norfleet who was swindled in 1919 and then turned around to pursue the con men responsible for his losses. I felt a little editing would have made this book more streamlined and a better read. I did not like the author's own commentary about what may have occurred in Norfleet's life and how she kept inserting US economic theories. Personally, I found some of the tangents (especially the pages about Council Bluffs!) were more interesting than the original story line.
What do You think about Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, A Cunning Revenge, And A Small History Of The Big Con (2013)?
very interesting book and who would know that norfleet would end up being such a sleuth
—Alex
It was a decent book marking the life of a man who was after con men. A good read.
—melodyluv123
