SKU: 76293720149

The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man

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Description

The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence ManThe classic 1940 study of con men and con games that Luc Sante in Salon called "a bonanza of wild but credible stories, told concisely with deadpan humor, as sly and rich in atmosphere as anything this side of Mark Twain." "Of all the grifters, the confidence man is the aristocrat," wrote David Maurer, a proposition he definitely proved in The Big Con, one of the most colorful, well researched, and entertaining works of criminology ever written. A

The classic 1940 study of con men and con games that Luc Sante in Salon called "a bonanza of wild but credible stories, told concisely with deadpan humor, as sly and rich in atmosphere as anything this side of Mark Twain."

"Of all the grifters, the confidence man is the aristocrat," wrote David Maurer, a proposition he definitely proved in The Big Con, one of the most colorful, well-researched, and entertaining works of criminology ever written. A professor of linguistics who specialized in underworld argot, Maurer won the trust of hundreds of swindlers, who let him in on not simply their language but their folkways and the astonishingly complex and elaborate schemes whereby unsuspecting marks, hooked by their own greed and dishonesty, were "taken off" - i.e. cheated--of thousands upon thousands of dollars.

The Big Con is a treasure trove of American lingo (the write, the rag, the payoff, ropers, shills, the cold poke, the convincer, to put on the send) and indelible characters (Yellow Kid Weil, Barney the Patch, the Seldom Seen Kid, Limehouse Chappie, Larry the Lug). It served as the source for the Oscar-winning film The Sting.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Anchor Books
Published: 07/20/1999
ISBN: 9780385495387
Pages: 336
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.98h x 5.28w x 0.72d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 07/19/1999 pg. 176
New York Times 08/01/1999 pg. 20
Ingram Advance 08/01/1999 pg. 84
New York Times Book Review 09/30/2007 pg. 26
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SKU: 76293720149

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Elizabeth Henderson
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 4
Very narrow
Size: 10 Wide, Color: Cognac
Run narrow. For very narrow feet. Wide width fits like a regular width.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2026
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Mynx
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
Comfortable Shoes Right Out of the Box
Size: 9, Color: Black
I bought these shoes for my husband. He has a very hard time finding quality, comfortable shoes. These shoes are just as comfortable as his New Balance. He uses them as a dress shoe and wears them at least once a week. There was no break in period necessary. They were comfortable right out of the box! The only thing we didn't like was the white sole color. Once I knew he was going to keep them, I used a black sharpie marker to color the soles black. Instant amazing, comfortable dress shoes. They were well worth the cost. If you or your SO needs a comfortable pair of shoes, we highly recommend them.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2025
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Rmanuel
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 1
Paid for new, received used.
Size: 9.5 Wide, Color: Cognac, Size: 9.5 Wide, Color: Cognac
Arrived dirty as if someone whore it for more than a few days. Maybe I was mistaken, but I saw nothing about “previously used” on the Amazon page. Returned it. I would suggest that the company use quality control when it comes to shipping. The shoes seem find otherwise. I ordered 9.5 and it was just a bit tight. If I reorder I will go for size 10.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2026
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Fletch
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Overall Great.
Size: 10.5 Wide, Color: Black
Great product. Great value. Great style. Overall great.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2026
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B.J. G
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 3
Decent Shoes with Misleading Description (Not Leather)
Size: 12 Wide, Color: Black, Size: 12 Wide, Color: Black
I only look for leather when I’m purchasing dress shoes. Under the description “details” on this item it lists the shoe as leather upper and inner lining. A photo shows “genuine Napa leather lining”. If you keep reading (which I have now that I’ve received the shoes) it shows “faux leather” in the small print and that is not “leather”. I run a small leather business and this irks me because it’s clearly false advertising. The details also show the product is made in Brazil but when they arrived today, the shoe tag shows “Made in China” and “Man Made upper and lower”. I don’t hate the shoes. They look nice. What I know is they won’t hold up over time like leather, which is why the description should be accurate and not misleading.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2026

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