A gentleman and a thief : the daring jewel heists of a jazz age rogue / Dean Jobb.
"Catch Me If You Can meets The Great Gatsby meets the hit Netflix series Lupin in this captivating true-crime caper. A skilled con artist and perhaps one of the most charming, audacious burglars in history, Arthur Barry slipped in and out of the bedrooms of New York's wealthiest residents, even as his victims slept only inches away. He befriended luminaries such as the Prince of Wales and Harry Houdini and became a folk hero, touted in the press as "the greatest jewel thief who ever lived" and an "Aristocrat of crime." In a span of seven years, Barry stole diamonds, pearls, and other gems worth almost {dollars}60 million today. Among his victims were a Rockefeller, an heiress to the Woolworth department store fortune, an oil magnate, Wall Street bigwigs, a top executive of automotive giant General Motors, and a famous polo player. Dean Jobb--hailed by Esquire magazine as "a master of narrative nonfiction"--once again delivers a stylishly told high-speed ride. A Gentleman and a Thief is also a love story. Barry confessed to dozens of burglaries to protect his wife, Anna Blake (and was the prime suspect in scores of others). Sentenced to a twenty-five-year term, he staged a dramatic prison break when Anna became seriously ill so they could be together for a few more years as fugitives. With dozens of historic images, A Gentleman and a Thief is page-turning, escapist, and sparkling with insight into our fascination with jewel heists and the suave, clever criminals who pull them off."-- Dust jack front flap.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781643752839
- ISBN: 1643752839
- Physical Description: 432 pages : illustrations, map, portraits, photographs ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition
- Publisher: Chapel Hill, North Carolina : Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2024.
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 338-422) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- A note to readers -- Prologue: prince charming -- I: "A grand life". The courier ; A "big-timer" ; First-aid man ; The long watch -- II: the ladder burglar. Second-story man ; A simple assault ; All that glitters ; Clients ; American raffles -- III: gentleman thief. Cosden and Mountbatten ; The Plaza pearls -- The great retriever ; Nightlife plunger ; Anna Blake -- IV: prince of thieves. A scholarly cop ; The phantom ; "Well-mannered bandits" ; The Rockefeller gems ; "That slender riotous island" ; The masterpiece -- V: the reckoning. The trap ; Owning up ; Only high-class work ; Up the river ; Sing sing -- VI: the fugitive. Breakout ; Refuge ; Mr. and Mrs. Toner ; The eaglet -- VII: a most dangerous criminal. Lindbergh suspect ; Celebrity crook ; A fair trial ; "My life of love and fear" -- VIII: redemption. Hard time ; "No dice" ; "Easy come, easy go" ; An honest man -- Epilogue: Uncle Artie -- Acknowledgments -- Arthur Barry's major heists.
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Available copies
- 20 of 21 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at Madison County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 0 current holds with 21 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Main Library | 364.16 JOB (Text) | 30229101347879 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Albert Carlton - Cashiers Community Library | 364.16 J (Text) | 39493110118694 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| C.B. Hildebrand Public Library | B BARRY (Text) | 33557004657953 | Adult Nonfiction | Repair | - |
| Cleveland County Main Library | 364.162 JOB (Text) | 22281500158937 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| G.V. Barbee, Sr. Library | 364.162 JOB (Text) | 31420621481665 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| George H. & Laura E. Brown Library | B Bar (Text) | 30308101352244 | Adult Biography | Available | - |
| Goldsboro Library | B BARRY (Text) | 900005000256351 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Haywood County Main Library | 364.162 Jobb (Text) | 33115007696360 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Henderson Main Branch | 364.1628 J (Text) | 33258010409887 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| High Point Library | 364.1628 Jobb (Text) | 30519010933276 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
