Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Gentleman and a Thief:
So smooth you’d thank him for stealing.
Quick synopsis:
The story of Jazz Age jewel thief, Arthur Barry.
Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:
Barry stole over $60 million dollars (in today’s dollars) worth of jewels during the Roaring Twenties.
Fun Fact for History Nerds:
The slang term for burglar used to be “second-story man” because they usually broke in by climbing to the second floor to an unlocked window.
My Take on A Gentleman and a Thief:
I’m not saying I want to be a criminal. All I am saying is that there are a few brief fleeting moments in Dean Jobb’s A Gentleman and a Thief where I entertained the idea of becoming a jewel thief. Of course I wouldn’t hurt anyone. Well, maybe their pocketbooks, but like our boy Arthur Barry, I’d only steal from the rich and then go on epic gambling runs.
Jobb tells the full story of Barry as he grows up, fights honorably in World War I, and then decides to go from juvenile delinquent to criminal mastermind. Like any great historical true crime, Jobb makes sure to educate the reader of the times in which Barry lived. I have always appreciated Jobb’s ability to make time periods come alive as much as the characters he is writing about. It’s one thing to be a thief. It’s another thing to be a thief during the time of The Great Gatsby. Maybe you might daydream a little bit like me. That is, until you inevitably get to the point where Barry himself realizes crime doesn’t pay.
Sometimes, it looks like a lot of fun though.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Algonquin Books.)
Verdict:
Fantastic. Buy it here!
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