THE DIRECTORY OF INFAMY The Best of the Worst

Hardback. An illustrated compendium of over 600 of the all-time great crooks. Ever since Eve developed a taste for apples things have not always gone smoothly for the forces of good and in this criminals' catalogue the author offers a comprehensive guide to antisocial humanity. In over 500 entries he has creamed the best of the worst: murderers, naturally, for theirs remains the ultimate negative act; thieves, imposters, confidence tricksters, pirates, highwaymen and women, bushrangers, bandits, assassins, forgers, swindlers, outlaws of every type and, of course, the powerful echelons of 'organised' crime. Drawn from across the globe those of time passed mingle with the great crooks of more recent vintage. The 'heavies' are here - Lizzie Borden who, with an axe, 'gave her father forty wacks' (the author discovers it to be merely 10), Henri Landru, Charles Manson, mafioso galore, Cesare Borgia and Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen - but also brave swaggerers such as the 24yr old highwayman Isaac Atkinson whose last words on the gallows are the trade mark of all his calling: 'Gentlemen, there's nothing like a merry life and a short one.' Jereboam Beauchamp of Kentucky, murderer, hanged to the strains of 'Bonaparte's Retreat from Moscow'. Major Henry Rowse Armstrong who, on passing an arsenic-filled scone to a victim endearingly remarked ''scuse fingers', the charming Victor Lustig who sold the Eiffel Tower - twice, and fascinating reptiles such as Pere Gourier who made his victims eat themselves to death (only to expire himself whilst trying to out-eat the state executioner of France). Profusely Illus., Bibliog. and Index. 288pp. 4to. h/back. With tiny label to fpd o/w F. in Nr. F. protected dw. A fairly heavy book which may require additional postage if shipped overseas.