How to Cheat at Everything: A Con Man Reveals the Secrets of the Esoteric Trade of Cheating, Scams, and Hustles
From magician and reformed con-man Lovell comes this seemingly comprehensive guide to cheating with props, cards, numbers, coins, telephones, sleight of hand, dice, and more. The book is written with an impish grin (hey, we all know you wouldn't do this stuff, but here's how to do it, just hypothetically) and features dozens of hustles that anyone can perform, with a little practice. Most depend on a simple trick--when you bet that a tossed paper match will land on its edge, the trick is to bend the match in the middle first--but there are some that depend on elegance of execution, or on selling the mark a story (like "work at home" schemes or e-mails offering to enhance parts of the anatomy). For those who are willing to accept the larcenous premise, this is a thoroughly fascinating and even charming book, chock-full of fun and adventure.David PittCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved