The Big Con by David W. Maurer 1940 1st Edition VERY RARE

The Big Con by David W. Good condition -- see all photos and video. This is not one of the many reprints issued later.

This is the actual 1. This has been deemed a culturally and historically important book. The photos you see here are photos of the actual book that you will receive. Many book sellers online post using stock photos that often don't resemble the book you actually receive. This classic work of urban anthropology 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 Academy Award-winning film The Sting (1973). The definitive non-fiction book on various cons of the day, renowned as the source for the cons in the 1973 George Roy Hill film, The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, the story for which was based on an original screenplay.