Sutton saw only one way out and only one way to win the girl of his dreams. Moehringer brings willie sutton blazing back to life. Mike ohara told me to read this book, and when mike tells me to do something, i just do it. Amazons sara nelson shares her favorite fall books.
A nonfiction novel that takes us far beyond willie suttons clever oneliners about banks and deeply into his life. Moehringer weaves his tale around sutton, newly released from prison, traveling around new york city on christmas day 1969 with a captive audience pun intended of 2 newspaper men. Moehringer s retelling, it was more than need or rage that drove sutton. See more ideas about rolling stones, charlie watts and rock and roll. Moehringer is currently on a reading tour that will take him this week to. If you do not have a full version of adobe acrobat, you can download the adobe reader for free, to view and print the pdfs. Moehringer has said in interviews that he was motivated to write sutton after the 20082009 crash brought on by the housing bubble and reckless decisions by bankers. Oct 10, 20 after reading this delightful, insightful, sad, funny, and at times disturbing book i now understand sutton was much more that just a bank robber.
In moehringer s retelling, it was more than need or rage at society that drove sutton. After reading this delightful, insightful, sad, funny, and at times disturbing book i now understand sutton was much more that just a bank robber. Another book thats definitely not homework is sutton, by j. In all sutton s crimes and confinements, his first love and first accomplice was never far from. The key is matching the right type of event to the right book. Moehringer has gifted us with a fine, fine, fine piece of storytelling. Sutton gives them a greatesthits tour of his past, while readers get more substantive flashbacks. Moehringer inventories suttons obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts. When willie sutton walked from attica prison on christmas, 1969, the irish, brooklynborn bank robber reemerged as a. News on a tour of his old new york city haunts meetings, heists, amorous. Of course, this was later questioned, but it has remained part of the sutton lore. Moehringer was born in new york city and was raised by a single mother in manhasset, new york and, later, in scottsdale, arizona. Published september 25th 2012 by hachette books first published 2012.
Moehringer hyperion a novel 2012 the story begins on christmas eve 1969. A better title for this novel might have been, had. Jul 23, 20 pulitzer prize winning journalist and author j. In all suttons crimes and confinements, his first love and first accomplice was never far from. In this historical fiction novel, moehringer tries to explain why willie robbed all those banks. A biographical novel of the notorious bank robber willie sutton. Blending vast research with vivid imagination, pulitzer prizewinner j. Born in 1901 in the irish slums of brooklyn, sutton grew up in an age when banks were out of control with greeda time when economic. Moehringer tells suttons story in flashbacks, beginning on christmas eve, 1969, as a gubernatorial pardon by the banker nelson rockefeller releases sutton from attica, where he was serving. I read the blurb on the back and knew i had to buy it, in spite of the fact that is was an oprah book vomit.
During three decades sutton became so good at breaking into banks, the fbi put him on its firstever most wanted list. Moehringer does for bank robber willie sutton in this fascinating biographical novel of americas most successful bank robber newsday. Sep 19, 2014 the key is matching the right type of event to the right book. Willie sutton was born in the squalid irish slums of brooklyn, in the fir.
Willie sutton was born in the squalid irish slums of brooklyn. Harpercollins uk one of the most notorious criminals in american history is brought blazing back to life by a master storyteller. Moehringer historical fiction released september, 2012 386 pages bottom line. Moehringer born december 7, 1964 is an american novelist and journalist.
Moehringer from the floor of book expo america 2012, new york. When willie sutton walked from attica prison on christmas, 1969, the irish. Moehringer, we have planned a trip to brooklyn to visit some of willie suttons haunts and hangouts. Moehringer, a book that much of nelsons team fell in love with, based on the life of americas most successful bank. Moehringer is currently on a reading tour that will take him this week to oxford, miss. In 2000 he won the pulitzer prize for newspaper feature writing. Suttons aversion to banks, as moehringer interprets it, is rooted in thwarted romance and showmanship. Moehringers biographical novel sutton hyperion, a harrowing, haunting tale of the late criminals life. Nov 07, 2012 moehringer has said in interviews that he was motivated to write sutton after the 20082009 crash brought on by the housing bubble and reckless decisions by bankers.
Slowly, surely, one will lead you to another, which will lead you to the best. Join us as we explore aspects of willies life in brooklyn and. Sutton gives them a greatesthits tour of his past, while readers get more substantive. Nov 04, 2012 moehringer inventories suttons obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts.
Moehringer inventories sutton s obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts. And when sutton finally walked free, he immediately set out to find her. In moehringers retelling, it was more than need or rage at society that drove sutton. Willie sutton, one of the most famous bank robbers of his time, was almost forgotten until j. Moehringers vision or wish for him as he states in the forward of the life and times of willie sutton as we follow him on the nickel tour of his life. Moehringer writes from the point of view of willie sutton, whom he calls the. Ive known the former lions beatman for three decades, and he is. Sep 04, 2012 another book thats definitely not homework is sutton, by j. A fictionalized account of willie sutton, one of the most notorious criminals in american history, traces his life, his doomed romance with his first love, and his surprise pardon on christmas eve in 1969.
Born in 1901 in the irish slums of brooklyn, sutton grew up in an age when banks were out of control. In my mind, it deserves to win a big literary prize, be it a pulitzer, national book award, booker, or whatever. During a lifelong criminal career, sutton stole more than two million dollars and cashed in on the urban legend that he robbed banks because, thats where. Sadly, sutton and the reporter and the photographer are all gone, so what happened among them that christmas, and what happened to sutton during the preceding sixtyeight years, is anyones guess. A novel retells the true story of the bank robber willie suttons final release from prison. A 5aside team at goals sutton, playing every sunday evening. Willie sutton, the notorious depressionera bank robber who was on the fbis first ever most wanted list, is released from prison on christmas eve and takes a newspaper reporter and photographer on a trip down. Moehringer is a work of fiction but the protagonist, willie sutton actually existed. Moehringer also depicts willie as a hopeless romantic who falls deeply in love with. Moehringer, author of sutton americas 1920s, bankrobbing robin hood in his first novel, j. Moehringer, is a speculative biography of the bank robber willie sutton.
Moehringers writing that makes you feel you arent stepping into a book so much as. Moehringers retelling, it was more than need or rage that drove sutton. Willie the actor sutton has just been given his pardon by new york governor nelson rockefeller. In a brief authors note moehringer relates that after spending half his life in prison, sutton was released from attica on christmas eve 1969. This fictionalized account of the life of the once famous willie sutton, the babe ruth of bank robbers, is vivid and poignant, comic, fastpaced and factstudded, and a story of doomed love.
Sep 25, 2012 after reading this delightful, insightful, sad, funny, and at times disturbing book i now understand sutton was much more that just a bank robber. An evening with author jr moehringer brown paper tickets. Moehringer, combines willies life story with fictional events cleverly told in flashbacks, as willie cruises new york city with a news reporter and photographer. Find 1 listings related to sutton tours schedule in youngstown on. Moehringer has nothing but contempt for banks, a sentiment he shares with willie sutton. Click on directions on the above map, to plan a route from your chosen starting point to sutton hoo. Blending vast research with vivid imagination, pulitzer prize winner j. Readers will be riveted by this colorful portrayal of a life in crime spurred by a hatred for banks, but moehringer, in his first novel, isnt content to. But the public rooted for the criminal who never fired a shot, and when sutton was finally caught for good, crowds at the jail chanted his name. Sutton book pima county public library bibliocommons.
Willie sutton, the notorious depressionera bank robber who was on the fbis first ever most wanted list, is released from prison on christmas eve and takes a newspaper reporter and photographer on a trip down memory lane. Sep 26, 2012 willie sutton, one of the most famous bank robbers of his time, was almost forgotten until j. He graduated from saguaro high school in scottsdale in 1982. Moehringer on the art of the steal interview magazine.
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