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. Another book thats definitely not homework is sutton, by j. Blending vast research with vivid imagination, pulitzer prizewinner j. Moehringer, we have planned a trip to brooklyn to visit some of willie suttons haunts and hangouts. Moehringers writing that makes you feel you arent stepping into a book so much as. Moehringer does for bank robber willie sutton in this fascinating biographical novel of americas most successful bank robber newsday. 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. Moehringer also depicts willie as a hopeless romantic who falls deeply in love with. The key is matching the right type of event to the right book. Nov 04, 2012 moehringer inventories suttons obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts. Sutton gives them a greatesthits tour of his past, while readers get more substantive.
Sutton saw only one way out and only one way to win the girl of his dreams. Jul 23, 20 pulitzer prize winning journalist and author j. A better title for this novel might have been, had. In all suttons crimes and confinements, his first love and first accomplice was never far from. 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. Harpercollins uk one of the most notorious criminals in american history is brought blazing back to life by a master storyteller. Moehringers biographical novel sutton hyperion, a harrowing, haunting tale of the late criminals life. 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. Join us as we explore aspects of willies life in brooklyn and. Of course, this was later questioned, but it has remained part of the sutton lore. In moehringers retelling, it was more than need or rage at society that drove sutton. Moehringer has nothing but contempt for banks, a sentiment he shares with willie sutton.
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. Mike ohara told me to read this book, and when mike tells me to do something, i just do it. Sutton gives them a greatesthits tour of his past, while readers get more substantive flashbacks. 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. Blending vast research with vivid imagination, pulitzer prize winner j. When willie sutton walked from attica prison on christmas, 1969, the irish. Willie sutton, one of the most famous bank robbers of his time, was almost forgotten until j. When willie sutton walked from attica prison on christmas, 1969, the irish, brooklynborn bank robber reemerged as a. An evening with author jr moehringer brown paper tickets.
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 s retelling, it was more than need or rage 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. Amazons sara nelson shares her favorite fall books. Sutton books sutton books has been offering used, rare and outofprint academic books for 12 years, dealing exclusively ov sutton books norwich united states bookstore specializing in anthropology, history, literary criticism, music, political science, religious studies, sociology, theology. In this historical fiction novel, moehringer tries to explain why willie robbed all those banks. Moehringer, a book that much of nelsons team fell in love with, based on the life of americas most successful bank. 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. Moehringer born december 7, 1964 is an american novelist and journalist. Willie the actor sutton has just been given his pardon by new york governor nelson rockefeller. Find 1 listings related to sutton tours schedule in youngstown on. In all sutton s crimes and confinements, his first love and first accomplice was never far from. Willie sutton was born in the squalid irish slums of brooklyn.
Moehringer is currently on a reading tour that will take him this week to oxford, miss. Slowly, surely, one will lead you to another, which will lead you to the best. Moehringer brings willie sutton blazing back to life. See more ideas about rolling stones, charlie watts and rock and roll. Moehringer on the art of the steal interview magazine. Moehringer is currently on a reading tour that will take him this week to. Moehringer hyperion a novel 2012 the story begins on christmas eve 1969. 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. Moehringer, author of sutton americas 1920s, bankrobbing robin hood in his first novel, j. In moehringer s retelling, it was more than need or rage at society that drove sutton. He graduated from saguaro high school in scottsdale in 1982. In a brief authors note moehringer relates that after spending half his life in prison, sutton was released from attica on christmas eve 1969. Moehringer historical fiction released september, 2012 386 pages bottom line.
A novel retells the true story of the bank robber willie suttons final release from prison. During three decades sutton became so good at breaking into banks, the fbi put him on its firstever most wanted list. Moehringer inventories suttons obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts. Moehringer, combines willies life story with fictional events cleverly told in flashbacks, as willie cruises new york city with a news reporter and photographer.
Moehringer sat down with us in frankfut to discuss his new book about famed bankrobber willie sutton. Born in 1901 in the irish slums of brooklyn, sutton grew up in an age when banks were out of control. A nonfiction novel that takes us far beyond willie suttons clever oneliners about banks and deeply into his life. Sep 19, 2014 the key is matching the right type of event to the right book. 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. In 2000 he won the pulitzer prize for newspaper feature writing.
This is a book that sucks you into the story almost right from the start. Moehringer from the floor of book expo america 2012, new york. Willie sutton was born in the squalid irish slums of brooklyn, in the fir. Published september 25th 2012 by hachette books first published 2012. Ive known the former lions beatman for three decades, and he is. A biographical novel of the notorious bank robber willie sutton. 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. 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. 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. Moehringers retelling, it was more than need or rage that drove sutton. Moehringer is a work of fiction but the protagonist, willie sutton actually existed.
News on a tour of his old new york city haunts meetings, heists, amorous. 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. Moehringer was born in new york city and was raised by a single mother in manhasset, new york and, later, in scottsdale, arizona. Sep 26, 2012 willie sutton, one of the most famous bank robbers of his time, was almost forgotten until j. Suttons aversion to banks, as moehringer interprets it, is rooted in thwarted romance and showmanship. Moehringer has gifted us with a fine, fine, fine piece of storytelling. 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, is a speculative biography of the bank robber willie sutton. Moehringer inventories sutton s obsessive, if mainly doomed, breakouts. 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. In my mind, it deserves to win a big literary prize, be it a pulitzer, national book award, booker, or whatever. 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. A 5aside team at goals sutton, playing every sunday evening. Sep 04, 2012 another book thats definitely not homework is sutton, by j.
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