About the Book
The Last Counterfeiter
The Story of Fake Money, Real Art, and Forging the Impossible $100 Bill
The true story of master counterfeiter Arthur J. Williams Jr, a brilliant, disadvantaged kid from Chicago's South Side who embarked on a "holy grail" quest to create a perfect replica of the most secure US bill ever made. The all-consuming effort would establish him as one of the greatest counterfeiters of our time and propel him into a life most of us only dream about. Far more than a story about crime, The Last Counterfeiter is also a compulsively readable exploration of family and the search for greater purpose.
About the Author
I got into writing when I was eleven when I read The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. At the end I was astonished that printed words had created an intense emotional and physical reaction in me—a genuine magic spell! I wanted to learn the secret, to help me connect with others and understand our world.
I won an award for short fiction in college, then set off on the journalism trail after I began working in magazines. Long form journalism suited me. I started specializing in true crime because nobody where I worked was doing it, and I came from a family that included both lawyers and convicts, so I was familiar with the criminal justice system (that's another story).
Along with my books, I've published stories of all kinds in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Men's Journal, GQ, and numerous other magazines. I love the research process, discovering places and people I never knew existed and bringing their stories to life. Much is hidden beneath what we see right in front of us.
I hope you enjoy my books!
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Photo by Indiana Kersten