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Sutton. By J.R. Moehringer (2012)

by J.R. Moehringer(Favorite Author)

3.8 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0007489900 (ISBN13: 9780007489909)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Blue Door

review 1: Willy Sutton was a world-class bank robber in the 30s which was a time when a bank robber could be a cult hero. But rather than write a biography, Moehringer offers historical fiction which seems right given that Sutton simply didn’t tell enough truth during his life to do otherwise. Apparently even his autobiographies are rife with inaccuracies and mistellings. But this is part of what makes him such a compelling character. The book moves back and forth between the days of his criminal exploits in the 30s and the day in 1969 on which he was released from prison. I loved that the book is set in these two times that were fantastic for counterculture and rebellion – themes that resonate today, but that aren’t set right now. The structure is fun as it is told by Sutton ... morerecounting the events leading to his arrest to the reporter who got an exclusive scoop on his release. For a fictional memoir of a bank robber it has an oddly nostalgic tone and Moehringer does a great job mixing good guys and bad guys trying to do good. It is clear that Sutton made mistakes, but throughout he is earnest and it is easy to understand how he got to be the man he was on the night he was released from prison in 1969. Part love story, part adventure, part true crime all wrapped around a thoroughly charming man. The tension between what everyone thinks they know about him and what he chooses to reveal to the reader builds dramatically toward what seems like an inevitable end. But then Moehringer makes one small shift right at the end that made me rethink everything. This book was clever and human and super readable.
review 2: I was first drawn to this novel by it's lovely, romantic cover. I was then pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed the story much more then I had expected to. A fictionalized story about the notorious bank robber, Willie Sutton set in New York in the 1920's to the 1950's, captures the history and difficulties of this time period. It was intriguing, suspenseful, heartbreaking, at times funny and this talented author skilfully left us with the feeling that Willie was delusional about many things in his life, not least of all his love for Bess, which was what kept him justifying his criminal career. I definitely would recommend reading Sutton ... a very good read! less

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