The Amazing True Story of the Most Extraordinary Liar in the History of Fun and Profit!
Frank Abagnale wrote US$2.5 million in bad cheques, practised law without a licence, practised medicine with no medical training, co-piloted a Pan-Am jet with a fake licence, taught at a college though he was actually a high school drop-out, and managed to outwit and outrage the police of 26 foreign countries and every US state, before he turned 21.
'Catch Me If You Can' is the hilarious, now-classic story of Abagnale's stranger-than-fiction international escapades, and his ingenious escapes - including one from an airplane.
This amazing true story of how one man fooled multi-national corporations, banks, universities, hospitals, and law enforcement organisations around the world is utterly riveting, and astounding even today, and contains all the ingredients of the most wildly imaginative fiction (except that all of Abagnale's exploits actually happened). Stylish, charming and not one to skimp on luxury, Abagnale lived a luxurious life on the lam until his "retirement" at 21.
After conning his way around the world, Frank was jailed and released five years later, only after he agreed to work, unpaid, for the US government sharing his knowledge of fraud with them in order to help them prevent it.
He is now one of the world's foremost experts in secure documents and fraud prevention and travels to Australia at least twice a year in his role as consultant for Leigh-Mardon Australia, the company responsible for design and production of all Australia's secure documents including passports, banknotes, bank cheques, personal cheques, credit cards, drivers licences etc.
Most recently he was here presenting seminars for Australia Post and Star City Casino on how to avoid embezzlement and fraud.
Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Entertainment have picked up the book and production begins later this year - the film will star Wes Bentley (from 'American Beauty') and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Now updated with a new afterword, Bantam are publishing 'Catch Me If You Can' for the first time in Australia because of the renewed interest in this amazing tale.
True crime that reads like fiction
This book follows the adventures, and misadventures in the money laundering schemes of Frank William Abagnale Jnr from posing as a Pam Am pilot, to a Paediatrician, to a Lawyer and his unbelievably hard stint in a French prison. I love the movie and this was truly an amazing read. A true crime novel that reads more like fiction. You would never believe this is real and yet it is! Makes it all the more interesting. Recommended to all.
Kerryn, 11/12/2008
