In today's world, Confidence tricks in literature is a relevant topic that has become the center of attention for a large number of individuals. Since its emergence, Confidence tricks in literature has aroused the interest of specialists and enthusiasts, who have dedicated time and effort to researching and fully understanding its different aspects. From its impacts on society to its possible long-term consequences, Confidence tricks in literature has been the subject of numerous debates and discussions in various fields. In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Confidence tricks in literature, exploring its origins, evolution and its impact today.
This is a list of notable literary works involving confidence tricks.
Nineteenth century and earlier
Twentieth century
- The Miracle Man (1914), play by George M. Cohan, the main characters are con artists.
- Simon Templar (published 1928–1963), also known as "The Saint", a main character in Leslie Charteris' novels and stories who is often involved in scams and cons
- The Twelve Chairs (1928) and The Little Golden Calf (1931) – satirical novels by Ilf and Petrov; the main character, Ostap Bender, is a con man, who has carried out most of the tricks listed below, and The Little Golden Calf contains a fictional secret society of con men called Children of Lieutenant Schmidt
- Farewell, My Lovely (1940) – novel by Raymond Chandler, the villains Marriott and Amthor are con-artists.
- The Space Merchants (1952) – sci-fi novel by Frederik Pohl and Cyril Kornbluth is full of con games practiced by corporations
- Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man: The Early Years (1954) – Thomas Mann's unfinished novel about a German con man
- The Stainless Steel Rat (1961–present) – series of sci-fi novels by Harry Harrison; the protagonist, James Bolivar diGriz ("Slippery Jim"), is a con man and uses abundant schemes and frauds
- Travis McGee (published 1964–1984) – a character in John D. MacDonald's series of detective novels, frequently uses con games or has them tried against him
- Only When I Larf (1968) – comic thriller by Len Deighton describing the activities of a team of three fictional confidence tricksters.
- The Golden Egg (1984) – psychological thriller novel by Tim Krabbé features a chemistry teacher who employs con for the purpose of kidnapping
- Repairman Jack (1984–present) – a character in F. Paul Wilson's series of novels, often runs scams on other con artists
- If Tomorrow Comes (1985) – novel by Sidney Sheldon, which has a con artist as the main character and is mostly based on trickery and deception
- Hellblazer (1988–present) – ongoing horror comic book series; the main character, John Constantine, uses confidence scams, trickery and magick
- The Brethren (2000) – novel by John Grisham features a con run by three incarcerated judges
Twenty-first century
See also
References