✰✰✰✰½ Follow the adventures of Frank Abagnale Jr. as he assumes the roles of pilot, doctor, and lawyer, all before the age of 21. As a master of disguise and a brilliant forger, Abagnale charmed his way through a much more innocent time in American history, the 1960s. It was a time of trust, when people generally respected authority, bank security was lax, and people were more gullible.
Throughout his career as a con artist, the FBI was following his trail. There were many close calls; yet, Abagnale was always a step or two ahead of the law. Abagnale was both cunning and very lucky. Nevertheless, all good things must come to an end. It was only a matter of time before the FBI caught up, and Abagnale's inevitable downfall was as spectacular as his life on the run. Follow the author from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows as he gets caught in his own web of lies.
The Bottom Line: This entertaining, quick read is filled with lots of twists and turns. Abagnale's story will keep you on the edge of your seat as he cons just about everyone he meets. A life of crime just came naturally to the author, and yet there is a redemptive quality to his tale. Highly recommended for anyone interested in true crime, con artists, law enforcement, adventure, and ethical dilemmas.
Book Club Notes: In this book club, members can choose to read the book, watch the movie, or both. Many members had seen the film years ago, so reading the book gave us a chance to learn about the man behind the cons. Needless to say, this was a very animated discussion. We talked about how the author was a smart young man who worked very hard at being a fake. Instead of pursuing a traditional education, he created his own career. He had nerve and confidence, but keep in mind that these events took place at a very different time in American history.
While we enjoyed the movie, we liked the book better. The book was rich in details, and it was a "rollicking read." Nevertheless, the movie did genuinely capture the essence of the book better than some other films based on real events. We were left with one question though: Are the events in the book true? We had to conclude that we'll probably never know for sure, and that's part of the mystery.
On a scale from 1 - 5 with 5 being the highest, ratings ranged from 3.8 - 5 resulting in an average of 4.5. We enthusiastically recommend this title for book clubs looking for an entertaining book or film to discuss. The following sources are available online for discussion questions for this book/film: BookRags, ESL Movie Lesson, and the USNA.
However, for this particular book, it was easiest to organize the questions by following the chapters. Here is my list of questions supplemented with a few from the above resources:
Chap.
1: Frank's own father was his first mark (the checking account & the Mobile credit
card scam). Why did his father allow it? Would you have allowed it?
Frank said he thinks a lot of people fantasize about
being a super criminal. 14 Do you agree?
Frank says women were his downfall. How did he treat
women?
Chap
2:
When things get difficult, Frank always chooses to run away. Why? Was he too
pampered as a child?
Discuss his family dynamics growing up.
Discuss the effects of his parent's divorce on him? And for
children in general.
Frank soothed himself with con man’s salve that “…if
people were stupid enough to cash a check without verifying its validity, they
deserved to be swindled.” 25 Do you agree? Discuss.
Chap.
3:
Frank enjoyed the respect & attention he received by pretending to be a
pilot. Why didn’t he actually pursue a real career?
Why didn’t anyone ever question him? He wore the
uniform of a Pan Am pilot, so he must be one. Why do people just accept?
He kept a journal of phrases, technical data,
information, names, dates, places phone numbers, thoughts,…anything necessary
to pull off the scam. “It was a combination log, textbook, little black book,
diary & airline bible…” 63 Discuss Frank’s Journal.
Discuss living a lie…for years. And multiple lies at
that. How difficult is it to keep track of everything?
Chap.
4:
Frank switched from being a “pilot” to being an “MD” after a close call. He had
lots of close calls. Discuss his luck.
Frank enjoyed the perks of being a doctor; and it was
more relaxing. How do you feel about Frank impersonating a medical doctor? Do
you think it was ethical?
Chap.
5:
Frank reinvents himself as a lawyer this time. By the end of the chapter, he is
a professor of sociology. Discuss how he learned all of his different roles.
Chap.
6:
Discuss life on the run.
Frank says the most successful check swindlers have 3
factors in their favor: 1.) Personality – charming, well dressed, courteous.
2.) Observation is the only necessity for successful innovative larceny. 3.)
Research – A con artist’s only weapon is his brain. 129 Do you agree? Discuss.
Discuss how paperhanging is a numbers game.
Frank had so many scams going throughout his career.
Question: Was the author just a juvenile delinquent or something more?
Chap.
7:
Discuss bank security in the 1960s compared to today. How have things changed?
What role did Frank have in the changes?
Sometime in Boston he skipped out of bail. He upheld
his "code of honor." In his entire career, he never swindled a regular person as
an individual. He sent money back to the bail bondsman. 182 Discuss Frank’s "code of honor." When did he break it? (Cheryl in Ch. 8)
Chap.
8:
Frank was back to impersonating a pilot. Discuss the Pan Am recruiting scam.
What kind of women did he choose for his make-believe crew?
Chap.
9 & 10: With O’Riley hot on his trail, Frank
moved to France. Discuss this decision & his life in France.
Discuss his time in Perpignan prison.
How does French prison differ from American or Swedish
prison?
Did Frank learn anything in prison?
Eventually Frank made a break for it when he got back
to America. Discuss his decision to run.
Other
questions:
Upon being up for parole, why did Frank ask not to be
sent to New York?
Why was it hard for Frank to work a regular job?
Why didn’t he return to his illicit lifestyle?
Discuss his work for the FBI.
Today, Frank is a security consultant and assists the
FBI with fraud prevention programs. Discuss how Frank is doing today & why did he
change? Do you believe he has truly changed?
Do you think he regrets his criminal past?
Why did Frank embark on a career of crime in the first
place?
Miscellaneous:
Which scam was the most outrageous?
What allowed Frank to evade authorities for so long?
Would he have been as successful today?
Do you think Abagnale was truthful in his book? Or
were some of the escapades embellished?
What motivated Frank to share his story.
How would you describe Frank?
Talk about the writing style of the book.
Please share a specific passage or quote from the
book/film that left an impression on you.
Please rate this book/film on a scale from 1 – 5, with
5 being the highest and tell us why you gave it that rating.
Details: Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real
Fake by Frank W. Abagnale with Stan Redding. Trade paperback published by Broadway
Books in 2000. 294 p. ISBN:
978-0-7679-0538-1
