Super Short Summary

A Pickpocket's Tale by Timothy J. Gilfoyle chronicles the tumultuous life of George Appo, a mixed-heritage American growing up in poverty, who turns to pickpocketing and counterfeiting to survive. He becomes an opium addict and spends much of his life in and out of jail. Appo publicly exposes police corruption, facing retaliation from the underworld. The biography provides an unromanticized view of early American organized crime and includes various contemporary cant terms used by criminals. The book includes episodes of criminal activity, addiction, and violence against individuals.