If you've been looking for Non-fiction that reads like fiction, this 2011 Beat the Backlist book is one you will want to read!
While normally I might say the title of the most audacious heist in history is overblown, in this case, I think it meets the criteria! Not so much that it was pulled off in any sophisticated manner, but that someone would decide that was the "thing to do" at all.
Readers are given an inside story of Thad Roberts, a one time fellow in a prestigious NASA program in Texas. While at NASA Thad, made a name for himself by being audacious, bold and curious. It didn't hurt that he was - by all accounts- very bright and conventionally attractive.
Thad started out with an idea involving "decommissioned" moon rocks- those used for education, rather than hard scientific uses. He and a friend dreamt of selling some of these "trash" moon rocks, and came up with a brave but not very sophisticated plan. He was sure he'd never go through with it, but the more he dreamed and schemed, the deeper he got, until he found himself meeting a supposed buyer and being arrested by the FBI.
I enjoyed this book, but I will say, no matter how hard the author tried to make Thad likeable, I found him to be a complete Jack-Hole. This man had so many advantages in life, and decided to just be pushing the envelope in ways that didn't even make sense. I suspect there is some sort of mental health issues at play in these decisions, but honestly, I feel like his time in prison was actually too short. This was a man with multiple opportunities ahead of him, and decided this was the most appropriate way to move through the world. So not a fan. Not impressed, and deeply disturbed that he's now out in the world giving... TED talks.
The writing is OK. I had the audiobook and for being only 320 pages, it did seem to drag on. So...
revising my first statement, this is a book you MAY want to read. I have become obsessed with Axel Emmermann, a rock enthusiast who tipped off the FBI and assisted in multiple ways. So there is that. This is a most interesting book and while I can't say I liked the main character, I did find the entire thing interesting. So 3 stars out of 5 from me.
STATS
First Published : 7/12/2011
Pages: 320
Available as an Audio Book : YES (~8 hrs)
Trigger Warnings: Heist, discussion of heights, drug and alcohol use, thievery, mild sexual behavior (this is not a full list, read responsibly)
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