My son was reading the book Fakers by Hilary Poole Wood. I asked him if he  had read anything interesting in it, and he told me all about Ponzi schemes. I mentioned that I just so happened to have a board game in the basement called Ponzi Scheme. How serendipitous! I originally bought it during a massive board game sale, but it has sat in the basement still wrapped in cellophane since I received it six months prior. I never imagined the game’s first play would be for educational reasons.

After learning the rules, my wife and son joined me at the table for the first play. Instead of trying to win the game, you are trying not to lose it. The first player who is unable to pay their investors goes bankrupt and triggers the end game. The remaining player with the most money wins. My son was enjoying the early part of the game where the money was freely flowing, with every turn you take on a new investor. But a few turns later you can begin to see the writing on the wall. Those walls are closing in on you. The floor and ceiling too. He disliked this feeling. Eventually my wife and son went bankrupt on the same turn and I won the game.

A wonderful lesson was learned on that evening—some people are built for financial crime and some aren't. I think my son learned he just doesn’t have the constitution for it. If you aren't sure about yourself, and haven't had a chance to play a board game to confirm or deny this, here are some books about hoaxes and scams and the people who orchestrate them.

Hoax: A History of Deception: 5,000 Years of Fakes, Forgeries, and Fallacies by Ian Tattersall

Authors Ian Tattersall and Peter Nevramount take you through several thousand years of scams starting with claims of the end of the world in 2800 B.C.E.  all the way to the scheme that inspired Charles Ponzi in 1919. What a history it is.

Ponzi: The Incredible True Story of the King of Financial Cons by Donald Dunn

Donald Dunn weaves Charles Ponzi's colorful story through information gained from exclusive interviews with those that knew him and those that were swindled by him.

Chasing Phil: The Adventures of Two Undercover Agents with the World's Most Charming Con Man by David Howard

David Howard tells the tale of neophyte FBI agents J.J. Wedick and Jack Brennan as they befriend charming con man Phil Kitzer and accompany him on his globe trotting swindles. So charming was Phil Kitzer the agents start to develop a respect for their target.

Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope

The story of fugitive Jho Low and his spending spree spanning elections, real estate, and Hollywood movies. What does it take to carry out a $5 billion swindle?  How convincing and mysterious can one man be? 

Fakers: An Insider's Guide to Cons, Hoaxes, and Scams by H.P. Wood

This one is for the children. The book that inspired my family's play of Ponzi Scheme. Topics include short cons, long cons, spoon benders, and snake oil.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.