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Sutton

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 2,585 ratings · 461 reviews

Willie Sutton was born in the squalid Irish slums of Brooklyn, in the first year of the twentieth century, and came of age at a time when banks were out of control. If they weren't failing outright, causing countless Americans to lose their jobs and homes, they were being propped up with emergency bailouts. Trapped in a cycle of panics, depressions and soaring unemployment...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published September 25th 2012 by Hyperion

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Oct 22, 2012 Jeffrey Keeten rated it 5 of 5 stars

”Sutton is the first multigeneration bank robber in history, the first ever to build a lengthy career--it spans four decades. In his heyday Sutton was the face of American crime, one of a handful of men to make the leap from public enemy to folk hero. Smarter than Machine Gun Kelly, saner than Pretty Boy Floyd, more likable than Legs Diamond, more peaceable than Dutch Schultz, more romantic than Bonnie and Clyde, Sutton saw bank robbery as high art and went about it with an artist’s single-minde...more

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Nov 15, 2012 RNOCEAN rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Willie Sutton was born in the squalid Irish slums of Brooklyn, in the first year of the twentieth century, and came of age at a time when banks were out of control. If they weren't failing outright, causing countless Americans to lose their jobs and homes, they were being propped up with emergency bailouts. Trapped in a cycle of panics, depressions and soaring unemployment, Sutton saw only one way out, only one way to win the girl of his dreams.

So began the career of America's most successful b...more "Willie Sutton was born in the squalid Irish slums of Brooklyn, in the first year of the twentieth century, and came of age at a time when banks were out of control. If they weren't failing outright, causing countless Americans to lose their jobs and homes, they were being propped up with emergency bailouts. Trapped in a cycle of panics, depressions and soaring unemployment, Sutton saw only one way out, only one way to win the girl of his dreams.

So began the career of America's most successful bank robber. Over three decades Sutton became so good at breaking into banks, and such a master at breaking out of prisons, police called him one of the most dangerous men in New York, and the FBI put him on its first-ever Most Wanted List.

But the public rooted for Sutton. He never fired a shot, after all, and his victims were merely those bloodsucking banks. When he was finally caught for good in 1952, crowds surrounded the jail and chanted his name.

Blending vast research with vivid imagination, Pulitzer Prize winner J.R. Moehringer brings Willie Sutton blazing back to life. In Moehringer's retelling, it was more than poverty or rage at society that drove Sutton. It was one unforgettable woman. In all Sutton's crimes and confinements, his first love (and first accomplice) was never far from his thoughts. And when Sutton finally walked free - a surprise pardon on Christmas Eve, 1969 - he immediately set out to find her.

Poignant, comic, fast-paced and fact-studded, Sutton tells a story of economic pain that feels eerily modern, while unfolding a story of doomed love that is forever timeless.

(overview via Barnes and Noble)

5 Stars ***** I cannot begin to articulate how I love the writing and talent of J.R. Moehringer! I had never head of this author when I read his first book "The Tender Bar" but I loved the book. Then I saw where he had written his own 'version' of the life of Willie Sutton and I could not wait for the book to be released. I paced myself reading it because I don't want to rush through it. I cannot recommend this author or this book enough. Even though about a famous bank robber, J.R. Moeringer tells a beautiful love story in a wonderful way. (less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads

Born on June 30, 1901 Willie “the Actor” Sutton was a notorious bank robber through the early part of the 1900’s. He died on November 02, 1980 after having spent more than half of his adult life in prison. He served time in several different penal institutions and managed dramatic escapes three times. Willie Sutton was a legend stealing more than $2 million during his dubious career. He became legendary mostly due to the fact that he never completed a robbery if a woman screamed or a baby cried...more Born on June 30, 1901 Willie “the Actor” Sutton was a notorious bank robber through the early part of the 1900’s. He died on November 02, 1980 after having spent more than half of his adult life in prison. He served time in several different penal institutions and managed dramatic escapes three times. Willie Sutton was a legend stealing more than $2 million during his dubious career. He became legendary mostly due to the fact that he never completed a robbery if a woman screamed or a baby cried and never hurt or killed anyone during his robberies. Willie was a gentleman thief, but also a smooth talker and a consummate liar so many versions of his escapades exist.

Mr. Moehringer begins his book on the day of Willie’s final release from Attica on Christmas Eve, 1969. Wanting an exclusive story “Reporter” and “Photographer” (Willie never can remember their names) are sent to get the exclusive story of the murder of Arnold Shuster, who recognized Willie on the subway, thereby sending him back to prison for the final time. Willie agrees to the interview but on his terms. He wants to visit the important places in his life in chronological order, finally getting to the scene of the Shuster shooting. Although it means traveling back and forth across the city of New York several times “Reporter” and “Photographer” agree. Each stop is a story told in Willie’s voice, an important event in his life, a memory sometimes sad and sometimes humorous.

Mr. Moehringer obviously did his research. I thoroughly enjoyed this book I wanted to know a little more about Willie Sutton, so did a little more reading about his life. I believe Mr. Moehringer waded through the various stories and factual accounts and wove them into his narrative. The book starts and ends on Christmas Eve of 1969, but the one night is filled with Willie’s memories of decades. Unfortunately the ending is bittersweet for both Willie and the reader.

This was my first read of 2013 and what a great way to start off the new year of reading. This is a five star book all the way. Mr. Moehringer does not go on to tell us about Willie’s life after his release, but my personal reading let me to believe that although he no longer robbed banks (???) and despite suffering from emphysema he still led a pretty interesting life. He became an advocate for prison reform, consulted with banks implementing anti-robbery techniques and even became a spokesperson for the New Britain Bank and Trust Company.
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Sep 21, 2012 Chelsey Catterall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

The sound of men in cages — nothing can compare with it.

I read this line, within the first twenty pages of J.R. Moehringer’s Sutton, on the streetcar. I had been given the book by a colleague and had no real expectations. It was a book about a real life criminal, notorious for his bank robberies and ability to escape high-security prisons. But, like they say, love finds you when you least expect it. And, I can assure you, that is exactly how it happened.

First, to address my previous statement, I...more The sound of men in cages — nothing can compare with it.

I read this line, within the first twenty pages of J.R. Moehringer’s Sutton, on the streetcar. I had been given the book by a colleague and had no real expectations. It was a book about a real life criminal, notorious for his bank robberies and ability to escape high-security prisons. But, like they say, love finds you when you least expect it. And, I can assure you, that is exactly how it happened.

First, to address my previous statement, I was wrong about the criminal stereotyping. William Francis Sutton was, by definition, a criminal. But he was also a lover of literature, a swell gardener, a loyal friend and a painstakingly devoted romantic. Known for his polite and charming persona, Sutton’s crimes were never violent. More than a criminal, Willie Sutton was a modern day Robin Hood.

So when I read this line, I knew, J.R. Moehringer was going to make me love this man. And love him, I did. Though Sutton is a fictional story, it is based very accurately on historical events. Willie Sutton did grow up in the Irish slums, and did hold a severe resentment for the banks that swam in cash while the public starved. He did get arrested repeatedly, and subsequently escaped prison repeatedly. He was released from prison for the last time on Christmas Eve at the age of 68. He proceeded to write two memoirs, both of which contradicted the other, leaving so much room for the imagination to fill in the gaps. And I must admit, I am so glad that this is exactly what J.R. Moehringer did.

Upon his release from prison, Sutton was forced to drive around New York with a reporter, taking him to all the scenes of his life’s most significant moments. Moehringer frames the story of Willie’s life with this trip. New York comes alive in Moehringer’s vivid descriptions of the concrete jungle during the whole of the 1900′s. I was captivated. But more than this, I was moved.

Moehringer’s depiction of Willie Sutton was a force, from the narrative voice he is given, to his poetic thought and his astoundingly passionate love for the woman who lead him into a life of crime, Bess Endner. Willie’s story is not just one of money; it is primarily a story of love.

An entire world exists in the pages of this book. One that has dug deep into my heart and burrowed there. The amount of feeling that this novel evoked from me is a pure testiment to the raw talent that is scribed within these pages. I proceeded to read everything I could on this book, Willie Sutton, and J.R. Moehringer. I will go as far as saying that Moehringer’s Willie Sutton is one of the most wonderful literary characters that I have ever encountered.

One last quote to leave you with, because the writing in this novel was so beautiful, I could feel it in my bones. Sadly, my favourite lines would reveal spoilers, so you’ll just have to read the book for yourself!

He never realized until now that ribs are nothing but bars made of bone, and the heart is just a scared prisoner pleading to get out.

And if you have the time, please listen to the amazing speech that J.R. Moehringer did at BEA this year. I listened to it three times in a span of eight hours. Oh, and read this book. And be prepared to want to start it all over again once you finish.(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

This is an interesting blend of historical fiction, fiction and what I call faction (fiction based on non-fiction). The true is that on Christmas Day, 1969, after his release from Attica, Willie Sutton spent the day with a newspaper reporter and photographer, taking them on a tour of his life. Based on that day, the author has written a supposal: what was Sutton thinking when he revisited sites (many of them long gone by 1969)?

Moehringer has posited a Sutton who was beat up by his brothers, who...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Shelly Sanders rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading J.R. Moehringer's coming-of-age memoir, The Tender Bar, I became a fan of his writing and bought a copy of Sutton as soon as it came out. As an author of historical fiction myself, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of spending a day with a legendary bank robber, of discovering ghosts from his past that shook his world, impacting his decisions and outlook the day he was released from prison for the final time.
With enviable skill, Moehringer lifts Sutton from the page, weaves S...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Zirk rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read Moehringer's A Tender Bar after being impressed by the Agassi bio Open. I loved A Tender Bar. On the basis of that, I got hold of Sutton. I read two pages and raved to all who would listen. Moehringer is a great writer of sentences and paragraphs.

But perhaps there is good reason he hasn't attempted a novel before this - the structure of this book was a letdown.

Yes, it is a clever device to have Sutton drive around with the journos and retelling his past bit by bit. The problem is that th...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a story by the author of "The Tender Bar", a book I really enjoyed. The story is based on a true event: the pardoning and release of bank robber Willie Sutton on Christmas Eve 1969. According to the book, when he was released from prison he granted only one interview and spent the next day driving around New York City with a reporter and a photographer. The subsequent article was brief and had no real revelations. So the author imagines that day in which Sutton recalls his entire life, a...more

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Jan 21, 2013 AliceinWonderland rated it 3 of 5 stars

- Very good storytelling. I must admit I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would.
- Moehringer manages to create compelling characters and you do root for them, even though most of them are criminals.
- Writing style was pretty decent, but mostly short, fragmented sentences, but they move the prose along nicely.
- I did not like the ending, however...I felt it was a let down when the reader realizes that Sutton's love for Bess was delusional at best, and probably self-invented. I felt it made...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've known about many of the "heroic" gangsters like John Dillinger (from my home state of Indiana; my grandmother often told my mother that she thinks they saw Dillinger driving past the park where they were one day), Capone, etc., etc. But I don't remember ever hearing about Willie Sutton. It's amazing that I didn't because I was alive and conscious at the time he was released and when he died. I can't imagine our local newspapers didn't mention either one. But, what the hey, I didn't.

So this...more I've known about many of the "heroic" gangsters like John Dillinger (from my home state of Indiana; my grandmother often told my mother that she thinks they saw Dillinger driving past the park where they were one day), Capone, etc., etc. But I don't remember ever hearing about Willie Sutton. It's amazing that I didn't because I was alive and conscious at the time he was released and when he died. I can't imagine our local newspapers didn't mention either one. But, what the hey, I didn't.

So this book was a great beginning. Of course, now I'll have to go to the nonfiction as well. But Moehringer does a fantastic job of rounding out his characters and showing the contradictions of life. At the end, our Reporter mentions that he thinks Willie had 3 lives: the one he remembered, the one he told other people, and the actual one. I think we all are probably that way; we just don't have the noteriety that Sutton did.

The story follows an unknown day in Willie's life: the Christmas Day after he was released. There is no documentation on what he did or where he was, so Moehringer makes a Reporter and a Photographer from an unspecified newspaper (which has made an exclusive pact with Sutton) follow Willie around for the day. They (and the newspaper) really only care about one thing: Sutton's reaction to visiting the spot where Arnold Schuster was killed. Although Sutton was in jail at the time of the murder, popular opinion tied him to it; Schuster was the young man who recognized and turned Sutton in in 1952.

Willie, however, makes them agree to follow an itinerary of his own making; one that takes us to various important landmarks in his life, in order of occurrence. The newspapermen do not understand why they are visiting certain places - vacant lots where someone who Willie was connected with used to live, a bar where something happened - but Moehringer uses these stops to relate the history of Willie's life - as Willie remembers it.

The writing is great. We slip in and out of current and past without a bump. We see Willie from his own viewpoint, but, once, we see him from the viewpoint of a prison psychologist whom he works for. Needless to say, they are not the same. Is the psychologist right? He mentions that parents and sex are usually the childhood influences that determine how a person turns out, but he makes these statements at a time when Freud was going out of style. And, of course, they are reported from Willie's point of view.

All in all, an admirable book. I'm really looking forward to Moehringer's next novel.
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Jan 07, 2013 Debbie Reschke Schug rated it 1 of 5 stars

The author wrote this book about a bank robber in the ‘20s as a reaction to his anger with the U.S. banking crisis of 2008. Moehringer first tried channeling his anger by writing a nonfiction book about the financial system, but realized quickly he was no expert and started thinking about the ‘20s and ‘30s when there was a similar crisis in this country and how so many people lost money due to it and bank robbers back then became a kind of hero.
So, with this in mind, I was excited about this bo...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Stacielynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-good-read

Since my family is from Brooklyn and I love historical settings, I picked up this book about the famous/infamous bank robber, Willie Sutton. I was glad that I did.

The book is written through the eyes of the reporter and photographer who accompany an elderly Willie as he retraces his life story following his release from Attica. I found the author did a good job of blending the past and the present into a compelling narrative. Clearly he had done his research. What was nice was that the facts flo...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Florinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Making celebrities out of people whose deeds aren’t exactly things to celebrate is well-established American pastime, and for several decades through the mid-20th century, bank robber Willie Sutton was one of the biggest. A master of disguise dubbed “The Actor” by the press, Sutton learned his “trade” on jewelry-store jobs, but soon moved on to robbing banks because--in one of those quotes long-attributed to someone who may or may not actually have said it--”that’s where the money was.” In an er...more Making celebrities out of people whose deeds aren’t exactly things to celebrate is well-established American pastime, and for several decades through the mid-20th century, bank robber Willie Sutton was one of the biggest. A master of disguise dubbed “The Actor” by the press, Sutton learned his “trade” on jewelry-store jobs, but soon moved on to robbing banks because--in one of those quotes long-attributed to someone who may or may not actually have said it--”that’s where the money was.” In an era of frequent financial depressions--the “Great” one of the 1930s was preceded by several smaller ones earlier in the century--banks were not popular institutions with beleaguered average Americans. But Sutton’s success in undermining them, combined with his reluctance to use violence in doing it, made him quite popular. However, in Moehringer’s take on Sutton’s story, it wasn’t all about the money; he really did it (mostly) for love.

Framed by the day of Sutton’s release from New York’s Attica State Prison--Christmas 1969--which he spent in the company of a reporter and a photographer, traveling back and forth throughout New York City on a tour of his personal history, most of Sutton is told in flashback. Largely self-educated through his love of books, Willie portrays himself as a methodical thinker and careful planner (except, perhaps, in selecting his partners in crime), driven by tough economic times and lack of schooling into the only “career” path that offered the potential means to win the lovely and well-off Bess Endner. If popular acclaim for taking on--or, rather, from--those bloodsucking bankers, jars of cash buried all over New York City, and a spot at the top of the FBI’s very first Ten Most Wanted list are any measures, he was quite a success at his job.

Sutton wasn’t a Robin Hood--he “robbed from the rich,” yes, but didn’t exactly redistribute the wealth--but his activities were born of a common resentment of the financial markets and the effects of their boom-and-bust machinations on the working classes. Nearly a century later, we’re again living under conditions similar to those that spawned his criminal career--bank failures, unemployment, property loss--and those similarities suggested to Moehringer that this antihero’s story might resonate with a new audience.

It helps that it’s a fast-moving, fast-talking narrative researched and related by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The book has some stylistic quirks--most notably the lack of quotation marks in dialogue and use of present tense throughout--that some readers may find bothersome, but didn't bother me; I actually found they enhanced the book's impact. That said, Sutton is historical fiction and not biography, and Willie Sutton may not be an entirely reliable narrator--but he’s got a heck of a story, and I was thoroughly drawn into it. They don’t make bank-robbing antiheroes like that any more. (less)

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Dec 22, 2012 Steve Piacente rated it 4 of 5 stars

Each of us has a map like the one infamous bank robber Willie Sutton presented to the reporter writing his life story in J.R. Moehringer’s “Sutton.”

The map is our history, a personal chart of the pivotal events that shaped our lives, and where they occurred. Usually we keep it locked away, sharing it perhaps during a nostalgic moment with a spouse or child.

Not Willie. To get his story, the reporter and photographer must drive to each New York location listed on Willie’s map. When they arrive, Wi...more

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Nov 30, 2012 JoAnne Pulcino rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, historical-fiction

SUTTON

J. R. Moehringer

Having been a huge fan and thrilled with Mr. Moehringer’s first book which was nonfiction and titled, THE TENDER BAR. I anticipated an exceptional debut novel from Mr. Moehringer.

I certainly was not disappointed!

Mr. Moehringer is a masterful writer, a gifted story teller and a superb tour guide.

Willie “The Actor” Sutton may not be a name easily recognized today, but he became a folk hero for the oppressed Americans of the 20’s and 30’s fed up with the financial and banking...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Jennifer Rayment rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: want-to-buy

The Good Stuff

Was completely enthralled with the story and with Wilie
Little hints throughout story grab you throughout the story and keeps you from wanting to put book down. Had a couple of late nights with this one - not to mention a couple of times I really didn't want to go back on the sales floor I was so engrossed
Makes you think about so many things - especially about nature vs nurture
How can you not love a bank robber who went out of his way not to kill people
Need to know more about S...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

I liked the flashback style utilized as Willie, the reporter, and the photographer follow his chronological map of memories through NY. It reminds me of raptly listening to my grandpa and dad talk about the gangster days, relating street corners and buildings in the city to the “old days” – showing me yellowed pictures and news articles. I don’t remember them mentioning Sutton; maybe our Chicago location influenced their choice of gangsters? The mini-history lesson adds to Sutton’s personal stor...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Kasa Cotugno rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: era-early-mid-20th-century, era-late-20th-century, location-usa-new-york, themes-coming-of-age, genre-factionalized-bio, audio, nyt-notable-book

J R Mohringer has only written 3 books -- his own memoir, a biography of Andre Agassi, and now a fictionalized bio of a 20th center rascal, but he has in this short time become one of my favorite authors. His background as a journalist provides him a punchy enthusiastic style, and his talent for choosing intriguing subjects and fact finding for truth give even this work of fiction the stamp of originality and verisimilitude. Growing up in Brooklyn was tough for Willie Sutton, given that except f...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a proposed life of Willie the Actor Sutton. Known for his bloodless tricky bank robberies. When he perfected his art he knew every employee and guard in a bank, where they lived and even their familiy members names. He showed up before opening in a costume i.e. mailman or policeman. Once the night guard opened the door,he was greeted with a 38 pistol and told that if he treid to be a hero his family , which Sutton knew by name, would be executed. the same applied to other bank emplyees...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Richard Sutton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm going to write the author an extended thank-you letter for this book. It has opened up and fleshed out a childhood question that has intrigued me since I was old enough to read. The author already established himself as one of my favorite writers with his memoir, The Tender Bar. Reading Sutton cemented this feeling for me. It is a deeply affecting, highly entertaining book.

Sutton reconstructs the story of folk-hero/bank robber Willie Sutton in a really creative way: after Sutton's release fr...more I'm going to write the author an extended thank-you letter for this book. It has opened up and fleshed out a childhood question that has intrigued me since I was old enough to read. The author already established himself as one of my favorite writers with his memoir, The Tender Bar. Reading Sutton cemented this feeling for me. It is a deeply affecting, highly entertaining book.

Sutton reconstructs the story of folk-hero/bank robber Willie Sutton in a really creative way: after Sutton's release from Prison in 1969, he takes a reporter and a photographer on an exclusive chronological journey through his old haunts. As they visit the five boroughs of New York City the newspapermen begin to get glimpses of the man behind the myth... or do they? Sutton is an intriguing character, beautifully drawn here. A product of a keen intellect and one of the hardest stretches of Twentieth Century American History. His story is the story of rising disillusionment and corruption and the mental gymnastics needed to survive. Sutton moves through a succession of impossible situations beginning with a brutal childhood, with the grace of a philosopher (or a prizefighter...), buoyed along by his love of knowledge and the pursuit of the love of his life. He finds there is one thing he does really well. The fact that it isn't legal has a basically very moral man jumping through hoops to convince himself that his life has meaning and is justified, much as we all do. Sutton's life was just writ on a larger stage than most of us will ever tread upon.

Moehringer's portrait of the slums of Irish Town, Brooklyn in the first decades of the last century is so resonant with sensory elements, I could smell the streets. His description of the elation of a released convict slipping off the prison garb and putting on his release suit, is worth the price of the book alone. For any student of the criminal component of American Culture and the achievements of the heart rising above its surroundings, this novel should be considered part of the canon. (less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Rosalyn Steele rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sutton is a beautifully written novel that seamlessly blends fact and fiction and sweeps across nearly sixty years of history. The characters aren't exactly moral, but are so well developed that you can't help but cheer for them. Even though Sutton is about a life in crime, it is a surprisingly romantic read. Willie, lover of literature, has the soul of a poet: 'Life's complicated, love isn't. If you need to think about it for one half second, you're not in love'. Much of what he has done in lif...more

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Sep 25, 2012 JP Parenti rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a book so brilliantly conceived, perfectly paced and filled with sweeping emotions, there is only one man who could have written it. Moehringer. This author may in fact be the greatest writer, storyteller and wordsmith of our generation. You'll want to read it for the compelling story of Willy the Actor, the tragic hero of a generation. But mostly, you'll want to read it for a peek into the mind of J R, its author. He brings to life a true American thrill ride, filled with love, daring,...more This is a book so brilliantly conceived, perfectly paced and filled with sweeping emotions, there is only one man who could have written it. Moehringer. This author may in fact be the greatest writer, storyteller and wordsmith of our generation. You'll want to read it for the compelling story of Willy the Actor, the tragic hero of a generation. But mostly, you'll want to read it for a peek into the mind of J R, its author. He brings to life a true American thrill ride, filled with love, daring, heroism, betrayal, even a deep psychoanalysis that will make you pause in your reading to consider your own life. And, what better time than now to read about a man that had issues with banks, and a world that adored him for it.

J R had me at The Tender Bar, his deeply loved memoir. It impacted my life intensely, so much so, I could only describe it to friends as causing a personal revival. The author's sheer perspective on life made me want to change mine, and made me want to attack life in a whole new way. Like someone reaching through the pages and shaking you, and inspiring you at the same time. He followed his own story with that of tennis great, Andre Agassi with OPEN. Already considered one of the great autobiography's of our time, Andre's life in the skillful hands of Moehringer, not only became a runaway bestseller, but single hand-idly raised the bar for the entire memoir genre. Even Agassi said he didn't fully understand his life until he viewed it through Moehringer's lens. So I can say pretty confidently that the world of 'booklovers' has been holding their collective breath in anticipation of J R's first novel. Sutton is a masterpiece on many levels, some of which you become aware of only on the second or third reading. It's that good. It is packed with subtleties and gems that live just below the literal story. This is a book begging to be read slowly, because on second glance there is more, much more going on than you think. J R must have had this percolating for years, as I couldn't imagine the rich layers of thought and emotion contained in its pages being conceived any other way.

This is an action book, it thrills. Its writing, masculine. But while the story is taking you in one direction, seeds that you never saw coming are being planted in your mind and heart that will amaze you and have you wondering about life at its core. I don't know how he does that, but Moehringer is three for three. (less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Kim McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars

What an unusual book- It is historical fiction that blends the past and present so smoothly. J.R. Moehringer brings to life an actual famous bank robber and then mixes fact with fiction to recreate his life. The story begins as Willie Sutton has just been released from prison in a world that is dramatically different from the one he left. He, a newspaper writer and photographer then travel around New York City to revisit all of Willie's haunts but the kicker is that these places (and a woman) ar...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Jamie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I did not know who Willie Sutton was and thought the introduction might be a "fake" one like some writers apparently use to make their stories seem more real. Then, I asked someone if they knew who Willie Sutton was and they said Willie The Actor? Hmmmm...guess he was a real guy. The book started off slowly for me, but I started getting more into it as it went along. The book jumps from different time periods, and I found the contrast between the 20's and 30's to the late 60's (when Sutton is pa...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

The opening of the story in 1969 as Sutton is unexpectedly released from jail is a good starting point, as throughout the story, Moehringer’s intelligent commentary blends together and with certain amount of gravitas explains not just the reason d’être, but also the personality of the man behind the myth. Sutton was born in the slums of Brooklyn in the first year of the twentieth century, and over three decades became the most prolific bank robber, and on the FBI’s most wanted list.
With no prio...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Annie rated it 3 of 5 stars

It got off to a good start but about 3/4 of the way through, it completely lost it's steam. I was engrossed for the first bit... interesting subject-matter and the style of writing is really great throughout, but it was almost like the author lost interest (or maybe it was just me) and I felt like I kept re-reading the same parts of the book! Troubled boy grows up to be a troubled man, robs a bank, gets ratted out, goes to prison, breaks out of prison, robs a bank, gets ratted out, goes to priso...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Matt rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. Sutton presents a winning and complex portrait of Depression/WWII-era bankrobber Willie Sutton and successfully probes the ideas of American myth-making and individual and cultural memory. The book deftly explores what happens when a man becomes a folk hero as well as "a legend in his own mind" and the relationship between the two: self-conception and public consumption. How much does one impact or shape the other.

Sutton is imperfect and I imagine that most qualms will center...more

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May 19, 2013 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars

To express my love for this book is nearly impossible. Before reading "Sutton" I had no knowledge about Willie "the Actor" or the author; I had no idea who these people were. I was in the library, browsing through the fiction bookshelves and came across it; honestly, I judged the book by its cover. It look cool and interesting and the summary sucked me in.
I didn't have much expectation going into it but boy... after reading - took my breath away.
The writing style really got me: I have never re...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Tonia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I became a fan of Moehringer when I read Agassi's memoir, Open, as Moehringer was Agassi's ghost writer. I then became a bigger fan when I read The Tender Bar, which was Moehringer's own memoir. I really enjoy his style of writing and was looking forward to his next publication. Sutton came along, and is the fictionalized story of bank robber Willie Sutton. Apparently, the author had intended to write a non-fiction account of Sutton's life, but there were too many gaps in what he could find thro...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Vikki VanSickle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

This was an unexpectedly romantic and poetic take on a gangster story. Willie "The Actor" Sutton is released from jail on Christmas eve 1969. A young reporter is assigned to get the inside scoop and accompanies Willie throughout the city as he recounts his unbelievable life. This is a man who escaped from maximum security prison three times and robbed banks of millions of dollars without every killing a soul. Sutton is presented as a smart, loyal, and love-struck man who can't get a break and is...more

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About J.R. Moehringer

J.R. Moehringer is an American journalist and author. Born in New York City and raised in Manhasset, New York, he is a former national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times.

A 1986 graduate of Yale University, Moehringer began his journalism career as a news assistant at The New York Times.

He won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 2000.

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Quotes from Sutton

“A book is the only real escape from this fallen world. Aside from death.~ Charlie Chapin” — 5 people liked it

“Truth has its place. In a courtroom, certainly. A boardroom? I don't know. I think truth is in the listener. Truth is something the listener bestows on a story-- or not” — 1 person liked it

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