The Old Man and the Gun: And Other Tales of True Crime

This collection gathers David Grann’s factual reporting on outliers who operate on the fringes of the law and social norms. The title narrative follows Forrest Tucker, a career bank robber who escaped San Quentin at seventy years old and continued his heist spree with a polite, gentlemanly demeanor. Other accounts detail the obsession of a man hunting a giant squid, the mysterious death of a Sherlock Holmes scholar, and the life of a con artist who impersonates teenagers. These stories focus on the mechanics of deception and the psychological drive behind extreme human behavior.

True crime enthusiasts who prefer character studies over police procedurals will find these reports useful for understanding the motivations of high-stakes imposters and thieves. Readers gain insight into how individuals construct elaborate false identities and why society often finds these rogues charismatic. The book provides a look at the intersections of obsession and criminality, leaving the reader with a clearer perspective on the thin line between eccentric ambition and illegal activity.