Comments on: ...a book fraught with the romance and colour of human lives which, if not always of the most exalted, are certainly among the most vivid.

...a book fraught with the romance and colour of human lives which, if not always of the most exalted, are certainly among the most vivid.

papakwanz — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:11:33 -0800

The Newgate Calendar. "THE deeds of ancient robber outlaws and of highway-men -- what a treasure-house pierced with windows for the imagination!" Read about the lives of notorious criminals of days past, such as Sawyney Beane, murderer and cannibal; Daniel Dawson, race-horse poisoner; John Tayler and Thomas Martin, body snatchers; or the infamous Mary Frith, also known as Moll Cutpurse, a cross-dressing, pistol-wearing, tobacco-smoking rogue and the real life inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders.

By: papakwanz

papakwanz — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:12:58 -0800

Whoops, John Taylor, not Tayler.

By: thomas j wise

thomas j wise — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:41:44 -0800

Ah, the Newgate Calendar. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey can be fun, too.

By: eriko

eriko — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:02:44 -0800

All you that in the condemned hole do lie, Prepare you for tomorrow you shall die; Watch all and pray: the hour is drawing near That you before the Almighty must appear; Examine well yourselves in time repent, That you may not to eternal flames be sent. And when St. Sepulchre's Bell in the morning tolls The Lord above have mercy on your soul.

By: Powerful Religious Baby

Powerful Religious Baby — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:38:13 -0800

Mary Frith is my favorite--"A famous Master-Thief and an Ugly, who dressed like a Man." That is going right on my mother's tombstone, if I have a thing to say about it. Also, CHAWBACON!

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:50:40 -0800

Brings to mind the film 'Plunkett & Macleane.'

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 21:39:24 -0800

Jonathan Wild is a fantastic tale, the Wikipedia version is good too (featured).

By: cardamine

cardamine — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 03:24:13 -0800

'Scenes from the Hogarthian Underworld' takes stories from the Newgate Calendar and other places, it's like an overview of 17th/18th century crime. Very interesting.

By: of strange foe

of strange foe — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 10:29:42 -0800

I could swear that I first read about Jonathan Wild in a historical romance book, but which??

By: goetter

goetter — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 02:35:05 -0800

Further inspiring wicked-ness: A Book of Scoundrels, featuring its own version of the Moll Cutpurse legend.