THE BOOK GUY
What’s keeping Stephen Boylan up at night this month?
Confessions Of The Fox
by Jordy Rosenberg
(Atlantic)
Jack Sheppard, the ultimate rogue, was the scourge of both police and fellow thieves in early 18th century London. Fleeing his cruel carpentry apprenticeship, where he worked all day and was shackled all night, he became a folk hero in the space of just two years, escaping from jail twice, and becoming the greatest foe of the ‘Thief-Taker General’, Jonathan Wild. His exploits have been documented numerous times down through the years, not least in John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera – the inspiration for Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera. His reputation became so fearsome that plays with his name in the title were banned in London for 40 years following his death.