The Book of Swindles, a seventeenth-century story collection, offers a panoramic guide to the art of deception. Ostensibly a manual for self- protection, it presents a tableau of criminal ingenuity in late Ming China. Each story comes with commentary by the author, who expounds a moral lesson while also speaking as a connoisseur of the swindle.
Featuring a collection of sensational stories, this volume delves into a variety of scams that span the ingenious, absurd, and lurid. The narratives often incorporate elements of sorcery, sex, and extreme violence, showcasing the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths people will go to deceive others. This companion to The Book of Swindles offers a captivating exploration of late Ming-era trickery, revealing the intricate interplay between morality and deceit.