Catch Me if You Can is a semi-autobiographical novel based on the novel’s author, Frank W. Abagnale, criminal venture into being a con-man and exploiting multiple companies and the FBI. In this partly fictionalized yet riveting story, the reader follows Abagnale’s criminal beginnings as a teenager to his attempts to become a law-abiding citizen in adulthood. Throughout this novel, Abagnale pulls off many unlikely yet jaw-dropping schemes, including but not limited to: impersonating a Pam Am pilot, escaping prison through an aircraft’s toilet, and swindling over 2.5 million dollars in phony checks.
While at times the book can be a bit sluggish in its pace at some points in the novel, and the authenticity of the content has been called into question, it is ultimately a riveting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I would undoubtedly recommend this book and its film companion of the same name, directed by Stephen Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular character.