The two-volume “Great Scams of the 20th Century” is a fascinating book about the world’s most inventive financial frauds, a study of the very phenomenon of “scam” that is unique in form and content. The author acts as an enthusiastic and meticulous researcher; the results of his investigations sometimes do not coincide with the generally accepted point of view. Elements of street slang, rapid-fire neologisms, words and sayings from foreign languages are woven into the high literary style with exceptional taste. For a wide range of readers.