Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Catch Me If You Can summary
Frank Abagnale
Stan Redding
The True Story of a Real Fake
14 mins
Brief summary
Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale and Stan Redding is a thrilling true story of a young con man who successfully impersonated various professionals and evaded the law.
Topics
Table of Contents
Catch Me If You Can
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
Frank Abagnale’s early life was innocent until his taste for women ignited his criminal instincts.
In 1948, Frank W. Abagnale Jr. was born in Bronxville, New York, to an affluent family. His father ran a stationery store in New York City, so the family was financially secure, and Frank’s early childhood was happy.
But things started to unravel when Frank became a teenager.
Frank’s father bought him an old Ford when the boy was 15 – a dream come true for any teenaged boy.
Naturally, girls started noticing Frank because of his car, striking the spark that ignited what became Frank’s lifelong avocation – chasing after beautiful women.
Working as a part-time warehouse clerk, however, didn’t provide the kind of income Frank needed for gas and to take girls out to dinner. So he did what many a teenager would do – he asked Dad for a credit card to cover car expenses.
His trusting father gave Frank his personal Mobil card, but told him that, while he would help him out within reason, most of the burden of paying off the debt on the card would be Frank’s responsibility.
Frank intended to be honest and do the responsible thing, until he discovered that he could charge things other than gas to the card. He could purchase a new set of tires, for example, or pay for other services. That discovery led Frank to scheme his way into “earning” $3,400 over three months in a series of scams.
How did he do this? Frank would charge a service on the card, but instead of buying tires or new windshield wipers, he’d convince the gas station attendant to hand over the value of the purchase in cash instead.
When his father ultimately received the bill and Frank’s schemes came to light, his mother sent him away to a boys’ reform school.
By the time Frank returned home, the family’s fortunes had suffered a tragic reversal. His father had lost his business and was now working as a postal clerk. Though Frank’s father seemed content in his new job, it was a blow to Frank to see his family’s fortunes destroyed.
So at the age of 16, Frank ran away from home to set off on his own.
Want to see all full key ideas from Catch Me If You Can?
Key ideas in Catch Me If You Can
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Catch Me If You Can about?
Frank Abagnale’s story of swindling millions of dollars from unwitting victims while posing as a pilot, lawyer and professor is the stuff of legend. In Catch Me If You Can (1980), he tells his tale.
Catch Me If You Can Review
Catch Me If You Can (1980) is a fascinating true story of deception and evasion that will keep you hooked. Here's why you should read it:
- It offers a rare glimpse into the life of a master con artist and the methods he used to deceive others.
- The book is filled with intriguing, suspenseful moments as Frank Abagnale constantly outwits authorities.
- It provides valuable insights into the world of fraud prevention and the importance of trust.
Who should read Catch Me If You Can?
- True-crime nerds
- Bank tellers or airline industry workers
- Fans of the movie adaptation of this thrilling story
Categories with Catch Me If You Can
Book summaries like Catch Me If You Can
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
33 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Catch Me If You Can FAQs
What is the main message of Catch Me If You Can?
The main message of Catch Me If You Can is to showcase the intriguing and suspenseful life of a master con artist and his evasive tactics.
How long does it take to read Catch Me If You Can?
The estimated reading time for Catch Me If You Can is 7-9 hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in about 15 minutes.
Is Catch Me If You Can a good book? Is it worth reading?
Catch Me If You Can is a captivating and thrilling true story that provides valuable insights into deception and fraud prevention.
Who is the author of Catch Me If You Can?
The authors of Catch Me If You Can are Frank Abagnale and Stan Redding.
How many chapters are in Catch Me If You Can?
There are 10 chapters in Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale and Stan Redding.
- The Fledgling
- The Pilot
- The Doctor
- The Lawyer
- The Teacher
- The Writer
- The Prisoner
- The Escape
- The Capture
- The Redemption
How many pages are in Catch Me If You Can?
There are 293 pages in Catch Me If You Can.
When was Catch Me If You Can published?
Catch Me If You Can was published in 1980.
What to read after Catch Me If You Can?
If you're wondering what to read next after Catch Me If You Can, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Forensics by Val McDermid
- American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
- Strangers by Taichi Yamada
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- Building Your Money Machine with ChatGPT by Larry Wheeler
- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides
- Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James