Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World (Paperback)

Review “[T]his little-known story unfolds like Catch Me if You Can.” ―The Washington Post “Reading Anansi’s Gold is like watching a heist movie … all about improvisation, unforced error, unlikely escape.” ―Dan Piepenbring, Harper’s “Yepoka Yeebo’s riveting Anansi’s Gold traces the outlines of Blay-Miezah’s life, shedding light on how he perpetrated his deceptions for years while living in incredible opulence. The author delves into archives across the Atlantic, digs up criminal proceedings and conducts interviews with victims and associates alike, in the process telling us not just about Blay-Miezah, but about the world that enabled him to thrive.” ―New York Times Book Review “A wild, juicy ride.” ―Los Angeles Times “Stylish and substantive, Yepoka Yeebo’s Anansi’s Gold is a non-fiction masterpiece, artfully weaving Blay-Miezah’s remarkable exploits into the fabric of history. Highly recommended.” ―The Philadelphia Inquirer “Even as [Yeebo] catches readers up in what often reads like a breathless caper, the author takes care to ground them in what matters most: Ghana and its sadly ‘fragile’ history … Utterly absorbing.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Brilliantly illuminates the stranger-than-fiction career of Ghanaian fraudster John Ackah Blay-Miezah in this thrilling true-crime account.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review) “In this absorbing true crime narrative, Yeebo details the fascinating story of this audacious con artist.” ―Town & Country “Five stars. Fabulously entertaining.” ―Telegraph “Richly entertaining … [Yeebo] has a sharp eye for droll detail [and] … deftly marshals a florid cast of characters.” ―Times Literary Supplement “Yeebo [writes] in elegant prose, bringing complex detail, vivid background color, and an extensive cast into her compelling narrative … Pulls no punches.” ―Literary Review “How long until this book becomes an HBO miniseries starring Isiah Whitlock Jr.? Only time will tell.” ―The Millions “Well-researched and engaging, [Anansi’s Gold] draws readers into the intricate web of lies about a trust-fund tall tale that spanned throughout the 1970s and ’80s and across the globe. Readers who enjoy true crime and stories about cons will quickly be absorbed into Yeebo’s first book.” ―Library Journal “With Anansi’s Gold, Yepoka Yeebo has achieved something remarkable, brilliantly reframing the independence era under Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, while vividly illuminating the tawdriness of its aftermath with an unforgettable tale of corruption. This is African history and storytelling of the first order.” ―Howard W. French, author of BORN IN BLACKNESS “This captivating story of a gifted con artist and his abettors is not only a sheer pleasure to read, but also a profound inquiry into how a lie becomes a legend. Yepoka Yeebo contends with a history shrouded in forgetting and a protagonist who trailed falsehoods in his wake. Her tenacious reporting and relentless pursuit of truth are nothing short of heroic.” ―Kirk Wallace Johnson, author of THE FEATHER THIEF “An unflinching look at history that illuminates both the past and the present. Meticulously and impressively researched, Anansi’s Gold is a sharply written and highly engaging account of Blay-Miezah’s life, of politics and society in Ghana, and of the rapaciousness and cruelty of colonization and of external involvement in Africa. An essential work by a great writer.” ―Peace Adzo Medie, author of HIS ONLY WIFE “Anansi’s Gold is as gripping as a heist movie, with a sparkling cast and a plot that is stranger than fiction. Yepoka Yeebo tells a tale from another time, but in an era of fake news and too-good-to-be-true cryptocurrency scams, it feels thrillingly contemporary.” ―Tom Standage, author of A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN 6 GLASSES “This hugely important and riveting book tells a true story of avarice and ambition that is centered on Ghana but reveals a web of lies and deceit on a vast international scale. At the heart of this utterly compelling narrative is a theme of real urgency today: the political and social dangers and the terrible harm caused by the deliberate falsification of the past.” ―Susan Williams, author of WHITE MALICE “This astonishing book reveals not just Ghana’s history as you’ve never read it before, but some of the most important global events of the twentieth century. An impressive feat.” ―Afua Hirsch, author of BRIT(ISH)