Fly, Colton, Fly - by Jackson Holtz (Paperback)

About the Book

A page-turning account of the life story, extraordinary crimes, and ultimate arrest of Colton Harris-Moore, the 19-year-old Barefoot Bandit who captured the nation's attention with his hijinks, by the reporter who has covered the case more than any other.

Book Synopsis

Colton Harris-Moore. A teenage outlaw wanted in nine states for more than eighty crimes. For two years he outran authorities--often times barefoot. And every step of the way, a frenzied public cheered him on...

"The Barefoot Bandit" looked like a typical American teenage boy. But Colton Harris-Moore was something else: a disturbing neighborhood nuisance at the age of ten, a troubled felon at twelve, wanted at fifteen, and the subject of a cross-country and international fugitive manhunt by the time he could register to vote. He stole boats, luxury cars, laptops, credit cards, and planes, despite no formal flight training, then embarked on an astonishing two-year crime spree that crossed international borders, fueled a titillated media, and eluded law enforcement. A twenty-first century Billy the Kid, Harris-Moore hid in the woods and lived on candy bars, snack food, and at least one stolen organic blueberry pie. As his crime spree continued and his notoriety grew, he was celebrated online, on t-shirts, and on Web sites and a Facebook Fan Club. Only one thing was increasingly clear. Harris-Moore wasn't going to give himself up easily. His fans wouldn't have it any other way.

This is the Barefoot Bandit's life story--his youth, his crimes, and his capture--the incredible true account of a digital-age wild child who may have run out of getaways, but found something much more valuable: a peculiar and very American brand of fame.

INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS

Review Quotes

"Fly, Colton, Fly reveals much about the Jesse James of the Facebook age--and our fascination with imaginative crooks eluding maladroit cops. Indispensable for anyone interested in the Barefoot Bandit." --Rinker Buck, author of Flight of Passage

"Every now and then, a criminal comes along who flouts the law with such daring and dash that he is elevated to the ranks of rebel folk hero. Colton Harris-Moore is the latest figure to enter the ranks of these legendary lawbreakers. In this fleet and propulsive account, Jackson Holtz tells the story of this latter-day Jesse James in a style best suited to its subject--with enormous panache."--Harold Schechter, author of Killer Colt: Murder, Disgrace, and the Making of An American Legend