{"product_id":"the-book-of-swindles","title":"Das Buch der Betrügereien","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA familiar face, a promising deal, a bag of silver: which part of the scene is the trap?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn The Book of Swindles, Zhang Yingyu takes you through the markets, inns, boats and government offices of late Ming China. Money moves quickly, and strangers have good reasons to be wary. These short tales follow con artists as they set their traps, borrow identities and turn another person's trust into a chance for profit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe collection groups its tricks into twenty-four categories, including fake silver, stolen goods, false identity and schemes that feed on desire. One bag replaces another. A stranger claims a connection or rank. Zhang shows how each deception works and who falls for it. Most tales end with his own brief warning, making the stories both sly entertainment and a practical guide to dealing with strangers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eInside this book\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe art of substitution\u003c\/strong\u003e – Watch a simple exchange of look-alike bags become the heart of a swindle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNames that open doors\u003c\/strong\u003e – Meet impostors who pose as relatives, scholars or servants of officials to gain trust.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHope becomes a weakness\u003c\/strong\u003e – Explore schemes that work on private wishes and worries, not just the hunger for silver.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEveryday life in motion\u003c\/strong\u003e – Step beyond emperors into a busy world of travellers, householders, markets and inns.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA storyteller's warning\u003c\/strong\u003e – Follow Zhang's closing comments as he draws practical cautions from the tricks he tells.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect for readers who love short, sly stories, the history of everyday life, and a close look at how fraud works.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOpen the first page now and watch how a swindle begins.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Library of Alexandria Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59534756905308,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1027\/9442\/8764\/files\/08471_en_ebook-front_c13.jpg?v=1792175180","url":"https:\/\/libraryofalexandria.com\/de\/products\/das-buch-der-betruegereien","provider":"The Library of Alexandria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}