Confidence Game

McKimmey, James, 1923-2011Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 40K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Confidence Game by James McKimmeyAuthor: McKimmey, James, 1923-2011,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: May 4, 2010

Editor's review

Confidence Game is a short popular novel by James McKimmey, belonging to the suspense-and-con-game vein common in American popular literature. In length and format it suits a single commute or an evening's reading: the pace is tight, the plot turns on trust and deception, and it carries the twist-driven pleasure typical of genre fiction. The value of such work lies not in literary depth but in light, direct narrative entertainment, and it also serves as a sample of mid-twentieth-century American pulp-magazine writing. Project Gutenberg's digitization makes this possibly forgotten short novel accessible again, of some reference value to readers studying genre literature or seeking English reading material. Note that, limited by the source material, the specific plot and characters cannot be set out here; readers should rely on the actual text and should not expect complex social critique or character arcs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Commuters who want to read an English short novel in spare moments
Readers interested in mid-twentieth-century American popular suspense stories
Learners who need light English reading material and prefer plot-driven stories
eBook fans collecting public-domain genre fiction texts

Not a good fit for

Literary readers expecting long, complex narratives or deep character portrayal
English beginners who need a Chinese translation or a bilingual edition
Readers not interested in con games or suspense and who prefer nonfiction

Reading tips

Best read in one sitting; pausing midway may weaken the pleasure of the plot twists.
Watch for gaps in information in the characters' dialogue, a common narrative device in con-game stories.
After reading, briefly note the story's key turning points to check whether you were guided by the narration.
For English study, pick dialogue passages for read-aloud practice and get a feel for the rhythm of popular fiction.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a novel or a short story?

Judging by its format and its inclusion in Project Gutenberg, this is a short popular novel, suitable for reading in one go or over two or three sessions; it is not a long epic. Page counts vary with the electronic edition's layout, so readers can plan their reading time after downloading the actual text.

Is the story centered on a con game?

The title Confidence Game in English often refers to a swindle that works by gaining trust, and given McKimmey's background in popular suspense short fiction, the book most likely turns on trust and deception. The specific characters and ending, however, must be judged from the actual text; no speculation is offered here.

What English level is this suitable for?

As mid-twentieth-century American popular fiction, the language consists mainly of everyday narration and dialogue, with shorter sentences than nineteenth-century literary works. Readers with roughly CET-4 reading ability can usually finish it with a dictionary, making it good practice material for moving from textbook English to reading in the original.

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About the author

McKimmey, James, 1923-2011 Author

James McKimmey (1923–2011) was an American writer known mainly for short fiction; public information about him is limited. Seven of his works are held in the collection, including Confidence Game, Pipe of Peace, The Eyes Have It, Celebrity, 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces, George Loves Gistla and Planet of Dreams. Most are science fiction and suspense, often shelved under inspirational growth. His stories are concise, building suspense from everyday situations and often ending with a twist; his characters make choices under pressure, revealing a gentle examination of human nature and fate. These works appeared mostly in mid-twentieth-century popular magazines and, though not mainstream classics, have kept a steady readership through their tight structure and readability, offering samples for the study of genre fiction of the period.