The Barefoot Bandit: The True Tale of Colton Harris-Moore, New American Outlaw

TheBarefootBandittellstherivetingtruestoryofColtonHarris-Moore,America’stwenty-first-centuryoutlaw.Bornintoapoorfamilymarredbyalcoholabuse,Colthadthelocalsheriffafterhimbeforetheageoften.Coltsurvivedbybreakingintohomestoforageforfood,andlearnedtoevadethepolicebymeltingintothePacificNorthwestwilds.Asateenager,heescalatedtostealingcars,boats,andidentities.AnextensivemanhuntfinallycaughtColt,butheescapedjuvenileprisonandfledtonearbyOrcasIsland,whereheassuredhisplacealongsideoutlawlegendssuchasD.B.Cooperbystealinganairplanewithouteverhavingaformalflightlesson.Andthatwasjustthebeginning.AsaresidentofOrcasIsland,authorBobFrielwitnessedfirsthandaslocalpolice,FBIagents,SWATteams,andevenHomelandSecurityhelicopterspursuedColtaroundtheisland.Colt’scrimespreeinfuriatedandterrifiedmanylocals,whileotherssympathizedwiththebarefootyoungcriminal——thecontroversytearingattheformerlyquietcommunity.Thestorygainedinternationalfame,withTimecallingColt"America’sMostWantedTeen"whenhestoleandcrashedhisthirdairplane.AftermorethantwoyearsontherunintheNorthwest,ColtfledOrcasandbeganaspectacularcross-countrytrek.FrielfollowedtheBarefootBanditallthewaytotheBahamas,wherethechasefinallyendedinahailofgunfireat3a.m.onadarksea.Throughhispersonalexperiencesandhundredsofinterviewswithwitnesses,victims,localauthorities,Colt’sfamily,and,indirectly,Colthimself,Frielgivesreadersanexclusivelookatanoutlawlegend.SetagainstthebackdropofthePacificNorthwest’severgreenislands,whereInternetmillionairescoexistwithsurvivalistsandex-hippies,thisisagripping,stranger-than-fictiontaleaboutaneglectedandtroubledchildwhooutfoxedtheauthorities,gainedacultfollowing,andmadetheworldtakenotice."IdoubtifeventhebestfictionwritercouldcreateacharacterlikeColtonHarris-Moore.Thisisanincrediblebuttruestory.BobFrielisagiftedreporterandaveryfinewriter."—NelsonDeMille,NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofTheGoldCoastandTheLion"SomethingaboutColtonHarris-Moore—craftystealerofcars,boats,andairplanes—capturedthefascinationofourfast-movingcountry.ButittookBobFriel,apluckyreporterwithapitch-perfectstorysense—tochasedownthelegendandmakeitreal.InFriel’sfinetelling,theBarefootBanditemergesasbothvillainandfolkheroinathrillingmodernfugitivetale."—HamptonSides,authorofHellhoundonHisTrail"ADillingeresquetaleforourcurrentGreatRecessionera.Frielnotonlygivesabrilliantlyclear-eyedlookatabandit’sadventuresbutalsotheeffectstheyhadonhispeacefulcommunity."—MatthewPolly,bestsellingauthorofAmericanShaolinandTappedOut"Riveting,thorough,anddeeplyhuman,thisterrificreaddoesn’tjusttellthestory—itbringsittolife."—MarcusSakey,bestsellingauthorofTheTwoDeathsofDanielHayesandTheBladeItself"Frieloffersathrillingportraitofabrightandneglectedteentryingtooutrunauthoritiesandhisowntroubledpast."—Booklist"Thishighlyentertainingstoryofamodern-dayHuckFinnwillbeenjoyedbyloversofadventurestoriesaswellastruecrime."—LibraryJournal"ItisFriel'sabilitytospinagreatyarnthatdrawsthereaderinfromthestartandneverletsup.Andhedoesitwithdeftreportingandabreezyandentertainingstylethatenlivensataleasincredibleasitistrue."—AssociatedPress"[A]true-crimeclassic."—AspenDailyNews