“Memoir of a Bank Robber” is a fascinating autobiography. Gerald Heckathorn reveals how he robbed about 250 banks all across the country, and how he was eventually caught. But he also gives you insights about his childhood and family, and he traces his adolescent crimes, his juvenile incarceration, his battles with drugs, his two short-lived marriages, his harrowing life in adult prisons, and his escapes. You’ll even see cameos by Robert Blake, Ike Turner, and Charles Manson – he ran into all three behind bars! Then he brings you up to date with his retirement in Madison, Wisconsin. And at the end, he gives you his guilt-ridden reflections. Heckathorn takes you on a rollercoaster ride, and you’ve never been on one like this. It’s intriguing, disturbing, and ultimately redemptive.

Gerald Heckathorn robbed more than 200 banks across the country, including a few right here in Madison, before he got caught. He spent 35 years in prison for these robberies and for some assorted drug crimes. Then he retired here in Madison, and now he's filled with remorse, and he tells all in this revealing, disturbing, and ultimately redemptive memoir.

Livestream: Gerald Heckathorn with Doug Moe

About the book

About the author