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The man from Lisbon: A novel
A daring fraud makes one man a titan, and brings a nation to its knees
The son of a failing undertaker, Alves Reis was young when he realizedlearned early on that death comes quickly and a man must make his fortune while he can. In 1916, Reis he leftaves Portugal for Angola, where the hardships of colonial life dashed his dream of easy riches. But it is then, at his mostIn desperate straits, that Alves discovers his true talent: forgery.
With an unerring hand, Alves begins to counterfeit. He falsifies diplomas, government documents, currency, and countless checks on his way to perpetrating one of the greatest frauds of the tTwentieth Ccentury. Inspired by the true story of a master swindler, Gifford brings to life a breathtaking international scam. Before Bernie Madoff, before Frank Abagnale, there was Alves Reis—a master forger with talent, vision, and an uncompromising drive to succeed, no matter what man, bank, or nation stood in his way.
The son of a failing undertaker, Alves Reis was young when he realizedlearned early on that death comes quickly and a man must make his fortune while he can. In 1916, Reis he leftaves Portugal for Angola, where the hardships of colonial life dashed his dream of easy riches. But it is then, at his mostIn desperate straits, that Alves discovers his true talent: forgery.
With an unerring hand, Alves begins to counterfeit. He falsifies diplomas, government documents, currency, and countless checks on his way to perpetrating one of the greatest frauds of the tTwentieth Ccentury. Inspired by the true story of a master swindler, Gifford brings to life a breathtaking international scam. Before Bernie Madoff, before Frank Abagnale, there was Alves Reis—a master forger with talent, vision, and an uncompromising drive to succeed, no matter what man, bank, or nation stood in his way.
418 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Thomas Gifford
46 books25 followersThomas Eugene Gifford was a best-selling American author of thriller novels. He gained international fame with the suspense novel The Wind Chill Factor and later with the Vatican-based thriller The Assassini.
After graduating from Harvard he moved to the Twin Cities, MN where he and his wife, Kari Sandven, had two children (Thomas Eaton, Rachel Claire). Divorced in 1969, he went on to marry Camille D'Ambrose, a local actress. They moved to Los Angeles for a few years, then returned to Orono, MN. Novels continued to flow from his fountain pen through the years. Gifford eventually moved to New York--a city he loved whose people were of infinite importance to him.
In 1996, he turned his attention to renovating his childhood home in Dubuque, spending more time in Iowa than New York during his last years. He embraced the community of Dubuque, as they embraced their prodigal son. Featured in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Gifford recounted his every day occurrences, from learning the pleasure of getting a dog (Katie Maxwell, the Scottie) to peeves and pleasures of the town.
Diagnosed with terminal cancer in February, 2000, Gifford spent his remaining months reading, watching old movies, and chatting with friends and family. He passed away on an unseasonably warm Halloween, just as the ghosts and goblins started their tricks.
Gifford lived life large, had friends throughout the world, and lived life by his favorite credo--we're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time.
Gifford also published under the names Dana Clarins and Thomas Maxwell.
After graduating from Harvard he moved to the Twin Cities, MN where he and his wife, Kari Sandven, had two children (Thomas Eaton, Rachel Claire). Divorced in 1969, he went on to marry Camille D'Ambrose, a local actress. They moved to Los Angeles for a few years, then returned to Orono, MN. Novels continued to flow from his fountain pen through the years. Gifford eventually moved to New York--a city he loved whose people were of infinite importance to him.
In 1996, he turned his attention to renovating his childhood home in Dubuque, spending more time in Iowa than New York during his last years. He embraced the community of Dubuque, as they embraced their prodigal son. Featured in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Gifford recounted his every day occurrences, from learning the pleasure of getting a dog (Katie Maxwell, the Scottie) to peeves and pleasures of the town.
Diagnosed with terminal cancer in February, 2000, Gifford spent his remaining months reading, watching old movies, and chatting with friends and family. He passed away on an unseasonably warm Halloween, just as the ghosts and goblins started their tricks.
Gifford lived life large, had friends throughout the world, and lived life by his favorite credo--we're not here for a long time; we're here for a good time.
Gifford also published under the names Dana Clarins and Thomas Maxwell.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 7, 2017
A historical novel about Artur Alves dos Reis, a real-life con man who so flooded Portugal with counterfeit escudo notes in the 1920's that he almost crashed that nation's economy. But Reis was too smart to be a counterfeit-plates-in-the-basement type of guy; he masterfully forged documents to get a British banknote firm to print them, convincing the firm that the government of Portugal wanted the notes to secretly kick-start the economy in Portugal's colony, Angola.
Reis goes from rags to riches and becomes a posterboy for conspicuous consumption. (Looks a bit like Al Capone, doesn't he?) The movie-like plot takes us from Lisbon and Oporto to Angola, London and Paris where Reis has a torrid affair with a Hollywood-bound actress who is a friend of Hemingway and legendary Swedish "Match King," Ivar Kreuger.
Slow in spots, (the 418-page hardback is about 100 pages too long), it's still an excellent read about the Bernie Madoff of 1920's Europe.
(Revised 1/2/2017)
Reis goes from rags to riches and becomes a posterboy for conspicuous consumption. (Looks a bit like Al Capone, doesn't he?) The movie-like plot takes us from Lisbon and Oporto to Angola, London and Paris where Reis has a torrid affair with a Hollywood-bound actress who is a friend of Hemingway and legendary Swedish "Match King," Ivar Kreuger.
Slow in spots, (the 418-page hardback is about 100 pages too long), it's still an excellent read about the Bernie Madoff of 1920's Europe.
(Revised 1/2/2017)
January 1, 2014
Get Rich or Die Trying
May 25, 2016
Entertaining book, Amazing story! Didn't really like Thomas Gifford's authorial voice and writing style. There's too much description (do we really need to know about every meal and piece of clothing?) and some of the characters are quite flat and uninteresting (does somebody care for Maria? Isn't Greta just a femme fatale?). However, Alves Reis' incredible life makes up for all that. Nothing was impossible for him. He reached for the sky. Good read, indeed.
September 19, 2019
Nada como uma boa história sobre um bandido com boas intenções. Alves Reis quis ser maior do que era e conseguiu. Apostou o mais alto que pode e acabou por pagar o preço da sua aventura. No final do livro fiquei a pensar se os anos que acabou por passar na cadeia não terão valido a pena pela fantástica aventura que viveu. Isto porque no meio de toda a grande falcatrua ninguém em particular foi prejudicado. Um bandido como os há poucos! :)
May 8, 2021
Este livro é demasiadamente longo e aborrecido para justificar a quantidade de informação interessante (e pequeno divertimento) que a leitura dá.
Realmente só o terminei (na minha terceira tentativa) porque não queria dar a satisfação ao meu pai de me ver desistir.
Realmente só o terminei (na minha terceira tentativa) porque não queria dar a satisfação ao meu pai de me ver desistir.
June 16, 2019
Fascinating story. My wife and I visited Portugal in 2006 and this book makes me want to go back. Makes you reflect on your own life and career.
March 28, 2021
A minha curiosidade sobre Alves Reis, ficou satisfeita. Sabia que era um burlão, mas não sabia toda a sua história. Muito interessante
March 5, 2023
Nicely written and an interesting tale. A little bit blatant in style but perhaps that is fitting for such a brazen protagonist.
August 12, 2020
Ich muss gestehen, ich war mehrmals versucht, das Buch abzubrechen, weil ich der Ansicht war, der Autor hätte sich hanebüchenen Unsinn ausgedacht. Dann habe ich Alvers Reis gegooglet und musste feststellen, die Geschichte lief wirklich weitgehend so ab.
Das machte mir die Hauptperson nicht sympatischer, aber ich habe die Geschichte erolgreich beenden können, ohne ständig den Kopf auf die Tischplatte zu schlagen, weil ich soviel Dummheit kaum aushalte.
Das machte mir die Hauptperson nicht sympatischer, aber ich habe die Geschichte erolgreich beenden können, ohne ständig den Kopf auf die Tischplatte zu schlagen, weil ich soviel Dummheit kaum aushalte.
May 1, 2015
What a great story, I really enjoyed this. An incredible journey in history with a fabulous character...set in Salazar's Portugal...
May 14, 2015
Absolutely loved this book twenty years ago and suspect I would still love it today. I will read it again if given the opportunity
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews