American Kingpin by Nick Bilton is a captivating true-crime read that’s nearly impossible to put down about a young libertarian who built “The Amazon of Drugs” and almost got away with it.
Pairs With: Kinder Surprise because to find them in the US you basically have to be on the dark web.
Overview
Want to listen to an audiobook that will have you so captivated you forget to watch your gas tank and almost end up stranded on the highway in the middle of a Minnesota winter? Or do you want to listen to an audiobook that will have you so riveted that you keep working on your house projects just so you can hear what happens next? My husband and I were searching for more work to do just so we could keep listening! (Idk why sitting and listening while fully enjoying ourselves just never occurred to us but it didn’t. 😂)
American Kingpin by Nick Bilton is a phenomenal true story about an insane manhunt for a young 20-something-year-old “programmer” who invented “the Amazon of drugs.” Bilton gives the backstory of Ross Ulbricht and shows how he gradually became the kingpin of the Silk Road. This internet site sold drugs, weapons, and eventually even human organs.
Review
I don’t want to spoil this one too much with a detailed review. So instead I will say – if you’re also a fan of nerdy true-crime (think Elizabeth Holmes instead of serial killer type of true-crime) then you will enjoy this one as well!
I loved learning about how Ulbricht programmed the site, used the dark web, leveraged Bitcoin (before it took off), and how he eventually got caught. Bilton also does a great job of pulling back the curtain and showing how the government “works” together when it comes to cross-division cases.
To take down Ulbricht the FBI, HSI (Homeland Security Investigations), IRS, and CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) divisions of the government were all eventually involved. It was comical to see how far behind the government was, compared to its citizens, when it came to understanding how the internet and programming work. However, eventually, Ulbricht had left enough breadcrumbs scattered throughout the web that led investigators straight to him.
Bookclub Pick!
If you’re looking for a book/story to read with your partner, friend, or book club – this would be an excellent choice! There is so much to discuss with this one and it’s great to experience it with someone else. Bilton’s storytelling and writing style is captivating and easy to follow.
Although the audiobook is great and I 10/10 recommend it – I also recommend a physical copy of the book because Bilton has included photos of the key characters mentioned throughout the book. I don’t know about you but I love being able to put faces to the names when it comes to true stories.
Conclusion
TLDR; read American Kingpin if you’re looking for a fascinating true crime story that isn’t super scary and is about a case you probably haven’t heard of. This is a great book for a book club or as a buddy read since there are so many captivating twists and turns to discuss.
P.S. If you enjoyed this one you may also like Bad Blood by John Carreyrou! Nerdy true crime is one of my favorite genres! (Plz recommend any others you’ve loved!)
