American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road

This book covers both the broad strokes of the Silk Road that you might have missed as the story was unfolding as well as the small nuances that you almost certainly didn’t know even if you were one of the participants. Bilton takes a balanced reporting perspective and describes both the highs and lows of the building and ultimate downfall of the Silk Road as well as the investigative efforts that brought it down. Probably the most striking element is the number of small mistakes that lead to setbacks and victories on both sides of this cat and mouse game. I would say one place some may disagree with the author is in what to include and what to leave out. In any writing that is the challenge the author faces. I am satisfied with his decisions but others may not be. This is a well written book that will fill in many of the holes left by other sources.

The story is great but the writing is clunky and is too often derailed by immature characterizations of Texans as “racists” whose dinner conversation can only possibly be about “football and F-150 trucks.”

What if you could buy and sell drugs online like books or light bulbs? Welcome to Silk Road. The Silk Road website was a one-stop shop for illegal drugs. In just the first year's existence sales exceeded $500,000. But wait! A few months later it was $500,000 in weekly sales with commission sales into Ross's pocket averaging $10,000 daily, and rising. Ross became The Pirate in American Kingpin. Silk road even evolved into selling body parts where bone marrow would fetch $23,000 a gram, $150,000 for a good liver but the drug network was the vast force and the Drug Enforcement Administration would direct attention and resources into government focus. The FBI has Ross and the Silk Road under intense alert. The importance of Ross Ulbricht is perhaps exemplified during his arrest when nearly thirty FBI agents swarmed from every direction for the event. The FBI charged that the website of Ross Ulbricht had trafficked $1.2 billion in drugs, weapons and poisons. Silk Road reportedly had hundreds of million dollars in sales. In 2015 Ross was sentenced to life in prison. In that year the CDC reported that more people died from drug overdoses than from gun deaths and that on-line drug buying remains a prosperity unaffected by the destiny of Ross Ulbricht or Silk Road.

I sort of stumbled upon this book while searching true crime, and boy am I glad I did. The dark web is something I've heard exists, but know nothing about it. The concept of The Silk Road is so simple, yet so completely illicit. The "Amazon of illegal drugs." That no one thought about it earlier than Ross Ulbricht is almost a bigger crime than what he did. This was an engrossing read. It is so well-written that I didn't want to put it down. It reminded me of the old Batman TV show from the '60s - how are they going to get out of this one?!? Ross dodged bullets in the form of investigations by no less than four different government agencies. On the other hand, I wondered how on Earth the likes of the FBI (the 'feebs') could possibly catch him since the TOR browser and Bitcoin are completely anonymous. The individual stories are fascinating also; from Ross himself (The Dread Pirate Roberts) to interesting profiles of a handful of the government agents trying to catch him. Sometimes you would start to feel bad for Ross, but then he'd do something awful like order a hit. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is thorough, easy to read, and suspenseful. Too often, non-fiction writers forget that even non-fiction can be suspenseful and engaging. Not this time.

This is a great book. Well researched and well written. It’s the tale about a bright Texas college kid, let astray by an ideology that sees all things government as a the enemy of private freedom and initiative. He is particularly against government regulation of drug consumption, which he believes should be everybody’s individual right to decide. In this pretext he builds an online drug market on the Dark Web right at a time where bitcoins get established. The web site grows like crazy and bitcoins worth million of dollars start to roll in. And so does the moral decline of the young Texan. The Dark Web is the perfect operation platform for the dark dark side of mankind.

Great read about the guy who created the Silk Road dark net site and those in his life. Goes to show that no matter what, extreme views lead to extreme situations and outcomes and how greed can turn good intentions bad. While we once believed in the anonymity of the Internet, this story shows that you leave a trail wherever you go and that no matter how careful you think you are, there is really no erasing that trail. The story is well told. It grabs you, draws you in and you just can't set it down.

A fascinating story many will remember from live news coverage and follow-up reading is succinctly told by Nick in a witty summarized version of events. The detail is colorful and the sequencing of the story cannot be better. A fifth star would be earned by including the rest of the story. It seems like the last third is rushed, lacking the fullness of the first two. I'm left feeling unsatisfied but not disappointed.

The story of Silk Road’s evolvement, the elusive DPR, the investigators pieces together this intangible puzzle of the Dark Web, bad actors... the entire story is enthralling and what you would want in a fiction thriller, except this is a fantastical true story. The writing is succinct, offering enough details for context but not causing the reader to hang up away from the charging developments of this story. Aside the factual story being sensational, there can be a whole other book on the physiological component of Libertarianism and how there is something about human nature that takes over even in the most idealistic attempt to create self regulation. The fact this space was seeded from the roots of idealism on the black web, free from government intervention (for a while) but even the founding father comes to terms with his power and the liberties to exercise it at his discretions rooted in his idealism... I could read another book!!!

Wow. Almost didn't buy this based on the few negative reviews, most of which claimed it was poorly written. That would have been a mistake. Guess I could say if you're looking for a book with all the minutiae and footnotes of many non-fiction crime books this probably isn't for you. If, however, you're looking for an exciting tale, written in crisp, clear prose that races along with no wasted words you really should pick this up. It's an American dream story that chronicles Ross Ulbricht's modest beginnings, his meteoric rise to drug kingpin and his inevitable seduction by his own power. An amazing read.

Reading this during all the Covid-19 upset didn't seem like a really smart thing to do, but I'm VERY glad I did. Excellent for taking your mind off current "current events" and into a real-world investigation that seemed almost like a work of fiction. While I vaguely remember some of the news reports about the Silk Road and the Bitcoin payment business (and it all started ABOUT that 10 yrs ago!), until reading this book I really wasn't aware of the overall impact - AND SIZE! - of the whole event. I seem to have developed a bit of a queasy feeling about Bitcoin, tho, from the little I remembered. Read this and you may never again feel "ho-hum" about logging onto a computer site, not even THIS one! It's a fantastic, true story and one you won't want to put down once you start.

This book covers both the broad strokes of the Silk Road that you might have missed as the story was unfolding as well as the small nuances that you almost certainly didn’t know even if you were one of the participants. Bilton takes a balanced reporting perspective and describes both the highs and lows of the building and ultimate downfall of the Silk Road as well as the investigative efforts that brought it down. Probably the most striking element is the number of small mistakes that lead to setbacks and victories on both sides of this cat and mouse game. I would say one place some may disagree with the author is in what to include and what to leave out. In any writing that is the challenge the author faces. I am satisfied with his decisions but others may not be. This is a well written book that will fill in many of the holes left by other sources.

The story is great but the writing is clunky and is too often derailed by immature characterizations of Texans as “racists” whose dinner conversation can only possibly be about “football and F-150 trucks.”

What if you could buy and sell drugs online like books or light bulbs? Welcome to Silk Road. The Silk Road website was a one-stop shop for illegal drugs. In just the first year's existence sales exceeded $500,000. But wait! A few months later it was $500,000 in weekly sales with commission sales into Ross's pocket averaging $10,000 daily, and rising. Ross became The Pirate in American Kingpin. Silk road even evolved into selling body parts where bone marrow would fetch $23,000 a gram, $150,000 for a good liver but the drug network was the vast force and the Drug Enforcement Administration would direct attention and resources into government focus. The FBI has Ross and the Silk Road under intense alert. The importance of Ross Ulbricht is perhaps exemplified during his arrest when nearly thirty FBI agents swarmed from every direction for the event. The FBI charged that the website of Ross Ulbricht had trafficked $1.2 billion in drugs, weapons and poisons. Silk Road reportedly had hundreds of million dollars in sales. In 2015 Ross was sentenced to life in prison. In that year the CDC reported that more people died from drug overdoses than from gun deaths and that on-line drug buying remains a prosperity unaffected by the destiny of Ross Ulbricht or Silk Road.

I sort of stumbled upon this book while searching true crime, and boy am I glad I did. The dark web is something I've heard exists, but know nothing about it. The concept of The Silk Road is so simple, yet so completely illicit. The "Amazon of illegal drugs." That no one thought about it earlier than Ross Ulbricht is almost a bigger crime than what he did. This was an engrossing read. It is so well-written that I didn't want to put it down. It reminded me of the old Batman TV show from the '60s - how are they going to get out of this one?!? Ross dodged bullets in the form of investigations by no less than four different government agencies. On the other hand, I wondered how on Earth the likes of the FBI (the 'feebs') could possibly catch him since the TOR browser and Bitcoin are completely anonymous. The individual stories are fascinating also; from Ross himself (The Dread Pirate Roberts) to interesting profiles of a handful of the government agents trying to catch him. Sometimes you would start to feel bad for Ross, but then he'd do something awful like order a hit. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is thorough, easy to read, and suspenseful. Too often, non-fiction writers forget that even non-fiction can be suspenseful and engaging. Not this time.

This is a great book. Well researched and well written. It’s the tale about a bright Texas college kid, let astray by an ideology that sees all things government as a the enemy of private freedom and initiative. He is particularly against government regulation of drug consumption, which he believes should be everybody’s individual right to decide. In this pretext he builds an online drug market on the Dark Web right at a time where bitcoins get established. The web site grows like crazy and bitcoins worth million of dollars start to roll in. And so does the moral decline of the young Texan. The Dark Web is the perfect operation platform for the dark dark side of mankind.

Great read about the guy who created the Silk Road dark net site and those in his life. Goes to show that no matter what, extreme views lead to extreme situations and outcomes and how greed can turn good intentions bad. While we once believed in the anonymity of the Internet, this story shows that you leave a trail wherever you go and that no matter how careful you think you are, there is really no erasing that trail. The story is well told. It grabs you, draws you in and you just can't set it down.

A fascinating story many will remember from live news coverage and follow-up reading is succinctly told by Nick in a witty summarized version of events. The detail is colorful and the sequencing of the story cannot be better. A fifth star would be earned by including the rest of the story. It seems like the last third is rushed, lacking the fullness of the first two. I'm left feeling unsatisfied but not disappointed.

The story of Silk Road’s evolvement, the elusive DPR, the investigators pieces together this intangible puzzle of the Dark Web, bad actors... the entire story is enthralling and what you would want in a fiction thriller, except this is a fantastical true story. The writing is succinct, offering enough details for context but not causing the reader to hang up away from the charging developments of this story. Aside the factual story being sensational, there can be a whole other book on the physiological component of Libertarianism and how there is something about human nature that takes over even in the most idealistic attempt to create self regulation. The fact this space was seeded from the roots of idealism on the black web, free from government intervention (for a while) but even the founding father comes to terms with his power and the liberties to exercise it at his discretions rooted in his idealism... I could read another book!!!

Wow. Almost didn't buy this based on the few negative reviews, most of which claimed it was poorly written. That would have been a mistake. Guess I could say if you're looking for a book with all the minutiae and footnotes of many non-fiction crime books this probably isn't for you. If, however, you're looking for an exciting tale, written in crisp, clear prose that races along with no wasted words you really should pick this up. It's an American dream story that chronicles Ross Ulbricht's modest beginnings, his meteoric rise to drug kingpin and his inevitable seduction by his own power. An amazing read.

Reading this during all the Covid-19 upset didn't seem like a really smart thing to do, but I'm VERY glad I did. Excellent for taking your mind off current "current events" and into a real-world investigation that seemed almost like a work of fiction. While I vaguely remember some of the news reports about the Silk Road and the Bitcoin payment business (and it all started ABOUT that 10 yrs ago!), until reading this book I really wasn't aware of the overall impact - AND SIZE! - of the whole event. I seem to have developed a bit of a queasy feeling about Bitcoin, tho, from the little I remembered. Read this and you may never again feel "ho-hum" about logging onto a computer site, not even THIS one! It's a fantastic, true story and one you won't want to put down once you start.

This was a great book, and for non-fiction, a real page-turner. The whole idea of "black" websites is so new and foreign to many of us, bitcoins, anonymous providers of drugs, etc., it was a real eye-opener for me. Silk Road was the first, but it won't be the last (another one was just busted today). Everyone who cares about drug over doses, the enormous profits drug sellers are amassing, why and how people do this, should read this book, particularly those who still don't believe that legalizing drugs is the only way to stop the drug trade.

I could not put this book down. I remember the court case in 2013 but knew little about it. I had no idea Silk Road was making over a billion dollars a year. I was also amazed the owner of the site was having people murdered. I was also amazed it took years for many federal agencies to catch this guy. This is a true story but sounds more like a Hollywood movie.

Read this in one sitting because it is a fascinating story and Bolton is a natural writer. Like Bolton, I am drawn to and repulsed by the forces that created and sustained and then pursued the Silk Road... those who want a black and white world will feel like this has a happy or tragic ending, those who accept the world is more nuanced will see that no one won or got away with anything. (To me, the most surprising part was how terrible the defense strategy was or that they (Ulbricht and Detral) thought it could possibly work).

The story of Silk Road was made to be written and talked about. Nick Bilton did an extensive amount of research and his prose allows for a page-turning ride through what can seem like a "Breaking Bad" for the online world. This book is absolutely addicting and highly recommended. I had to browse through the zero star ratings out of curiosity to see what one would gripe about. It appears some were annoyed by the "Made for Hollywood" style the book is written in but I am not sure that is actually a negative. There also seemed to be some complaints that it was biased against the protagonist but I felt, at times, that Ulbricht comes off as a very sympathetic figure. There is some typical lionization of the authorities who were able to capture him but I do not think it was contrived nor over-embellished. Highly recommended.

The author spent tons of time researching for this book, which can clearly be seen from the writing. He seems to take a narrating perspective, narrating the actions of the man behind the silk road, and goes in depth even on the little details about Ross Ulbricht's life. It is told from Ross's point of view as well as the agents who worked on the case, very detailed from all angles. This book should be read by anyone who has an interest in cyber security, or the inner workings of the internet. I may pull a Gary and read this book a few more times.

I had read briefly about the Silk Road during its existence in the Economist and was intrigued by a book covering the details of the site and its creator. This book, however, does not present information in a way that is remotely interesting. The writing is simple, at best, and inundated with cliches (some of which are repeated often within sentences of each other). The author lazily applies stereotypes as descriptors. The overall tone of the book is uncomfortable - as if the author is fantasizing about being the characters in the book. It appears the author was vying for a movie deal that would result in a 19% on rotten tomatoes. Beyond the poor writing, this nonfiction book contains many instances of thoughts and dialogue that the author could in no way know. The line isn’t just blurred, it’s obliterated. It’s challenging to believe that the research put into this book returned what I just read. It’s more believable that the author just copied the entire novel from a Reddit page. I don’t recommend picking up this book and I will avoid any work by Bilton in the future.

I'm glad this book didn't paint Ross Ulbricht as a martyr or a hero. It instead gave an unbias history of the Silk Road, chronicling the rise and fall of a idealist Libertarian, who set out to change the world but soon morphed into a self important online drug kingpin. The book is well written, using many different vantage points to tell the story. At some points you are rooting for Ross and others you find yourself on law enforcement's side. You feel for one DEA agent who seemed like a good guy put in the wrong circumstances and ended up throwing his whole life away during his investigation into the Silk Road. Great read, even if you don't know much about the deep web or the Silk Road.

This "true crime" novel was educational for those like me who were unfamiliar with Liberterian philosophy, the dark web and the Silk Road. Although written in the style of a mystery novel, it used real names and places in telling the true story of the hunt for the mastermind of the Silk Road. I not only enjoyed the style the author used to tell the story, but I felt as if I learned something interesting in the process. It exemplifies the duplicity of technology; it is beneficial, but dangerous in the wrong hands.

This is an engrossing account of a young man’s descent into darkness. Ross Ulbrecht is an average well heeled college guy who is bright and ambitious. His Libertarian beliefs sound innocuous at first, but as he pursues financial success he grows more ruthless. He is truly a Walter White sort of character, but this is not a TV show, it’s his real life. I learned a thing or two about the different federal agencies pursuing Ross Ulbrecht, and in general the story moves along at a good pace. My main quibble with the author is his constant backing up as he brings in the perspectives of the government agents and Silk Road minions.

The main thoughts I was left with after reading this were: 1-It was an amazing feat to have developed the Silk Road with virtually no help, and 2-After developing the site, why keep putting yourself through all of the terrible things to keep it running. It might be understandable if he was really profiting from it, but other than money, which he hardly spent, his life was pretty lonely and miserable from my point of view.

I am just finishing up this book, "American Kingpin"! I had to remind myself that this is not a novel, but a true account of these events. You almost get to hoping that Ross would get away, even though you know that what he was doing was awful (IMHO), because you want the story to continue on. Highly recommend it, I couldn't put it down.

This reporting on the first major website devoted to selling illicit materials could have easily been a dry recounting of technical details and sketchy figures. Instead, Nick Bolton takes you on a breathlessly-paced story of a smart guy who thought himself smarter than anyone and the law enforcement agents who all wanted the glory of taking him down to themselves. While the reporting is often too enamored with its own sense of importance, this is a tense, human-level crime drama that is a quick read that is hard to put down.

This story has A LOT of detailed work put into it, and it absolutely shows within every single page. I can not pinpoint one single favorite part, because this is one if those books you have to accept in whole to appreciate the art of this story. As intriguing as the true story is of itself, I am highly impressed with the care and dedication Nick gave to telling the story to me and other readers. WELL DONE!!

I RARELY write reviews....but, this author is the best yet. I read all True Crime books and had never read this author. He's incredible. Of course, this story is intriguing, but the way the author wrote this allowed me to literally finish the 333 page book in one day (and I am typically a very slow reader)!! I am going to search for more of his work and buy them all! Loved it!

The subject matter of the book is really fascinating and it was obviously well researched but the writing is a little lackluster. I think a big part of why it was so hard for me to stay interested in this book was because so much of it was taken verbatim from actual text chats and that’s not really compelling for me to read. I agree with what another reviewer wrote, that this would make a great movie but as a book it falls a little flat.

I have always been drawn to True Crime novels, but was unfamiliar with Silk Road and not sure I would enjoy a book about an online drug business. I was wrong! Once I started I could not put this book down. While many True Crime novels focus mainly on the trial which can be drawn out, Nick Bilton helped you understand the mastermind behind Silk Road and the extensive government investigation that finally brought him down.

A true story told in such a descriptive way, it reads like fiction. It is amazing how a young man with no computing experience founded such a empire and how it took so long to catch him. The fact that he was hoarded millions of digital dollars while living a simple almost off the grid lifestyle probably helped him allude capture.

This is a good summer read if you want something interesting that moves at a fast pace. The author does a good job of making a complex story easy to follow and the reader is able to keep track of a relatively large cast. The negatives are: the author constantly uses cliffhangers at the end of almost every chapter which becomes annoying after a while and relies on profanity instead of using a variety of words. I don't necessarily mind profanity if it fits the narrative but in this book it seemed that the author was being lazy and trying to keep the attention of the reader rather than just presenting this fascinating story.

This was such a good read! Nick Bilton clearly did a ton of research (which he discusses at the end of the book) and it shows in how well he wove the various characters' personal stories together with the historical facts. I got a real sense of who each player was/is and how they fit into the bigger picture. I highly recommend this book if you have any knowledge of the Silk Road and the beginnings of the "dark web"!

Can hardly believe this is a non fiction. Great writing, felt more like an intense, thrilling, novel. Must read highly recommend

This book felt like a movie script in a good way. Had such a good narrative structure with such interesting characters and stories and I couldn't believe it was real. It mentions there's a computer in the Newseum in DC that was linked to the Silk Road without the back story. I'm really glad I got the back story here cause it's wild

Very entertaining. Wonderfully written book. Enjoyed every single page. Does a great job at making all the parallel stories meet at the end. Hard not to like DPR

It is fascinating to read. But it is deeper than just a suspense story. It vividly shows that any reasonable thoughts, if being pushed too far to the extreme, will be harmful to the society . Seeing so much political extreme performances recently, in both right and left side, should give us a loud sound of alarm. No body should position himself as a God, any intention to go in that direction will cause damage to the world we live as well as to himself and his/her family.

Fascinating account. Reads like fiction. This book was obviously incredibly well researched. Because DPR kept a journal, much of his thought process is revealed. Really interesting morality issues and a real life example of a "slippery slope". The Audible audio is fantastic as well.

The big take away from this book is that Ross Ulbricht was not very smart and isn't a particularly interesting person to read about. The real interesting parts of the book are the investigators. I was much more involved in the stories of the investigation than of how Ross managed the website. Decently written book but there are a couple long form new articles from Ars Techinica and others that are free and cover the same material.

Loved this book. A well written, nice flowing account of a very interesting and thought provoking subject. What a wasted life from someone with such obvious talent to be so much more productive. I feel immensely sad for this mans parents and the many others inflicted by the aftermath and damage from something so unnecessary. A great read !

Please send address of new SR. IMO mind/mood altering substances should be legal and safe to purchase. It’s my money. I earned it. And I should be able to spend as I wish as long as my actions do not effect others negatively. Narcs / snitches can take a walk - don’t bother.

An epic story and book. Heartbreaking and so, so interesting. I truly think Ross is an incredible human being and I can’t say I would’ve done anything differently. It’s not his fault that the work he did was incredibly profitable. There’s surely a use for this person outside of a prison.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's true crime at its best. I usually shy away from stories about hackers and cyber crime, too technical and confusing. Not this book. It flows, it's interesting. I feel for the family of Ross Ulbricht. This book sure shows we only * think * we know a person. As for Libertarians, I always think they would be outraged if they had to live in the world they think they want to create.

My husband read this book and then I listened to the audible on a road trip. The suspense and intrigue made it hard to stop my car and turn it off. It was amazing to learn about how so many legal entities from HSA, to FBI, to BCA, etc from Chicago, Baltimore, & San Francisco were all working on this. How they were able to crack the case is equally incredible. Cyber security is fascinating and many great minds worked to put this criminal behind bars. A good insight as to how we, as human beings, can bring ourselves to justify illegal and immoral activity in our own minds for personal gain.

This book is a ride. It feels like you are watching a movie. I am not a huge reader but I could not put this book down after I started reading it. I ended up telling virtually anyone I met that they needed to read this book because it is so well written and such a great story.

I would recommend this to anyone - I couldn’t put it down. It Read like a fiction novel, partially because what happened was so out of this world, but also props to the author for assembling it in this fashion.

The topic of this book itself riveting, but what gives it 5 stars from me is Nick Bilton's writing talent. This is an extremely well told story that gives a thorough and well-defined picture of how the dark net's Silk Road came to be , and likely as close a look as we will ever get at the enigmatic Ross Ullbright. Great modern day crime story in all its technological glory.

Great job taking research and weaving it into a readable tale. Find it fascinating that many of these digital criminal masterminds were living far than below their means and many were doing for deeper reasons. No flashy high life for these bitcoin millionaires.

I haven’t read this yet but was told about it by a friend, who said she could not put it down so I purchased for my husband!!! After reading it he says he’d definitely give it 5 stars and tells everyone he knows what a GREAT BOOK this was! I can’t wait to have the time to read it as well!!!

What a story. Wow. DPR was smart and lucky but he wasn't brilliant. If he was he would have told this story in his autobiography on his deathbed. Bilton did a fantastic job. Highly recommended.

Amazing story of a everyday guy Ross, that started a unbelievable drug trafficking website, Silk Road. I couldn’t stop but think how greed gets the best of people, and if the Dread Pirate Roberts would have passed on the torch earlier in the story, he could have very well never been caught? Is it the money or the thrill of the enterprise. Just a captivating story, that I was sad to see end.

The story built up in a dramatic fashion. You u understand the characters and felt engaged with them. The technology was easy to u understand and follow. Like the personal mix of relationships and the investigative details.

American Kingpin is a storytelling masterpiece that you will have difficulty putting down until the very last page. A story so fantastical it’s almost hard to believe and with real life characters who are masterfully profiled and explored, do yourself a favor and read this book before Hollywood inevitably adapts it into a movie.

Extremely interesting! Amazing what someone can learn on their own utilizing all resources available today. Unfortunate how quickly he lost sight of his original goal. Good insight on how power, greed, and associations can corrupt.

Incredibly well written, I really found myself getting immersed in the story and I couldn't stop reading it. REALLY wish they'd make a movie based on this book. Chapters are nice and short which is good if you have a short attention span like me but the end of every chapter leaves you wanting to keep reading more and more every time. Will recommend this book to all friends and family

Awesome book about the founder of the Silk Road, his adventures and the way he was both joined by and caught by various members of the government and law enforcement. This is a must read and would be a fun novel even if it wasn't true -- crazy that it is totally true.

This is an amazing and fascinating story that will keep the reader glued to the book.

I had been waiting for this book and read it soon after it came out. The book is well written and a breeze to read. The author clearly did his research on Ross and The Silk Road. You don't have to be a Techie to read this book. There's hardly any jargon to get bogged down in. Its a great read for anyone who just wants a compelling story.

Very pleased with my order. Arrived earlier than expected. For being a used book, it's in excellent condition. Product description is 100% accurate. Will definitely order from them again.

A very interesting book to read and not boring and fill with technical terms. I like how the book is broken up into many many chapters and each chapter has only a few pages. I don't like books with chapters of 50 pages.

Enjoyable book so far, but sadly it is missing 32 pages in the middle of it. Not sure it is worth finishing with 1/10th of it missing.

I started this on a recommendation from iBooks and had it finished in about a week. I found myself reading it at every momenet. Great narrative built on lots of research. A mix of Accidental Billionaires and Breaking Bad. Awesome.

The detail in this story is well researched and gives the book a fresh edginess. However the details also started to get a little dense for me. I almost quit reading when one chapter like a bang woke me up and propelled me to the end!

It's clear that Mr Bilton spent an extraordinary amount of time ensuring he had everything he could get relating to the case. The amount of detail is striking. I must admit I was left feeling like the book was aimed at the high school reading level, mostly in respect to word choice and vernacular. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of the true crime genre and enjoy living vicariously through those whom have poked around the dark net, this is a very entertaining read. I found myself wishing I had followed the case in real time!

I really enjoyed this book. Nick Bilton writes concisely and with great detail about Ross Ulbricht and how he went from Libertarian college student and drum circle drummer to a major dealer of all things legal and illegal. Fascinating read.

Well written without excess detail. Fast paced and to the point.

This is an exciting and intriguing book. It’s important because it educates the reader about many hidden aspects: the Dark Web, drug trafficking, digital fingerprints, the making of a criminal, the federal agencies involved in finding drug dealers, and the justice system.

The book goes into a lot of detail without being too technical, so it was easy to follow along. It gives an objective account of what happened, so you can judge what Ross Ulbricht did for yourself.

Be inspired to do something with your life. A young man was inspired by ideology to make a lasting impact, one that would outlive him. I think he did. Others were inspired in their lives' work in "law enforcement" to thwart him. Some of the latter will be remembered for their avarice. A page-turner.

This reads like a thriller, which I suppose it is. But, oh so real. This is an excellent book on the basics of Silk Road. However, it does not get into technical details. Maybe another book is in order. Way to go Nick Bilton. Maybe Ross will get out on appeal. He can give so much to this miserably world.

I am hanging on every word - this is so well written. love, love, love this book so much, I already have Nick Biltons' 2nd book, Hatching Twitter. I am so not a techie, & it is written for everyone. Thanks, Lynne

I love true crime but sometimes the writing turns me off, because it’s too dry or too sensational. This book avoided these traps. The author made complex computer crime a great read. I hope he takes on more cases!

This book was in great shape and was way more entertaining than I'd hoped

Fascinating Story and exciting book to read.

It is rare to come across a non-fiction book that is a real page-turner and I promise you this one is one you just can't put down. Really a good book that I am recommending to friends and colleagues.

I enjoyed the book and thought the author had a good blend of facts and fiction. There are such brilliant people in this world. I just wish their stories turned out better.

Couldn't put it down -- hard to believe it is a true story. At times it seems like you're ready some best selling novel from one of the top authors of today.

Page turner, kept me really intrigued throughout the story, good background and research by the author. Would definitely recommend even to those seemingly not interested in the topic.

This is a well researched story that flows extremely well. The author explains in great detail the corrupt methods incorporated into the scheme used by the perpetrator. You won't want to take a break once you start reading.

Good story and very engaging. A whole new genre of crime comes to light through this book , very interesting

A good and Pleasant book! I recommend and you will not regret. Good history and amazing work of research. Sometimes I confess, I was by Ross side, sorry about that!

I liked that this was based upon a true account. Writing was up to par, and delves into the mind of someone who thought they were smarter than the law.

Keeps you interested from the first page to the last. Topic was something about which I had little knowledge. A great book of fiction BUT it was true.

This is my second consecutive book by the author after reading Hatching Twitter. Both amazing, but this story is truly a remarkable story. The fact that this actually happened is unbelievable.

In addition to being a captivating read, I learned a great deal about the dark net. It should be compulsory reading for everybody who is not a security expert online.

Great Read. Young college educated kid sets out to open up a free market drug supermarket online. Succeeds in making millions then has to figure out how to hide the money and his identity. This is a really fun story as well as fascinating. I am very happy with my purchase.

I had better watch what I say knowing that everything digital has a longevity and capable of being misconstrued but this was an interesting read , I wonder if the cooperation of all security forces is improving ,I hope so

A look into the dark web, Bitcoin, and power. I had heard of the Silk Road website. The history was fasinating. The characters well defined. Well written. Loved this book.

The book really skims over the lapses that got Ulbricht caught, which for me was the most interesting part. The author also refrains from placing this story in the larger context, with literally a few sentences at the end of the book mentioning the way Silk Road threw gasoline on the opioid fire. Odd, since the excerpt in Vanity Fair has a lengthier exposition on this aspect. The story of Force and Bridges, the crooked FBI agents, needed more time. Bridges wild attempts to get away are given merely a paragraph. Perhaps a better editor could have helped. Cut the endless discussion of Ulbricht's social life, his girlfriend's business (who cares?), and other irrelevancies.

This was a great book. I would highly recommend it.

I am a reader and technology avid, this story will let you speechless. The writer did an awesome job putting in together. If you are into detective and law enforcement books then this one is a must for you but with the caveat of a real true story!!!!

Thank you, for writing a great read. Your reporting seemed unbiased for all perspectives. I’ll be following Ross’s appeal more closely now.

It's been a long time since I've read a book. Always an avid reader since I was a young person, in the last year I'd gotten hooked on Netflix and the like. Heard the author interviewed on a podcast and the story sounded fascinating. The book surpassed my expectations.

Several years ago, I remember hearing some passing reference to a website called Silk Road but I missed any follow-up story. Nice to finally have the whole story told. Really good read.

The story of the Silk Road website is a fascinating one and ripe for mining. I had always wanted a full picture of what happened and this book was a great look into that. Stylistically, this is not particularly strong. The writer has many short chapters that end on unnecessarily dramatic rhetorical cliffhangers. But it was a great look into the Silk Road and I enjoyed reading this.

Truly awesome. Picked it up on a Friday evening and finished it Sunday. Shame on the author, my entire weekend went down the toilet given it was hard to put the book down to the very last page. Reads like a great movie. Awesome job!

Fascinating, true story of founder ofSilk Road. Extensively researched . Easy to get a little Bogged down in details but author ties up loose ends very well at the end. I highly recommend.

Non-fiction which reads like a thriller! Very interesting account of the story behind the creation of the online Drug site Silk Road. The administration of this site and the people involved. Finally the investigation by a Joint Government team and the result. Well worth reading,lots to learn and much fascinating information. Highly recommended.

Great book. I've had it on Audible for some time now and wanted a hard copy to put on the book shelf.

This book is an absolute page turner! Excellent investigative journalism. Well written, good pacing, and very enjoyable overall! Definitely recommend!

American Kingpin is a captivating depiction of the Silk Road marketplace, from its launch in 2011 to the capture of Ross Ulbricht (“Dread Pirate Roberts”) in 2013. Bilton’s story, meticulously crafted from chat logs, in-person interviews, and Silk Road message boards, is fast-paced and layered. For anyone familiar with the story of the Silk Road, this book is an especially good deep dive on the entire history of the site. It’s not only about Ulbricht and his vision, but also about the law enforcement agents and agencies trying to shut him down. I found the inner-workings and interplay between the FBI, Homeland Security, the IRS, and other agencies to be fascinating. Highly recommended.

Fun true crime book. Great “breaking bad” story. I envied his talent and intelligence, but was reviled by his beliefs and how they affected others.

Very well written. I found it difficult to put down. Too bad scumbags like him and his compatriots exist in this world.

This book was a great read! Very interesting, always leaving you wanting to know what happened next, yet heartbreaking.

I bought this for my husband and he can't put it down. He is constantly telling me about sections of this book because he loves it so much!

Recommended reading for anyone interested in the Dark Web and Silk Road. There's a whole world underground you likely never knew existed. Remarkable story.

Hated what the book exposed but the telling of the story was gripping and showed what great detective work can accomplish. Will be using this as a Book Club book shortly. Should be a super discussion.

Well-written, informative book with an entertaining narrative that keeps you interested throughout. I liked how all the facts unfolded in a dramatic, crime-thriller type of way. I enjoyed the different perspectives of each key individual involved in the creation and investigation of Silk Road. Pretty cool how it all played out.

Very intriguing. I just wanted to keep reading. The story was well laid out and enjoyed the aftermath of key people involved.

This is a fascinating look into a world apart - the darknet. The story of the rise and fall of the silk road website is well researched and beautifully told by Nick Bilton. Highly recommend.

A very interesting true story that I had never heard about selling drugs online and how law enforcement works to capture criminals.

Keeps you hooked and wanting to read next chapter

I am by no means an avid reader but I could not put this book down! Great story, VERY well written.

My university Marketing Professor told us how to become rich: give the people what they want. Ross Ulbricht did and he did. And then.... Read this book. You will enjoy it from beginning to end.

Great story with well detailed narration. Excellent.

Somehow, this gripping true story stayed under my radar, just as it did for years under that of the FBI and CIA. An intriguing tale of an accidental billionaire who had such few scruples he wanted to play God.

I loved the book and the way in which the evidence was pieced together by the different agencies. The lead up to the arrest is exhilarating, the writer does a great job in keeping us engaged with the level of detail. Fantastic!

This story is like no other. Nick maintains a story line that is spellbinding and articulate. The story is fascinating, almost unbelievable because it is beyond the reality most of us understand. Good one!

a really good read. a fascinating story. reads like good crime fiction, but is actually well documented reporting on actual events.

I purchased this book as a gift for my boyfriend, and he loved it. He thought the story was well-written and captivating.

Fascinating read with insights into the dark net, cryptocurrency use and the constant tension between freedom, anonymity and criminality.

Excellent..great writer..interesting research

This book is absolutely addicting! The story is captivating and leaves you with a sense of curiosity at the end of every chapter. I finished the book in 4 days because I just couldn't wait to hear what happened next and before I knew it, the book was over. One of the best books I've read!

The definition of a page-turner. Finished this in one or two settings, and had trouble putting it down.

It was a good & easy read. The book is written well & makes you want to keep on reading until you’re done.

Trite to say but I could not put this down. What an amazing story. And a story well told. Read it, you will not be sorry.

This is just incredible. It’s amazing journalism, exciting, detailed, I loved it. Don’t hesitate. Just buy it and read it.

Extremely well written and a very entertaining story and book. Highly recommend if you like this sort of topic.

Incredibly written and such a page turner. I've killed countless hours at the airport and on planes just diving into this book.

I lost sleep reading this book. I’d recommend it to anyone who is a fan of true crime stories. In fact, I recommended it to a friend before I was even half way through.

I really enjoyed this book. It moved along at a nice pace, and I felt that the universe of people it introduced was enough to tell the tale and to let you feel like you knew something about each of them. The technical aspects were easy to understand.

One of the best books on crime .... it was a complex story told clearly, with insights on character and plot, and how they influenced each other

engaing true story of The Silk Road. well researched and written

Great read. Well written and just very interesting. I wanted to know what happened next. Great movie material. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Fascinating story. Reads like a good novel.

One of the best books I've ever read, hard to put down. The end of every chapter left me wanting to start the next one. Highly recommended

This book kept my attention, many interesting characters and on both sides of the law.

Well written epic about a story I never heard about. I could not put this book down.

Great work, must have taken months of research. Fascinating story. I leave sympathetic with all the characters involved. Worth reading.

Great read on Silk Road. I have to believe a movie will be made, but you must read the book as there is more detail than any movie could cover.

This book was very entertaining and gave me an understanding of why bitcoin may have become so popular. Takes you from a seemingly nice kid (albeit with some extreme views) just trying to make a difference in the world to one who was willing to kill people to keep growing his empire. Very entertaining and thought provoking read.

What an amazing story. Sad, but so well-told with so much background thought as to what DPR was thinking and doing making the incredible tale so real.

From the beginning of the online underground drug sales website, to the stealing of millions by federal agents, this book rocks! Very hard to put down so plan on little sleep until you're done. Read on my fellow inquiring minds ... read on.

Superbly written and full of twists and turns. Highly recommended!

Learned a lot about the dark web and a great story to boot. Highly recommend and should be a movie

Story could have been more interesting if the author had chosen one aspect to dig into further. Poor writing style.

Rarely write reviews but this book was wonderful. Started a little slow and I was close to quitting but very glad I didn’t.

Interesting and fun. Lots of characters and law agencies involved but it is so well written that you never get confused.

Highly interesting and addictive story. Written in a way that allows the reader to decide who's right and who's wrong. It's got me anxiously awaiting the true-life conclusion!

My husband raves about this book and he's not a reader

This was a very interesting time leading to the eventual rise of Bitcoin and overall an intriguing story. Very well written and I highly recommend this book.

Wow. Talk about an extremely well written, exhaustively researched book. This was one of those books that you literally cannot put down. I knew of the Silk Road, but this was both informative and entertaining.

Eye opening and engaging. What a story and written in a captivating fashion ! Loved every page. That the aftermath was documented as well was appreciated, so manny stories leave you wondering what happened.

fascinating and well-written story of the creator of the silk road and the government's investigation. well written and researched. the pictures on my kindle [old paperwhite] would be better viewed on a different format.

Fascinating true story that masterfully describes Ross’ transformation from idealistic geek into a virtual drug lord, capable of doing whatever it takes to keep his site from failing.

Excellent writing on a complex subject. Writer brings some clarity to this amazing ciber story.

Amazing story of a young man who began a multi-million dollar enterprise from scratch selling drugs and guns on the Internet. True story!!!!!!

This book is very well written. There are a lot of descriptive details and it flowed well. For me, it was an "I can't put it down" read.

One of the best books I've ever read. Still thinking about the story and I finished two weeks ago. Highly recommend.

Great read. Moved fast with real life characters like a Michael Lewis book.

Interesting and certainly well researched.

This book is a great read. Whether you followed the Silk Road and the trial of Ross Ulbricht from the beginning or are trying to catch up, this book is just what you are looking for. I couldn't put it down.

I followed this story as it was happening so I'm more familiar than most with the details of the SIlk Road and Ross Ulbricht and Co. The book provided some extremely interesting insight into the lives of the folks chasing down Ulbricht. As a historical record, it's probably second to none at the moment. As a piece of entertaining literature, it falls flat. Each "chapter" of the book is a couple pages long and each ends on a cheesy cliffhanger. I know this all happened but there's a more graceful way to tell this story. I got the distinct feeling that Bilton was writing this knowing that someone would want to buy the story to turn it into a fast-paced movie starring Someone Famous and The Other Famous Person and that makes for a stylistically confusing (and somewhat annoying) book. I also got the distinct feeling that Bilton fell in love with his own cleverness as the book wore on and it comes through in the writing; it seems as though he is trying to toy with the reader but in extremely obvious and non-compelling ways. The net effect is at times mildly infuriating. I'm sure it'll make a great screen play someday but as a book it fails by a bit.