Skip to main content
close
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.
Image for event: True Crime Book Club

Registration now closed

True Crime Book Club

"American Kingpin" by Nick Bilton

2024-07-15 13:00:00 2024-07-15 14:30:00 America/New_York True Crime Book Club The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it. Westlake Porter Public Library - Dover Room

Monday, July 15
1:00pm - 2:30pm

Add to Calendar 2024-07-15 13:00:00 2024-07-15 14:30:00 America/New_York True Crime Book Club The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it. Westlake Porter Public Library - Dover Room

The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it.

We will meet on the third Monday of every month, except June & December. This will be a great way to discover new and classic True Crime writing. Our title for July is American Kingpin by Nick Bilton.

From Amazon:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it

In 2011, a twenty-six-year-old libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launched the ultimate free market: the Silk Road, a clandestine Web site hosted on the Dark Web where anyone could trade anything—drugs, hacking software, forged passports, counterfeit cash, poisons—free of the government’s watchful eye.

It wasn’t long before the media got wind of the new Web site where anyone—not just teenagers and weed dealers but terrorists and black hat hackers—could buy and sell contraband detection-free. Spurred by a public outcry, the federal government launched an epic two-year manhunt for the site’s elusive proprietor, with no leads, no witnesses, and no clear jurisdiction. All the investigators knew was that whoever was running the site called himself the Dread Pirate Roberts.

The Silk Road quickly ballooned into $1.2 billion enterprise, and Ross embraced his new role as kingpin. He enlisted a loyal crew of allies in high and low places, all as addicted to the danger and thrill of running an illegal marketplace as their customers were to the heroin they sold. Through his network he got wind of the target on his back and took drastic steps to protect himself—including ordering a hit on a former employee. As Ross made plans to disappear forever, the Feds raced against the clock to catch a man they weren’t sure even existed, searching for a needle in the haystack of the global Internet.

Drawing on exclusive access to key players and two billion digital words and images Ross left behind, Vanity Fair correspondent and New York Times bestselling author Nick Bilton offers a tale filled with twists and turns, lucky breaks and unbelievable close calls. It’s a story of the boy next door’s ambition gone criminal, spurred on by the clash between the new world of libertarian-leaning, anonymous, decentralized Web advocates and the old world of government control, order, and the rule of law. Filled with unforgettable characters and capped by an astonishing climax, American Kingpin might be dismissed as too outrageous for fiction. But it’s all too real.


We'll be delving into new and classic books of true crime—from murder, to robbery, heists, and arson we will touch on every aspect of humanity's darker instincts. View and print the list of books and check out WPPL's Book Discussion page for more book and movie clubs!

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Books and Authors |

TAGS: | True Crime | book discussion | book club |

Westlake Porter Public Library

Phone: (440) 871-2600
Fax: (440) 871-6969

Hours
Mon, Aug 25 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Aug 26 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Aug 27 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Aug 28 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Aug 29 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Aug 30 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Aug 31 Closed
(Labor Day)
Mon, Aug 25 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Aug 26 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Aug 27 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Aug 28 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Aug 29 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Aug 30 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Aug 31 Closed
(Labor Day)

About the branch

Westlake Porter Public Library is an independent public library serving the residents of the city of Westlake, western Cuyahoga County and eastern Lorain County. The library is located at 27333 Center Ridge Road in Westlake, Ohio. Anyone who lives, works, owns property, or goes to school in Ohio can register for a free library card.

Upcoming events

Sat, Aug 30, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Aug 30, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Dover Room
Registration is now closed

Tue, Sep 02, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 02, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 02, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 02, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Makerspace
This event is full

Tue, Sep 02, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Wed, Sep 03, 10:30am - 11:15am
Storytime Room

Wed, Sep 03, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Sep 03, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Sep 03, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Sep 03, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Sep 03, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Dover Room

Thu, Sep 04, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 04, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 04, 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Porter Room

Thu, Sep 04, 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Storytime Room

Fri, Sep 05, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dover Room

Fri, Sep 05, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Storytime Room

Rescheduled
Sat, Sep 06, 10:00am - 11:30am
New date Saturday, September 27, 10:00am - 11:30am

Sat, Sep 06, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Sep 06, 10:30am - 11:00am
Dover Room

Sat, Sep 06, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Porter Room

Sat, Sep 06, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Sun, Sep 07, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Craft Room

Mon, Sep 08, 9:00am - 9:00pm

Mon, Sep 08, 11:00am - 11:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Monday, September 1 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 08, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Sep 08, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Tue, Sep 09, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 09, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 09, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Dover Room
Registration opens Tuesday, September 2 2025 at 9:00am

Tue, Sep 09, 4:30pm - 5:15pm
Friends Pavilion
Registration opens Tuesday, September 2 2025 at 9:00am

Tue, Sep 09, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 09, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 2

Wed, Sep 10, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Sep 10, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Friends Pavilion

Wed, Sep 10, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Sep 10, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Sep 10, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Dover Room

Thu, Sep 11, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Youth Services

Thu, Sep 11, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 11, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 11, 4:30pm - 5:15pm
Technology Training Lab

Thu, Sep 11, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Fri, Sep 12, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab
Registration opens Friday, September 5 2025 at 9:00am

Sat, Sep 13, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Sep 13, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Saturday, September 6 2025 at 9:00am

Sat, Sep 13, 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Storytime Room

Mon, Sep 15, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Registration opens Monday, September 8 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 15, 10:00am - 10:30am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Monday, September 8 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 15, 10:30am - 11:00am
Porter Room
Registration opens Monday, September 8 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 15, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Dover Room

Mon, Sep 15, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Porter Room

Mon, Sep 15, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Sep 15, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Mon, Sep 15, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Storytime Room,Youth Services

Rescheduled
Mon, Sep 15, 7:00pm - 8:15pm
New date Monday, November 03, 7:00pm - 8:15pm

Tue, Sep 16, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 16, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 16, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Dover Room
Registration opens Tuesday, September 9 2025 at 9:00am

Tue, Sep 16, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Tue, Sep 16, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room

Tue, Sep 16, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Sep 17, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Sep 17, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Cancelled
Wed, Sep 17, 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Wed, Sep 17, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Sep 17, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Sep 17, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Thomas A. Fox Board Room

Thu, Sep 18, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 18, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 18, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Dover Room

Thu, Sep 18, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 18, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Dover Room

Fri, Sep 19, 10:30am - 11:30am
Dover Room

Fri, Sep 19, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Storytime Room

Sat, Sep 20, 11:00am - 11:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Saturday, September 13 2025 at 9:00am

Sat, Sep 20, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Sun, Sep 21, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Craft Room
Registration opens Sunday, September 14 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 22, 10:00am - 10:30am
Storytime Room

Mon, Sep 22, 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Porter Room

Mon, Sep 22, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Sep 22, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Tue, Sep 23, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 23, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Tue, Sep 23, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Wed, Sep 24, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Sep 24, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Wed, Sep 24, 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Wednesday, September 17 2025 at 9:00am

Wed, Sep 24, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Sep 24, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Sep 24, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Wed, Sep 24, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Dover Room

Thu, Sep 25, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 25, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 25, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room
Registration opens Thursday, September 18 2025 at 9:00am

Thu, Sep 25, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Storytime Room

Thu, Sep 25, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Conference Room

Sat, Sep 27, 10:00am - 11:30am
Makerspace
Registration opens Saturday, September 20 2025 at 9:00am

Sat, Sep 27, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Sep 27, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Storytime Room

Sun, Sep 28, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Mon, Sep 29, 10:00am - 10:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Monday, September 22 2025 at 9:00am

Mon, Sep 29, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Sep 29, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room