Robert A. Taft has been neglected by some historians and political theorists and vilified by others. Vigorously and impartially written, this book analyzes the ideas and influence of a great U.S. senator of the twentieth century. Here readers will find a close and lively examination of Taft's convictions on freedom, justice, labor policy, social reform, foreign affairs, and the responsibilities of political parties.

I: Introducing Confessions; 1: Confessions ' Data and Contributions; 2: Sam Goodman: Homecoming and Farewell; II: Sam's Life Unfolds: Chronology and Turning Points; 3: Conceptual Themes and Tools; 4: Sam's Narrative: Onset of Sam's Criminal Career; 5: Commentary: Doing Burglary; 6: Saufs Narrative: Saufs Burglary Career Escalates; 7: Commentary: Trading in Stolen Goods; 8: Sam's Narrative: Running a Fencing Business; 9: Commentary: Criminal Capital for Illegal Enterprise; 10: Sam's Narrative: Skills, Character, and Connections; 11: Commentary: "Moonlighting" Phase of Sam's Criminal Career: Shifting Commitments to Crime versus Legitimacy; 12: Sam's Narrative: Continuity or Désistante After Saufs "Last Fall"?; III: Crime Pathways and Organization; 13: Commentary: Social Organization of the Underworld: Stratification, Continuity, and Change; 14: Sam's Narrative: Social Organization of Theft and Criminal Enterprise; 15: Commentary: Organized Crime and Racketeering; 16: Saufs Narrative: Racketeerings Organized Crime, and the Mafia; 17: Commentary: Ebbs and Flows of Criminal Careers; 18: Sam's Narrative: Pathways Into and Out of Crime; IV: Sam Takes Stock: Dealing with Dying; 19: Commentary: Rewards and Rationales of Crime, and Images of Criminals; 20: Final Confessions: Sain Takes Stock