Filed by KOSU News in Art & Life.
November 25, 2011

A longtime acquaintance of mine happens to be a drug dealer; in some ways our careers have progressed on parallel planes. As I went from writing for the college paper to seeing my byline in the national glossies, he went from being the hardscrabble local guy to the top of a criminal network.

While of course our moral codes aren’t in alignment, I do recognize his ability to handle the intricate logistics of running a complicated midsize business, all under the shadow of the law. He argues that what people like him do serves vital functions in our society — allowing access to wealth for those often denied it — and occasionally undermining oppressive laws.

Here are three wonderful novels whose takes on different aspects of crime are valuable to us all. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]