Inmate Number 61727054

Here are today’s Wonderful Words:

He seems unfailingly candid, earnest, and trustworthy. But then, he always does—even when he’s lying. That is his talent and his curse. That is what enabled him to pull off the largest Ponzi scheme on record. That is what will enable him to spin the facts and obscure the truth about his crime for as long as he lives, if he chooses to do so.

Bernard L. Madoff—Inmate Number 61727054—is the best-known prisoner currently held at the sprawling Federal Correctional Complex on the outskirts of Butner, North Carolina.

The Wizard of Lies, Diana Henriques, page xvi

Background

The Wizard of Lies is the definitive account of one of the largest financial frauds in history. The author had exclusive access to Madoff in prison, and she reconstructed his misdeeds through interviews, written correspondence, and exceptional investigation.

What makes it wonderful?

The cool thing about this passage is that it occurs half way through the second page of the book. Everything leading up to it is a description of Madoff.

His setting—a prison visiting room, plastic lawn chairs, and fluorescent lighting.

His companions—a lawyer, a guard, and the author.

His appearance—tan trousers, short hair, and black sneakers.

But none of the preceeding paragraphs mention his name.

The reader knows he’s reading about Madoff—of course, Madoff is the subject of the book. But the suspense builds nonetheless.

And the description comes to a pointed end: the subject’s full name and inmate number. It isn’t the man who was the director of the NASDAQ. It isn’t the man who was a brilliant market maker. It isn’t the man who was a pillar of the Jewish community.

It is the man who is currently facing the consequences of his evil actions. The man who has fallen from grace. The man who betrayed the world.

This writing is wonderful because it’s a brilliant way to introduce the main character, the villain, the subject of the story. The notorious Bernie Madoff.

Let's get technical

As we discussed, the author uses the first two pages to build suspense. But the specific technique in this excerpt is called anaphora. Anaphora is when you begin consecutive sentences with the same word or phrase.

It’s useful because it makes you remember the repeated phrase, and it evokes emotion.

In this case, the repeated phrase is that is, which doesn’t seem significant. But the that the author’s referring to is Madoff’s ability to appear candid, earnest, and trustworthy, even when he’s lying. This ability is one of the biggest themes running throughout the book.

And she highlights it early. In the first two pages. In a way the reader won’t forget.

We’ve talked about anaphora before. I even used it several times in this email. It’s one of my favorite techniques because it’s easy to use, it feels intuitive, and it makes a big impact on the reader. Next time you’re trying to make an important point, try to punctuate it with some anaphora.

Happy writing,

Joe