A License to Steal

by Walter T. Shaw and Mary Jane Robinson

Book Overview

As early as the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Walter L Shaw was thinking of speaker phones, conference calls and call forwarding. Of the thirty-nine patents to his credit, those three telephonic... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 097860590X
• ISBN13: 9780978605902
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Omega Publishing Group
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A License to Steal

It is a very interesting, factual book about an inventive father whose inventions were overlooked or stolen by big business, including AT & T.

Wonderful and Enlightening

True wonder to read. Shaws tale about his father and the plea for recognition of the fathers accomplishments was an engaging story. Everytime I use the phone now I will forever think about this story and the due credit that goes to his father. Walter seemed to stay on the edge of a blade the entire time and kept me on edge with him. My father-in-law lent me this book and its hard to give back. Definitely worth a purchase.

A real story about a Father and his Son

I couldn't help but see the first review posted. This person declines to identify themselves. This book is not about the Dinner Set Gang. If you would read the book you would of seen that. This book is about a genius father and a disgruntled son. True there are references to the Dinner Set Gang. Walter was not an original member, but he was a member at one time. The original members stole from their own and when Walter realized that he left and started his own group. Since then others have cloned their methods. Walter was a great jewel thief who is no longer in business. He has been a family man and a wonderful husband and father. The original members of the Dinner Set Gang are still thieves and some are still incarcerated in prison. I would highly recommend the book. I happen to have been involved in a small way investigating this gang and Walter Shaw and found the book based on my research to be accurate and true. I would recommend it to anyone.

A tragic, extraordinary father & son story from a chapter in Mafia history

I have read several reviews of A LICENSE TO STEAL from the life story of Walter Shaw and his late father. As the writer of the screenplay of this man's life, I felt it was important to offer some thoughts. Every review I have read, thus far, has been positive and each reader to whom I have spoken has been intrigued - and for good reason. I did the original research on this family and after years of research, I can attest to the veracity and substance of the story. And I can attest to the extraordinary history on which this story is based. It is a history of corporate betrayal, shattered dreams, crime sprees, the Mafia, remarkable crimes, family tragedy and heartwrenching loss. Readers will note that Mr. Shaw is not "glamorizing" his life and so the book becomes a testament to the truth of the real tragedy - that of a family unwound and fractured by choices made by father and by son. I interviewed many parties in the writing of the screenplay and what becomes apparent is that Mr. Shaw is sad for his loss and feels the pain, mostly caused by impulsive decisions he made as a young man. Clearly, these decisions would impact many people over an entire lifetime. Mr. Shaw makes no claim to be a hero - far from it. And so while this is a book, it is also a testimony, a confession, a diary and a goodbye essay to his father and to lives unfulfilled. A LICENSE TO STEAL is an extraordinary American tragedy and a amazing read. - GM

A great read and an important story about how Big Business and Politicians are the real crooks

I think the last reviewer did not read the book and has some issues of their ownthey are working out. This is a story about the true criminals in the world, big business and politicians done against the backdrop of the crime spree that Mr. Shaw himself perpetrated himself. I was greatly surprised by the book and it is a very engaging read. Mr. Shaw is very open and exposes himself honestly with the bad acts that he committed but the true amazing part of the story is about how the politicains and Ma. Bell went after his father. This is a cautionary tale about pursuign your dreams and to watch out for big brother. A fascinating story and a great read. Judge for yourself, go to a book store and read the first chapter, if you are not hooked I will be surprised.