Kingpin

Kevin Poulsen's Kingpin tells the story of Max Butler, a hacker/cybercriminal. It focuses more on Max and the people involved with him than it does on the technical aspects of cybercrime.

A former hacker himself, Poulsen spent time in prison before becoming a journalist. Comprising 36 short chapters, the book is very readable, and offers a very interesting look into the world of cybercrime. It also gives some insight into the how Max Butler's mind works, and how he ended up behind bars. Max is not presented as a hero, but as someone who couldn't or wouldn't fight the compulsive side of his personality and paid the price.

Poulsen also presents the law enforcement side of the story well, and the way the FBI, the US Secret Service and others "cracked" the case is fascinating. Dave