Over the last century or so, American Jewry has achieved renown in widely diverse fields - science, the arts, business and politics, to name four. But, not nearly as well publicized, a few American Jews also have gained notoriety in another endeavor -crime.

Going back at least to Arnold Rothstein of Black  Sox scandal infamy, to such Depression-era characters as Louis Lepke of Murder Inc., to somewhat more recent unsavory individuals such as Bugsy Siegel amd Meyer Lansky, a few Jews have made their mark in other than law abiding pursuits, 

Less known to the general public, but a major player in the criminal world around the middle of the 20th century is Harold Konigsberg, now an aged inmate of Auburn state prison in New York and the subject of an intense critical biography written by his grand-nephew, Eric Konigsberg, a journalist whose writings have appeared in the New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine, among other publications.

And his family tie provides the provocative, almost eerie subtext to this fascinating work. For like most families with skeletons in their closets, Eric's Konigsberg relatives vehemently opposed his efforts to detail the career of this black-sheep member of an otherwise upstanding family. And this includes Harold himself, who was interviewed repeatedly by his grand-nephew. In fact, when Eric told him his story was about to be published, the old man threatened to have Eric killed.

With at best limited cooperation from relatives, Eric showed his journalistic skills, using a variety of sources to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. He spoke with prosecutors, defense attorneys and survivors of victims, and delved into old files - law enforcement records, newspaper clippings - in a monumental effort to put together a detailed, cogent account of his great-uncle's tumultuous life.

What emerges is the story of a consummate con artist. Harold (aka "Heshy" and "Kayo") was able to charm juries, witnesses and even judges and prosecutors. He also was a keen student of law, enabling him to extricate himself from trouble through a variety of legal maneuvers. His rap sheet is lengthy, including crimes ranging from loan-sharking to murder, but includes only a few convictions.

Still, in the end, none of these talents availed him, for in 1963 he was incarcerated at Auburn for what apparently will prove to be a life sentence. Actually, he first got 20 years for extortion, then, as that term neared its end, was convicted (actually twice - the first verdict was overturned on appeal) on a murder charge stemming from a gangland hit back in the early 60s. This put him behind bars for life, although he has petitioned for parole in vain several times.

Although some details are a little sketchy - no surprise since some records had been lost and key figures had died - Eric has put together a solid in-depth profile of his criminally-minded relative, including descriptions of the hoaxes he perpetrated over the years. Indeed, Harold appears to be virtually one of a kind, with truly unusual behavior patterns.

The result is a thoroughly intriguing study, harking back to the heyday of the Mafia and some of its key characters. Harold, being Jewish, could never be a full-fledged Mafioso, but he was closely associated with the mob as one of its major hit men. The book is well-written and easy to read, and not to be missed as the life story of a decidedly offbeat American Jew.