Diamond Doris

Can you imagine? A woman sets out, as far back as her youth, to become a jewel thief. This doesnt exactly fall in the category of dream careers but then Doris Payne is not your typical young woman. She writes about her wild ride in her memoir, written with Zelda Lockhart, DIAMOND DORIS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE WORLDS MOST NOTORIOUS JEWEL THIEF. Growing up in the segregated south, the tough times of an unpredictable coal-mining town in a broken home with a father who she watched repeatedly abuse her mother, and already feeling the cruelty of racial inequality at a young age, Doris figured out that she wasnt going to stand for it. But her way to fight back certainly wasnt ethical.

She saw sparkly diamonds and she wanted them. Not small trinkets. Were talking many carats. Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Garrard & Co. She escaped her small town and started slowly, methodically, hitting the big cities. And, when nearby Cleveland, then Philadelphia, and on to New York City and Los Angeles proved too tired, she found her way to Monte Carlo, Paris, London, Rome, and beyond. Doris looked at fashion magazine ads for inspiration saw a diamond piece that she had to have, and she grabbed it. Literally.

Did Doris ever get caught? You must read the book and find out. With each turn of the page, you might need to pick your jaw up off the floor in wonder how she pulled off each heist. Her nerve, her willingness to risk so much and the fact that this little lady could walk right into the most fashionable stores in the world and take such exquisite pieces right out from under the noses of the jewelers makes her put the Oceans 8 gang to shame. Yet, she had no shame. Still doesnt.

Loved every minute . Victorious. I was tired of reading self help books. I needed a change of setting and book genres this did it! It got me out of my funk ! Go black woman , go! Thank you same Doris for your fortitude.

This was very interesting reading. I could empathize with wanting to protect her Mom from the abusive Dad. Also with her desire to have better than what she grew up with. It’s obvious that she was a smart person so she could have used that brain to get a great life without the crime.

It was okay but I was expecting more. It would of been better if she would of gave insight on how she stole the jewels without getting caught and who she sold them too. I felt like something was missing in this story.

I read this in two days, Doris lived a life that was risque & daring. It baffles me how she was able to lure & charm all the different employees at various jewelry stores to show her more jewelry than they should have, and be able to steal right under their eyes. I definitely see Kerry Washington or Halle Berry playing Doris in a movie version of this book. A great read!!

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