Jack Sheppard (novel) for many months in the "Bentley's Miscellany": Dickens' "Oliver Twist". The plots are similar, in that both deal with an individual attempting to corrupt a boy. Ainsworth's boy is corrupted, whereas Dickens' is not. Both authors also cast Jews as their villains; they are similar in appearance, though Ainsworth's is less powerful. According to Frank Chandler, the novel "was intended as a study in the Spanish style". Such influences appear in Jack's physical description and in the words of the characters. Dramatist John Gay stated that Jack's story is related to the stories of Guzman d'Alfarache, Lazarillo de Tormes, Estevanillo
Boy Culture (novel) Boy Culture (novel) Boy Culture is a 1995 novel by Matthew Rettenmund. It centers on a call boy in the city of Chicago, Illinois and his two roommates. The protagonist goes by X throughout the book in order to maintain his anonymity. In 2006, it was adapted into a movie by filmmaker Q. Allan Brocka, starring Patrick Bauchau, Darryl Stephens, Emily Stiles, and newcomer Derek Magyar as "X". Award Nominated writers Craig Hepworth and Adele Stanhope are adapting the novel to the stage, Boy Culture the play will open August 2012 in Manchester, UK and will be produced by Vertigo