Sentenced to death in 1948 under California's Little Lindbergh Law, Chessman became internationally famous for waging a legal battle to stay alive and fight his conviction and death sentence through voluminous appeals.

Chessman began writing his memoir after San Quentin Prison Warden Harley Teets told him he should do something with his life.

Chessman wrote his autobiography, detailing his life in crime, with Teets's encouragement.

The great success caused Teets to attempt to prevent Chessman from additional writing.

This article about a biographical or autobiographical book published in the United States is a stub.