To say that publishers
are paying more attention to the subject of gambling than ever before
is an understatement. Certainly poker is yet to peak in popularity,
but I've never seen as many new books coming off the presses within
weeks of each other geared for players, researchers, those interested
in history or the wild and woolly characters of past generations. So
hold onto your hats! Here comes a quick rundown on recent arrivals and
who they might appeal to as a fascinating summer read for you or as
a gift for a friend or relative:
Palm Springs
Confidential by Howard Johns (299 pages, hardbound, $35). One of
the classiest-looking coffee table sized, packed-with-pictures book
to look at the rich and famous of past and present, with a combination
of history, trivia, gossip and nostalgia. Movie and TV stars from the
1920s through modern times, many who appeared in Las Vegas as well,
fill the pages. Nicely indexed with a map of the city, the book should
truly explain what makes Palm Springs a very special place for those
with dough.
Paddy Whacked
by T.J. English (468 pages, hardbound, $27.95). Subtitled The Untold
Story of the Irish American Gangster, this work, by the author of The
Westies (also about the Irish mob in New York) covers the period from
the 1850s to modern times, including gambling. The work covers Whitey
Bulger; Legs Diamond; Owney Madden among others and contains 10 pages
of resources and a detailed index of places and names. Its a fantastic
reference source with bad guys, good guys, powerful unknowns and plenty
of history from coast to coast. Paddy Whacked is guaranteed to be a
vital reference source for another decade.
Chance by
Amir Aczel (161 pages, hardbound, $21). Written by an internationally
known mathematician, the book covers an enticing area every risk-taker
is constantly aware of (along with luck). The book examines probability
theory, which measures the likelihood of a random event. Chapters focus
on the independence of events; random walks and the gambler's ruin;
Pascal's Triangle; the birthday problem; coincidences; Baye's Theorem
among other areas.
King of the Jews
(The Biography of Arnold Rothstein) by Nick Tosches (318 pages, hardbound,
$25.95). More than 70 years ago (1928) someone shot and killed Rothstein.
Did he owe money and refuse to pay? Did he fix the 1919 World Series
(the infamous Black Sox scandal) or just have inside information? Although
not indexed and lacking photos, the book is still a fascinating read
because it traces Rothstein's era, the very special time (pre-stock
market crash) that included the Roaring 20s, the lifestyles, what New
York was like then; Rothstein's family life; his role in helping organized
crime actually organize; his biggest betting coups. If you've heard
about Rothstein or read other books including The Big Bankroll, about
the man, this one will still fill in some factual gaps.
Crime School:
Money Laundering by Chris Mathers (240 pages, paperbound, $16.95).
The link between money laundering and the criminal underworld has rarely
been examined as well by anyone other than Mathers. He explains the
history of laundering; how crimes are planned, executed and sometimes
detected. The focus is the link between organized crime and terrorism.
He covers how casinos; motorcycle gangs; strips clubs and brothels;
the Russians; banks; false identity and identity theft come into play;
along with currency exchange; going offshore; private banking; plus
what to expect if you're caught. The author is an international expert
on money laundeering and has worked under cover.