If you’re a fan of casinos, there are plenty of great books that can keep you entertained. While these may not be ideal for novice gamblers, they will give you an insight into the world of gambling and how to make your experiences more enjoyable.
1. The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky
If you enjoy playing online casino games, a book about gambling can help enhance your gameplay and provide useful insight. Not only that, but these books make excellent reading while waiting for a turn at the slots or table.
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Gambler explores a turbulent love affair and the negative repercussions of gambling, while also delving into psychology and morality.
2. The Music of Chance by Paul Auster
Paul Auster’s The Music of Chance is a gripping, Kafkaesque tale that follows Jim Nashe as he attempts to live an idyllic life by joining forces with a wandering gambler.
The themes of the novel encompass money, poverty, hunger and the effects of the economic downturn on individuals and culture alike. Additionally, it examines the connections between language and things as well as subjectivity and narrative point of view.
3. Last Call by Tim Powers
World Fantasy Award-winner Last Call enthralls with mysticism and resonances. It brings together chaos physics, Arthurian legend, the legend of the Fisher King, pagan myth, and gambling to create an captivating plotline.
Set in Las Vegas, this story follows Scott Crane as he returns to his professional poker career twenty years later. However, his dreams of a bizarre poker game played on a houseboat on Lake Mead remain with him.
4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a legendary counterculture classic that helped usher in the age of “gonzo journalism.” Hunter S. Thompson’s acid-laced counterculture masterpiece serves as an insightful critique of American greed and capitalism that remains as relevant today as when it first published.
Though its themes may be outdated, Thompson’s voice still stands out in an otherwise crowded genre. This 50th anniversary edition of his beloved novel includes original illustrations by Ralph Steadman and an exclusive introduction by David Mamet.
5. Molly’s Game by Jessica Chastain
Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut features Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, an Olympic skier who turned into an underground poker hustler. Her clients range from Hollywood luminaries to Wall Street billionaires.
Sorkin utilizes an unconventional structure to tell his story, with Molly narrating most of it. This allows him to build tension between her and lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba).
6. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
Casino Royale is Ian Fleming’s debut novel and the start of a series about James Bond. The tale explores various topics such as the Cold War, gambling and women.
The novel has become a classic, having been adapted for the screen multiple times, including a 1954 film and 2006’s Bond-starring Daniel Craig.
7. Fortune’s Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street by William Poundstone
In 1956, two Bell Labs scientists unlocked the secret to wealth: mathematician Claude Shannon and physicist John L. Kelly Jr.
They utilized information theory, an innovative science that had only recently emerged and would eventually lead to many inventions such as cell phones, HDTV and DNA sequencing.
8. 21 by David Mamet
Are you a fan of gambling and interested in learning more about poker? 21 is the ideal book for you. This novel delves deep into the intricacies of this card game, showing both its good and bad sides.
The themes revolve around gambling and give an inside look into the life of a casino owner. This book promises an entertaining and thrilling read that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout!
9. The Secret of Winning Colors by Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, such as Liar’s Poker, The Money Culture, The Fifth Risk, Moneyball, The Blind Side, Panic, Home Game and The Big Short. Additionally he writes for Bloomberg View and is an Audible Originals voice.
According to Deadline, Apple is close to signing a deal for the book rights to Lewis’ tale about Sam Bankman-Fried and his FTX empire. The project is expected to be turned into a film.
10. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Larson’s novel chronicles a period in history when the best and worst of the Gilded Age met. He weaves together the true story of the 1893 World’s Fair with that of an evil serial killer who used it to commit his crimes.
The book follows two men; Daniel Burnham, the architect of the fair, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who murdered many people in Chicago during its duration.
