Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

by Nelson Johnson, Terence Winter (Foreword by)

Overview

Providing the inspiration and source material for the upcoming HBO series produced by Academy Award–winning director Martin Scorsese and Emmy Award–winning screenwriter Terence Winter, this riveting and wide-reaching history explores the sordid past of Atlantic City—forever a freewheeling town long-dedicated to the fast buck—from the city's heyday as a Prohibition-era mecca of lawlessness to its rebirth as a legitimate casino resort in the modern era. A colorful cast of powerful characters, led by “Commodore” Kuehnle and “Nucky” Johnson, populates this stranger-than-fiction account of corrupt politics and the toxic power structure that grew out of guile, finesse, and extortion. Atlantic City's shadowy past—through its rise, fall, and rebirth—is given new light in this revealing, and often appalling, study of legislative abuse and organized crime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780966674866
Publisher:	Plexus Publishing, Inc.
Publication date:	09/01/2010
Edition description:	TV Tie-in Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Nelson Johnson practiced law for 30 years, during which time he was active in Atlantic City and Atlantic County politics. He lives in Hammonton, New Jersey. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award–winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City. Terence Winter is an Emmy Award–winning screenwriter for his work on The Sopranos. Along with Martin Scorsese, he is currently an executive producer for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. He lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"Read Boardwalk Empire. . . . Johnson spares no detail when painting a picture of the illegal activities that flourished in Atlantic City."  —Egg Harbor News (New Jersey)

From the Publisher

For longtime Jersey residents, the phrase "Atlantic City politics" carries a pungent aroma all its own; the strong scent of cigars in backrooms, stale smoke from gambling arenas. New Jersey Superior Court judge Nelson Johnson has been observing the underpinnings of the boardwalk scene for three decades, both as a professional and an amateur history buff. His scintillating new book traces the city's long, eventful path from birth to seaside resort to a scandal-ridden crime center and beyond. The Sopranos with salt-water taffy. Now in paperback. (Hand-selling tip: When we assert that Boardwalk Empire possesses cinematic potential, we're not just speculating. An HBO series based on Johnson's book is in the works now with a pilot directed by Martin Scorsese!)

Joe Mantegna's steady, unaffected reading of Johnson's history of Atlantic City is a model of good audiobook narration. Mantegna seems the perfect choice for this title, a solid professional whose voice is tuned to both the drama of individual moments and the rising and falling arcs of the narrative as a whole. Most important, with ease and consistency he keeps up the pace of a story that sometimes drags as the author reviews the city's racial history, political structure, and intricate gaming laws. There's plenty to enjoy, and the HBO series based on Johnson's book covers only a portion of it. Not just for history buffs, this is also a study on how communities and businesses grow and decline—and are sometimes reborn. D.A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2010 - AudioFile